Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-10-15
CHAPTER XI-Continued.

floor.
He turned upon Swiftwind, his face
afiame, his eyes ablaze.
"Helen!" he exclaimed, wrought to
the highest pitch of excitement, Miss
Dare in my wife's room! forbade
her to go there! Forbade them ALL"
so 1 understood" rejoined the In
dian, dryly. "She was there neverthe-
less. She told me Mrs. Sherwoods
forehead and lips were burning
Her lips! How does she know
why, she kissed her, l believe.
kissed her! Helen kissed heri"
The words were Missed rather than
spoken, and his features were convuls-
cd with a horror unspeakable.
Then suddenly he snapped through
his clenched teeth:
"Swiftwind, you lie!"
. The Indian started, for AN instant
his extraordinary composure deserting
him. He strode toward his insulter
with uplifted hand. But then just as
suddenly he stopped short and his arm
fell to his side.
You're drunk" he calculated, con-
temptuously, and then turned on his
heel, as he would have turned away
from offal.
Sherwood paid no attention to this.
1t is doubtful, indeed, if he heard 1t.
His whole thought was of Helen and
the danger of infection she had under
gone. He bit his lip until the blood
flowed down over his chin.
Hastily drawing his handkerchief, he
wiped away the crimson fluid, and,
with a quick motion turned toward
Swiftwind.
When was this?" he gasped. "At
what hour?"
mo doubt the lady will give you the
information you DESIRE" replied the In
dian, pointing up the stairway, where
Miss Dare, who had just left her room,
appeared at the head Of the landing.
AS soon as Sherwood saw her, he
darted forward and leaped up the
stairs, two steps at time. -
Swiftwind paused for a moment,
doubling what it was best for him to
do; then, with an almost imperceptible
shrug Of the shoulders, a gesture which
in all his life the imperturbable scion
Of long line, of ancestors whose one
object had been to keep their feelings
hidden from the public gaze, had never
been guilty of before, he turned and
walked rapidly from the room.
Meanwhile Sherwood had reached
the top Of the stairs and had intercept
ed Miss Dare just as she was passing
to the other side of the landing where
was the room in which Mrs. Sherwood
lay so i'll.
Stop, Nell!" he cried, eXcitedly, and
yet almost in a whisper, lest any one
should overhear Where are you 60
ing?"
Helen Dare drew herself up to her
full height. 1t was always disagree
able for her to come in contact with
this man, and she certainly did not
intend to be dictated to by him.
ITO see your wife," she answered,
shortly.
NO" retorted Sherwood, placing
himself full in front Of her and thus
barring her passage. II forbid 1t.
forbade it yesterday, and yet, despite
my orders, you were with her."
II was" was the defiant response.
"And you kissed herr"
81 did"
Sherwood caught his breath, as thus
his worst forebodng was confirmed.
AT what time? Give me the exact
time!"
Helen drew back, amazed at his eX-
citement and not able just then to ac-
count for it.
why does 1t distress you," she ask
ed. with proud scorn, that your wife
should receive one kiss of Affection"
Answer mel" demanded Sherwood
fiercely. AT what time? Give me the
exact time!"
Influenced, in spite of herself, by
his passionate appeal, Helen answered
mechanically:
After lunch yesterday
Between l and %" And he tore his
watch from his pocket, consulting II
with an eagerness that was savage in
it's intensity. "Ah, the time is nearly
up. Nell. give me your hand"
But she drew back, half in alarm
half in repulsion. he even wondered
for an instant il he had suddenly gone
insane. He was not insane, however
unless the tension of brain and heart
wrought to the highest pitch can be
called insanity. He made no effort tc
compel her to grant his request, but
went on excitedly:
Your heart? Does it throb and pal
pitate? Do you hear strange rushing
noises in your head?"
II am perfectly WELL" replied Helen
looking at his altered fact, as If trying
to read in its lineaments the cause O
this extraordinary questioning. "A
the present moment, DR.. Sherwood.
beginning To be angry and speaking II
a sneering tone. impregnated with in
nuendo, 1T is not difficult for me tC
imagine you asleep, dreaming of the
days you fought the cholera so brave
ly in Hamburg"
Cholera. Nell?"
His pale lips could scarcely form tht
words. 1t was an ejaculation tha
came from them. in spite of all his eff
forts to keep it back. I
He still stood there, so that unles:
she used physical force. which %
course was out of the question. she
would not be able to pass him.
But her one thought being tn ge
away from this presence, which to sa!
the least was so distasteful to her. sh'
took the only other way of escape oper
TO her, and, hurrying down the stairs
crossed the hall and entered the kitch
en-, where Dorothy was busily engaged
in preparing breakfast for her lover
lover he was. and she knew it, al
though he had not as yet declared
himself.
With staggering step Sherwood de