Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-02-28
By ETA w. PIERCE.

Mrs. Sardis grew white.
You will drive me to extreme meas
ures, 1 fear" she said, dryly, and swep
at once from the room.
No sleep visited Bee that night
Clearly, great dangers threatened her
and escape began to take the form Of
urgent necessity-yes, Of self-preserva-
ton.
The next morning Finette appeared
with a second letter concealed in heI
bosom, and whispered, breathlessly, as
she put down Bees breakfast-tray:
There's a footman stationed at the
door-a detestable creature-madame's
tool-hush! Be ready at any moment
to leave the house. Madame keeps the
key Of your room. 1t Is given to me
only when I enter here, and then I am
obliged to return it at once. However,
shall manage to open the door for YOU
Bee slipped a bank-note into the
speakers hand. Finette gave an odd
look as she put 1t in her pocket. This
blonde heiress, with her arbitrary guar
dians and her unhappy love affairs,
was nothing to the dark-faced French
woman; but to prevent so rich prize
to fall into the hands Of Strozzi, FL
nette stood ready to peril not only her
situation in Mrs. Sardis' household, but
her very life, If need be.
Several days passed. The obnoxious
footman kept his station at Bees door,
and watched the French maid like a
lynx. The unhappy creature was sus-
tained only by her lovers letters, which
reached her daily through the agency
Of Finette. She paced her rich prison
in an agony Of restlesness.
Aunt Amelia Is capable OF any
thing" she said to herself. she would
as soon send me to a madhouse as not.
The flesh is vanishing from my bones.
I look like a pelican Of the desert. am
sure to die Of wrath and suspense II
this state of affairs continues much
longer"
One day Finette brought a superb
bouquet of hot-house flowers to Bees
chamber, and delivered them to the
captive with these words, spoken In
French, loud enough to be heard by the
footman in the corridor:
with the ardent love of Baron
Strozzi" ... ...-.... ....
Bee set her small feet on the innocent
blossoms, and crushed them straight
way into the carpet. AS she did so, FL
nette leaned over her and breathed
this sentence in her ear: ...-
Madame dimes out tonight-hold
yourself ready"
They exchanged one look; then FL
nette, with her finger on her lip, noise
lessly retired.
Night fell, dark and dismal, and full
Of stabbing sleet. The winter wind
howled drearily along the avenue. for
the street lamps winked drearily In the
deep gloom. Bee put on a plain, thick
dress, placed her outer garments In
ready reach, filled a traveling-bag with
her Jewels and such articles Of value
that she most needed, and stood pre-
pared for flight. With her watch in
her hand she counted the moments fe-
verishly, and strained her ears to catch
the first sound of Finette's approach
ing feet in the corridor. How dark the
night was! How furiously the wind
walled across the richly draped win
dows. All, IL Finette should fail her!
And as even the fear tugged at her
heart, the door flew open, and F1nette
stood before her, breathless and wild
eyed.
Madame is gone. stole the key
from her room," she gasped. 1.-The foot
man Is below stairs, drinking tea with
the housemaids. Your hat and shawl,
demoiselle-quicki"
Swiftly Bee flung on her outer gar
ments, and noiselessly as phantoms, the
two stole along the corridor and down
the grand stair. The hall was all
ablaze with light, but profound silence
reigned throughout the house-no liv-
ing thing was in sight.
Some one Is waiting for you out
side" whispered Finette, as she open
ed the great carved door for Bees ex-
it: you are saved, mademoiselle-
thank God!"
Critical as the moment was, Bee stop
ped to answer:
You will lose your place, Finette,
Come to me and will find you anoth-
er"
A strange expression fitted across
the woman's dark face.
Thanks, mademoiselle; but / like
not this land. 1 will return to my own
Paris by the next steamer. Farewell
and may you be happy"
The heavy door closed noiselessly-
the footman, drinking tea below stairs
did not hear it-and Bee flew like q
bird down the grand steps and gained
the street. JOY! The free wind blew
upon her, the street ratified against her;
and she had not taken dozen PAGES
forward when her hand was seized and
drawn through strong arm, and Eric
Saxe's voice-the most welcome souno
her ears had ever heard-cried out, JOY.
fully:
my darling! my precious blessed
girl! This way-I am going to take
you to Miss Vann."
And then, out of the darkness before
them, a carriage appeared suddenly
she was lifted into it, and off 1t rolled
toward Madison Avenue, while Bee
sobbed out upon her lovers breast tht
whole story of her Affections and trials
You poor, misused child" was al
that he said; but his tone spoke vol.
umes.
He assisted her to alight at Miss
Vann's door. A servant ushered the two
into a warm, bright drawing-room, ant
the next moment Bee was in Miss
Vann's arms, clinging to that lady's
sallow neck and crying, with burst o.
hysterical laughter:
81 have run away from Aunt Amelia
and from the baron! On, Miss Vann
was ever anything so strange and ap'
surd? / am like the abused heroine Of
a novel, am l not? And you must hide
me-you must give me shelter. / Will
never go back to my guardian-neV
err"
Miss Vann's face beamed with genu
inc compassion. She took or Bees
garments with her own kind hands.
MY poor child" she said. Il an
confident that you have been treatet
shamefully. What can Mrs. Sardi'
mean by forcing you to become bar
oness when you are well content u
be something less pretentious? Ant
the baron, tool am amazed at him
Why, how pale and thin you have
grown! am greatly shocked with th'
whole matter. Now l shall leave Erit
to tell you the plan by which he pro
poses to free you from your troubles
of course you will not go back
Eric SAKE came forward in some agi
tation.
THE person whom 1 expected" h
said, hurriedly, has he arrived YETI"
| Yes" answered Charlotte Vann; "h
Is waiting in my library"
| SAKE took Bees hand into his owl
and looked down with shining resolut'
| eyes into her face.
| Il can think of but one sure way o
which to save you, darling. and that Il
| immediate marriage with me. Your es
cape will soon be discovered-you will
be pursued and carried back to you
| guardians house. In the next room
awaits a clergyman-a friend of Mis-
Vann's-who will unite us at once. Cul
| len Sardis will take possession Of hi
ward wherever he finds her, but not m!
wife. My darling. have you courage t
| marry me tOnight-nOw, and so cut tn