Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-11-05
Then, consider. You have left

Il
comfortable sum. I will repay him dol
lar for dollar. You shall be relieved
from all obligations toward him. You
shall also find in me a willing slave.
will live henceforth for you only; our
miserable past shall be wiped out. II
is not possible you have quite forgotten
that marriage night at Cambridge?
Paulette, my wife! If you cannot love
me, at least try once more to regard
me kindly-cease to hate me, for the
love Of God!"
The aversion in her look-in her at
titude-seemed to increase rather than
diminish at this appeal.
II do try!" she cried in despair, "and
I cannot, Guy! You talk Of repaying
the general. What a mockery Of words!
And you ask me to leave him now like
thief in the night--never!"
He set his teeth in his keen disap-
pointment
1.-The devil is in you, Paulette! What
will you do, then?"
You can have no part in my future,
she answered, whatever 1t is. ! will
go from here, but not with you. The
world Is wide enough to hide me.
will go back to ito the stage, any
where: but will never, Of my own will,
look on your face again"
Have a care, Paulette!"
81 abhor youi There Is small need
for you to tell me that you have gone
from bad to worse in these three years;
feel II instinctively. Your presence
only would kill me. This is what
came to tell you tonight-this is all
can or will dol"
She faced him defiantly. Her slight
figure seemed to grow taller.
You throw me over completely,
then?" he said.
Call it what you will. I will never
live with you or acknowledge any
claim you may make upon me-
He stood as If at an utter loss. There
was a dead, portentous silence, then he
cast himself PROSTATE at her feet.
"Paulette, can nothing move your
hard heart? Yes, you are a woman,
and you must pity me. I have crossed
you now in your dearest purpose-have
snatched your lover from you; but you
must-you will forget this all in time.
Do you blame me because could not
die, ungenerous girl? Do youahate me
because came to claim my own? Will
not a love that can so humble itself
touch you? Paulette, Paulette, pity
pity mel"
His voice was full of pain and pas
sion, but her dull ears would not thrill.
Her heart lay lumpish as lead within
her. She snatched her dress from his
hold.
"Pity!" she echoed, contemptuously;
"and what is pity worth? No! I have
not even that to give you. I seem
breathing in a pestilence as I stand
here. l can bear it no longer; let me
go!"
And is this your final, your un-
changeable answer, Paulette?"
"Yes-yes!"
He leaped to his feet with an oath.
Under cover Of his cloak his cunning
hands had been at work.
"Then, my dear wife, since pleading
will not do, something else must! said
he, and, seizing her in violent en-
brace, he bent back her shuddering
face, pressing down upon 1t breathless-
ly a handkerchief reek'ng with some
deadly, sickening odor.
One smothered scream struggled
through her lips.
Help"
Then, gasping in his hold, she felt
herself clasped close, kissed passion
ately, lifted off her feet. At the same
moment hurried step sounded on the
walk without, and man stepped
through into the pavilion.
1t was Arthur Guilte!
The darkness there seemed at first to
battle him.
"Paulette!" he called, in a ringing
voice, where are you, Paulette?"
Quick as lightning, ST. Johns arms
fell away from his prisoner. She drop
ped to the floor With a bound, he
dashed through the tangled curtains
of vines and disappeared-a black, in
distinguishable object, melting away
into the blacker night.
Arthur Guilte bent over Paulette and
snatched her up.
Speak to me-look at mel" he cried,
wildly.
She opened her eyes with shudder.
"Oh, Is it you?" she groaned, and
her face went down into her trembling
hands.
He tried to lift ito look into it.
His agitation seemed even greater than
hers.
"Paulette, did you cry for help?'
She was silent
who was that man? What was he
doing here?"
Still no reply.
"Merciful Cod Don't drive me wild!
Answer me! Was it man or shad-
ow? l will believe anything but i'll Of
you!"
Not a syllable! His face grew stern
and white.
"Paulette!" he cried, pulling her
hands from her face, you have been
holding tryst with him, then?"
Yes" she answered at last.
He staggered back, stood staring
down upon her, stony and stark. for
one terrible moment, then flung her
from him, turned on his heel and with
out another word walked out of the
pavilion.
ITO be Continued