Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-07-09
CHAPTER XIV.
Eorsaken.

to the wretch who had hunted Hoxie
the herder, to death, for daring t.
open a letter which this very girl hat
written-son-in- law to a train -robber
a highwayman, whose crimes deserV'
ed a gallowsi This fair woman, stand
ing before him, bone Of his bone now
flesh of his flesh, was the daughter Of
Black Dave, but his innocent, unsus'
pecting daughter-let him not over
look that fact-ignorant Of her faith
er's terrible calling-ignorant of the
manner in which he had acquired the
money and the Jewels that he had law
ished upon her. Oh, could he, must
he believe it? There. on her hand
shone his lost ring. By what strange
fatality had the outlaw sent that par
ticular trinket to his far-away daugh-
ter? She wore in the lace at her throat
a bar of Roman gold set with rubies
From whom, and in what night at
tack, had Black Dave secured that!
The red stones seemed turning to
drops of blood before Fleetwood's
eyes.
Take them off. Esther!" he cried
wildly. For Gods sake take them
off! The ring-the jewels there at
your throat-throw them into the SEAL!
She stood up tall, white, astonished
but without a moments hesitation she
drew off the rings-his opal with the
Iothers-unclasped the ruby bar, and
tossed all straight from her into the
water
"It Is for you to command and for
me to obey" she said, looking him
full in his wild, strange eyes.
She was his wife! Nothing could
change that fact, or undo what had
been done In common decency he
must hide the truth from her for
space. He tried to laugh.
Pardon my whims. dislike trim
kets-if you love me, Esther, do not
wear any more-none. at least, that
your father has given you. Blythe
way, you have not yet told me his
lname-Heaven above! 1 mean his real
name"
His name is Hart, of course" she
answered, in panied astonishment-
James Hart"
"Oh, ah! I must not forget that l
owe you some explanation about Aunt
Deb. BY chance II learned that a
person called Concordia Tempest ex-
listed in Cinderville. Having nothing
better to do, determined to find her.
1t was the name" with a queer laugh,
"the name-nothing else. assure you
that piqued my curiosity"
She looked at him very earnestly.
How strangely you talk, Guy!" she
said, with a quiver of pain in her
voice: II fear you are I'LL"
81 ami" he answered, incoherently.
Don't mind me, darling. I only am
tc blame for everything. You-no, my
God! you are as innocent as a child
new born!"
He caught her in his arms, kissed
her wildly, passionately, then almost
flung her from him.
Let us go back to the inn," he sud-
denly cried, in a changed voice.
1t was the first cloud which had
fallen on their honeymoon. The tears
sprang to her great, black eyes, but she
was too proud to let them fall. They
walked back to the inn in utter silence
Near it's entrance lounged Tom Dex-
ter, with his hands in his pockets. and
the smell of desiccated fish adhering
to his oily garments. AS Guy Fleet
wood passed by, the old fellow slipped
into his hand yellow envelope-Tom
had just returned from Barton, the
nearest telegraph station.
Esther Fleetwood went up the paint
ed inn stair to her own room, none
the less wretched because her trouble
had not yet taken form or name-her
husband Of a week remained below
hastily tore open the yellow envelope
and read these words:
Your mother is dying. Come imme-
diately. Maud"
| Ungrateful son that he was he had
for two long weeks. and yet had lin
gered here at Cinderville, wooing and
wedding a bride. A pang Of remorse
stabbed through his heart. He loved
his mother, and now she was dying
And Maud was with her-she had left
Rookwood and her Massachusetts
friends to hurry to her aunts bedside
thereby putting to shame the willfully
absent son.
Go to his mother he must, and al
once, but what was to be done with his
bride? This shock, followed so close
upon the other which he had received
on the beach, seemed doubly bewilder'
ing. Already the afternoon was or
the wane. The nearest railway station
was Barton. ten miles distant. Tt
reach it was an easy matter, but Es'
Ither-Esther, Take her with him
present her to his dying mother, whose
Ideas regarding honor and good name
were so pronounced that even the
presence of death could not change
term law, the child of robber ant
murderer? Confront Maud Lotus, a
his mothers bedside, with such wife
Impossible! He could not-he dared
not! His own courage refused to face
the situation. He was panic-strlcken
overwhelmed. He came of aristocrati'
English blood He had been educated
in all the peculiar ideas of his class
TO him Observation-Disclosures:
were things worse than death. Wa
there time to go over to Porgy Ligh
and confront old Joe Runnel and nj
stepdaughter? He felt convinced tina
those two worthless must know the rea
character of Esther's father, and tn
"silver mines" he was working. H
looked at his watch. No, he could not
for then he would be obliged to tel
Esther the Infamous secret. And yet
how was he to live with her, and no
tell her? Should he suffer her to Still
| correspond with Black Dave to Sill
! receive from that monster OF robber.
and violence jewels and money staine'