Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-07-07
CHAPTER vi.

CHAPTER vi.
"wHoM GOD HATH JOINED TOGETHER LET
NO MAN PUT AsUNDER"
He had come directly to his subject,
feeling that it was best so. Mrs. Pen
rose looked at him in the greatest as
tonishment-
"You love - DorothyT she said
slowly.
eyes," replied Malcom Kirk simply.
'T have loved her for four years. Ever
since I entered the seminary, in fact"
Mrs. Penrose sat still and looked
more keenly at the awkward, homely
figure in her reception room. She was
q woman Of great quickness Of percep-
ton. To do her justice she had pre-
eminently large fund Of fairness and
q sense of justice which came to her
through long line Of pilgrim ances-
tors. She saw in the man who had
Just declared his love for her niece so
abruptly something more than a COM
mon average man. There was look
In his eye that spoke Of limitless en-
durance, and his voice was Of an un-
usual quality, very nearly If not quite
equal to q rare gift Of music or art.
She rose and walked over to the win
dow and looked far down the beach.
Then she turned toward Malcom Kirk
and said with some emphasis:
"What you have so suddenly told
me. Mr.. Kirk, Is, need not say, COM
plete surprise to me. I suppose you
know that Mr.. Raleigh is lover Of
Dorothy?"
q "No more than I am" said Malcom
Kirk quickly.
81 suppose you know he is an old
friend of the family and that Mr.. Gil
bert favored his suit?"
"That has nothing to do with my
love for her," said Malcom Kirk softly.
Mrs. Penrose smiled slightly. Then
she frowned and looked somewhat anx-
iously at him.
"What do you expect to doT she
asked somewhat vaguely.
II am going to ask Dorothy Gilbert
to be my wife"
"If she loves you" said Mrs. Pen
rose, a little grimly.
"Of course, If she loves me-" replied
Malcolm Kirk simply.
There was silence in the room. A
servant came in quietly and lighted
two long candles on the mantel. The
dusk and the candlelight blended to-
gether softly, and Malcom Kirk looked
out Of his side Of the room at Dor
othy's aunt with a somewhat pale
face, calm, however, and fully self
possessed. Even Francis Raleigh, with
all his inherited instincts toward gen.
tlemanly habits, was not equal to Nal.
com Kirk during supreme crisis.
Mrs. Penrose went over to the win
dow again. Then she returned and took
q seat nearer Malcom Kirk.
"Of course after what you have told
me, Mr.. Kirk, it will be-you see the
awkwardness of the situation-it will
be embarrassing for you and Mr..
Raleigh to meet"
"Why" asked Malcom Kirk.
"Well, it will. won't itT she asked
in some slight irritation.
81 don't think so. have nothing to
be embarrassed about"
Mrs. Penrose was silent again. After
the lapse Of few moments she said:
81 have not asked you what your
prospects are, Mr.. Kirk. Pardon me
II I seem abrupt, but you have set me
the example. I am the nearest rela'
tive Dorothy has now since my broth.
er's death. She has been accustomed
all her life to the comforts Of wealth.
To such comforts as these" Her glance
swept the room carelessly, but with
studied meaning. MAY Task what
you can offer Dorothy In CASE
"In case she becomes my wifeY" said
Malcom Kirk, completing the sentence.
"Yes, in case she becomes your Wife y
His face had grown a little paler,
and the muscles around his mouth had
stiffened while Mrs. Penrose was
speaking. But he observed her calmly
enough.
"T can offer her a home and COM
forts. have definite position. do
not need to say that I am poor. My
life in the Home Missionary field to
which am going will be full Of hard
ships. My wife would share them
with me. I ought perhaps to say"-he
spoke with the first hesitation he had
yet shown-"that have possible
source Of income in my pen. expect
to earn as much as my salary by that
means. I have once or twice done that
during my college and seminary
course"
$50 that the most you can offer my
niece would be $1,000 or $1,500
year" asked Mrs. Penrose, with the
nearest approach to sharpness.
"By no means, madam" said NAL
com Kirk, and his face glowed with
the eloquence Of his answer. "This Is
not the most can offer her. The most
I can offer Is the love bear her, and
all the money in the world without
that would be very little to Offer"
"He's right about that" Mrs. Pen
rose spoke to herself softly. Malcolm
Kirk did not hear what she said, but
then at that time he did not know