Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-06-13

| he was not at Idult III IuiS uateei' hS
was not the one who assaulted me. He
did not touch me. You could not get q
particle Of testimony against him. And,
besides that, it Is necessary that he re-
turn with me. This Is case for the
law of God. This belongs to higher
court"
The officer hesitated; Mr.. Hardy step
ped nearer his son.
George" he said as If forgetting for
| q moment that the officer was present
"did you know that Clara and Bess
and Will were In the accident last
night?"
George turned pale and tremblingly
replied: mo, father. Were they hurt?
Was Bess"-
The boy seemed moved as his father
had not yet seen him.
"No: they were not-that Is, Bess
was not hurt at all. But Will was Sc
verely bruised. and Clara still lies In
state Of stupor or unconsciousness.
and we do not know what the end will
be. was on my way just now to get
some needed articles from the doctors
house. You must come back with me.
The law has no hold on you."
Maybe the law hasn't any hold on
him, but Michael Finnerty has. don't
just like the idea. mister man, Of let
ting the boy go yet" replied the stub
born and unusually dutiful officer.
Mr.. Hardy began to appeal to the
mans love Of his own children. 1t did
not seem to move him In the least until
he mentioned the fact that 1t was
cruelty to keep the suffering girl at
home waiting for her fathers return.
Finnerty finally loosened his hold on
George and said slowly and painfully:
"And If lose me job I'll be knowing
who was to blame for it. I always
told N'chael Finnerty that be was too
soft hearted to 60 on the force!"
"You won't suffer. officer. Many
thanks! Come, George"
A father and son moved of to-
gether, while the defender Of the law
stood irresolute. watching them disap-
pear through the storm and muttering
to himself: "I'm a soft hearted fool.
I ought to "a been born a female hos.
pital nurse, had"
During that walk home, after Mr..
Hardy had gone around by the doc
tors with George, not word was ex-
changed. The storm was increasing.
The two walked along In silence, but
when George walked into the hall at
home he turned and saw a look on his
fathers face that smote him to the
heart, for he was not yet e hardened
soul.
Mr.. Hardy had lived years in that
experience. No one could tell how his
heart had been tortured by what he
had endured that night, but the mark
Of it was stamped physically on his
face, and he knew that he would bear
It to his grave.
Mrs. Hardy came running down
stairs as the two came in, and as
George turned and faced her she held
out her arms, crying:
"My boy! My boy! We have been
so anxious about your
What, not one word Of reproach, of
rebuke, Of question as to what he had
been doing oil this time that the family
had been suffering! No; not one word.
All, mother love! 1t Is the most Won
derful thing on earth, next to the love
Of God for the sinner. 1t Is even that,
for it is the love Of God expressing IT.
self through the mother, who Is the
temple of the loving God.
George dashed away tear and then,
going up to his mother, laid his cheek
against hers, and she folded her arms
about him and cried n little and asked
no questions, and after moments ST.
lence he stammered out few words
of sorrow at having caused her pain.
and she joyfully accepted his broken
explanation of how he had not known
Of the accident to Clara and the others.
It was true he had gone out the even
ing before, fully intending to 60 down
to the scene Of the accident; but, COM
ing across some Of his old companions,
he had gone off with them and spent
the night in disgraceful carouse and
throughout the day had been under the
influence of.liquor more or less, dimly
| conscious that a great disaster had
| happened down the road, but not
sober enough to realize Its details or
its possible connection with those Of
his own home.
The sudden meeting with his father
had startled him out Of the drowsy in
toxication he had fallen into as the
day progressed. Now, as he felt his
mothers arms around him and realized
little what the family had been call
ed upon to endure, he felt the shame
and disgrace Of his own conduct.
Mr.. Hardy went up stairs and con-
suited with the doctor, who wondered
at his protracted absence. There was
no change in Clara yet. She lay in q
condition which could not be called a
trance nor a sleep. She did not seem
to be in any great pain, but she was
unconscious of all outside conditions.
After q little talk with his mother
George came up and inquired after
Bess and Will. They were both Sleep
ing, and after the doctor had gone out
the father and mother and son sat
down together in the room where Clara
lay.
Mr.. Hardy did not say word to