Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-01-05

often talked with her about the time when
she would be your wife, and l have now writ
ten to her letter telling her much OF what
have said here, and that look on you as al
ready pledged to marry her, and have asked
her to give you this letter, knowing its con-
tents and my wishes.
am acting in your real interests, my son,
and in that cause do not hesitate to take
very unusual step. Your loving mother,
GwENDoLIN WALcoTE.
Sir Jaffray had broken out several
times with short, sharp ordinations
while reading the letter, but when he
had finished he sat four or five minutes
in close thought. Then he wrote his re-
ply:
MY Dearest MoTHER-It will be bitter to
mo to disappoint you and more than bitter II
you cannot receive with love the only woman
in the world l can possibly marry-Lola Craw.
shay. We're she US black as you paint her
would choose no other woman for my wife.
It is too late to alter my choice. am coming
home tomorrow to see you about 1t. Your
loving son, JAEFRAf'
"It is better she should know right
off," he muttered as be folded the let
ter and addressed and stamped the en-
yelope. "She knows don't alter easi-
IL, and it will pave the way for our
talk"
He strolled out of the hotel to smoke
and think.
1t was the crisis of his life. but he
faced it, like all things, resolutely and
boldly, looking the difficulties full i'll
the face, making his decision firmly and
holding to it with the tenacity of his
race.
Two things he regretted deeply-his
mothers groundless prejudice against
Lola and the complication about Beryl-
but neither of them turned him by SO
much as d hairs breadth from his pur-
pose and resolve.
He had drifted into the present rela-
tions with his cousin. 1t had been the
wish of others that he should marry her,
and he had acquiesced in the plan be-
cause no one else had ever touched his
heart. He had liked her in the calm,
unruffled way in which her nature had
appealed to him and had always ad-
mired her.
But he fei6 now as if there had never
been thought of love toward her in all
his heart.
Now his feelings were mixture OF
fear and hope-tear lest his mother was
right and lest Beryl might feel some
thing of that desolation and misery
which the thought of losing Lola sug-
gested to him and hope that his mother
was wrong. Beryl was so true and gen
uine soul, had been such stanch
friend and dear companion III the past
and had taken such q strong interest III
all that concerned him that he was pro-
foundly grieved at the thought Of bring
ing sorrow to her.
He wished, indeed, that he could have
laid the whole thing before her as he
had often done with other and lesser
puzzles and just have talked it out
quietly like friends.
He missed the help which the girl
had often been to him, and he was
thinking Of this as he sauntered on to
the veranda at the end Of his stroll and
saw her sitting there alone, just in the
corner and in the chair where Lola had
sat in the afternoon.
He went to her and sat down In one
of the creaky basket chairs near her.
"Well, walking about to think,
Jaffray," she said pleasantly, latter
the old habits2"
Eyes. / was thinking about my 60
ing off tomorrow. I'm going to see the
mother, you know"
II thought so from what you said
today" replied Beryl quite calmly.
"Wbat train do you 60 by3 Shall you
come back?"
This commonplace way Of meeting
what he had meant as an advance
rather disconnected him. and he an
swered tamely:
II haven't fixed the time yet," add
ing after short, uncomfortable pause.
"Ill come back if you wish, you
know"
But at that he blamed himself lest
she should misunderstood him.
The girl laughed softly, but quite
without sign of restraint. She was an
excellent actress too.
"You don't seem to know your own
mind very clearly; not like you"
"Some people seem to think l know
it too clearly" he answered, thinking
Of his mothers letter.
"Oh, people often make blunders
trying to guess ones wishes, think. y
He thought he could detect little
nervous ring in her voice, suggesting all
undercurrept meaning, but before he
could say anything she added:
"Of course you'll just do as you like
about coming back.
"Do you mean you want to release
me from my promise to stay fortnight
here?"
II don't remember any direct prom
ise, Jaffray," she answered with tn"
same slight unsteadiness of tone. "But
even if there had been direct promise
I shouldn't want to hold you to it
never" This word she spoke with em-
phasis, but added directly in lighter
tone, Nor would Mrs. De Witt, I'M
sure"
"Do understand you, Brryl"-
"Who's that taking my name i'll vain:
Beryl, l thought you knew me better
than to believe it possible for any soul
OH earth to say what would or would
not do five minutes before l did it. |
hope I'm not so commonplace as that
yet" Mrs. De Witt laughed, not quite
pleasantly, as she Joined the two
The interruption irritated Sir Jaffray