Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-06-13

to his successor; and David Kent slept
through the major part Of that inter-
val, rising only In time to dress for
dinner on the day following the re-
trieval OF the Trans-Western.
In the grill-room Of the Camelot
he came face to face with Ormsoy,
and learned, something to his aston
ishment, that the Breezeland party had
returned to the capital on the first
train in from the west.
81 thought you were going to stay
a month or more" he said, with his
eyes cast down.
$50 did l." said Ormsby. "But Mrs.
Brentwood cut 1t short. She's a town
person, and so is Penelope" And 1t
was not until the soup plates had been
removed that he added a question.
"Are you going out to see them this
evening, David? You have my royal
permission"
"No"-bluntly.
isn't II up to you to 60 and give
them a chance to jolly you little?
think they are all aching to do 1t.
Mrs. Hepzibah has seen the rising
stock quotations, and she thinks you
are It."
.No; can't go there any more" "
said Kent, and his voice was graffer
than he meant II to be,
"Why not?"
"There were good reasons before;
there are better ones now"
"a 100000 difference?" suggested
Ormsby, who had had speech with
Loring.
Kent flushed dull red.
Il sha'n't strike you, Ormsby, no
matter what you say" he said. dog
gedly.
"Humph! There Is one difference
between you and Rabbi Balaam's bur-
TO, David; II could talk sense, and you
can't" was the offensive rejoinder.
Kent changed the subject abruptly.
Say, Ormsby; I'm going into po-
litical office-hunt. There is q death va
cancy in the house, and mean to have
the nomination and election. | don
need money now, but do need q
friend. Are you with me-"
"Oh, sure. Miss Van Brock will an
swer for that"
But | don't want you to do It on
her account; want you to do 1t Tor
me-"
'It's all one," said the club-man.
Kent looked up quickly.
"You are right; that is the truest
word you've said tonight" and he
went away, leaving the dessert un-
touched.
The evening was still young when
Kent reached the house in Alameda
square Within the week the weather
hand changed, and the first chill OF the
approaching autumn was in the air.
The great square house was lighted
and warmed, and the homelikeness OF
the place appealed to him as 1t never
had before. To her other gifts. which
were many and diverse, Miss Van
Brock added that of home-making; and
the aftermath of battle is apt to be an
acute longing for peace and quiet, for
domesticity and creature comforts.
She was waiting for him when he
entered the comfortable library.
81 knew you would come tonight"
she said. cheerfully. 81 gave you a
day to drive the nail-and, 0 David!
YOU have driven it well!-another day
to clinch it, and a third to recover
from the effects. Have you fully re-
covered?"
81 hope so. I took the day for II, AT
all events" he laughed. II am just
out of bed, as you might say"
81 can imagine how 1t took 1t out OF
you," she assented. mot so much the
work, but the anxiety. Night before
last. after Mr.. Loring went away, sat
II out with the telephone, nagging
Door Mr.. Hildreth for news until
know he wanted to murder me-"
"How much did you get Of it?" he
asked.
"He told me all he dared-or perhaps
It was all he knew-and 1t made me
feel miserably helpless. The little
could get from the Argus office was
enough to prove that all your plans
had been changed at the last moment.
"They were," he admitted; and he
began at the beginning and filled in
the details for her.
She heard him through without COM
ment other than kindling OF the
brown eyes at the climaxes Of daring;
but at the end she gave him praise
unstinted.
"You have played the man. David,
as knew you would if you could be
once fully aroused. I've had faith IN
you from the very first.
"It has been more than faith, Por-
tia" he asserted, soberly. "You have
taken me up and carried me when
could neither run nor walk. Do you
SUPPOSE I am so besotted as not tc
realize that you have been the head
while I have been only the hand?"
"Nonsense!" she said, lightly. You
are in the dumps of the reaction now
You mustn't say things that you VIII
be sorry for later on.
"I am going to say one thing. never
theless; and will remain for you tc
make 1t a thing hard to be remem'
bered, or the other kind. VIII you
take what there is Of me and make
what you can Of it,
She laughed in his face.
mo, my dear David; no, no. no.
And after a little pause: How de-
liciously transparent you are 10 oe
sure!"
He would have been less than man
II his self-love had not been toucheo
In it's most sensitive part.
81 am glad If it amuses YOU ne
frowned. "Only l meant 1t in all serl'
ousness."
mo, you didn't; you only tnougn'
you did," she contradicted, and tne
brown eyes were still laughing at him
LET me tell you what you did mean
You are pleased to think that | have
helped you-that an obligation has
been incurred; and you meant to pay
your debt like a man and gentleman
In the only coin a woman is supposed
to recognize"