Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-03-18

letting MIN out OF my SlSul. Maybe II
all right Maybe he turned and started
right back for town-and got there.
But l had no business to leave him,
and If l can I'll catch up with him
yet" He went to the front door and,
opening it, let in tornado Of wind and
food of water that beat him back.
Sheets Of rain blew in horizontally In
spite of the porch beyond.
Briscoe followed him. Don't be a
fool, Lige," he said. You hardly e1.
pect to 70 out in that" Lige shook his
head. 1t needed them both to get the
door closed. The young man leaned
his back against it and passed his
sleeve across his wet brow. 81 hadn't
ought to have left him."
Don't scare the girls" whispered
the other; then in u louder tone: "AH
I'm afraid Of is that he'll get blown to
pieces or catch his death Of cold. That's
all there is to worry about. They
wouldn't try it again so soon after last
night. I'm not bothering about that;
not at all. That needn't worry any
body"
"But this morning.
"Pshaw! He's likely home and dry
by this time. All foolishness. Don't
be an old woman"
The two men re-entered the room
and found Helen clinging to Minnie's
hand on the sofa. She looked up at
them quickly.
"Do you think-do you-what do
you
Her voice shook so that she could not
90 on.
The Judge pinched her cheek and pat
ted it. II think he's home and dry. but
I think he got wet first. That's what l
think. Never you fear. He's a good
hand at taking care of himself. Sit
down. Lige. You can't go for awhile"
Nor could he. 1t was long. long while
before he could venture out. The storm
ragged and roared without abatement
1t was Carlow's worst since 81, the
old gentleman said. They heard the
great limbs crack and break outside.
while the thunder pealed and doomed
and the wind ripped at the caves till
it seemed as if the roof must go. Mean.
while the judge, after some apology, lit
his pipe and told long st2ries Of the
storms of early days and Of odd freaks
of the wind. He talked OH calmly. the
picture of repose, and blew rings above
his head. but Helen saw that one OF
his big slippers beat an unceasing little
tattoo OH the carpet. She sat with fix
ed eyes, in silence. holding Minne's
hand tightly, and her face was color.
less, growing whittier us the slow hours
dragged by.
Every moment Mr.. Willetts became
more restless. He assured the ladies
he had no anxiety regarding Mr.. Hark-
less. 1t was only his own dereliction of
duty that he regretted. The boys
would have the laugh on him, he said
But he visibly chafcd more and more
under the judges stories and constant
" rose to peer out Of the window into
the wrack and turmoil. and once or
twice he struck his hands together with
muttered CALCULATIONS. AT last there
was a lull in the fury without, and as
soon as it was perceptible he announced
his intention of making his way into
town. He had ought to have went
before" lie declared apprehensively.
anG then, with immediate amendment,
of course he would find the editor at
work in the Herald office. There
wasn't the slightest doubt Of that. he
agreed with the judge. but he better
see about it. He would return carly in
the morning and bid Miss Sherwood
goodby. Hoped she'd come back some
day: hoped it wasn't her last visit to
Plattville. They gave him an umbrella,
and he plunged into the night, and as
they stood for q moment at the door,
the old man calling after him CHEEKY
good nights and laughing messages to
Harsless, they could see him fight with
his umbrella when he got out into the
road.
Ielen's room was over the porch, the
windows facing north, looking out up
on the pike and across the fields.
please don't light the lamp, Minnie"
she said when they had gone upstairs.
81 don't need it." Miss Briscoe was
fitting about the room hunting for
matches. In the darkness she came to
her friend and laid kind. large hand
Il Toll, n,,1 hnnl
wet She drew Helen's head down on
her shoulder and sat beside her on the
bed.
Sweetheart, you mustn't fret" she
soothed in motherly fashion. Don't
you worry. dear. He's all right. 1t
isn't your fault. dear. They wouldn't
come on night like this"
But Helen drew away and went to
the window, tiattening her arm against
the pane. her forehead pressed against
her arm. She had let him go; she had
let him 90 alone. She had forgotten the
danger that always besct him. She had
been so crazy: she had seen nothing.
thought of nothing She had let him
90 into that and into the storm alone.
| Who knew better than she how cruel
the were. She had seen the fire leap
| from the white blossom and heard the
bali whistle, the ball they had meant
for his heart-that good, great heart.
She had run to him the night before.
| Why had she let him go into the un-
known and the storm tonight? But
how could she have stopped him? How
could she have kept him after what he