Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-03-08
CHAPTER V-CoNTrNUED.

CHAPTER V-CONTINUED.
In the courthouse yard, ana so sim
ming in the very eye Of the law, two
swarthy. shifty looking gentlemen were
operating with some greasy walnut
shells and a pea what the fahciful or
unsophisticated might have been pleas,
ed to call a game Of chance, and the
most intent spectator Of the group
around them was Mr.. James Bardlock,
the town marshal. He was simply and
unoificially and earnestly interested.
Thus the eye Of the law may not be
said to have winked upon the nefari-
BUSINESS now under its vision. 1t gazed
with strong curiosity. an itch to dab
BILE and, it must be admitted. grow
Ing hope Of profit, the game was so d.
rect and the player so sure. Several
countrymen had won small sums. and
one, a charmingly rustic Stranger. with
peculiar accent Che said that him and
his goil should now have q smoot' olt
time off his winninks, though the lady
was not manifested) had pocketed $25
with no trouble at all. The two oper-
ators seemed depressed, declaring the
luck against them and the Plattville
people too brilliant at the game.
1t was wonderful how the young
couples worked their way arm In arm
through the thickest crowds, never sepa-
rating. Even at the lemonade stands
they drank holding the glasses in their
outer hands. Such are the sacrifices
demanded by etiquette. But, observ-
ing the gracious outpouring Of fortune
upon the rare rustic just mentioned, a
youth in a green tie disengaged his
arm-for the first time in two hours
from that of q girl who looked upon
him with fond, uncertain smiles and,
conducting her to a corner Of the yard,
bade her remain there until he return
ed. He had to speak to Hartley Bowl
der, he explained.
Then he plunged, red faced and ex-
cited. into the circle about the shell
manipulators and offered to lay a wa.
ger.
: "Hop on there, Hen Fentriss," thickly
objected a flushed young man beside
him. "Iss my turn"
"I'm first, Hartley" returned the 9TH
er. "You can hold yer hosses, reckon" "
"Plenty fer each and all. gents" in
terrupted one Of the shell men. "Place
yer spondulics on de little ball. WITCH
Is de mex lucky gent to win our mon
ey? Gent bets four si1ty-five he seen de
little ball 60 under de middle shell. Up
she comes! Dis time we wins. Platt-
Vile can't win every time. Who's de
mex lucky CENT?"
Fentriss edged slowly out Of the cir
Gle, abashed and with rapidly whiten-
ing cheeks. He paused for moment
outside, slowly realizing that all bis
money had gone in one wild, blind
whirl-the money he had earned so
hard and saved so hard to make holi-
day for his sweetheart and himself. BE
stole one glance around the building to
where a patient figure waited for him.
Then he fed down side alley and soon
was out upon the country road, tramp.
ing soddenly homeward through the
dust, his chin sunk in his breast and his
hands clinched tight at his sides. Now
and then he stopped and bitterly hurl-
ed stone at piping bird on the fence
or gay bobwhite in the fields. At noon
the patient figure was still waiting In
the corner Of the courthouse yard, meek
" twisting a coral ring upon her finger.
But the flushed young man who had
spoken thickly to her deserter drew an
envied roll Of bank bills from his pock-
ct and began to bet with tipsy caution
while the circle about the gamblers
watched with fervid interest, especially
Mr.. Bardlock. town marshal.
From far up Main street came the
CRY "Shes a-comin'! She's a-comin!'
and this announcement Of the parade
proving only one Of a dozen false
alarms q thousand discussions took
place over old fashioned silver time
pieces as to when "she" was really due
Schoflelds' Henry was much appealed
to as an urbiter in these discussions,
from q sense Of his having good deal
to do with time in general sort OF
way, and thus Schofields' came to be
reminded that it was getting on toward
10 o'clock. whereas. in the excitement
Of festival, he had not yet struck 3.
This. rushing forthwith to do. he did
and. in the elation Of the moment, seven
or eight besides. Miss Helen Sherwood
was looking down on the mass Of shift.
ing color from q second story window
Of the courthouse, and she had the
pleasure Of seeing Schofields' emerge
on the steps beneath her when the bells
had done and heard the cheers Qed by
Mr.. MARTINI with which the crowd
greeted his appearance after the per.
formance of his feat.
She turned beamingly to Harkless.
What family it is" she laughed.
Just one big. jolly family! I didn't
know people could be like this until
came to Plattville."
"That Is the word for it." he said
resting his hand OH the easement be
side her. Il used to think it was desc
late, but that was long ago" He lean
ed from the window to look down. IL
lis dark cheek was glow the Carlow
folks had never seen there. and some
how he seemed less thin and tired thar
usual; indeed. he did not seem tired a
all, by far the contrary. and he carried
himself upright. when he was moi
stopping to see under the hat, though
not as if he thought about it. 81 be
lieve they are the best people know >
ha want ON "parhonS II iS hpcoIlse