Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-08-14

fine, all round man, but he Is not per-
feet by any means. He talks freely to
me, you know: he's known me since l
was knee high. Well, he told me-he
told me of the talk he had with you at
the dance that night. Oh, that hurt
me-hurt mew
"He told you that~ exclaimed Alan
In surprise.
eyes, and it actually disgusted me.
Does he think all men ought to act on
that sort Of advice? He might, for he
has made an unnatural man Of him
self, with all his fancies for new faces,
but you are not that kind, Alan, and
I'm sorry you and he are so Intimate;
not that he can influence yor much,
but he has already in way, and that
has panied me deeply"
"He has Influenced me?" cried Alan
in surprise. 81 think you are mis-
taken"
"You may not realize it. but he has"
said Dolly, with gentle and yet un-
Welding earnestness. "You see, you
are so very sensitive that it would not
be hard to make you believe that a
young man ought not to keep on caring
for a girl whose parents object to his
attentions"
"Ahw He had caught her drift.
There was q pause. At the foot OF
the hill little brook ran merrily over
the water Drowned stones, and Its
monotonous tapping could be heard dis
tinctly. Under the trees across the
open some of the couples had drawn
together and were singing:
81 see the boat go round the bend,
Goodby. my lover. goodby."
Dolly had said exactly what he had
never hoped to hear her say. and the
fact of her broaching such subject In
such a frank. determined way sent
glow of happiness all over him.
81 don't think" he began thought
fully. that Rayburn or any man could
keep me froln"-he looked Into her full,
expectant eyes and then plunged mad
ly-"could keep me from caring for
you, from loving you with all my heart,
Dolly. but it really is terrible thing
to know that you are robbing girl OF
not only the love Of her parents. but
her rightful inheritance, when-when'
he hurried on. seeing that an impulse
to speak was urging her to protest
"when you haven't cent to your
name and. moreover, have black eye
from your fathers mistakes"
~ knew that's what he'd said! de-
clared the girl, almost white with an
ger. 81 knew it! Oh. Alan, Rayburn
Miller might be able to draw back and
leave a girl at such time. but no man
could that truly loves as-as | believe
you love me. | have known how you
have felt all this time. and 1t has near
ly broken my heart, but | could not
write to you when you had never even
told ME what you have today. You
must not let anybody or anything in
huence you. Alan. I'd rather be a
poor mans wife and do my own work
than let a paltry thing like my fathers
money keep me from standing by the
man love-"
Alan's face was ablaze. He drew
himself up and gazed at her, all his
soul in his eyes. Then l shall not
give you up." he declared-"not for
anything In the world. And If there
Is chance in the railroad idea I shall
work at it ten times as hard now that
I have talked with you"
They sat together in blissful igno-
rance Of the passage Of time till some
one shouted out that Frank Hillhouse
was coming with the watermelon.
Then all the couples In sight or hear
ing ran to the spring, where Hillhouse
could be seen plunging the big melon
into the water. Hattie Alexander and
Charlie Durant, who had been perched
On a jutting bowlder high up on the
hill behind Dolly and Alan, came half
running. half sliding, down, catching
at the trees to keep from falling.
Better come get your teeth in that
Hattie said, with a knowing
snlile at Dolly. They lived next door
to each other and were quite intimate.
"Come on. Alan" Dolly rose. Frank
will never forgive me If I don't have
some"
II sha'n't have time If 1 60 to town
tonight" replied Alan. Il have some
thing to do at home first"
"Then won't keep you," Dolly
smiled, "for you must 60 and meet
Rayburn Miller. I'm going to hope
that he has had good luck in Atlanta" !"
The world had never seemed so full
of joy and hope as Alan rode home
ward. The sun was setting in glorious
splendor beyond the towering noun
tains, above which the sky seemed an
ocean of mother OF pearl and liquid
gold. Truly 1t was good to be alive.
At the bars he met Abner Daniel with
fishing cane in his hands. his bait
gourd under his arm.
81 know right whar you've been," he
said, with broad smile as he threw
down the bars for Alan to pass
through. 81 seed that gang drive by
in all Their furry this alornin', the
queen bee in the lead with that little
makeshift of a man."
Alan dismounted to prevent his uncle
from putting up the bars, and they
walked homeward side by side.
Eyes, and I've had the time Of my
'ife," said the young man. II talked
TO her for a solid hour"
81 could see that in yore face" said
Abner quietly. You couldn't hide it,
an I'll bet she didn't lose time In let
tin you know what she never could
hide from me-"