Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-12-29

"Heavcn hclp mel" he crtcd.
WIN send it to you. Now tel me that
I may. QUICKLY" And she was alive
with enthusiastic interest.
"There, now, you are kind again, as
kind as even you can be. Be sure, l
thank you, though I say it only once"
and he looked into her eyes with
gaze she could not stand even for an
instant. This was growing dangerous
again; so, catching himself, he turned
the conversation back into the banter
ing vein.
"Ah, you want to pay the debt that
I may have no excuse to remain? Is
that It? Perhaps you are not so kind
after ALL"
"No, no; you know better. But let
me pay the debt. How much Is 1t, and
to whom is it owing? Tell me at once,
I command you"
"No, no, Lady Mary; cannot"
"Please do. l beg. If I cannot COM
mand. Now l know you will You
would not make me beg twice for any
thing?" She drew closer to him as she
spoke and put her hand coaxinGly upon
bis arm. With an irresistible impulse
he took the hand in his and lifted it to
his lips in lingering caress that could
not be mistaken. 1t was all 80 quick
and so full of fire and meaning that
Mary took fright, and the princess for
the moment came uppermost.
Master Brandon" she exclaimed
sharply and drew away her hand. Bran
don dropped the hand and moved over
on the seat. He did not speak, but
turned his face from her and looked
out of the window toward the river.
Thus they sat In silence, Brandon's
hand resting listlessly upon the cush-
ion between them. Mary saw the elo-
quent movement away from her and
his speaking attitude with averted face;
then the princess went into eclipse, and
the imperial woman was ascendant
once more. She looked at him for q
brief space with softenlng eyes and,
lifting her hand, put it back in his, say
ing:
"There it is again-if you want it."
Want it? All, this was too much!
The hand would not satisfy now. 1t
must be all, all! And he caught her to
his arms with violence that fright
ened her.
"Please don't; please! Not this time!
All, have mercy, Charl- Well! There!
There! Mary mother, forgive me"
Then her woman spirit fell before the
whirlwind Of his passion, and she was
on his breast, with her white arms
around his neck, paying the same trib-
ute to the little blind god that he would
have exacted from the lowliest maiden
of the land.
Brandon held the girl for a moment
or two, then fell upon his knees and
buried his face in her lap.
Heaven help me-" he cried.
She pushed the hair back from his
forehead with her hand and as she
fondled the curls leaned over him and
softly whispered:
Heaven help US both, for I love
your
He sprang to his feet. Don't! Don't,
pray you," he said wildly. and almost
ran from her.
Mary followed him nearly to the door
of the room, but when he turned he
saw that she had stopped and was
standing with her hands over her face,
as if in tears.
He went back to her and said, IL
tried to avoid this. and II you lad
helped me it would never But b"
remembered how he had always de-
spised Adam for throwing the blame
upon Eve, no matter how much she
may have deserved it, and continued:
"No, l do not mean that. 1t is all
my fault. I should have gone away
long ago. could not help it. I tried.
oh, / tried!'
Mary's eyes were bent upon the
floor, and tears were falling over bet
flushed cheeks unheeded and uncheck-
cd.
'There is no fault in any one. Nei.
ther could l help it." she murmured.
"No, no; It Is not that there is any
fault in the ordinary sense. 1t Is like
suicide or any other great self inflicted
injury with me. I am different from
other men. shall never recover
81 know only too we'll that you arc
different from other men, and-and l,
too, am different from other women.
Am l not"
"Ah, different! There is no other
woman in all this wide, long world"
And they were in each others arms
again. She turned her shoulder to
him and rested with the support Of his
arms about her. Her eyes were cast
down in silence, and she was evident
" thinking rs she toyed with the lace
of his doublet. Brandon knew her
varying expressions so we'll that he
saw there was something wanting, 50
he asked:
.Is there something you wish to
say"
"Not l." she responded with en-
phasis on the pronoun.
''Then 1t is something you wish me
to say"
She nodded her head slowly, eyes"
"What is it? Tell me, and will say
It"
She shook her head slowly, mo"
"What is it? l cannot guess
"Did you not like to hear me say that
that I-loved your