Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-10-26
By Eta w. PIERCE.

I every one to his taste" answered tn
prince. Poor Hilda! Well, let ne
dance and forget, If she can. She ma.
had trouble enough in her day, heaVel
knows!"
"Oh, have heard the story!" drawle'
Paulette, pulling to pieces bit o
sweet -brier that had fallen from he
long hair. You come Of very wicket
family-I hope the enormities OF tn
race will not be perpetuated in you!"
She fancied his face grew litt
cloudy.
"There's a taint in our blood, think
but 1 need not fear 1t. I have nov
found a power to exercise the demon.
He drew down to his breast with pas
sionate tenderness that little COLDER
head. There was silence for a space IL
the pavilion. Then Paulette sprang VI
with an abrupt start.
"Hark! What is that?" she said.
what is what?" he answered, ex
pressively.
Il heard q footStep.
mo doubt. It's a wonder anybod!
stays indoors on such a night"
But it was here-behind us-amont
these vines!"
"The wind, Cinderella, or a dissipatet
oriole"
She cast startled look over he'
shoulder. AS she did so, the curtain
Of rank, rich bloom at her back parted
suddenly, noiselessly, and face looked
through on them.
The face Of man. but not one of tht
gay maskers Of the night Paralyzee
she stared at him. He wore hat which
cast a deep shadow on his face. From
beneath it, two eyes, like Goals Of fire
looked through the interstices of the
vines upon her One moment, then thu
long green tendrils swung silently
back into place, and the vision was
gone.
Look, Arthur" she gasped.
He did, but too late. AS for Paulette
her face was like ashes.
What did you see?" he asked, ir
amaze.
1T was only fancy!" she stammer-
ed, shivering in the hot air. Let us
go in, it must be near midnight"
She adjusted her mask, and took hi;
arm in nervous haste.
The first stroke Of twelve was jus'
ringing through the wide hall as they
entered. The guests stood ready at the
last peal to doff their masks, and fly tc
the supper room. Cinderella, standing
in the midst, felt touch upon hel
shoulder, and turning, saw the bat.
1.-The hour has come!" said he, In 9
mock sepulchral voice. Receive
spell-so!"
AS he waved his black wings ovel
her, from them slip Of paper fell and
fiuttered into her hand. Her fingers
closed upon it mechanically. The last
midnight stroke rang out, and, 10! Gin
derella's finery dropped away as by ma
gic, and she stood, a lovely beggar-
maid, courtesying to her lordly lover
then vanished through the nearest door
leaving behind only one slender slipper
still warm from the pressure Of her foot
On her way to supper. she looked
for the bat, but he was nowhere to be
seen. AS she slipped her hand through
the arm Of her prince, from 1t dropped
the bit Of paper. Arthur picked 1t up.
What Is this?" he said, lightly.
Some irresistible impulse prompted
her to catch it from him. 1t was folded
carefully. She opened 1t, and there, II
the midst of that joyous company, with
Arthur Guiltes eyes upon her, with the
music still tinkling, and the air full Of
voices and laughter, in the fatal, famil-
lar hand which she knew only too well
Paulette read the following words:
MY Wife: l have come back-I an
waiting for you in the little pavilion al
the foot of the lawn. Come to me, as
soon as your fete is over. Forgive the
past-forget all l said at our wretchet
parting three years ago! wronged yor
greatly. I know now that you were in.
nocent. l am again your own,
"St. John"
Could she believe her eyes? Was she
awake, or dreaming? St John! Alive!
come back-waiting for her! Horror!
For a moment the room reeled-the
whole gay gathering looked to her wild
dilating eyes like a carnival of demons
Surely. she could not have read Alright!
She spelled the terrible words ovel
again. one by one, and all the while Ar
thur Guilte stood watching her with pa
tient but astonished eyes.
"Paulette! good heaven. what is the
matter-what have you there?" HI
whispered.
She crumpled the slip in her hand
Her face was as ashy and rigid az tht
dead.
1T is nothing" she gasped-"a silly
jest. 1 am ill-let me go. I will bt
back directly. For the love Of heaven
let me go. Arthur, before these people
look at mel"
The establishment in his handsome
face changed to actual alarm.
How ghastly you look! You are Ill
sure enough. Let me call Hilda or tht
servants"
mo, no! don't detain NEEDN'T mint
me-don't think of me ever again, Ar
thur" she cried, incoherently, ant
broke from him by actual force, and wa!
gone in moment, across the hall, anC
up the stairs.
She locked the door Of her chamber
and sank upon her knees. Had tn,
grave, then, given up its dead, or wal
1t, indeed, as she had said to Arthur
some frightful jest? Impossible! since
no one at Hazel Hall knew Of her mar
riage. And he had come back! Sh,
was not free. as she had thought, bu
bound-bound-she who loved Arthur
Guilte-for whose approaching mar
riage the general had already begun t.
prepare-she was the wife Of another
She knelt motionless, almost breath
less, her ghastly face bowed on he
hands. She was crushed, overwhelmed
Only, ono thing remained clear in he