Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-06-18

same thing ten times over, If, by so
doing, could save the life which you
have laid down for your friends"
An ineffable JOY shone in her eyes.
How good of you to say that!-it
makes me glad to go. oh, / remember
ali your kindness, Mr.. Vivian. 1t was
YOU who first taught me to hate evil
you did your best to save both my soul
and my body, and bless you for It'll
| bless you for it! Would you haze
cared for me as much had you known
whose blood was in my veins? Yes,
one like you could never blame me for
the accident of birth"
81 do not understand you, Jael."
II will speak plainer-don't loose
my hand, sir. The Blackbirds are
only one portion of the great gang of
thieves, living in different places, but
operating under one leader. The name
of the man who for years has ruled
them at home and abroad, and guided
all their daring deeds,-is George
Langstroth."
Vivian started.
do you know him, Jael?'
YES. 1 am his daughter, and my
mother Is the woman you call Mrs.
Steele!"
For a moment the room was pro-
foundly silent. Jaeps revelation SEEM
ed to strike her listeners dumb. With
failing breath the girl struggled on:
II could not betray my own father
and mother, sir-wicked as they were,
I owed my being to them. That woman
beat and abused me. She made me her
abject slave-she forced me to do all
her cruel behests; but she was my
mother and so l dared not speak, even
to you. My fear-my hatred Of her
how could | tell you of that? Would
you have understood it? Oh, what
have you rendered to me, Mr.. Vivian,
for all the evil brought by my kindred
upon you and yours? Good-nothing
but good!"
Old Sal Bagley staggered suddenly
to her feet, and dashed the wild gray
hair from her eyes.
Its Gods truth" she painted. why
shouldn't you know it now? The child
was given to me at her birth. I was
instructed to rear her in the ways Of
the Blackbirds-I did it. Joe is dead
down there at the mills. He was told
to kill Jael, because she betrayed the
Blackbirds. Her own mother told him.
What did she care for the child that
she made me bring up as a common
thief? She has no more heart than a
stone. May the blood of this girl be
on her head today!"
Hazel was leaning silently against
the wall She thought of the woman Of
birth and breeding mentioned in her
mothers story, 'who had left every
thing that makes life precious to follow
the fortunes of the bold, bad Lang
stroth." A dozen questions leaped ca
gerly to her lips. but the presence Of
death held them back. She dared not
speak Jael clung closer to the young
preachers hand. The girl had told
one secret-there was another which
would go unrevealed with her to the
grave. How she, Langstroth's unhap-
py daughter, haG loved this man to
whom she turned in dying, no one
would ever know.
1T is coming" she whispered, but 1
am not afraid. Once for All'-sing It,
as you used to in the preaching field
by the river"
He understood. He knelt by her bed.
In spite of all the agony that racked
and maddened him, his rich tenor voice
swelled out, grand and clear, without
hint Of weakness:
"Once for all. o brother, believe It:
Once for all. o sinner. receive It;
Cling to the cross, the burden will
fall:
Christ hath redeemed us, once for
ALL"
She tried to join in the last lines.
The effort was in vain, but she nodded
and pressed his hand Jael made her
sacrifice willingly. Life had brought her
little save evil-she was not sorry to
leave It, With superhuman strength,