Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-09-07

BIER 7, 1909.
to tell him that am not what seem"
He looked at her with a dark, jeal-
Gus face.
I'VE have teen married three days"
he said, land, woman-like, the secret
we agreed to keep begins now to burn
you"
IF it is ever told, you will tell it."
she answered, solemn, womanly look
falling on her childish face. Living
or dying, it shall never pass my lips
I swear it to you'll"
Meanwhile" cried ST. John, you
will make no promise regarding Var
neck?"
! None" she flashed, proudly, be
cause would be ashamed to recognize
the need Of any"
They stopped at this moment be-
fore Miss Nightingale's quarters-a
suite Of pleasant rooms in the south
part Of the city. A person with weak
eyes and tremendous voice was the
cantatrice. She was dressed this night
in virgin white, cut low, to display
her bony neck and somewhat thin
shoulders literally. Paulette and her
escort-he silent and stony, she with
red eyes-ascended a stair and enter
ed room half filled with gathering
of wild-eyed, long-haired genius.
Our bright particular star!" cried
the cantatrice and dashed at Paulette
with resounding kiss, BLESS me,
you've been crying!" she added, In a
stage whisper About st. John! Fie!
the sad fellow. Hope you'll never lose
your heart to him. Wipe your eyes
before the others see"
She very good -naturedly performed
the service herself, then swept the
room with quick glance.
| "And now," she said, "is our number
complete? No, one delinquent yet re-
mains-at the last moment behold
him."
They looked and saw in the shadow
Of the open door Serle Varneck.
"Enter!" cried Miss Nightingale,
making unmistakable eyes at the hand
some blonde fellow. II feared you had
forgotten us, and I was inconsolable."
And she gave him a seat beside Pau
lette.
Directly the boned turkey and cham
payne were brought in. A great bus
= 10 ha 70
places round the board.
Gayly burned the gas jets overhead.
Pleasant were the laughter and the
voices; mildly beamed the cantatrice's
pale eyes upon all; the sweets Of
steaming oysters and the delicate bou-
quet of wines mingled with the odor
of hothouse flowers in the vases.
Miss Nightingale placed Paulette on
her right hand, where she was deftly
sandwiched between the thin, virgin
white figure on one side and the Dig,
blonde shape of Varneck on the other.
"Why did they put you here?" she
said, somewhat rudely. I'm sure I
did not want you"
friend" he answers, airily; "a more
desirable seat could not have been as
signed me. wish st. John seemed
half as we'll satisfied"
She looks quickly up and sees at
the other end Of the table the person
named sitting pale and silent, neither
eating nor drinking, but simply star
ing into his plate. She changes color.
why did you refuse to keep my
bracelet?" whispers Varneck in her
ear. "And who, let me ask. gave that
scene-painter the right to seize you
bodily in the face Of multitude and
carry you off like a knight-errant Of
old?"
She drops her eyes. He fancies she
trembles.
"Pardon!" she replies. "Will you
be so good as to refrain from speaking
to me further?"
He stares at her. His face is like a
picture of the angel Gabriel.
"a monstrous request" he says.
lightly, quite impossible to comply
with. Kindly explain. Why should I
not speak with you as we'll as an
other?"
A double knock sounds on the door
behind the chair Of the cantatrice.
"Open locks,
Whoever knocks"
says Varneck. Obedient to the voice,
Miss Nightingales servant enters.
"A letter for Mr.. st. John," she an
nounces, holding yellow envelope
glngerly between thumb and finger
sent round from his lodgings, and in
great haste, If you please"
st. John has a glass Of champagne
in his hand. He filings 1t down, spilling
the wine on the cloth, and starts up
from the table. AS he snatches the
yellow envelope he grows alarmingly
pale.
II beg to be excused" he mutters,
and retreats to the fire and stands
with his back to the company and
opens his letter.
The cantatrice sings a little song.
Her guests drink her health and Pau
lette's. Nobody seems to notice st.
John. He reads his letter through-it
Is not long one-then crumples 1t in
his hand and tosses 1t in the crate.
II hope you have good news" says
Miss Nightingale, who hears the rat
tling Of the paper.
ITO quote proverb, no news is
good news" he answers.
Paulette cranes her neck round her
neighbor's shoulder to look at him. A
handkerchief drops from her lap to the
carpet. st. John picks it up, but does
not return it, and directly Varneck,
waxing warm with champagne, begins
to whisper in her ear again.
You look like a princess in disguise
among these people. 1 often fancy you
such as I sit and watch you at the
play. I am always there, you know.
Do you ever notice me, Paulette? All