Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-05-12
CHAPTER XXI.
A BORROWED CONSCIENCE.

CHAPTER XXI.
A BORROWED CONSCIENCE.
The conversation on the Brentwood
porch was chiefly of Breezeland inn
as a health and pleasure resort. until
an outbound electric car stopped at
the corner. below and Loring came up
to make a quartet Of the trio behind
the vine-covered trellis.
Later, the ex-manager confessed to
desire for music-Penelope's music
and the twain went into the sitting
room and the piano. leaving Elinor
and Kent to make the best OF each
other as the spirit moved them.
1t was Elinor's chance for free speech
with Kent-the opportunity she had
craved. But now 1t was. come. the
simplicity of the thing to be said
had departed and an embarrassing
complexity had taken Its place.
What is the matter with us this
EVENING"" he queried. I'VE have been
sitting here talking the vaguest trivial
tiles ever since Penelope and Loring
side-tracked us. haven't been doing
anything am ashamed Of; have your"
YES" she confessed, looking away
from him.
What is it?"
"I asked q certain good friend OF
mine to come to see me when there
is good reason to believe he didn't
want to come"
What makes you think he didn't
want to Gomez"
"Why-I don't know; did he?" She
had turned upon him swiftly with an
outflash of the playful daring which
had been one of his major fetterings
in time past-the ecstatic charm that
goes with quick repartee and instant
and sympathetic apprehension.
"You have never yet asked anything
of him that he wasn't glad enough to
give" he rejoined, keeping up the
third person fgurative.
els that saying very mueh-or very
little?"
"Very little, indeed. But 1t Is only
your askings that have been lacking
not his good will"
"That was said like the David Kent
I used to know. Are you really quite
the same?"
81 hope not" he protested gravely.
people used to say that I matured
late, and year by year as ! look back
can see that it was true saying.
[ have done some desperately boyish
things since was man grown;
things that make me tingle when I
recall them"
Like wasting q whole summer ex-
ploring Mount Croydon with IA
somebody who did not mature late"
mo; wasn't counting that among
my lapses. An older man than | ever
hope to be might find excuses for the
Croydon summer. l meant in other
ways. For one thing l have craved
| success as I think few men have ever
craved it; and yet my plowings in
that field have been ill-timed and
boyish to degree"
She shook her head.
81 don't know how you measure sue
cess; it Is word of so many, many
meanings. But ] think you are your
own severest critic"
THAT may be; but the fact re-
mains. 1t Is only within the past few
months that I have begun to get a
true inkling of things; to know, for
example, that opportunities are to be
compelled-not waited for"
She was looking away from him
again.
81 am not sure that like you bet
| ter for your having discovered your
self. liked the other David Kent"
Somebody has said that for every
| new point Of view gained we have 10
sacrifice all the treasures of the old.
am sorry II am disappointing you."
81 don't know that you are. And
yet, when you were sitting at Miss Van
| Brooks table the other evening tell
| ing US about our experience with the
politicians, kept saying to myself
that didn't know you-that had new
er known you"
81 wish l knew just how to take
that" he said dubiously.
81 wish I knew how to make you
understand" she returned; and then:
II could have made the other David
| Kent understand"
| IL l,fxy m
make this one understand. don't you
think? You spoke of danger which
was not the violent kind. such as Lo-
ring fears. What is it,"
You have had two whole days"
she rejoined. Haven't you discovered
it?"
T haven't found anything to fear
but failure" was his reply.
THAT is 1t; you have given 1t a.
name-its only true name-failure."
But | am not going to fair"
"You mean you are going To take our
railroad away from these men who
have stolen it?"
That Is what I mean"
And you will do it by threatening;
to expose them?"
"T shall tell Governor Bucks what
know about the oil field deal, assur-
ing him that shall publish the facts
II he doesn't let the law take its course
in ousting Judge MacFarlane and the
receiver"
She rose and stood before him, lean
ing against one of the vine-clad porch
pillars with her hands behind her.
David Kent. are there any circum-
stances in which you would accept a
bribe?"
He answered her in all seriousness.
"They say every man has his price:
mine is higher than any bid they have
i - ha.M