Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-06-03
CHAPTER XXXIV.


eyes,
Nor ope her lap to soul seducins gold
For she is wise, If can judge OF her;
And fair she is, If that mine eyes be
true;
And true she is, as she hath proved
herself. Shakespeare.
What have you done?" she eX-
claimed. Are you mad? He may be
here at any moment now. Go, at
once!"
Il shall not go!"
MY house is my own! am my
own"
You know it is not true, madam"
I saw the slow shudder that crossed
her form, the fringe of wet which
sprang to her eyelashes. Again the
pleading gesture of her half-open fin
gers.
'Ah, what natter" she said. 1T is
only one woman more. against so
much. What is past is past, monsieur.
Once down, a woman does not rise.
You forget history,-you forget the
thief upon the cross!"
The thief on the cross was not a
woman. No, am guilty beyond hope!
Rather, you are only mad beyond
reason, madam. 1 shall not go so long
as you feel thus-although God knows
I am no confessor."
II confessed to you,-told you my
story, so there could be no bridge
across the gulf between us. My happi-
ness ended then"
1T is of no consequence that we be
happy, madam. l give you back your
own words about ypn torch of prin-
ciples"
For time she sat and looked at me
steadily There was, | say, some
sort of radiance on her face, though l,
dull of wit, could neither understand
nor describe. | only knew that she
seemed to ponder for a long time,
seemed to resolve at last. Slowly she
rose and left me, parting the satin
draperies which screened her boudoir
from the outer room. There was ST.
lence for some time. Perhaps she
prayed,-I do not know.
Now other events took this situation
in hand. I heard a football on the
walk, a cautious knocking on the great
front door So, my lord Pakenham
was prompt. Now I could not escape
even If liked.
Pale and calm, she reappeared at the
parted draperies. l lifted the butts OF
nv two derringers into view at my
side pockets, and at a glance from
her, hurriedly stepped into the oppo-
site room. After a time l heard her
open the door in response to a second
knock.
! could not see her from my station,
but the very silence gave me picture
of her standing. pale, forbidding, re-
buking the first rude exclamation of
his ardor.
Come now, is he gone? Is the place
safe at last?" he demanded.
Enter, my lord" she said simply.
This is the hour you said" he be-
gan and she answered:
MY lord, it is the hour"
But come, what's the matter, then?
You act solemn. as though this were
funeral, and not-just a kiss" l heard
him add.
He must have advanced toward her.
Continually l was upon the point Of
stepping out from my concealment' but
as continually she left that not quite
possible by some word or look or ges-
ture of her own with him.
"Oh, hang it," heard him grumhle,
at length: chow can one tell what
woman'n do? Damn it. Helen"
Madam you meant"
We'll, then, madam, why all this
hoighty- -toighty? Haven't l stood tiouts
and indignities enough from you?
Didn't YOU make a show of me before
that ass. Tyler, when l was at the
very point of my greatest coup? You
denied knowledge that | knew you
had. But did l discard you for that?
I have found you since then playing
with Mexico, Texas, United States all
at once. Have punished you for
that? No, | have only shown you the
more regard"
MY lord, you punish me most when
YOU most show me your regard"
We'll, God bless my soul, listen at
that Listen at that-here, now, when
Tve-madam, you shock me- you
grieve me. I-could | have glass OF
wine?"
heard her ring for Threlka, heard
her fasten the door behind her as she
left. heard him gulp over his glass
For myself, although l did not yet dis
close myself I felt no doubt that
should kill Pakenham in these rooms
even pondered whether | should
shoot him through the temple and cut
off his consciousness, or through the
chest and so let him know why he died
After a time he seemed To look about
the room, his eye falling upon the lit
tered floor.
MY KEY" he exclaimed; broken!
Who did that? can't use it now!
You will not need to use it. my
lord"
But l bought it. yesterday. HAD
given you all Of the Oregon country II
would not have been worth twenty
thousand pounds. What I'll have to-
night-what I'll take-will he worth
twice that. But bought that key. and
what l buy l keep.
heard struggle. hut she repulsed
him once more in some way. stu
nv time had not come. He seemed now
to stoop. grunting. to pick up some
thing from the floor.
How now? My memorandum "i
treaty. and torn in two! oh. see
see. he unused. You wish to give II
back to me-to lie wholly free! II
means only that YOU wish t" love me
for myself. for what | am You
mink"
You mistake. my lord" said her
calm. cold voice.
AT least twas no mistake that
offered you this damned country al