Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-01-26

which the chaperons shared to the full.
est extent. Next, an armed party rode
back to look again for Mary and. II
possible, rescue her.
The fact that had been out the en-
tire night before, together with the
small repute in which was held for
deeds Of arms. excused me from taking
part In this bootless errand. SO again !
profited by the small esteem in which
I was held. say l profted, for !
stayed at the castle with Jane, hoping
to find my opportunity in the absence
Of everybody else. All the ladies but
Jane had ridden out. and the knights
who had been with me securing the
forest were sleeping, since they had not
my incentive to remain awake. They
had no message to deliver. no duty to
perform for an absent friend. A thou
sand! Only think Of it! 1 wished It
had been a million, and 80 faithful was
I to my trust that swore in my soul
I would deliver them, every one.
And Jane loved me! No more walk
ing on the hard, prosaic earth now.
From this time forth would fly; that
was the only sensible method Of loco
motion. Mary had said, "She told me
So" Could it really be true? You
will at ONCE see what an advantage
this bit Of information was to me.
hoped that Jane would wish to zee
me to talk over Mary's escape; 50 I
sent word to her that was waiting,
and she quickly enough recovered her
health and came down. I suggested
that we walk out to q secluded little
summer house by the river, and Jane
was willing. Ah. my opportunity was
here at last!
James whole attitude toward me was
changed. and she seemed to cling to
me in n shy. unconscious manner, that
was sweet beyond the naming. as the
one solace for all her grief.
After I had answered all her ques-
lions and had told her over and over
again every detail Of Mary's fight and
had assured her that the princess was
at that hour breasting the waves with
Brandon on their highroad to paradise,
I thought it time to start myself In
the same direction and to say word
In my own behalf. So I spoke very
freely and told Jane what I felt and
what wanted.
"Oh, Sir Edwin" she responded,
''let us not think Of anything but my
mistress. Think of the trouble she is
in."
mo. no. Jane. Lady Mary is out Of
her trouble by now and Is as happy a.
a lark. you may be sure. Has she not
won everything her heart longed forf
Then let US make our own paradise,
since we have helped them make theirs.
You have It, Jane. just within your
lips. Speak the word, and 1t will
change everything. If you love me, and
| know you do"
James head was bowed, and she re-
NAMED silent.
Then told her Of Lady Mary's mes
sage and begged. II she would not
speak In words what I 80 longed to
hear, she would at least tell 1t by al
lowing me to deliver only one little
thousandth part Of the message Mary
had sent, but she drew away and said
she would return to the castle II !
continued to behave In that manner. ]
begged hard and tried to argue the
point. but logic seems to lose its force
In such situation, and all said
availed nothing. Jane was obdurate
and was for going back at once. Her
persistence was beginning to look like
obstinacy. and l soon grew 80 angry
that asked no permission, but deliv-
cred Mary's message, or a good part OF
It at least. whether she would or no,
and then sat back and asked her what
she was going to do about II.
Poor little Jane thought she was un-
done for life. She sat there half pout-
ing, half weeping, and said she could
do nothing about 1t: that she was alone
now, and If l, her only friend, would
treat her that way she did not know
where to look.
"Where to look p demanded. Look
here. Jane; here. You might as well
understand first as last that will not
be trifed with longer. and that I intend
to continue treating you that way az
long as we both live. have deter
mined not to permit you to behave as
you have for so long, for I know you
love me. You have half told me 80 a
dozen times. and even your half words
are whole truths. There Is not frac-
ton Of lie in you. Besides. Mary told
me that you told her So"
"She did not tell you thatT'
Eyes. upon my knightly honor" OF
course there was but one answer to
this-tears. | then brought the battle
to close quarters at once, and, with my
arm uninterrupted at my lady's waist,
asked:
"Did you not tell her so7 know you
will speak nothing but the truth. Did
you not tell her? Answer me. Jane"
The fair head nodded as she whispered
between the hands that covered her
face:
Eyes. I-I-d-did," and I-well. de-
ivered the rest Of Mary's message,
and that. too. without protest from
Jane.
Truthfulness is a pretty good thing.
after all.
So Jane was conquered at last, and I
heaved a sigh as the battle ended, for
it had been a long. hard struggle.
asked Jane when we should be mar
ried, but she said she could not think
Of that now-not until she knew that