Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-07-29

yer had years De1Ore Deen d Juslice VI
the peace. II went with i'm clean to
the door Of the warehouse an seed
that he went in"
"Then he was"-
"The wust 1 ever seed, squire. Oh,
he could walk all right an knowed
what he was about, but he's reg lar
rippin' terror. He come In here, l
reckon, about an hour ago an tuck a
couple O. drinks an then set down
over thar at the little table. I lowed
he was asleep, he was so quiet, an l
reckon everybody else did, fer Bascom
Truitt from over in the mountains
come in an begun to talk about old
man Buckley's sentence. He hadn't
said q word that was wrong, but
George heard it an riz suddenly an
come up to him. 'Yore a-sayin' that
to insult me- he said, right in Truitts
face. AS big as Truitt is you could
"a knocked i'm down with feather,
but he told George as straight as he
could that he never knowed he was
thar an didn't mean no harm nohow;
but, sir, George hauled away an hit
i'm in the jaw. 1t popped like the re-
port Of a pistol, an Truitt mighty nigh
went down. We parted 'em without
any trouble. In fact, Truitt thinks the
world an all of i'm. George did i'm a
favor q long time back, an instead O.
gittin' mad about it Truitt is worryin'
over offendin' the boy. He would have
apologized to i'm, but we all persuad-
ed i'm to wait till George was at his
se'f."
The merchant took long, trembling
breath.
81 wish, Hillhouse," he said, "that
you wouldn't let i'm have any more
liquor if you kin git around it."
"Git around it?' laughed the bar
keeper. IF you'll show me a mixer o
drinks in this county that would re-
fuse that feller when he's off I'd like
to see i'm. 1t would cost i'm his life.
He's one man, squire, that ortn't to
fetch a drap, an between you an me
1 don't think anything but this scrape
of his daddy's would have started i'm.
George Buckley is the high strung sort
that makes either the finest citizens ur
the scum O. creation"
Il reckon yo're right" agreed Hillyer,
and, turning, he went down to the
warehouse, which was in the next
block below. He found the front door
ajar and saw q light burning in his
clerks room in the rear. Entering
and softly treading over the rough
floor, which was strewn with chaff and
grain and the metal ties Of cotton
bales, Hillyer stood in the doorway of
the young mans room. In cloud OF
cigar smoke George Buckley sat near
a little table, without his coat, his col
lar off and his powerful neck showing
through his open shirt. He glared up
at his employer and then rose to his
feet and looked straight at him.
George" the old man began In a
voice that quivered through excessive
embarrassment, 81 was troubled so
much about you that l couldn't sleep,
so l got up an come down. / seed
yore light an couldn't keep from COM
in in"
81 don't see that you need bother
about me-" was Buckley's surprising
retort. I'm no blood kin Of yours,
Mr.. Hillyer."
George, I'm as good a friend to you
as know how to be, an I jest want
you to know that, an ef thar's any
way under the sun that kin help you
I'll do It,"
Then let's me n you come to an
understanding" said Buckley. 81 don't
know exactly how to size you up. I've
been thinking about you all this even
ing, and if don't understand you bet
ter than l have done for several years
you and l will part. You cen keep the
money I've made and saved up, and
If could do it Id throw the education
you gave me in your face. My intelli-
gence has been insulted. You have
done all these things for me under the
pretense of love, but 1t was not that.
Now let's understand each other"
Hlllyer turned as white as death
could have made him. His eyes sank
to the floor, and, with halting step, he
went to the young mans bed across
the room and sat down on the edge
of 1t.
"You do me a great wrong, George"
he faltered. 'If you knowed my
heart
"Well. that's all I'm asking. want
to know what it all means. / tell you
Pm no fool. It's not whisky in me
talking either, for I've puzzled over 1t
for years, an now that this thing has
happened-an' l don't care whether I
stay in your town anyway-Fm goin'
to be told the truth. What did you
give me my education for, and this
start in the world? Why, as / look
at you gazing at me now it seems to
me you are the very personification OF
the fate that has Knocked me ever since
was old enough to know I was alive.
Curse it, what's the matter with you?
Can't you talk"
IIillyer rose to his feet. I'm gofn'
to leave you, George" he said. ITO
morrow We'll talk this over. You are
in no condition to-
Taking a swift, steady stride for
ward, the young man laid his hands on
the merchants shoulders and forced
him back to his seat on the bed. mo,
he said; you don't leave here tonight