Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-06-17
THE FITTEST SURVIVES.
BY j. Fl. CONNELLY.
Copyright, 1895, by the Author.
CHAPTER; XVII

Copyright, 1896, by the Author
CHAPTER XVII
There was trouble that evening in the
Hall household also Early in the after
noon, while Addie was out, telegram
arrived for her, and Mrs. Hall, opening
it, had the good news to communicate
to her daughter, upon her return, that
John was coming home. The business
that took him away had been happily
concluded, and he would reach New
York on the morrow, the dispatch hav-
ing been sent while he was en- route.
The girls position, in view Of that
intelligence, suddenly became decidedly
embarrassing While she felt that she
never, no, never, could forgive John, -
she could not bring herself to reveal to
her mother the fortuitous discovery of
his shameful immortality and utter un-
trustworthiness which she had made.
She would give him up; would Danish
him forever, and never hear another
word from his false lips That Of
course was settled, but her pride for
bade her confessing that the man she
had loved so well and Of whom she had
been 80 proud was unworthy Of her
love But, by strange perversity Of
humor seemingly, the old lady appeared
to be more favorably disposed toward
John than she had ever been before.
"1'm real glad he is coming back, I"
she said, ''for find that I have sort Of
got into habit Of trusting that young
man and liking to see him around OF
course, he will receive your note the
minute he gets home, and we may look
to see him up here as soon as he can
come, tomorrow evening anyway"
Addie did not want to tell that she
had torn that note into little bits and
scattered them to the winds within a
block Of Johns lodging, yet she could
not bear that her mother should cherish
hopes which she knew were destined to
grievous disappointment. So she tried
to temporize while cogitating how to
meet the difficulties Of the situation.
"I don't think he could do any good
If he were here, mamma" she said
coldly
Mrs Hall deliberately put on her
spectacles and stared at her, as If she
found it difficult to believe the report Of
her ears alone
"Since when have you had that idea
about John?' she demanded
"Well, what could he do, mammal"
responded the girl evasively. 1.-The let
ter affords no clew. The man either will
respond to your advertisement or he
will not IF he does, no John Latham
will be needed to hunt him up. IF he
does not, and chooses to continue hiding
himself, no John Latham can find him. "
''1'm not so sure about that And,
moreover, I'm free to admit that it
would be some comfort to me as well
as to you to see John and talk to him"
''It wouldn't be any comfort TO me-
I don't want ever to see him again.
wish ! never had"
"Why, Adele Miranda Hall! What
ON earth are you saying?"
"Well, just don't. So there And I
don't care bit"
And, doubtless as conclusive evidence
that she did not care, she burst into
tears The old lady, meditatively rub
bing the side Of her nose with long
forefnger. pondered and gave time for
the outburst to subside. Then she said
gently and with a little trembling in
her voice:
"You are all that the Lord has seen
6t to leave to me, Addie, and it makes
me little afraid sometimes to think
that maybe I love you better than l
should; that I'm prouder Of my noble,
pure souled, beautiful girl than l ought
to be, and that, without meaning it, l
may be putting the creature before the
Creator in my affections and calling
down an awful Christening Judgment
upon myself. If have sinned, it is
through my sin that my punishment
will come to me, and may God grant
me strength to bow to his will But do
not make me suffer in suspense, my
child Tell me the reason for your sud-
den change of feeling toward John La
than What has he done? Why do you
say that you never want to see him
again?"
"Oh, mammal sobbed the girl, lay
ing her fearful face upon her mothers
shoulder, 81 hoped would not have to
tell you, but I believed him so good,
and-and-I was wrong"
The old woman's face grew very pale,
her lips quivered and the tears filed her
eyes She could not speak, but one arm
stole around her child's form with
caress that conveyed mothers pardon
and unalterable love. That tenderness
melted away the slight barrier Of re-
serve that had stood in the way of per-
feet confidence.
"When I went to leave that note
where John lives" Addie sobbed, 81
understood from the servant who open
ed the door, and who speaks hardly any
English, that he had got home and was
there at the time. l thought it would
be better for me to see him, if only for
a moment, so ran up and knocked Oh
his door, and-and-I found another
girl there, bold creature, who appear
ed to be at home. And I never want to
see his face again. -
"And-is that all?''
CALL Isn't that enough? That /
should have been deceived by him so
shamefully''
The revulsion Of feeling so overcame
the anxious mother that she Historically
laughed and sobbed at once, trembling
like wind tossed leaf. Addie, who did
not at all understand her extraordinary
excitement, was terrified, and cried:
Mammal! Mammal What is the