Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-02-24

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hands. AS you know, colonel, ther
was nothing for me to do but to-
to make him see the absurdity of tn
thing" -# ....
81 suppose not" returned the colone
in a noncommittal tone. Whateve
may have been his secret opinion @
Wrinkles valor he knew his duty a
host too well to impugn it, or to rende
bis guest uncomfortable by sharp cri,
icism. "And what did you say to himP
he ended. ..
"Why, I told him, of course, that hi
challenge was a proof of downright
cowardice; that he knew we'll enoug
that man in my position could no
fight man in his. That settled him
He retired like a whipped cur"
"And you did not explain or apollo
gize" slipped almost unconsciousl
from the lips of the colonel. ..
"Not /, assure you; ha, ha! Apollo
pize to him! That would have RUNE,
him forever"
Evelyn grasped the hand Of Mrs
Lancaster, neryously, and drew he
across the room TO the players.
"Your story, Capt. Winkle," she said
her eyes flashing, reminds me yer.
much of a piece of fiction l have rea
somewhere. The circumstances wer
identically the same except that the OF
ficer in the story allowed the hero I
humi.iate him by cutting off the but
tons and shoulder-straps from his uni
form. am so glad your experience di'
not end that way. The truth is you
case was far more agreeable than tb
fiction in the other"
Capt. Wrinkle paled and interlace'
his fingers tightly on the smooth top o
the mahogany table. For one secon'
he glared like condemned man at tn
speaker and then the fierce stare OF he
eyes bore his own to the ground.
Perhaps" spoke up Mr.. Hardy
whose jests were rare and often to-
personal, and who did not admire tn
captain, perhaps Capt. Wrinkle did no
tell US all the story after all. 1 noticet
that he was not wearing his togs to
day."
Capt. Wrinkle seemed to have lost hi
speech. And the colonel, fearing tha
his daughter had inadvertently made
dissgreeable comparison, frowned VI
at her.
what are you talking about, Eve
lyn?" he asked sharply.
"Ob, only little story have read,
she said, coldly. II shall try to look
up. 1t had beautiful moral"
With that parting shot at the cover
ing victim of his own folly, she drew
Mrs. Lancaster again out on the We
randa.
"Why, dear, you have almost fright
ened me-" said Mrs. Lancaster, unde
her breath. What did you mean b.
what you saidP" ....,...
81 meant to cut the very soul OF tha
little coward, II he has one," the cir
said, fercely. 81 almost feel as II
ought TO have exposed him to the Others
before whom he was posing as q brav'
man when he is no more than"
Evelyn had been speaking SO rapid
| " that her words ran upon one another
and became a jumbled, upintelligibi'
mass.
Mrs. Lancaster turned Evelyn
white, impassioned face towards th'
light of the moon and grasped her rlgit
hands. "You almost frighten me, dar
ling" she repeated; what has wrough
you up to such pitch Of excitement
~ think ought to tell you all abou
It," answered Evelyn, after moment
deliberation, "but 1t must be In conf
deuce."
"You can trust me, DEAR" the swee
old lady assured her.
They sat down in hammock ant
Evelyn kept it in motion with her slip
pered feet as they rested lightly on th'
floor.
do you remember the young man
showed you at church that dayP"
1.-The one" questioned Mrs. Ian
caster, "who you said had saved you
iife?"
"Yes; do you remember him?
"Quite we'll; his face made wonder
ful impression on me, and 1 have
thought of him hundred times after
all you told me Of bis struggle to bet
ter his condition and educate himself
l don't think ] ever saw finer speci'
men of physical manhood; he had su
perb face. Were you alluding to him?'
Then in low voice full of agitation
Evelyn explained.
For several minutes after the girl
had finished the old lady remained
silent, then she asked gently, cautious.
ly, as if she were treading on ground
upon which she had not been invited
do you realize what all this means
dear Evelyn?"
II realize that Mr.. Fanshaw is q
friend Of mine, and that Capt. Wrinkle
has tried to humiliate him in public"
II did not mean exactly that" the
widow corrected, quickly. ut is your
own danger that am thinking about
MY danger?" Evelyn emphasized the
first word.
"Yes, you see it is difficult for young
girl to be wholly in sympathy with
such noble, suffering character as this
Mr.. Fanshaw without running a risk
of becoming dangerously interested
Young girls are prone to care for what
Is withheld from them, and you may
not be an exception to the rule. You
ought to keep the fact always before
you that nothing but disaster could
come from an alliance with one so fal
beneath you, at least in point of birth;
you see what l mean"
Evelyn drew herself up stiff1y.
"You need have no fears in that di
rection," she averred. I'VE have Meth
er of us thought of that"
But" gently persisted the old lady
you may not even now know your OWL
heart. l am afraid you could not have
been so fierce just now had the captain
been talking about any other man."
81 don't like to think for moment
Mrs. Lancaster, that Mr.. Fanshaw 1,
beneath US in any respect"
"Ah," interrupted the older woman
that is still another proof Of your
..,l. ,o,, oron % faal L. :,