Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-04-10
TffH TfffHH MAN
OUTSIDE
Bv CLARENCE BoUTELLE.
And then they saw it!
Bv CLARENCE BoUTELLE.

wind. And even as they looked, the
roof went down, the walls crumbleC
into a fantastic shapelessness, and
torrent of sparks and brands rose heav-
onward as though eXulting in the trl'
umph of ruin over man.
The sleigh dashed into the grounds
and up to a group who stood in fran
tic inactivity not far from the fierce
fire dancing devilishly over that which
had been a happy home less than
half hour before.
Has any ONE" began Prier.
Mr. Brown hurried to meet him. ant
grasped his hand.
1T was SO sudden" he said, thai
one of the children was forgotten
The mother supposed l. had him;
supposed he was with her; the girl dis
covered the truth first and"
Who? Miss Webb
Miss Webb: and she brought him
out in safety. But guess she has CIV
en- her own life for him. If we only
had a doctor
Prier sprang out Of the sleigh.
Here" he cried to the driver; you
go for the nearest physician, and &C
quickly. I'll pay for the horses il
necessary: don't you spare them"
The driver, we'll acquainted al
through the country thereabouts, and
happily a man who had learned to obey
orders without stopping to question
them, drove rapidly away.
Prier ran to the weeping group not
far away.
Il studied medicine once" he said;
several years before became de-
tective. and | guess | would find myself
a pretty fair physician today
He knelt down in the snow, close
beside the quilt on which they had laid
the faithful woman.
He raised her hands. burned and
blackened and groaned as he tenderly
laid them down again. He looked al
her face-a face that one would have
been keeneyed indeed to have recog-
nized as that of Matilda Webb, and
his eyes filled with the manly flood
he could not restrain. He bent over
her. and listened long to the laboring
lungs fighting for her the battle be-
tween life and death. He raised his
head.
SHE is martyr to duty" he whis-
pered, solemnly, to Mr.. Brown, as the
latter bent nearer to him to listen
There is no hope
Low as he had spoken, the woman
heard him. She rolled her head lit
tie to one side, to face him, and the
shriveled eyelids were raised little
from the eyes which would never see
again.
"Are-are you Mr.. Prier?" she said
in a whisper.
Il am"
"I-I-muSt die, must l not?"
You must die" said Prier frankly
but tenderly.
II have one load on my mind
which l must share with you," she
whiSpered. Il shall die easier if you
know it. Il went away on Sunday
was gone two nights. | had permis-
sion to be gone but one. But-SundaY
night was so stormy-So stOrmy-and
I thought it would not be necessary tC
return through the mud and rain OF
Monday. And yet-and yet-if | haC
gone home on MOnday-Mrs. Craig
would not have been killed. You low
ed her. Mr.. Prier. Can you say to me
as die here, that you forgive me-"
There is nothing to forgive. But
will say it if YOU wish. In the name
of Constance Craig, | forgive YOU"
Il thank you 50 much, Mr.. Prier fo,
now l can die happy"
There has never been anything tC
reprOach Yourself for. my dear woman
for l have no doubt you would have
found your mistress dead on Monday
if you had returned on that day. | fee
certain that she was killed on Sunda!
night
DO you? Then my absence the sec
ond night could have made no differ
ence But-but-"
She paused. tired and worn with tn
effort she had made, but she could no
surrender herself to the power o
death yet She spoke again.
Say. then, that you forgive me fo
not telling my story in the court room
did not guess the need there was 70
| it. | did not suspect the trick by Whicl
the accused would be saved. ~
| her voice was full of passionate plead
| ing now. but so low that Priers ca
almost touched her lips as he ben
down to listen-"I could not bear t
| tell the story of my disobedience AM
neglect. and-and-my head ached s.
hard-so hard-and l could not b.
there when the crisis came-and so
She paused again.
| And 50 there is nothing to forgive
| though | say again. I forgive you. Ant
sol say | thank God that"
Il don't understand YOU" whis
pered the lips which death was touch
| ing with the seal of silence; Il do no
understand YOU. though you have Civ
en- it to me to die happy. F"r-surel
-Senn-WaS--
| She spoke no more. Prier crossed
her burned hands reverently over he
noble heart. He rose to his feet. He
sentence would never be finished b.
her lips this side the day when the dea
shall be raised. Pricr finished it f"
her.
"Innoccnt." he said. Solcmnly; Gil
bert Sem was innocent, Thank Co
you kept silence"
Yes, Mr.. Prier. thank Cod! Than
God for her sake who lies dead at You
feet, dead as generous and I'M
shrinking martyr to humanity. Than
God for Gilbert Scnn'S sake-and fn
your own. You have not penetrate
the mystery, but you know that Sen
was innocent Thank God for the 81
lence kept by Matilda Webb.
And to YOU, readers all, men an