Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-04-04

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81 thought good while ago, and
/ still think that you are making
mountain out of q mole-hill, David
Elinor Brentwood Is true woman IN
every inch Of her. She Is as much
above caring for false notions OF caste
as you ought to be-"
81 know her nobility: which Is all
the more the reason why l should
mt take advantage Of 1t. We may soon
at the social inequalities as much as
we please, but We can't laugh them
out of court. AS between young wo-
man who Is an heiress in her own
right, and a briefiess lawyer. there are
differences which decent man Is
bound to efface. And haven't been
able"
"Does Miss Brentwood know"
"She knows nothing at all. | was
unwilling to entangle her, even with
. confidence"
"The more fool you," said Loring,
bluntly. "You call yourself lawyer,
and you have not yet learned one OF
the first principles Of common justice
which Is that woman has some rights
which even q besotted lover Is bound
to respect. You made love to her
that summer at Croydon; you needn't
deny 1t. And at the end of things you
walk of to make your fortune with
out committing yourself; without
knowing, or apparently without car
ing, what your stiff-necked poverty
pride may cost her In years OF uncer-
tainty. You deserve to lose her"
Kents smile was fair measure OF
his unhopeful mood.
"You can't we'll lose what you have
never had. I'm not such an ass as to
believe that she cared greatly"
"How do you know? Not by any
thing you ever gave her chance to
cay, I'll dare swear. I've a bit OF
qualified good news for you, but the
spirit is moving me nightly to hold
my tongue"
"Tell me-" said Kent, his indiffer-
ence vanishing in the turning of a
leaf
well, to begin with, Miss Brent
wood is still unmarried. though the
gossips say she doesn't lack plenty OF
eligible offers"
Half Of that I,knew; the other half
I took for granted. Go on"
"Her mother, under the advice OF the
chief of the clan Brentwood, has been
making a lot Of bad investments for
herself and her two daughters: In
other words, she has been making
ducks and brakes OF the Brentwood
fortune"
Kent was as deeply moved as II
the loss had been his own, and said
as much, craving more of the particu-
lars.
81 can't give them But may say
that the blame lies at your door,
David"
"At my door? How do you arrive
at that?"
"By the shortest possible route. II
you had done your duty by Elinor In
the Croydon summer, Mrs. Brentwood
would have had a bright young attor-
ney for a son-in-law and adviser, and
the bad investments would not have
been made"
Kent's laugh was entirely devoid OF
mirth.
Don't trample on a man when he's
down. l was neither prophet nor the
son Of a prophet But how bad is
the smash? Surely you know that?'
"No, 1 don't. Bradford was telling
about It the day I left Boston. He
gave me to understand that the prin-
cipal family holding at present Is In
the stock of a certain western rail-
way"
did he happen to know the name
of the stock?" asked Kent, moistening
his lips.
"He did. Fate flirts with you two
in the usual fashion. Mrs. Brentwood's
little fortune-and by consequence
Elinor's and Penelope's-is tied up In
the stock of the company whose plat
form we are occupying at the present
moment-the Western Pacific"
Kent let slip a hard word directed
at ill-advisers In general. and Loring
tool, his cue from the malediction.
You swear pretty feelingly. David
Isn't our property as good thing as
VIC Of the Boston end have been crack
ing it up to be-"
"You know better about the financial
part of it than do. But-well, you
are fresh from this anarchistic con-
clave at the opera house. You can
, imagine what the stock of the Western
Pacific. or of any other foreign cor
porat:on doing business in this state
, will lie worth in six months after Bucks
and his crowd get into the saddle"
"You speak as II the result Of the
election were foregone conclusion
! | hope II isn't. But We were talk
ing more particularly Of Miss Brent
wood. and your personal responsible.
ties" The belated train was whis-
Ting for the lower yard. and Lorine
was determined to say all that was In
his mind.
"Yes: go on. I'm anxious to heal
more anxious than seem to be
perhaps"
We'll, she is coming west, after
bit. She, and her sister and th'
mother. Mrs. Brentwood's asthma Il
worse, and the wise men have ordered
her to the interior. l thought you't
like to know"
as she-are they coming this Way?'
asked Kent.
The train was in, and the porter hat
fetched Loring's handbag from TIT
check stand. The guest paused Will
one foot on the step of the sleeping
car.
III were you, David, I'd write an
ask; ! should, by Jove. 1t would b'
q tremendously cheeky thing to do
OF course, having such a slight &C
quaintance with her as you have; ou
III be hanged if | should't chance It
And in the mean time, il / don't q
back east next week, you'll hear from
me. When you dc, or If you do, tak'
day of and run up to the capital
| 7 shall mood you Good-by."