The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-10-16

and for q year lived under the dread
Of his return and all the obligations
that return would entail. Then came
tidings OF his death. tidings for which
he may not have been responsible, but
which he never contradicted, and I
thought myself free-free to enjoy
life. and the fortune that had so un-
expectedly come to me; free to love
and, alas! free to marry. And that is
why" she pursued, in all the anguish
OF dreadful retrospect, II recoiled in
such horror and hung, a dead weight
on your arm, when on turning from
the altar. where we had just pledged
ourselves to mutual love and mutual
life, saw among the faces before me
the changed but still recognizable one
OF my brother, and beheld him make
the fatal sign which meant You are
wanted. Come at once"
Wretch" issued from the frenzied
lips OF the half-maddened bridegroom.
as his glance flashed on Hazen. Had
you no mercy? Have you no mercy
now. that you should torture her
young, credulous soul with these fan.
ciful obligations; obligations which
no human being has any right to i'm.
pose upon another. whatsoever the
Cause. holy or unholy, he representa-
Mercy! 1t 10 the weakness OF the
easy soul. There 10 no ease here" he
cried. touching his breast with NO zen,
tie hand.
Thea You forget my money. sur.
gested Georgian. "Can you expect
mercy from . man who sees q million
Just within his graspf / know" she
acknowledged. as Haxen lifted that
same unsentls hand in naughty pro.
test, that 1t was not for himself.
do not think Alfred would disturb q
ny for his own comfort. but he would
wreck woman's hopes. a good mans
happiness for the Cause. He admitted
as much to me, and more, in the in
terview We held that afternoon at the
st. Denis. had to go to him st once
and l had to employ subterfuge in or.
der to DO so." she went on Ia rapid ex.
PLANTATION. as she saw her husbands
eye refill with doubt under a remem.
Drance OF the shame and anguish of
that unhappy afternoon. IT had not
the courage to leave you openly at the
carriage door, Besides, honed To
work on Alfred's pity in our interview
together, or. II not that, to buy nv
release and return to you q free WON.
an. But the wound which had chang.
en- his face for me had changed and
hor
purposes for me than quiet living with
man who could have no real inter.
est In the Cause. The money l in.
herited, the rare and growing beauty
which he declared me to have, were
too valuable to the brethren for me to
hope for any existence in which their
interests were not paramount
might return to you, subject to the
same authoritative beck and call
which had put me in my present posi-.
ton, or might leave you at once and
forever. No half measures were DOS
sible. Was I, a bride, loving and be-
loved by my husband, to listen to
either Of these alternatives? re-
belled, and then the thunderbolt fell.
Il was no longer on probation, no
longer subject to his will alone.
was fully affiliated member. That
day my name had been sent to the
Chief This meant obedience on my
part or vengeance l felt it impossi-
BILE to consider. While lived need
never hope again for freedom without
penalty.
While lived; the words rang in
my ears. I did not need to weigh
them; knew that they were words
Of truth. There is no power on earth
so inescapsble as that exercised by q
secret society. and this one has a ter.
rible safeguard. None but he who
keeps the list knows the members.
You. Roger, might be one, and I never
suspect 1t. unless you chose to give
me the sign. Knowing this, I real.
lied that my life was not worth the
purchase II sought To cross the will
Of my own brother. Nor yours, either.
1t was the last thought which held me.
While l dutifully listened, my mind
was working out the deception which
wns to release me. and when l left
him 1t was to take the first step in
the complicated plot by which hoped
to recover my lost happiness. And I
nearly succeeded. You have seen
what / have borne, what difficulties
have faced. what discoveries eluded.
but this last. this greatest ordeal, was
too much. could not listen unmoved
to description Of my own drowned
body. l, who had calculated on all,
had not calculated on this. The hor.
ror overcame mel forgot-perhaps