Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-11-10
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A DARK DEED

By ETA w. PIERCE
CHAPTER XXVI.
PlIshtsc.

grand as some soldier fresh from
victorious campaign. The reins drop
ped from Ethers hand.
This is a great surprise" she man
aged to say.
81 left the west some days ago." he
answered, "and while waiting in Bos-
ton for the arrival Of a member of our
party, who had been Unexpectedly de-
tanned in Chicago, I, by chance, heard
Of your late illness. Pardon me, /
could not resist the temptation to run
down to Blackport to express my re-
grets, and also to take final leave or
the relatives whom I shall probably
never see again. Tomorrow 1 sail for
England"
She extended her hand over the side
of the carriage. He clasped 1t eagerly.
How pale you are!" he said, search
ing her face with his keen, tawny
eyes. TT Is plain that you have suf-
fered. And 1 never dreamed that all
was not going we'll with you here.
News did not penetrate to the canons
of the Yellowstone"
She felt a thrill of guilty relief.
Then he knew nothing about Reg
nault, or the affair at the salt-pits!
Heaven grant. that he would know
nothing-at least till he had hidden
her farewell forever.
For the few moments that we are
now permitted to remain together.
she inwardly prayed, 'let him still
think of me as one above reproach!"
The dogs were leaping upon him
rudely. Chasseur seemed determined
to devour him alive. Sir Gervase
smiled a little sadly as he submitted
to the brute's caresses.
Your dogs have kept me in kindly
remembrance, 1 see. 1t Is pleasant to
find that absence has not diminished
their old affection. Are you wholly
recovered, Miss Greylock? And your
grandfather and Miss Pamela--are
they we'll? Shall I find them at the
villa?
She answered him with tolerable CO.
,herence. The blood by this time was
coming back to her face. Lancer be-
gan to move on of his own accord, and
Sir Gervase fell into place by the side
of the pony carriage, and so walked
away to the villa. talking only OF COM
monpIace things.
Godfrey Greylock and Miss Pam met
the baronet with open arms-he had
no reason to complain Of his welcome.
But the twain looked grave when
Sir Gervase announced how brief his
visit was to be.
what" cried Godfrey Greylock, us
It imperative that you should sail to-
morrow"
YES" answered the baronet, delays
are always dangerous. I have been
absent from England for months, Sew
eral important reasons urge my i'm
mediate return"
Everybody avoided the subject OF
Ethels illness. The elders were as
anxious as Ethel herself that Sir Ger
vase should take his final leave OF
them in happy ignorance of what had
passed since the rejection of his suit.
Luckily the baronet asked no ques-
tions. His behavior was perfect.
Whether or no he had recovered from
his disappointment nobody could tell.
His manner toward Ethel was courte-
Gus, quiet, unmoved.
The heiress of the Woods went up
stairs to dress for dinner in feVereo
frame of mind.
oh IL,
as she looked at her watch, and at
the Boston express leaves Black
mort. Four hours! and into them l
must crowd all the happiness tnat Is
reft to me. Tomorrow is bankrupt-t
holds no promise. 1 have just TWO
hundred and forty minutes to live.
After that care not what happens!
She put on a dress OF black satin.
hordered with grebe, and a Medici run
of yellow Mechlin, out Of which her
snowy throat and pale face arose like
a lily from it's sheath. In her corsage
she fastened a great bunch OF req
leaves. Her yellow hair, heaped in
mass of waves and curls, made
crown of sunshine to this sombre Co.'S
tune. She went down to the drawing
room with no flush, no tremor, but IN
her ewes burned a strange brllllancy'
The dinner passed like all others.
We eat, we laugh, we talk Of common
things, even when our hearts are
breaking, and every moment Is big
with fate.
The party arose from the table at
last, and went to Godfrey Greylocks
library. How fast the moments were
going! Ethel could have screamed
aloud at this pitiless flight OF time.
Soon she would hear the carriage In
the drive-it would stop at the door.
then the last word must be spoken, the
last look given Her heart rose up in
mad rebellion at the misery she had
brought upon herself. On, If some
thing would but happen! Oh, the dire
necessity of keeping smile on her
lips. and light in her eyes, during this
terrible hour, which, when 1t passed.
was to take from her all earthly joy.
Something did happen. Aunt Pam
regardless of the baronets presence,
succumbed to an after-dinner doze in
one of the deep chairs. At the same
time Godfrey Greylock vanished sud
denly behind a portiere at the other
end of the room. Ethel was alone
with Sir Gervase, for Miss Pam, in
her present condition, could not be
called company.
glass
door which opened on the terrace
Day died swiftly-a moon rose over
the tree -tops-its light poured upon
her satin dress and grebe feathers and
yellow crown of hair. Without, the
whole landscape lay dark in shadow
within, an ormolu clock on the mantel
licked the moments remorselessly
away.
Like a man in a dream Sir Gervase