Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-09-22

DSR1n 10 TednZe tno po"oA VI eoAo' uoAa
you, sir, that there isn't woman in this
place at this moment who wouldn't sell her
daughter in marriage to this man Maulever-
er. though he were old as Methusaleh and as
wicked as Satan And there isn't girl in
the place. either, who wouldn't cheerfully
saw yes to the bargain il it were proposed
to her. Five millions! Why, the man who
owns it can do anything"
"Why do you talk such nonsenseP I said,
angrily. "You cannot mean what you say.
You wish to make all women out to be as
bad as few men are"
Twas hot with Indignation. Why hardly
knew myself had no near female relations
of INV own-none for whom I cared. But
somehow or other, when Harding talked in
this style, sneering at all womankind as
though all alike were bad, the face Of the
girl / had met in the train rose before my
ewes. and felt constrained to do battle with
him, if it were only upon her account
He laughed lazly.
"You excite yourself, my good fellow,
unnecessarily" he said. "Of course I am not
even limiting at the possibility of there being
any mercenary persons among the ladies
of your acquaintance. No doubt there are
exceptions to every rule; but for my part
have not yet seen the woman whom five mil
lions would not fetch. Wait and see for
yourself, when the great man deigns to put
in an appearance at the morning parade"
~ thought he had already done So" re-
piled, feeling a certain amount Of compunc-
tion at the anger l had shown al, has
been in Scarborough for some time, has he
notf'
aHe is in this hotel at the present moment;
but he is laid up with some illness-gout, !
supposc, as it is the rich mans special all
ment-and has never been out OF doors since
his arrival, two weeks ago"
This was only one of the innumerable Qe-
casions OH which Mauleverer and his mil
lions were diune1 into my ears, until grew
to hate the very sound of the mans mama
Il seemed to me that this vulgar image Of
brayen wealth, about which everybody
talked so constantly, wa' rival even in my
heart to that other image Of youth and
beauty upon which my fancy was fixed. I
tried to shake off Harding's unpleasant sug-
pestion with regard to the readiness Of all
women to yield themselves to the seductions
of the mans gold; but coul no. do so alto
gether. and in tho state Of min to which
INV passion had brought me, positively be-
gan to wish that this Mauleverer would take
his departure from Scarborough before l
had again met with the lady o, the train
What thought to myself, if she were to be
brought within the reach OF the magical in
fluence of the millionss
That she was still in the town I never for
a moment doubted. Why l should have
clung so stoutly to this conviction l cannot
pretend to say. But so it was. An instinct,
some secret presentment, assured me that
she was still near me, though unseen, and
that l should meet her again.
One lovely morning, when the golden sun
shine was flooding the bay, and the genial
summer warmth tempered by the pleasant
sea breeze, was tempting everybody out OF
doors. went for my usual walk in thu spa
grounds Perhaps it was the weather that
had stirred the young blood in my veins,
and had made me fesl more confident than
had ever done before Of success; but what
ever may have been the cause, it is certain
that as walked across the bridge by which
tho grounds are entered my step was more
elastic and my head lighter than on any pre-
vious visit to the place.
"How we'll you look this morning!" cried
Harding, whom found seated on a bench
scarborough suits you, see Come and
sit beside me for little. We can see all the
world as it passes"
"Thanks; I'll join you presently" said
u would like first, however, to stroll to the
end Of the promenade"
Something within me urged me onward.
"Ah" he replied. with a light laugh OF
genial mockery. "You are like everybody
else, see. But how long is it since you
vowed to me that the mans gold would
never-no, never-attract your
looked at him in blank surprise and said
nothing.
"What! have you not heard!' he con-
tinued, after reading the truth III my puz-
zled face. "Why, I thought the news had
spread by this time to the uttermost hooks
and corners of Scarborough. Why, he Is
tbere-down below by the band-Maul-
everer. the millionaire. That is why we
have this end Of the gardens to ourselves this
morning. 1t is just as / told you it would
be, all the old dowagers are fighting for
places near him, but unfortunately for their
chances the young ladies have been before.
hand and have made a regular ring round
the man. 1t is quite a pretty spectacle, !
assure you, all the beauty and talent of the
queen Of English watering places'-that's
what they call it, is it not3-concentrated
in one particular spot AMI all for the bene.
fit of one poor mortal in the ordinary Dire $
of a Nineteenth century tourist"
"Confound the fellow" I said. ~ care
nothing for either him or his money. shall
stop with you" And I seated myself beside
him.
Harding lifted his hat, and made me low
bow.
"What compliment you pay me! Believe
me am grateful. But there. my good fel-
low, don't waste your time on me- Even il
you don't care about the millionaire it will
be vel worth your while to have peep at
the pretty faces. There are some fresh ones
to-day, and some of them. I assure you, are
not unworthy even Of your attention. Co.
and I'll wait for you, to hear what you think
of the spectacle"
He lighted cigarette with that air oi
luoyant se.f-posse sion which I could not
help envying in him, and I felt compelled to
comply with his wish.
Perhaps he had exaggerated a little when
he Ge .cribel the popular Excitement over
Mauleverer's advent There were, at any
rate, some worthy people sitting under the
veranda, or by The side of the sea wall, who
seemed more intent upon the enjoyment ot
the sunshine, or Of each others society, than
upon mobbing the man Of millions Indeed,
when / reached the open space in the middle
Of which the stand for the musicians /:
placed, though 1 was conscious that the
attendance at that point was unusually large,
saw nothing OF the excitement of which
Harding had spoken People were sitting or
walking about very much in their usual
fashion, and if there were some special center
of attraction, l, at all events, was unable to
discover it.
Hooked round to see if I could identify
the man about whom had heard so much.
There were elderly gentlemen of every COM
plexion. style and character seated in the
bright sunshine; and once or twice thought
that had fixed upon the millionaire. But
invariably, in such cases. the person who
seemed to me to suit the character was &C
companied by lady Of nearly his own age
who appeared to exercise over him all the
authority of wife. None OF these per: ons,
therefore, could be Mauleverer, who, had
been told, was not married.
was on the point of turning away with q
cynical reflection in my mind upon the diff
Guilty of identifying any particular char
acter hy the outward appearance of a man,
when saw that which made my heart for a
moment stand STILL and then beat with O
violence that almost stif1ad ME.
She was therel Seated in one Of the most
sheltered corners of the open space, her face
half hidden by the parasol which she held,
she was leaning back listening to the music
and taking little notice Of the crowd around
her / knew har in an instant. knew her in