Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-12-05
A D A r X = E ED
BY ETA w. PIERCE.
CHAPTER XXXII-Continued.

to hear US but God. Do you know
what night this is?"
eyes" 1 answered, 1T Is the ami
Yersary of my fathers DEATH"
5She nodded once-twice, and drop
ped her wasted hand on the back O
Pontius PLATE, as he purred agains
her chair. EF
"The beasts haven't been fed" sh,
explained, with feeble smile, that
what makes them so restless.
couldn't get into the kitchen, and tn,
jade there doesn't like cats. Yes, IT.
the anniversary Of your fathers death
Miss Greylock, and I've called you t.
the inn to tell you about his murder
had never seen such wild. strang,
eyes! 1 held my breath, and waited
for her next words.
when he left the inn that night t
gp to Greylock Woods" she went on
her voice growing firm and strong, &c
stole upstairs, put on long cloak ant
low hat belonging to my
father, and followed him. All the way
to the villa dogged his steps through
the darkness-I waited for him al
the gate-back down the hill, went
with him to the salt-pits, and there
/, with this hand"-holding up the
shaking, emaciated member-"sho
him dead. Do you ask what prompted
me to do such a deed? Vengeance!
He had broken my heart, and I ha6
repeatedly sworn to myself to xii
him, If we should ever meet. His evi
and Godfrey Greylock's hardness
drove him from the shelter of the
Woods to his doom. You see, my soft
woman's heart held me back from the
murder till he was on his return way
to the tavern.
| I never tried to screen myself-oft-
en- used recklessly to wish that
might be suspected and apprehende6
for my crime. l declared to Godfrey
Greylock that his son had been foully
murdered. I said the same thing tc
that worthless creature, Roberts wild.
oR! l have told others a like tale;
but no one would ever believe me
II only a single voice had been lifted
against me in accusation, I would
have confessed everything, for heav.
en- alone knows what I have suffered
since that night-what agonies OF
regret! often death would have
seemed to me a blessed release from
my misery. 1 loved Robert Greyloch
better than my own SOUL"
could only gaze at her In utter
horror, as she sat rocking her gaunt
body to and fro in the midst Of hei
cats.
-t'.'You don't believe me,--maybe2, 2,
she cried, wildly; Took at me, then
look at this hair! Isn't 1t whittier thar
that of woman of 80? and I've bare.
ly seen two-and-forty years. What
but remorse is killing me now? With
my strong body ought to have lived
to a ripe old age. He gave me a look
as he fell, that I shall take with me
into eternity. All, my Cod" throw
ing up her hands before her eyes
with a bitter cry, Il see 1t yeti"
Then she started up a second time
and stood before me-a terrible ghost
of a woman. Her voice arose to g
shrek.
| II am his murderess!-I killed him
at the salt-pits-I loved him, and
killed him! 1 could not live another
hour without confessing this to you
his daughter! Now, do with me as
you will-punish me as you will-cal
in the officers of justice; I am ready
to meet them. will deny nothing
Come, do not look so dazed, but act
quickly or death will cheat you after
all. A red-handed creature like me
should never be allowed to die in heI
bed! Go now. and do your worst!"
She was not mad-of that fact
felt painfully sure. I sprang from my
chair. The air of that low, dim room
choked me; the opal eyes Of the cats
glared upon me like the eyes of de-
L L
she had, with her own hands, heape6
upon my fathers death place,
thought of her nocturnal visits there
to- thought Of all her strange ways
the sanguinary names Of her brood
of felines, and 1 felt knew that
what she had revealed to me was SOL
emn, awful truth!
You had better have died with your
secret untold" 1 gasped. God for
give you, Mercy Poole!"
A wan, bitter smile curled her lips
Il could not die until I had made
this confession to Roberts daughter!
Something here!" clutching her breast
wildly, compelled me to speak. II
was part of my punishment to be
obliged to tell you-to see the horror
of your innocent young face-to see
you shrink away from me. Well, &c
say! 1 shall be upon this spot to
receive whatever you may send-go
avenge your father, as you ought-you
would be no true daughter II you did
| llOl, dSh liO ldNOl, hO Nt.tS S~'
Directly"
| left the self-accused woman in the
midst of the cats, flew to my waiting
carriage and bade the coachman drive
back to the villa.
Luckily, Aunt Pam had retired to
her own chamber. I was not obliged
to tell my CHASTITY story for a fe"
hours, at least. Sleep 1 could not
felt like a person in the horrors OF
nightmare. AS soon as morning broke
and before anybody was astir in the
house, put on my outer garments
and started for the salt-pits.
An overmastering impulse, a power
that 1 could neither understand mol
resist, drew me thither. On foot
alone, crossed the high road, ano
descended the hill, by the very patf
which my father had taken on the
night Of his death.
There was no snow on the ground
The old cairn stood up, ugly and dark
IN tho mini do drew near tC