Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-03-21
CHAPTER XII.

letter was read was altogether dispro-
portioned to the flippant GOODNESS of Its
tone and was absolutely divorced from
the common sense view Of life which
Tom rather prided himself upon al
ways leaning toward.
To 60 back to its writer, as she had
put out a coral tipped tongue to
moisten the flap Of its envelope Olivia
had remarked gravely to her inkstand:
"Such an absurd idea as this must
have a quietus put upon it very
promptly. think this letter will quite
convince him. Poor old ridiculous
Tomw
Her face broke up Its gravity with
dimpling smile. "Not that it is not
very nice to have him care so much.
Dear, generous childW
The inkstand to which she made
these confidential remarks was an ex-
pensive trifle In beaten brass sent to
her by Tom from Florence. On the
walls of her sitting room hung half q
dozen good etchings selected intelli-
gently. "Picked up In Rome for the
dearest little girl in the universe"
Tom. the sender, had foolshly scrib-
bled on the inner wrapper. Her slip
pered feet sank luxuriously into the
yelvety pile of a rich Persian rug ship
ped by Tom from Paris with a mag
nificent disregard for custom duties or
express charges.
Tom. Toms constant thought for
her. Toms doglike faithfulness. In spite
of her chilling Indifference. were In
evidence turn which way she would.
She was smItten with sharp sting Of
remorse which reacted on her temper.
sis it my f;irlt?" she asked the ink
stand petulantly. Have not always
treated him exactly like nephew"
Conscience assured her that she had,
and so, with sense Of absolution upon
her, she had run down the steps to
mail her letter in the box nailed to
the gatepost.
1t was quite late. She had taken
dinner with the Westovers and had
been driven home by her lover with
the brightest of moons to light them
on their way. Mr.. Clarence Westover
could not have been accused Of cruelty
to animals on that particular drive,
for he let his spirited bays gang their
ain gait" from start to finish.
He and Olivia had much to talk
about. He was waxing impatient un-
der the trying conditions Of an engage
ment to which she obstinately refused
to fix a limit. He had begun by press
ing her for q date. His voice was
petulant and his eyes. which the moon.
light was not strong enough to reveal
under his broad hat brim. were full of
moodiness as he asked:
"Are we to 90 ON this way forever.
OliviaY
Ollie snuggled nearer to him with a
caressing little gurgle. 1t was de-
vice she had always found highly ef-
eective with the one other man she
had ever tried to coax. her father.
Clarence. dear. please don't try to
hurry things up. 1t is very pleasant
as it Is, and dread to look forward
to the time when poor papa will have
to give me up. He looks so old and
worried Of late. asked DR.. Govan
about him, and he says all undue eX-
element for him must be avoided"
"Every argument you have advanced
will hold good against our marrying
for the next ten years or so. Mr.. Mat
thews will certainly not grow youn-
ger"
''Ten years! Mercy, Clarence!
shall be an octogenarian by that time"
"And q centenarian."
81 shall be walking with stick and
mumbling nonsense at everybody. as
Mother Spillman does"
$50 shall l." said her lover with de-
cision.
"And | shall be looking back on lov-
er's vows and wedding clothes and
such trifles from the apex Of an old
woman's superior wisdom. | will call
it all the foolish effervescence of i'm
mature youth"
$50 shall l."
THAT will be very nice. but little
monotonous, won't it, dear? Do you
intend doing everything shall do
when we get old together. Clarence"
She pushed back the wide brim Of
his soft hat and. smiling lovingly into
his moody eyes, called him "sulky
boy"
But when planning for this tete-a-
tete drive by harnessing up vehicle
too small to accommodate Jeanne Mr..
Clarence had told himself severely
that it was time lie was bringing this
affair to q head. and he did not pro-
pose to be "jollied" out Of his purpose
by a lot Of whimsical nonsense or a
coaXing smile or two. He repaid o.
lies wistful glance with fine as
sumption of manly determination.
"See here my dear. Let us come
down to a rational basis Of discus
sion."
MY! Now l know exactly how you
are going to look and sound dozen
years hence, when we are On old mar
ried couple and the grocers bill seems
unreasonably long"
Westover laughed, but persevered
in his efforts to get down to q rational
basis of discussion.
"Of course l know, you know, we
know, that it would be an awful
wrench for Mr.. Matthews ever to give
you to anybody. That's the penalty of
being an only daughter"
@And having an only parent" Ollie
| interipctpd gently,