Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-07-28
CHAPTER XIV.

the page that was to carry his answer
to Miss Harlan's invitation. The
words wove themselves together with
hideous facility-witty words; words
which Knocked and laughed and
sneered. twisting, knotting and plait-
ing sentences well-nigh impossible to
construct, wholly impossible to forget
Each line was snake-like lash that
hissed and glittered as 1t fell, binding
the writer and goading him to new
fury. II was written with bursting i'm
patience, directed, stamped, and posted
without rereading.
When he returned from mailing 1t,
Kennard was still breathing heavily
from his hurried errand. He crossed
the room and stood before the window,
pressing his hot forehead against the
cool glass.
How was It possible that he had been
deceived all this time? 1t could only
have been accomplished in one way.
He would have seen through trans
parent rouge like Joshua Harlan long
ago If his daughter hadn't stood before
him. Ii had been cleverly manipula-
ted, but once the woman's skirts were
swept aside the plot was plain enough.
Her immediate interest in the factory
oh, wasn't that touching! Just the
bait to hook his widespread mouth!
Then the visit to the factory-papa
yirtuously declining. That was a del
icate maneuver. quite lost upon the
hungry gudgeon. Then the recommen-
dation of non-union man, in the hope
of causing a strike and sowing the
seeds of discomfort. BY Jove, she did
that prettily! 1t was worthy Of bet
ter game. And then the bargain,
whatever it was, with the agitator Nc
Mannis, and his attempts with the fac
tory inspectors, probably to sow the
seeds of discomfort more widely. That
was almost unnecessary, and scarcely
as subtle at the other moves. All, yes,
but that was probably McMannis' own
cast. She would have had no hand In
such clumsy angling. But the friend
ship with Culver showed her touch
again. He was to steal the informa-
tion which would allow competition
to seize whatever back-handed diplo-
macy failed to attract And that was
the play which had finally landed him!
II was all part and parcel Of one big
scheme TO get control of his property
and rob him in one way or another.
Well, the end was not yet. and those
who thought 1t was mistook their
man!
He could remember q conversation
had long aeo-God! it must have been
ages ago! And yet her voice spoke
the words. and hers was the face that
interpreted them as she sat in the
cosey, fire-lit room asking and answer
ing questions.
What qualities would | choose
for a woman were limited to three
My first thought would be sincerity
tact. and loyalty. might want to
revise that list on maturer considera-
ton"
And for a man."
"The same. Sincerity, tact and 10y
atty"
What about courage?"
do you mean moral or physical
courage? Moral courage is more a
requisite that a quality. One has to
have that in order to live at all"
81 was thinking of physical cour-
age"
"I ohnuld not nonoo that among the
first. There have been heroes who
were towards, and more heroic because
of their cowardice Physical bravery
is largely a matter Of nerves Don't
you think so?"...
Could he have spoken the words ne
had written, face to face with heI
whose voice was sounding through
those questions and answers? If not
he was a coward to have written
them-worse than a coward to have
written them as he did. And yet he
loved her even in that paroxyism ol
rage. and while he stabbed with every
word, would love her if she confessed
with her own lips to every act he haC
suspected. But she could not be guilty!
There must be some explanation, some
escape from the horrible, haunting
facts
She must not read that letter. II hi
telegraphrd her now, she would moi
open 1t, but she would have to be tolC
the reason.
He sat down at his desk and picked
up his pen.
He would write another letter now
But which would she open first? HI
could send it by messenger and ask hel
not 10 read the other. And tell heI
the reason? No. that was impossible
She must not get that letter. She mus
never know.
He wrote a formal note declining
her invitation, directed, and stamped
It, and crossing over to the window
again, gazed into the night.
A ilerce gust of wind drove the rail-
In a sparkling shower against th'
pane, binding him for the instant, ant
driving him from the glass. When n
peered out again. the skyline wa
black as ink. The lights in the crus'
had disappeared. He looked hurried
ly at his watch. Half-past eleven!
With stifled cry he dashed from the
room. down the stairs, past the sleep
ing watchman, and out into the storm
swept street.
The Square was quite deserted, ano
Washington Place flanked by its giant
buildings resembled long, black can
yon. Gusts of wind every now anu
again drove the rain in noisy spatteI
against the walls, and then all was
quiet. save for the rushing OF wafer
in the cutters.
Occasionally the air would throb tc
the sound of slow, heavy breathing De-
coming more and more rapid. painting
auttering, fading away. sinking to
hiss. and then bursting into confu'
sion Of mufied sounds, as the lights
Of an elevated train blinked across the
skyline Then silence once more; the
patter of rain-drops: the gurgle OF an
overcharged sewer; the rattle anC
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