Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-03-24
Sound of other hoofs here made him

er some 20 yards away. Through ths
thin growth Of the intervening point he
saw Miss Winfold, mounted upon the
tall, gray, family horse, with Major, a
scrap Of black boy, up behind. At sight
of Mr.. Howell he set up an atrocious
snigger, crying aloud: Miss Alice
Miss Alioel Oar de ve'y man Marse Ben
took n fotch ter we all's house t'urrer
night, de man frum town nanny say
she s'peot gwine cut out all your yother
beaus."
"You, Major, hush, this minutep'
Miss Winfold said, her face taking on
brick dust hue. She had taken stock OF
MIR. Howell upon their first encounter,
and her mind was made up that, failing
Jack Talbot, she could do no better than
marry him. She was unfeignedly glad
of the chance that threw him in her
way, but maiden modesty, as she under
stood it, forbade her to seem conscious
of his presence until unoonsciousness
was 10 longer possible. Even after they
had exchanged greetings che kept dis
tant front toward him until he drew di-
rectly beside her, saying, with a lazy
laugh:
"Miss Winfold, you must be here as
direct answer to prayer. was think
ing Of you, and, behold, look up and
see you'll
"Oh, indeed Now, I wonder what
you were thinkin of poor me unless you
were wonderin how you managed to
talk to such little goose" Miss Win
fold said, with an arch lift Of her brows.
"What slanderl" laughed the law
yer, and at once rode on beside her. He
was in the humor to see what was un-
der and within this undulant plump
ness. The girl lacked fascination who'll
ly, but be seemed to discern in her a
quality of subtle subservience which
might mean much to career suoh as
he had mapped out for himself.
Still, nothing might have come of it
but for Major, though he was the un-
likeliest possible Cupid. "Dat boy, he
dest gut ter be mean er bust" his
mother habitually said Of him, and just
now he was i'll content with the estate
in which be found himself. There was
small chance for mischief riding thus
within six inches of Miss Winfold's i'm
maculare and starched pink shoulders
unless, that is, one had Majors genius
for it. By the time they had gone mile
in Mr.. Howell's company the lad had
found long pin which he recalled hav-
ing hidden that morning somewhere in
his woolly crown. Next minute he had
thrust it into old gray so sharply that
that sober animal gave great bound,
and Miss Winfold lay in a heap upon the
road.
Major was there, too, moaning
lump Of arms and legs. But Mr.. Howell
took no thought Of him. He knelt be-
side Miss Winfold, noting even in that
distracted minute how firmly the neat
laxen braids sat in place. AS he slid an
arm beneath her head she opened her
eyes and gasped family, "Water, wa
teri" then collapsed against the arm
from whose support she had chastely
withdrawn herself.
"Water, waterr" Major echoed in
precisely her key.
"Shut upl You are not hurt, you
monkeyl' Mr. Howell said masterfully.
II does bleebe I kin walk" Major
answered, with a grin; then, darting
nimbly to the roadside: ''Dest you run
ter Miss Alice, Mr.. Mani I gwine fetch
er whole bucketful er water soon as eber
I gifts back frum Uno' Joe Tom g house. I"
As he vanished Mr.. Howell looked
down at the round cheek against his
shoulder. 1t was soft and smooth, trebly
tempting to lips lacking the chrism of
love. He stopped and kissed it. Then
instantly the pale eyes opened with a
glance that he could not misread. He
had met artifce and cunning fit to cope
with his own. he smiled little behind
his mustache and said as he led her
horse to the roadside, where she stood
ready to remount:
"That was lucky overset. Without
it we might have wasted six months in
coming to an understanding.