Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-02-24
lands. Tears came warily to eyes long

Inc minister WluOW "epl SHeuliy iOi
the breaking Of another link in the
chain that time had robbed Of all but
few frail links.
The sun dropped behind the tallest
trees that crowned the bluff against
which Vaudeville nestled. The many
windows of Broxton Hall caught its
level rays and famed into a brief glory
Of molten gold. The great house looked
as If it were Illuminated for the COM
Ing Of some distinguished guest
The shadows of evening already lay
thick among the dark oaks and cedars
on the lawn. A funereal blackness en-
wrapped cluster of Norway frs. Pres
emily the borrowed brightness faded
from the windows of the Hall, leaving
its somber bulk sharply outlined
against the pallid skies.
AS tired child might have sobbec
itself to sleep, Mother" Splllman pass
ed from tears to slumber. PropplnS
the gray head tenderly against its
silken chair rest, Miss Malvina softly
escaped from the room. She was In q
state of restless. nervous tension.
She wandered as far as the cottage
gate. pulling a gaudy zinnia and gay
prlurr,s feather In transit, only to
throw them away. She leaned over
the low gate and peered anxiously
down the dusty road.
Over an hour now since the minister
and the lawyer had gone by In such
haste and "still no sign Of poor Toms
coming"
Colonel Rufus Broxton was the big
man of the neighborhood. His sudden
illness had aroused great local inter-
est. Personally she had none other
than the tenderest memories in con-
nection with him. The gift Of COW
when their own only one had fallen
over the bluff and been killed. the
headstone that marked her fathers
grave in the Vaudeville burying
ground. the annual spring "breaking
up" of her little garden patch. all testi-
fed to the goodness Of the colonePs
heart and the falthfulness Of bis soul.
He had never lost sight Of the fact
that her mother was the impoverished
widow Of the man who had been the
Intellectual guide Of his callow youth
uor how as the minister's wife she had
been u helpful friend and good adviser
to the young and sometimes frivolous
wife he had brought home to stately
cid Broxton Hall.
And now in the hour Of his extremity
Miss Malvina could not bear to think
of the colonel having an unfulflled
wish. Jessy had told her that all his
cry was: "Why doesn't the boy come!
The boy will be too late. Keep me
here. doctor. until Tom gets home"
And .Jessy knew. because she was
housemaid at the Hall and heard
everything. If only the boy had been
sent for sooner! Mr.. Matthews must
have known how things were going to
end.
And ut thought of the lawyer she fell
to wondering over her mothers harsh
Judgment Of the man who for sterling
n,eri, stood next to Parson Drayton in
the town and county. There were
those In Vaudeville who thought the
sun rose and set In him. Her mother
must be getting unreasonable In her
old age, and so. dismissing the lawyer
from her mind as q minor matter al
such a solemn juncture. she stood
there breathing futile wishes that she
might do something. ever so little q
something. for the colonel or for Tom.
The road In front Of the cottage was
deserted. At its best travel toward
Vaudeville was light and uncertain.
There was none at oil tonight
The scent of honeysuckles and sweet
williams weighted the air. single
star came out in the blue black sky. an
other. q dozen, q host A solemn hush
enwrapped the universe. lf only some
break would come in the dreadful still
ness! 1t came.
The patter Of hurrying feet In the
dusty road-a small. dark figure wds
speeding toward her out Of the gloom.
It came abreast Of her. Miss Malvina
could hear the quick painting breath
of the runner Next the CLEAN OF q
white face. bare of hat. shone under
the stars.
"Who is that? Who are you? Tom
Tom Broxton?
The running feet halted. The white
face came closer. A breathless young
voice called to her eagerly: "Is that
you, Miss Malvina? How about fa-
ther? Better, isn't heT'
Miss Malvina answered inconse-
quently:
"What are you doing afoot, child!
Couldn't Daniel have gone to fetch
you?"
"NIr. Matthews man Rube was at
the station with his buggy. think lie
must have been drunk. He upset the
buggy in q lime hole this side the
schoolhouse. | left him 6oundering
about in it. | could not wait. is fa-
ther'-
"Yes." said Miss Malvina recklessly.
She would not rob that poor painting
young bosom of its last flckering hope.
Thank God for that much!'
The boy lifted his eyes toward the
dark mass showing above the darker
shrubbery of BroXton lawn. But for
that senseless mishap he would have