Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-02-14

"As Heaven hears me, no! He mas
no knowledge Of what have told you.
/ am stranger to him."
Leave mel" cried Ethel, with her
hands before her face. Leave me-l
can bear no more"
The woman arose. She saw that Miss
Sardis was on the verge Of Mysteries.
BE calm," she said, II am going.
have done my duty-eased my own
! conscience. Remember my parting
words-woe to you If you marry Count
Stahl! The doom Of the first countess
is waiting for her successor. FAREWELL
With these words, the woman In
black turned from Miss Sardis and the
rustic seat, and walked swiftly away. II
Ethers wits had been less confused,
she might have noticed that the re-
treating figure was strangely like that
Of her mothers maid, Finette-the
dark, stolid FTenchwoman who was not
supposed to know little or nothing OF
English. AS 1t was, however, our he
roine did not observe the resemblance.
Faint and sick, she leaned back In
her seat, all things swimming before
her eyes. The thoughts that came
crowding upon her were not pleasant.
She blamed herself for coming to the
park She tried to feel convinced that
she was the victim Of a practical joke.
or the malice Of some secret enemy. 1t
was impossible to believe. that one
grain Of truth lurked in the terrible
things which the veiled woman had
said. Could any reasonable being give
credence to such an accuser-such
vague, wild accusations? No. What
should she do-tell the count? Never!
Keep the matter locked In her own
heart? Yes always. And then q le-
gion of perplexing thoughts rushed
upon Ethel-sudden distrust Of the
| count and of her own future-an over
powering consciousness that she might
esteem and admire her betrothed hus-
band, but that she did not love him
that her pride and ambition were In
volved in the marriage now so close be-
fore her, but not her heart
It was perhaps, the darkest moment
that Miss Sardis had ever experienced
in all her life.
| Presently q heavy foot crunched
along a neighboring walk, and paused
| beside the rustic seat. A grimy hand
touched Ethers shoulder.
"Tll trouble you to give me some
money, miss" said a hoarse voice.
Ethel started and looked up. Near
her stood an unkempt, ragged tramp
with a leering, villainous face and the
general aspect Of pariah.
He held out to her dirty palm. She
arose to her feet
"I have no money she answered. at
tempting to escape past him. He
caught her by her long, gray cloak.
you have rings in your pretty ears.
miss" he muttered; diamonds, tool
know diamonds when see 'em-and
bracelets on your pretty wrists under
your sleeves there. I amt particular
/ Jewels or money-it's one to me. Hand
over. my dear"
Ethel cast one quick glance around.
No living thing was in sight; no great
uniform of the park police gladdeped
her eyes. 1t was novel plight for Miss
Sardis to find herself in-novel and
very unpleasant.
"Release my cloak" she said. with
her haughtiest air, but here was a man
the first she had ever met-wbo had
no respect for Miss Sardis's COM
mands.
| He grinned shrewdly in her beauti-
full pale face, snatched her wrist and
forcibly detached from 1t broad gold
bracelet. She cried out, more In In
| dignation than fear, and the wind took
up her voice and carried 1t straight to
the ears of person who was walking,
unseen and unheard, along path on
the other side of the shrubbery.
/ Iu6 Iiicl PAelheiao
a hand unceremoniously upon MISS
Sardis's mouth; IF you scream, I'll
choke you, BY
| He did not finish his unholy sentence,
for the next instant some one had him
| by his dirty throat; some one tore Miss
Sardis's bracelet and Miss Sardis her
self from his hold, and that some one
was a tall, brown, deeply astonished
but thoroughly self-possessed fellow, In
a long, gray overcoat and fur cap
Lawrence Harding.
you scoundrel!" he cried vigorous
ly compressing the windpipe of the
tramp. What are you doing here?"
AS for Ethel she gasped out three
words, in en agony Of alarm and ap-
prehension:
The maze on Harding's brown face
deepened.
Let him go!" repeated Ethel mild
ly. II beg-I entreat you. let him go!"
Harding stepped back and silently
released his prisoner. The man took
nimbly to his heels and vanished among
the trees, leaving Miss Sardis and her
i rescuer alone together.
She leaned against the rustic seat,
colorless, trembling from head to foot,
He hastened to support her. She look
ed up at him with a wan attempt at
smile.
"You wonder that I. asked you to re-
lease the man" she faltered. My rea-
son Is this: / do not wish any one to
know that have been In the park this
afternoon"
The predicament in which he found
Count Stahps betrothed must have
perplexed him greatly; but he quietly
lanswered:
"I will take good care not to mention
the matter. Allow me-" and he took her
white wrist, fastened upon 1t the
bracelet, buttoned the French glove
which the thief had torn apart, and
then drew her hand through his arm.
Lean upon me-you are trembling!
he said; "are you-is 1t possible that
you are here alone?"
Unconsciously she clung to him, as
the weak always cling to the strong
How grand and brown he looked How
calm and unmoved, too, though he was
holding the girl whom he had once
madly loved, and looking into the great
dark dilating eyes which had once beer
his heaven.
yes I am alone" she shiyered. "Yor
think 1t very strange, but cannot eX:
plain May ask you to take me hoTI
plain. May ask you take me homer
she WAS Ill ulSllcoo, CNioSheiy' @&S'
lip quivered, tears dimmed her large
eyes.
Most certainly" answered Law.
renee. II am on my way to dine WITH
, Mrs. Severne I fear you have beer
I greatly frightened. 1t will be better fol
you to draw your veil; you can scarce
| ly escape observation on the avenue"
/ Silently she drew the soft tissue ovel
| her pale face. Then the two walked
away together.
The short winter day was already
} dying. A pale, black sunset filled tht
west. Under their feet ratified the las
, dead leaves Of the year. Neither spoke
i, Harding's face was bent upon hi!
3 breast-it wore a cold, sombre look. HI
! could hear his companions agitatet
breath, her garments brushed agains
! him-a vague perfume was waited II
1 his nostrils with every movement o
|, her draperies, her patrician hand hell
e tremblingly to his arm; but he spok'
l not word, he gave her not 80 much a.
a glance.
| They entered Fifth avenue and part
30 AL hrNt