Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-09-27
*NORTHERN y LIGHTS+
FROM The ROMANTIC AMERICAN DRAMA.
THE NOvELIzATION BY A. D. HALL.


lieve him. Then, with an inappeasabl
longing to know the worst, no matte
how bad that worst might be, he ask
ed: why should you call me Grim
inal?"
She replied by another question, ant
with a scornful curl to her red lip:
why did you leave Hamburg 81
abruptly"
What was there to keep me?" AND
then he went on, telling now exactl!
what had occurred. 81 received a mes
sage announcing your illness. While
preparing to go to you, another came
telling me Of your death"
(which might have been true had
been under the enthusiastic hand Of
DR.. Sherwood" ....
An expression Of genuine horror
swept across the face Of Sherwood
which not even her slightly yelled ac-
cusatIons had been able to summon
up.
mo! MOI" he cried, with a violent
gesture of dissent. mot you, Nell
not you."
The very words were in themselves
confession of his other evil doings
and Helen Dare recognized them as
such, but she had too long been con-
vinced of what his character really
was for even this to make anything
but slight impression upon her.
IT lay in collapsed state for hours,
she went on, monotonously, as II re-
peating a story which interested hei
but little. She knew, indeed, that II
was necessary to be told, and the soon
er 1t was told and so gotten over, the
better. "They believed me to be dead
When recovered. you had fed. Your
medical associates were the first to
whisper their suspicious. Though you
were reputed to be Of great Skill
more patients died under your treat
ment than that Of any other physi-
clan. Investigation suggested that
you had been making a scientific stu
dy at the expense of human life"
He shivered, as II overcome by q
sudden chill, and his face was ghastly
In the moonlight II she had ever en-
tertained any doubts as to the truth
Of the accusations she had just made
all doubts would have at once been
dispelled.
"And you, Nell" he said, chokingly
you believed me guilty?"
AT first, no." she replied, with the
utmost calmness. without a tinge OF
feeling one way or the other. And her
outward demeanor was only an index
Of what she inwardly felt. There was
no actual proof but, coupled with your
hasty flight and desertion, the convic-
ton came to me at last. 1 now believe
you guilty"
Again he shivered, divided between
a sort Of voiceless anger that she
should thus speak to him and a mad
longing to catch her in his arms and
crush her to his breast.
Nell" he exclaimed, desperately
might say would carry but little
weight with her. Nell, had I known
YOU were living nothing could have
driven me from your side. l am your
husband, Nell, and, bad as you think
me, I had one virtue-my love for you
never faltered."
Her eyes contracted as she looked al
him from under the half-lowered lids
Certainly, whatever love she had ever
had for him was now dead within her
breast, leaving there only an odd mix
ture Of pity and loathing.
"Indeed?" she replied, with a sar-
casm she could not repress. "Your
constancy is remarkable, Dr. Sher-
wood, and yet they tell me you have a
wife here"
"A wife? God help me, yes! But,
speaking with passionate vehemence
and yet with a hopelessness which
seemed to turn all things about him to
the hue of a dull. dismal gray, "but
II you could know, II could make you
understand"
She raised her hand, but at the ges-
ture, slight though 1t was, the words
died upon his lips. Surely the mem
bers Of his regiment would have beer
amazed could they have seen theil
surgeon, usually so masterful, so ar
rogant, so impatient of any control
thus awed into silence by the wave OF
a woman's white hand.
Don't try" said Helen Dare, quiet
ly. "You are her husband; that's
enough. Circumstances are about tc
place me under her roof as her guest
If there is any manhood left in youl
breast, respect her position, as 1 shall
They tell me she is an invalid, thai
her days are numbered; then, while
she lives, never mention the past t.
me again"
Sherwood started. That phrase
while she lives" which had been ut
tered by Helen with little or no mean.
ing Qf she had spoken exactly wha
she was thinking, he would have sale
''never'') burned into his brain as Il
in letters Of fire, an inscription neveI
to be eradicated.
He was reused by Helen's voice ask
ing where she could find Mrs. Sher
wood.
There" he said, pointing to th'
door, feeling utterly unable at tina
moment to see the two women togeth
| or.
Miss Dare, however. was spared th'
lawkwardness of announcing herself
by the appearance Of Dorothy. wh'
had been attracted to the veranda b!
the sound of voices. and to whom
Sherwood managed to introduce tn
stranger.
The little major, who was rathe
inclined to be impressionable, at onc'
took a violent fancy to the beautiful
woman, and invited her most cordial!
to enter the house.
Sherwood, left alone, walked slowl!
away, his head bowed upon his breast
scarcely knowing where he was going
but longing only to be alone. What ;
strange turn had the wheel of fortune