Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-05-13
CHAPTER XXI.
But Yet a Woman.

| ctn. S'aHSopSo'S'
On the day following my last inter-
| view with Mr.. Calhoun, I had agreed
to take my old friend Doctor Won Rit-
tenhofen upon a short journey among
| the points of interest of our city, in
order to acquaint him somewhat with
our governmental machinery and to
put him in touch with some of the
| sources Of information to which he
would need to refer in the work upon
which he was now engaged. We had
spent a couple of hours together, and
| were passing across the capitol, with
| the intent Of looking in upon the deli
berations of the houses Of congress,
| when all at once, as we crossed the
corridor, l felt him touch my arm.
did you see that young lady?" he
asked me. "She looked at you, yess?"
l was in the act of turning, even
as he spoke Certainly had l been
alone l would nave seen Elisabeth,
would have known that she was there.
1t was Elisabeth, alone, and hurrying
|
] the first stair In moment she would
be gone. l sprang after her by in
stinct, without plan, clear in my mind
only that she was going, and with her
all the light Of the world; that she was
going, and that she was beautiful,
adorable; that she was going, and that
she was Elisabeth!
AS l took a few rapid steps toward
her, had full opportunity to see that
no grief had preyed upon her comeli-
ness, nor had concealment fed upon
| her damask cheek. Almost with some
resentment l saw tnat she had never
seemed more beautiful than on this
| morning. The costume of those days
| was trying to any but beautiful wom-
an yet Elisabeth had way of avoid
ing extremes which did not appeal to
her individual taste. Her frock now
| was all in pink, as became the gentle
spring, and the bunch Of silvery rib
bons which futtered at her belt had
quite the agreeing shade to finish in
perfection the cool, sweet picture tnat
she made. Her sleeves We're puffed
widely, and for the lower arm were
open just sufficiently. She carried a
small white parasol. with pink edges,
and her silken mitts, light and dainty,
matched the clear whiteness of her
arms. Just AS she reached the top Of
the broad marble stairs, spoke.
Elisabeth"
Seeing that there was no escape, sne
paused now and turned toward me. l
have never seen a glance like hers.
How do you do?" she remarked.
Her voice was all cool white enamel.
She was there somewhere, but l
could not see her clearly now. 1t was
not her voice. I took her hand, yes;
but it had now none Of answering
clasp.
elisabeth" l began; Il am just
back l have not had time-I have
had no leave from you to come to see
you-to ask you-to explain"
"Explain?" sne said evenly.
But surely you can not believe that
/"
Il only believe what seems credible,
Mr.. Trist"
l pulled from my pocket the little
ring which l had had with me that
night when drove out to Elmhurst in
my carriage, the one with the single
gem which 1 had obtained hurriedly
aft ha before
that day had the right to do so. In
another pocket l found the plain gold
one which should have gone with the
gem ring that same evening. My hand
| trembled as l held these out to her.
Il prove to you what l meant. Here!
l had no time! Why, Elisabeth, l was
| hurrying-I was mad!-I had right to
offer you these things. l have still the
right to ask you why you did not take
them? Will you not take them now?'
She put my hand away from her
gently. Keep them," she said, for the
owner Of that other wedding gift-the
one which I received"
Now l broke out. Good God! How
can l be held to blame for the act of
a drunken friend? You know Jack
cambridge as well as l do myself. l
cautioned him-I was not responsible
for his condition"
| 1T was not that decided me-"
You could not believe it was l who
sent you that accursed shoe which be-
| longed to another woman"
He said it came from you. Where
did you get it, them"
Now. as readily may be seen. l was
obliged again to hesitate. There were
good reasons to keep my lips sealed.
flushed. The red of confusion which
came to my cheek was matched by that
Of Indignation in her own. l could not
tell her. and she could not understand,
that my work for Mr.. Calhoun with
that other woman was work for Amer
| lea, and so as sacred and as secret as
my own love for her. Innocent, l still
seemed guilty.
so, then, you do not say? l do not
ask you"
II do not deny it,"
You do not care to tell me wnere
you got it,"
NO" said 1; Il will not tell you
where l got it."
"Why?"
Because that would involve another
woman"
Involve another woman? Do you
think, then. that on this one day of her
life, a girl likes to think of her-her
lover-as involved with any other wo-
man? All, you made me begin to think
| could not help the chill that came on
my neart Marry you?--I could not!
| never could now"
But you loved me once" | said
banally.
Il do not consider it fair to men
tiOn that now"
Il never loved that other woman.
had never seen her more than once
You do not know her"
| "Ah. is that it? Perhaps | could tell