Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-11-02

look on his face which told that he had
| slept but poorly.
i A rap at the door. Arthur started,
took the cigar from his mouth and
called out, carelessly: Come in" The
/ know turned. He looked and saw
standing on the threshold, sallow, smil-
| ing and with a deprecatory air, Hilda
i Burr.
my dear Arthur" she simpered,
may presume to intrude on a gentle
man at this unreasonable hour? You
/ think it very odd, Of course, but I've
something particular to say to you
] mo intrusion" he answered, polite
lily fiinging his weed" away. "On the
contrary, I am highly honored. Be
seated. Have you seen Paulette this
morning?"
She sank into big. claw-footed chair
by his side.
mo" she answered, pointedly, Il
have not seen her. One can not expect
a person who goes to bed two or three
hours after midnight to rise again with
the larks."
Something in her voice struck him
unpleasantly.
you forget Paulette was the first to
leave US last night" he said.
She cast up her eyes at a Landseer
on the wall.
mot at ALL" she replied, dryly; 81
told you I had something particular to
say to you, Arthur Would you like to
hear it?"
Certainly"
She peered up IN his face, measuring
the effect Of every word.
well, then, she is deceiving you
grossly"
His dark eyes opened thought wild
er.
"she! Who? Don't talk in riddles,
Hilda!"
Your yellow-haired beauty-your
charming Paulette! Oh, you stare!
Yes, it's very hard to believe. Were she
ugly and old like me one could credit
1t at once"
A sudden darkness gathered on his
face, like a cloud.
What do you mean, Hilda?" he de-
manded.
'T mean." she replied, rapping his
arm with her long, yellow fingers, that
Paulette's illness last night was alto
gether and Internationally feigned;
that saw her with my own eyes COM
ing In from the grounds some time In
the small housekeeping in, I might
say, with a face like a ghost"
| He started.
| Are you making Paulette the sub
ject Of jest, Hilda?" he cried.
THAT Is not likely. Ask her where
she was at o'clock last night and sat-
isfy yourself. I tell you she is deceiv-
ing you, Arthur! know-yes, know
she Is not what she seems; so, also,
does the general, but he Is infatuated
a-monomaniac, in fact, upon this sub
ject Of her marriage with you; but
will tell you; will warn you against
this girl-picked from the very gutter.
| THAT will do, Hilda!" His bronzed
face grew cool and calm in a moment.
1T is a principle Of mine never to lis
ten to slander behind the injured per-
sons back If my betrothed wife choos-
es to walk the grounds at midnight,
she has, without. doubt good reason
for doing so. Let us talk Of something
else"
| You won't listen to me- them" cried
Hilda, spitefully.
mot upon that subject"
"She came from playhouse--thls
innocent school girl Of yours-from the
footlights and the greenroom."
Indeed? How did you know that
he said.
Hilda lookd a little embarrassed.
Its enough that I do know It,"
| The heir of the hall stretched out his
long, panther-like body, with an air of
relief.
My dear Hilda," he said, whimsical
ly, "you seem to have taken a great
deal Of trouble for nothing. Paulette's
antecedents do not in the least mat
ter to me. I do not care whether she
came from the stage or a convent
whether she was born a princess or a
beggar. Pardon me If I again suggest
a change in our conversation"
She flung angrily back from him.
| That Is It! She has you in the tolls.
You cannot be made to see or believe.
| Oh, the folly Of men! Very well! 1t
Is no fault Of mine that your eyes are
not opened this very hour. AS I did
not come to talk Of anything else,
may as we'll bid you good morning"
| With one furious flash Of her black
eyes, Miss Burr made her exit. The
moment he was left alone Arthur
Guilte's languor-Arthur Guilte's nom
chalance vanished. He started up from
the window and began to pace the
room in great agitation. His bronzed
brows were knit darkly; his face look
ed haggard, rallid, distressed.
"Impossible he muttered. "A jeal-
Gus woman's malice-nothing more! My
spotless darling! l would as soon be-
lieve evil from an angel above. why
does her look, as she read that slip OF
paper last night, haunt me so?
He seized his hat, stepped out on the
veranda, and by a fight Of stairs there
descended to the lawn. Turning a sud-
den corner in the walk, he came to a
low garden seat, under spreading tree
and in it, f1inging handful of seed
to a gaudy peacock who was stretch
ing his violet neck to her in the SUM-
he saw Paulette.
Paulette, with great eyes trimmed
with the purple tint Of sleeplessness
and suffering, with a face as colorless
and cold as stone. There was a lam
guor, a lifelessness in her look and at
titude which went to his heart. With
one stride he reached her chair.
My darling!" he cried out, hurried
I ly, passionately. She sprang up with
a cry A hot, painful flush went over
her face and then faded out into ashy
pallor He tried to take her in his
l,,t y, hon