Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-01-12
CHAPTER Nv.

! Auu suo 1duSuCN again.
CHAPTER Nv.
AN EXPLANATION.
It would be difficult to analyze pre-
cisely Lady Walcote's feelings as, lean
ing back in her carriage and thinking
closely, she was driven back to Walcote
While she had been with Lola she
had yielded to the impulse Of faith
which the girl had stirred. but as soon
as she was alone and her old doubts re-
Cured she began to look searchingly al
all that Lola had said.
It was in its effects then that Lola't
cleverness in giving the pledge not tc
marry without Lady Walcote's consent
was proved. It was difficult to accept
the promise as anything but proof of
the girls complete good faith, and as
this it prevailed with Lady Walcote.
She had gone to tho interview con.
vinced of Lola's deceit and with a
strong belief that, if only she could
strip off the veil, past more or less
compromising wou d be seen, but the
interview had changed much Of this
opinion, and again in this the girls
shrewdness had been great.
She had not attempted to make her.
self too white. She had painted her past
as having its evil associations and con-
nections with which she would neces.
sarily be brought in contact. Her plea
was that she had not been injured in
the contact. Had she pleaded that there
was no sort of guile in her past Lady
Walcote would have rejected the plea
without q word, but the implication
that there was much temptation to do
wrong and the plea that she had been
kept from it by the thought of the honor
Of her family had gone straight home
to one in whom the pride Of race was
like a religion.
Another effect of the interview was
to convince Lady Walcote that if Jaffray
loved Lola his love was returned to the
full as passionately, and this had ap-
pealed naturally to the mothers heart,
softening her judgment Of Lola.
She regretted the affair as much as
ever. She did not believe that Jaffray
would find half so much happiness with
Lola as with Beryl, and she would have
cut off her right hand to have him mar
ry Beryl instead of Lola. but the sting
Of her opposition was gone because the
reasons for it were changed.
Sir Jaffray saw this almost as soon as
he met his mother ut the carriage door
and gave her his arm into the house.
"Well, mother?" he asked as eager
ly almost as boy.
"What say will not stop you. Jaf-
fray, l know. You are set OH this mar
riage, and / can see in it disaster as
plainly as can see Lola's beauty He
noticed the use Of the Christian name
and was pleased. IF you do what l
wish, you will not marry her. "
"And if I cannot think as you do?''
he asked.
81 shall not stand in the way any
longer"
"I am glad"- he began, but she in
terrupted him at once.
Don't misunderstood me. am as
much opposed to it as ever, but since
seeing Lola have changed some of my
thoughts l dread the marriage and
fear the consequences, but you shall not
find me otherwise than ready to try to
welcome your wife, even if my heart is
full of foreboding.
81 am glad. said Sir Jaffray quiet
ly, and he kissed her.
1t was not very auspicious consent,
but Sir Jaffray was satisfied. He knew
how strongly his mother had desired the
marriage with Beryl and how hard she
always fought against giving way IN
any much cherished project. He was
pleased also at the thought that Lola
had thus won her round from what
seemed an uncompromising and irwin
chile resistance
"And Beryl. mother?" he added aft
er pause.
"I will see her myself, said Lady
Walcote. "And now that you have con-
| uuered in all"-she smiled sadly-"let
me 60"
He opened the door Of the room
where they had stood, and as she passed
out he said:
II know all that this means to you
mother. I shall never forget it all my
life"
She answered with smile and
glance laden with love, but yet sad.
When he was alone, he became
thoughtful and restless, and after wan
dering through the house and round tht
stables he had his horse out and set ou
for a hard gallop across country-ar
old habit
He met his mother again at dinner
and was sorry to notice a kind OF re
serve between them. Neither mentioned
the name of either of the girls wht
formed the subject Of the thoughts O
both until the end Of dinner. when, al
Lady Walcote was leaving the table, sh'
said:
II have written to Beryl, Jaffray
thinking you would like the thing set
tied at once and not feeling equal to
journey to Torquay.
II am glad You are as thoughtful
as usual" he said Then, as If seeking
her opinion, he added, II was thinking
of going back to Torquay."
The old lady paused.