Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-03-17

N>s'Xy
Her father wrapped his arms about her.
maligning one Of the bravest little
souls in the world. but his necessity
knew no law.
Father. you are being absolutely un-
just and cruelty unkind. You know !
am not imaginative in that way. You
know am not q coward. But we will
let it stop at that. l hear Tom coming
back"
When Tom stood over her, profering
the bromide all mixed ready for tax
ing, she looked up into his pale and
worried face with one Of her sweetest
smiles. Suddenly she put out hand
and drew him down on the sofa by her
side.
"Tom, dear. you are entirely too good
to me. l have worried you straight
through this day. have made you
horribly uncomfortable. Please for
give me like the dear old generous
friend you are"
And Tom, out of sheer gratitude for
her tardy recognition Of all he had
suffered that day, bent his head with
the stately grace Of an old time cav
alier and kissed the little hand that
still rested on his arm.
He felt himself going hot and cold.
red and white. all in minute. "Oh.
Ollie. If you would only always be like
this to me, what could | not make OF
myself for your sweet sake" he STAN
mered.
Upon which her father. with a kill
Joy air. advised her retiring before the
bromide should be made Of no effect.
81 shall finish the night on couch
In your room. my dear. so that you
shall not be imagining things again."
"And l." said Tom. with a brilliant
smile. "shall stay down stairs to give
the Broxton mice some lessons in COM
pany manners"
A lightsome heart makes jesting
easy. Ollie had been her sweetest self
in the past few minutes. and Tom
walked on air. He held the door open
and watched her disappear up the
steps leaning on her father.
In his haste to reaSsure her he had
lighted both the library apd bis IA
theirs study in the rear Of 1t. He
stepped into the smaller room to ext.n.
guish the light. There. on his father g
desk. was an object which only his pre-
occupation when he was hastily light
ing the room could have prevented his
seeing on entering. II before.
An open Bible. large print. lay un-
der the gas jet. 4 bit Of white ribbon
marked a passage. He stopped to
read 1t:
1T Is better TO trust In the Lord than
to put confidence In man."
Tom read the passage twice over
and then brought the lids Of the book
together to identify 1t. He was quite
sure he had nev@ seen that Identical
Bible before In gilt letters on the
back be found the initials rs. R. B."
"My mothers Biblew he said In an
awestruck whisper. He opened the
book again and once more read the
passage upon which the white ribbon
had been pressed.
AS he read Mother" Spillman's
strange words seemed to trace them
selves over the warning passage:
Though one were to come back
from the dead. you would not believe"
He shook himself violently. as If to
arouse his dormant common sense fac
ulties. He closed the book reverently
and put it under his arm. 1t should
henceforth 90 with him wherever he
went.
He forgot all about his jesting prom
Ise to Olivia. He mounted the steps
and closed the door Of his own roop,
softly. For long time he sat ponder
ing that strange message by the light
oe his dying candle:
at is better to trust in the Lord than
to put confidence in man.
Whose tender spirit was grleving
over his earthly chances? The morn
Ing star shone brilliantly in upon him
through the drawn curtains. He watt
i message heavenward by that ra-
....; herald:
father. mother, trust me. Will
walk worthy of your living examples
50 long as breath prolongs my be-
ing"
Before long he was sleeping sweetly
and dreamlessly. His nature was too
essentially healthy to harbor perpleXi-
ty or distrust for any length Of time.
TO BE CONTINUED.