Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-02-25
CHAPTER XVII.
Bee Speaks Again.

shine, and thinking now uuti oAS
otonous life-even fasnlonaple it les
end Feeling quite ready to cry out with
the nreacher. "All Is vanity!" when
servant ushered Baron StrozZi into
the room. ,oa
Now ] make 1t a point never TO see
or sneak to that man where can aVolo
II: 40 / Just gathered myself togetner
behind the silk damask drapery, ana
stood as silent as a mouse. l am not
very large, and the noble man seated
himself at the other end OF the room'
entirely ignorant Of my presence.
Directly the door opened, ana Auht
Amelia entered, her long Tram niake nt
a great rustic on the velvet pile carpet
7 heard her greet the baron warmly,
and soon after the following conVersa-
tion was waited to my ears. ..-
dearest madame, ! come TO you lot
sympathy-I am heartbroken!"
"Baron!"
heard him kiss her hand. :,
"Your fair niece, madame-ze d.
vine Beatrix-she treats me crueliy,
she detests me. I rend my hair WITH
despair, madame. o,, 80
Baron" said the cold, calm voice Oh
nv a,int. 'I have witnessed with pain
ths conduct of my niece Beatrix Is
very capricious. However, I beg you
will remember her extreme youth. Do
not be discouraged-you have my en-
tire support" o,,-
arvwhere She scorns me! My lie Is
Baron, I intend to act for the high
est good Of my niece, whether sne has
wit to appreciate my enorts OF non;
Willing or unwilling, Beatrlx snai
make a creditable marriage marrl-
I'D ,,o,, frianda CQn approve.
Her uncle has full control OF her per-
son and her fortune for years to come.
7 give YOU my word, Baron, that she
shall be your wife!
madame, you lift great load from
NV heart-you overwhelm me with
happiness. You promise Eat she VIII
~ promise that she shall be yours"
A thrill of horror ran through every
vein in my body. Gould anything oe
more Infamous than this? Announcer
caller was shown IN at tnat moineh.' =
and the conversation was brought To d
close. al,
remained in my hiding-place TILL
the drawing-room was empty; then
stole awayto my own chamber, where l
now sit, full of CONSERVATION ana iore-
boding. And so my dear aunt has prom :
ised me to the Baron-she Is leagueo
with him against my peace ana nap
piness! These precious allies are
prepared to make me a baroness whetn-
er / will or no! Well, let us see now
they will succeed.
Wednesday-A charity ball at the
Academy of Music. I wore white gauze
over silk of an exquisite blusn-rose
tint and played the part OF spectator
the whole evening. Baron Strozzl came
TO claim me for the first waltz, and
was repulsed without mercy.
Bee" said Aunt Amelia, In my ear,
You will dance with the baron or not
at all. 1 require you to onserVe the
rules of common politeness.
"Then will not dance at ALL an
swered. And I did not.
Grafula's band and Bernstein's or
chestra discoursed sweet music; the
great chandelier and numerous slde
lights blaZed gayly. What toilets!
what valses! The polished yellow hoor'
laid evenly to the back Of the stage,
was covered with happy people. StaIls'
Hobbies and boxes echoed with supou-
ed voices and laughter.
saw the baron dancing wildly ana
casting looks of dark triumph to the
box where l moped beside Aunt Anne
liza: I saw Ethel floating through valse
after valse, and l bore it all like mar
tvr Miserable evening! I have but
one satisfaction-I suffered in good
cause.
Thursday.-A german at Miss Vann's
Lawrence Harding was there Win tne
Seyernes. Ethel was there-t Is the
last time that she will be seen IN pup,
lie before her marriage-she oahceo
with Lawrence. The baron was there
and prosecuted me relentlessly. When
/ could bear 1t no longer, begged MIN
TO bring me an ice, and the moment ne
departed in quest of one / slipped oul
of the ballroom and fled to Miss Vann'
studio, which she had thrown open to
her guests this night.
found the room entirely empty, 'anc
cleaning with pictures, rich bric-a-
brac, and soft wax lights, and scenteo
with pot-pourri and masses or not
house flowers. In a recess, where
drapery of golden flowered eastern
stuff was arranged like curtain be:
fore an exquisite statue Of Hebe,
found an antique chair, and sat down
determined to remain in this refuge 1o'
the rest of the evening. -
"Anywhere, anywhere, away IRON
that detestable StroZzi," l said to my
self Nobody will follow me here ane
no sooner had arrived at the conclu
sion, and begun to inspect the GRASSY :
PROPORTIONS of Hebe, than the studl(
door opened, and two persons entered
Ethel and Lawrence Harding.
He looked very grave and stern. Sn'
was irving to assume her usual soctet!
air, and was not quite able TO compass
it. ,,,.
"Ahl we have stumbled upon Mis-!
Vann's temple of art" heard her say
nervously; let us go back to the pail
room-I shall be missed"
"One moment, Ethel" he answered
~ lyrn ypho hrnnQh
me to this house tonight?"
No. Something of importance, M
doubt, since l hear you have foresworr
society and all it's vanities."
II came here to see you-to speak t
Won for the last time before your mar
riage."
f1owered curtain / could see the oeau
tiful, scented room, glimmering witt
costly things, and those TWO stahGlil'
near the door-he with his brown fac
grown all pale and fierce, she ner
Vously plucking at her bouquet, IN
light striking off her waved bronze nal
and creamy throat, and glancing dow
the enormous length Of her dress o
iceberg blue OF course they Woul
leave the place in moment or two
did not move nor speak. Moreover
felt unaccountably scared.
"Ethel, 1OT GOu SdhS, uoi i->-N
Count Stahl!" /,
That was what Lawrence said, IN
voice that made me jump. Ethel toe
recoiled a step.
what! those words again-and fror
you!" she cried. in mingled pain an
amazement.
Again? Do you mean that you haV
heard them before?"
Yes" -,
Thank Heaven that you have sti
some sincere friends left to you!' n
said. bitterly. Were you happy wo
man, Ethel. 1 would cut my tongu
out sooner than utter these words; Du
you are not happy. You may decelv
others, but not me. Your triumph
but a Dead Sea apple, after all. HaV
mercy upon yOurself-mind, l do nc
say upon me. but only upon yourself.
Her face was as white as his own
but she flung back her head haughtil!
II forbid you to talk to me like thi!
Lawrence. Take me back to the dane
ers"
Directly Look me in the face
Ethel. and. if you can, tell me that yo
love Count Stahl."
She neither moved nor spoke. Dea