Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-12-03
THE AMERICAN COUNTESS

By ETA w. PIERCE.

I combined. She had not seen that face
before for many a long year, yet she
recognized it with a tigerish thrill al
her heart, with a murderous gleam in
her wild, blood -shotten eyes-witt
these words, hurled like blow at that
man in his ease and his splendor:
God in Heaven! 1t is you, is it:
Curse you! hundred curses on you!"
1t was his turn to start now, for il
he did not know that changed, miser-
able body, her voice still kept it's old
time tone. He half arose in his car
riage turning back to her a face whit
er than her own, and raising his gloved
hand quickly, unconsciously, to his
The next moment, however, he seemed
to regain his composure. He fell back
on the evelvet-cushioncd seat, the car
riage rolled on, stopped at the gray
hotel, and the man leaped out, said
something to his servant, and vanished
inside the open door. Moll Dill turned
and walked away.
She had not gone dozen yards when
she heard a painting breath, a hurried
step, and 10! the liveried driver of the
carriage looking very hot and very
disgusted, stood before her.
stop a Bit woman" he command
ed, loftily; "the gentleman who passed
you just now sends you this trifle, and
wants to know what you are doing
| here"
The ''trifie" was a ten-dollar bank
note Moll gave a lightning glance at
the servant, tore the money in atoms,
tossed it into the dust and spat upon
| it.
Tell him." said she. that I've just
served out three months at the island
yonder, and only got my release to-
day. They land us on the beach when
we're discharged early, and don't like
to wait till afternoon for the city
boat Three months for drunken
ness-be sure you tell him that" And,
with a wild, wicked laugh, she sour
ried away in the track Of her five
companions.
The latter were by this time far in
advance of her-they had seen moth
ing Of the roadside incident.
Come along. Moll!" they called,
mockingly, whats the matter with
you? Do you want to go back to the
island? Take heart, old girl! You'll
see it again soon enough"
She made no answer. On they went
before her, like a flock Of carrion
birds. She did not Gry to overtake
them; she had no desire for their COM
pany on her homeward journey. In
vain they called to her to mend her
pace. Moll was not in social mood.
Soon a bend in the crooked road hid
them from her sight--even the shrill
echoes of their voices died away; she
saw and heard them no more.
Point Shirley vanished in the dis
tance. Overhead the midday sun
shone in a cloudless sky; a soft blue
haze hung upon the ripping, dane
ing sea, flecked here and there with
snow-white sails or an emeraldgreen
island.
The road that stretched before Moll
Dilrs laggard feet was full Of pleasant
sights and sounds; a soft wind famed
up from the bay; the hum of insects
filled the wayside thickets; on the
right hand and on the left, the hap
py homes Of Winthrop village basked
in the sunshine; but this woman, who
was done with happiness in all its
forms, went plodding on through the
dust, with sullen eyes cast down and
parched, livid lips that kept whisper
name, mingled with every variety of
cursing 1t did not matter to her that
the sun shone and the birds sang, that
now and then some well-dressed per-
son passed her and turned to stare at
the hag from the island; or that she
was far in the rear of the more soci-
able five-no, Moll had other things
to think about-bitteI, wicked things
that BODIED no good either to herself
or others.
She came to Winthrop bridge
tramped over it stolidly, climbed the
hill beyond and plodded on, still lost
in thought, till she reached a gate
opening on the right Of the road into
a solitary lane. The spot was unspeak-
ably lonely. The town lay all behind
her; not a house was in sight, save
the distant buildings on Breeds Is
land to which the lane led. Near by
along the roadside wall, grew clumps
of old cherry trees. thickets Of elder
bushes and the usual tangle of green
cry which spreads by country high
ways in New England.
| Moll Dill paused at this stage OF
her journey. looked around with eyes
that comprehended all the features OF
the landscape, then crept deliberately
into the screen of bushes-crept close
down to their roots, and to the base
Of the wall, and stretched her body flat
upon the cool, moist, shadowy earth
In this position she looked not unlike
wild beast in its lair.
She lay there long time. listen
ing, waiting patiently. Once she thrust
her hand into the pocket of her dress
and drew forth the tin-type of the
child, which l have before mentioned
put it to her cracked, thirsty lips and
kissed it.
"Whatll she say to see me back
again " she whispered hoarsely to her
self? three months is long time
maybe she's dead-she was sick wher
went away. No. they wouldn't lei
her die-they couldn't! whatever I've
done. nobody will be hard on her."
She seem id to soothe herself with
this reflection. Putting the scratch.
ed picture-it was ten years old, al
least. and its original must now have
reached womanhood-again into hel
pocket. she lay back in the shelter OF
the bushes, and stared straight up al
the blank sky.
Hour after hour passed. The shad'