The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1920-06-10
| SHADOWY
BRIDE.
By OTlLLIA G. PFEIFFER

h BY OllLLlA -. rrEirFEN D
E,eoeeeeeeoeeooeooeooeoee&
Copyright. 1890. Western Newspaper union)
The pale. fall and thin young man In
the outer office Of Evans. Denton &
Bliss, leading city lawyers, betokened
. shadow Of anxiety and disappoint-
ment as the head clerk reappeared
after taking from him q package con-
tanning his weeks grist Of copied legal
documents.
"Sorry. Mr.. Trescott," he said, but
there will be no more work for YOU"
SIS there dissatisfaction" interro-
gated Vance Trescott quickly. II have
been Ill. Perhaps my hand has been
q trifie unsteady. but I am growing
stronger daily"
"Your work has been uniformly
clear and correct, and there is not the
vestixe Of q fault to find with you.
Here Is your pay for the week. You
see. Mr.. Evans has employed regular
secretary. son Of q valuable client.
believe. and we will net send any copy
work ont of the Office hereafter. You
might speak to Mr. Evans, II you like"
Thank you," bowed Trescott, but
dispiritedly. He entered the private
sfiee Of Robert Evans. The latter
nodded pleasantly to him.
II suppose Wilbur has told your ne
poke. "Sorry. for you have q good
record with US.
"A good record and no entangle-
ments," he murmured thoughtfully.
"Could you come here tomorrow at
tent You need money and rest Tres
colt, and I think I can make you
proposition that will put you In posi-
tion where worry and overwork will
disappear"
Vance Trescott slept little that night
he was at q point in his experience
where his resources were drained to
the utmost limit. To be deprived
Of work Just now, in his weakened con-
ldition, was to face deprivation and suf-
cering. He supported crippled sister
Ind, despite restricted earnings. he had
sen able to furnish her sufficient to
eep her from want.
Trescott was on time to the minute
when he reached the law ofices the
next morning. he sat In the outer
room, awaiting the summons from Mr..
Evans. he was apparently unobserved
BY an old gentleman and a yelled COM
panion who entered and spoke to the
chief clerk. As the latter retired, the
young lady removed the veil she wore.
For a neeting moment her face was
revealed, for an instant only Vance
prescott viewed the most beautiful
woman he had ever met The young
lady doubled the veil and replaced 1t,
and then the chief clerk escorted them
into the private Office Of Mr.. Evans
few minutes later he reappeared,
6eckoned to Trescott and ushered him
also into the same private sanctum.
81 am engaged for an hour" spoke
Mr.. Evans. "Could you return laterT
"oh, surely" replied Trescott and
bowed himself out, and the pose Of the
siri behind the veil suggested that she
was regarding him closely. When ne
returned at II o'clock the lawyer was
alone.
'Trescott," he spoke at once, II have
q proposition to make to you. know
You are a man who can keep his own
counsel and that / cas trust you. The
strange necessity has arisen with q
client Of mine that his daughter BE-
come married. 1t means her protec-
tioo and the defiance and defeat Of
plotting relatives. have here iVs
tasoasand dollars" and the speaker
vaacetf his hand on sealed envelope.
ait Is yours II you will consent to wed
m estimable young woman. depart.
fsrset her, and I promise you that
within two years You shall become
legally free"
Vance Trescott was spellbound at
lahe strange proposition. Mr.. Evans
vent into no further details. but the
result was tndt lTcSCOtl thae S'SAo
IN dimly lighted room in the presence
of a clergyman. her father and tive
witnesses whom Trescott did not know,
was married to girl whose name and
history he was totally ignorant OF.
Within the month he had purchased
a pretty little home for his sister IN
a suburb and devoted his energies to
literary pursuits, line in which he
had been always ambitious. The poo
session Of money amid peaceful sur
rsundings soon restored his health.
and except for constant thought OF the
stranger he had welded his life was
an enjoyable one.
"The postmaster sent lady boarder
n us today" spoke his sister one even
Ing. and Vance Trescott marveled
when he recognized in this new conner
the girl he had so mysteriously mar.
ried. She must have recognized him.
but IL 90. she made no sign. She told
vance's sister that her father had died
sA~s hfo actotn hod hoan