Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-02-20
CHAPTER vi.

Miss Winfold found the blind man
alone in the wide hall. He turned his
head at her knock, saying, with a pitt
full little smile:
"My ears cannot tell me names, though
they say my visitor is lady and young.
Come in, please. My daughter will soon
be here. She has gone this morning to
look at the crops for me.
."Oh, howdy, Mr.. McGregor!" Alice
said, shamed by the fine, transparent
old face into something like cordial
heartiuess "It's me-Alice Winfold. /
haven't come to see Rob, at least shall
tell her so. Ma was tellin me this morn
in about your weddin-she was there,
you know-an says you an your wife
were the handsomest couple she ever
saw. Then just wanted to see you
an Rob, of course-so bad said was
comm right over. An I shall tell Rob
it was on purpose to see you. :"
"Sit down, my dear. am glad tru-
" you have come, all the gladder that
cannot see you," Mr.. McGregor said,
with laugh more pitiful than tears.
"But saw you among the last things, !"
he went on. 81 remember it we'll. You
were at the store with your mother
the chubbiest, neat little girl, with dim.
pies all over her hands. Let me see.
Are the dimples there still? Yes, every
one," touching her plump hand. "And
I hear through my friend Talbot that
you are the best daughter in the world.
You know, ! cannot quite agree to that,
though he says his wifethinks so. have
a girl of my own. Aside from her you
are no doubt the dearest girl in the
world"
"Well, I must say this caps the eli
max" Rob said from the door back OF
them. Daddy! To think of your bios
soming out into a gallant at this time
of life! Alice, I shall like you awfully
for stepmother. But, oh. dear, how
surprised I am! I thought I had this
young man," laying a light hand on
her fathers head, $50 we'll trained /
could trust him, even with the belle Of
the neighborhood.
Alice laughed brightly, falling easily
in with Rob's whimsical humor. But
she would not take off her hat and stay
to dinner. 81 must 60 in minute, !"
she said. "Mommer has oceans Of work
laid out to do. I just ran away from it.
Come an give me some roses, Rob. by
way of reward"
First you must eat some peaches, !"
Rob said. "And tell your mother the
White Heaths are nearly ripe. She must
send and get all she wants next week. !"
"You have such lots Why don't you
sell some?" Miss Winfold asked incau-
tiously. At once Mr.. McGregor sat very
upright.
eve have not more than enough for
ourselves and our neighbors, black and
white" he said. "And, Miss Alice,
even if there were great surplus, l
should hate to think that the sale Of it
had maybe oheapened the price of some
poor neighbor's wares.
Rob flushed deeply and gave Alice an
appealing glance. That young lady
opened her eyes very wide, but said
nothing, only rose and walked beside
Rob to the garden.
1T looks like witch work-the way
. your flowers bloom, she said, glancing
along the borders. Everybody else's
are all dried up. But wait minute,
Rob. I didn't come out for just the
flowers. IL want to ask you somethin
-somethin important-that ! can't
mention to anybody else."
"Why, Alice, I am the last person
for serious matters, and if it's a secret
please don't tell me-" Rob said, with a
half smile. "Not that I can't keep one,
but some one else might not, and then
the one who had trusted me might think
I was the traitor.
"But you are the only one I can tell, y
Alice said, dropping her eyes. "You
are my age an all that. II can't talk
about this with mommer. She wouldn't It
understand.
"I'm sure I shall not understand
either" Rob said, her smile broaden
iDg. "You may tell me if you choose.
But warn you it is no use. -
"Yes. it is some use," Miss Winfold
persisted. lit is. Oh, shall never get
it out It's about-Jack Talbot, you