Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-05-13
THETAX BACHELORS
By EFrIE W. MERRIMAN.
Copyright, 1895. by the Author.l
CHAPTER ~.


CHAPTER ~.
During the days which followed, Tom
grew thin. His appetite fed, and lines
Of worry were deeply drawn in his face.
His lawyer assured him that he was a
fool for showing his annoyance 80 plain
ly and by that means giving his friends
SO good an opportunity to discuss his af-
fairs.
"They will mistrust that you are hard
up," he said, "and then you will lose
prestige. am ashamed Of you, Tom.
Why don't you brace up and be man
about it?''
II wish you were in my boots, Park
hurst began Tom.
81 should like it Of ell things, my
boyl Handsome, refined, popular,
wealthy-what more can man ask? As
for Miss Daisy, you are binder than
you need to be about her. She has GER
tain power of attraction that more than
one Of your acquaintances seems to ap-
preciate. I saw her out riding yesterday
with young De Quincy aud Today with
Walton Humphrey.
"You didn'tP' exclaimed Tom in
amazement.
"I certainly did. You might have
seen her also had you not been moping
here in your room. There have not been
so many callers at the Ridgways in
years as there have been since Hiss Daisy
came to the CITY,"
Tcm frightened up under the influ-
ence of the lawyers information. 1t is
wonderful how much easier it is to en-
dure a person when one discovers that
he is sought for among the idlers of 80
ciety. Tom began to think that he might
at least endure what De Quincy and
Humphrey deliberately sought. he be-
gan at once to make preparations to at.
tend the reception at the De Quinceys.
half an hour ago he had decided to send
word that he was too i'll to go, trusting
that she might accept the excuse. he
decided to dress himself with even more
than his usual care and to appear go
brilliant that his unhappy manner dur
ing that last evening at the Ridgways
would be credited to the premonitory
symptoms of the indisposition which
had followed. He was grateful now to
-Parkhurst for having spread the report
that he was not feeling we'll, although
he had been annoyed when his friends
first began dropping in to make inquiries
concerning his health.
Tom never looked better than he did
when standing before the CRATE in Mrs.
Ridgway's sitting room, waiting for
the appearance of Daisy. he heard her
voice in the hall, and, summoning po-
lite smile to his face, turned to greet
her. The heavy draperies before the
door were pushed aside. Tom advanced
q step or two and stood face to face
with a vision of loveliness which fairly
took his breath away. The smile became
more genial as he softly explained that
he was expecting to see Miss Blake.
81 am Miss Blake" replied the girl
quietly.
It was Daisy's voice surely, but what
had become of the gray hair and the
smoked glasses? Where were the heavy
eyebrows which had met 80 sternly over
the glasses? Where was the unsightly
black patch which had adorned one
cheek? Whese was the ugly wart which
he lad seen ON the side of her nose?
You are disappointed once more, I
perceive" said Daisy, breaking the un-
comfortable silence which had fallen be.
tween them.
81 presume might as well explain,
Mr.. Wainwright, that I have been act
Ing a part. I wished to convince myself
that you were as perfect as my cousin
Sander represented you to be. Shall we
20 now? It is growing late. "
"You were fortunate in having such
able assistants to make your little COM
edy so enjoyable, said Tom coldly.
"Oh, you need not blame your friends
No one wanted to do it at first, but i
persuaded them to change their minds.
Sander may not have told you that
usually have my own way"
Once more Tom was speechless. 1t
was not difficult for him to believe that
30 charming girl always had her own
way. He would have turned against any
friend he had for the sake of pleasing
her, but to have his friends turn against
him was different.
81 suppose Parkhurst knew" he said
after he had helped Daisy into the car
riage and taken a seat beside her.
"Oh, yes," replied Daisy, changing to
the seat opposite, "Mr. Parkhurst knew.
He was difficult to persuade, however"
Tom thought how Parkhurst had tried
to persuade him to appear perfectly sat-
isfed with his engagement to Miss