Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-06-02
TfffN TffHN MAN
OUTSIDE
Bv CLARENCE BoUTELLE.
By CLARENCE oUTEELE.

Mrs Senn," said Gilbert, solemnly,
IL have wronged you deeply. Let me
explain it ALL and then plead for your
forgiveness"
And he sat down beside her and told
her all he knew of the strange story in
which the murder of Constance Craig
was the centre and the circumference.
He told of his work. of his sickness,
10: his discharge; he told Of his lone
illness, his homesickness, of his at
tempt to reach home on foot; he re-
lated his experiences as a tramp, his
refusal to sell his ring, his borrowing
the money he had borrowed, his turn
ling into the country
He narrated the loss of his ring. his
unavailing search for it, his suspicion
Of the woman who passed him, his act
of following her.
He told Of what he had seen at the
house OF Constance Craig, of the ter
rible tragedy wrought there by the one
who wore his ring on her finger and
the strange cross of pearls in her hair.
He led her, in imagination, with him,
as he left the house of the fearful
memory in the distance, as he faced
death himself, as Aldrich saved him
from it at the peril of his own life, as
he found honorable employment by
Aldrichs aid, as he grew older and
wiser in the service of the man he
always loved, and to whom he was
always faithful.
He pictured the robbery of the bank,
his suspicion of her. his resolve to save
Aldrich.
He told of the memories awakened
by one article of her bridal toilet, of
| his broader and more horrible suspi-
cion of her which was given life and
energy when he was arrested for the
murder of Constance Craig, Of his re-
solve to shield her from the conse-
quences of the crime because she bore
his name. He told her of the trap Miss
Bannottie had set for her in robbing
the bank, intending doubtless, to make
her father a beggar, hoping to induce
Aldrich to discard her: and leaving
the rings to connect her with the muir
der Of Constance Craig.
He talked long, earnestly eloquently.
He told more than have recapitulated
here. He tried faithfully, to tell all
| There was to tell.
She, in turn, told much.
I'VE often dressed alike, Lurline and
l." she said, which accounts for the
dress | wore into the bank being like
the one she had herself worn in. I
only wonder how she learned the COM
bination. Perhaps I talked in my
sleep"
She told of her experiences as Miss
Bannottie's prisoner. She tried to
make all plain and clear to her new
found friend.
| And now," he questioned her, "can
you find it in your heart to pardon
me?"
She put her hand in his.
Fully" she said "since you did it
for love of Walter, and prompted by
your truth and loyalty"
| And you will secure q divorce. will
1
you not, so that you may marry him."
| She shook her head.
Il think not" she replied: or, rath-
er. | am certain Of it. Should we out
live you, Walter and l, should GER
tainly become his wife. for l love him
with all my heart and soul and
strength. But l took my bonds upon
me Of my own accord, and l shall new
er cast them off. Nay" as she saw a
shadow upon his face, Il do not de-
sire your DEATH such a thought,
though sometimes suggested to me by
Lurline Bannottie. never found lodg-
lment in my brain, even when l thought
you the most wicked of men and my
self the most unfortunate of women.
1 sincerely wish you long life and hap
piness, Mr.. Sem, as 1 am sure you
know that Walter will. also, when he
knows all. It is not the life of my
hopes. the life Of my girlish dreams.
But life is worth any wOman's living
when il gives her the love of a man
like Walter Aldrich and the friendship
of such man as you have shown
yourself to be-"
They left the room. They descend
ed the stairs. They looked for Miss
IBannottie. You know they looked in
vain. Then they went upstairs again.
"Prier will hunt her down and set
tie with her." said Sem: you need
Ihave no fear Of that"
II am sorry l pity Lurline Bannot-
tie"
DO you? Sometimes I am afraid
do. But Prier don't. Prier will be
merciless. Since she killed Constance
lCraig, he will follow her to the death
Once, he only despised and loathed her
But when she laid the shadow Of her
life across his path a second time"
"A second time? l do not under
stand you?"
DO you not? 1 half fancied had
told you that among all the rest.
though. 1t is a sad story. Do you
think you can bear to hear it?'
Il think so"
Il assure you, you don't know how
wicked Lurline BannOttie is"
No? Do you think you do, Mr.. Gill
lbert Sem? If you do, leave your wife
for q few moments, run down the
lonely path to the wild glen, and come
back and report. l think neither you
nor any other man knows, or ever did
know. or ever can. how grandly good
la true woman can be-nor how low a
bad woman may fall!
mo" she replied: but l would ike
to hear the story
It's a short one, fortunately, and
won't take long in the telling. Prier
had a twin brother. He loved him
more than his own life. His brother
met Lurline Bannottie somewhere, at
a summer resort on the seashore, | be-
lieve. and fell in love with her. She
led him on. until he was so infatuated
, that he felt he could not live without
her Then she laughed at his mad