Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-03-10

was dead.
sc. l knew, when 1 entered the
room of Constance Craig, that muir
der was likely to be necessary. | de-
nberately and thoughtfully did as I
did, with the possibilities fully in
mind. and I neither claim now, nor
will l ever, at any time, claim that
the murder was the result Of sudden
passion, the result of unforeseen cir
lcumstances, nor that it was commit
ted in self lf-defense.
az. 1 will, when arraigned before
the proper tribunal, plead guilty or
the crime Of murder in the first degree,
and will not plead eXtenuating circum-
stances of any kind. .,
IS. I promise to reveal fully all
THAT regards the causes of the crime
and to give the names of all VINO knew
of nv purposes or any parts of them y
Sem finished the reading, and looked
dazedly up. Prier sat watching him
narrowly, one hand-the right-belng
thrust carelessly into his pocket.
Sign it," he thundered at Sem.
| Sem pushed the document back
across the table.
Il will never sign it," he said, quiet
ly. "for it would be terrible lie! Il
am not guilty. 1 never-never heard
the name Of Constance Craig before
Gilbert Sem. one or the other of us
will never leave this room alive unless
get to the bottom Of this mystery
which has troubled me for years"
VERY we'll. I am unarmed, as you
know for you took pains to inquire or
me this morning. 1t will be the easiest
thing in the world for you to kill me;
it will be a cowardly thing to do-but 1t
may be a kind one; for had rather die
than have the world at large know
word against my name and my honor"
You would?"
Il would. have a mother, gray
haired old lady, living among the hills
to the north of US; love her more than
I love ANYTHING else in this world. 1t
would kill her to know that her boy
had gone wrong, and so you--"
"Well?"
And so you can shoot me to death,
if you desire, but you can neither
threaten nor bribe nor coax me into
putting my name at the bottom of that
horrid lie!"
Lie? Is it lie?'
1T is 1t would be a crime for me
to sign it, l never knew Constance
Craig. 1 never knew the servants of
Constance Craig, for never knew the
servants of any person with whom l
was personally unacquainted. L did
not know the arrangement Of the rooms
in her house, for l never entered the
house of q stranger. / never entered
the sleeping room of any woman. l
never committed the crime Of murder.
| will never sign the paper you have
presented to me: I will not call for
help: will not try to escape. If you
are resolved that l must sign or die,
kill me at once; you will gain nothing
by waiting"
You say you had rather die than
have dshonor and disgrace connected
with you?"
Il said it; with me-or with any one
who bears my name. I would
mo matter. We are wandering from
the subject. You would not like the
world to know that you robbed the bank
here?"
mo; but I don't worry about that.
The world will not know it,"
1T may. know it, and your wife
knows it,"
Very well. Suppose you two do?
You will neither of you tell But it is
you who are wandering from the sub
ject now: am 1 to live-Or to die?"
Excuse me, Mr.. Sem, but l am not
wandering from the subject The bank
robbery is as closely connected with
the murder of Constance Craig as any
one event can be connected with an
other Will you tell me why l will not
tell that you robbed the bank?"
Because your story would be ridi-
culous and apparently merely malicious
if unconfirmed by other evidence.
Think of what you have to tell, ending
with helping a bank robber open his
dead employers safe and then inviting
him home to supper. Would any one
credit such a tale? You would be
laughed out of Boomville."
And why will not Mrs. Sem tell?'
For various reasons. No one ever
before heard Of a woman doing what
she did: no one would believe it now.
She may have the same idea regarding
dishOnOr and disgrace that 1 have: you
remember what she did for her father;
you remember that she is a Sem now.
Besides. l understand that some have
the idea that her marriage was ar
ranged solely to the end that the busi-
ness in which her father was engaged
might have the benefit Of the money
am supposed to have had. / think she
may be willing to let that idea go un-
cOntradicted."
But there would be dishCnor and
disgrace in that"
True But women ard men sell
themselves in marriage-sell them
selves for gold-every day. 1t may be
less evident than in this case, usually,
though none the less true Compared
with the greater evil of being known
as Il felon's wife, Mrs. Sem may be
very willing to be regarded as a very
avariciOus person"
| Hope was fighting with fear in Senn's
breast. The night was going fast.
With morning, he might find certainty
IF life. And he must be vile indeed, or
wrctched indeed who does not love life
and long for its continuance while
youth and health are still with him.
So Sem welcomed conversation, was
glad when it wandered away from the
subject of Constance Craig, and watch
fully wondered at Prier and his pur-
pose and thought bitterly in the pauses
Of the conversation of his own probable
and possible future.
And so," continued Sem. after
considerable pause, Il think Mrs.
Sem will not speak of my crime until
| i ,,,1