Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-08-18
,copyrishs 1901, by Frederick 4. stoke. q Co.,
CHAPTER XXXVI.

It was understood between Mr.. and
Mrs. Parsons that the young people
should be left to themselves directly
after dinner, and II the host had not
forgotten this arrangement, Mrs. Par
sons withdrawal would have been q
nasterful social maneuver. AS 1t
was, she returned to the diniug room,
rescued Kennard from an impending
sll-night discussion over the cigars,
and surrendered the guests to her
daughter with commendable tact and
skill. Carroll was an able lieutenant,
whose talent for dividing a dinner
company into the proper groups was
only second to her mothers genius for
gathering the right people together,
and the large rambling country house
gave her powers full play. Indeed, so
we'll did she manage that though Mr..
John Kennard and Miss Leslie Harlan
continued to avoid each other after
dinner with the same persistence they
had displayed all the evening, 1t was
not long before they found themselves
deserted in the library.
The clock on the mantlepiece empha-
sized the stiffness. Every swing Of
It's pendulum seemed to shake the
room. 1t was impossible to think
against the incessant, insistent yibra-
tions! Tick-tick, tick-tick, tick-ticki
1t was maddening. People used to
maintain that thinking was an impos-
sibility at the factory. He had always
regarded them as supersensitive. They
would have his sympathy hereafter.
II only he could manage to stop
that noise! He slowly raised his hand
and groped cautiously for the restless
pendulum.
But Leslie, seated in the low arm-
chair, took no notice Of his movement.
She was wondering what she could
say to this man or what he could say
to her. BY this time he must know
every detail of her fathers actions.
McMannis' public disclosures had been
prevented, Mr.. Harlan had told her.
but what seal could be effective for
those venomed lips? What had John
Kennard been told? Probably that she
had aided in her fathers schemes and
been party to all his secret pur-
poses. A decoy!-that was the term
McMannis had employed. There could
be no softening of the shameful epi-
thet and all 1t implied. 1t meant more
than trickery, II was worse than
treachery-it was mocking, humiliat-
ing treachery which touched self-re-
spect and left 1t exposed and CULVER
Ing. There could be no atonement for
Its degradation, no contempt complete
enough for its instrument. But sup
pose McMannis had gone further and
limited that the decoy had been caught
at her own game! Suppose he had sup
piled romantic" explanations for her
attitude In regard to the company's al
fairs?- That would add the final touch
to her humiliation.
Many time during the past weeks
the rush of these thoughts had momen-
tarily overpowered her, but until to-
night her pride had always sustained
and rescued her. Now in this silent
room, every thought which had
buoyed her up seemed an added weight
crushing her down.
No explanation was possible. II he
demanded one, her pride would In
stantly reassert itself. If he de-
nounced or upbraided her, she would
welcome every scathing word. But II
he should speak words Of love to her!
II she should detect note OF tender
pity In his voice? God would not per-
init her to suffer that?
How much longer would he keep 81
lent 1t must have been hours since
she began staring into the fire, already
fading with every throb Of its glowing
embers!
do you believe in fairy tales?
Leslie barely suppressed cry OF re-
lief, and looking up, found Kennard
seated near her, his elbows resting on
his knees and his hands clasped be-
tween them. For a moment she couid
not trust herself to answer. and ne
repeated the question as though she
had not heard.
do you believe In fairy tales!
IL love them"
The answer was an exclamation SO
emphatic and enthusiastic that they
both burst into laughter, and the ten
sion once relaxed, they laughed again
and again spontaneously, reassuringly,
uncontrollably, as children laugh IN
sheer gladness.
What are we laughing att" he
gasped at last.
T-I don't know! Do you?"
"It couldn't have been my question.
Nor my answer"
'No; and yet" He hesitated mo-
ment and then turned swiftly to her
do you know how irresistible your
laughter is?"
why, no."
Its the most contagious"
Dear me, that sounds unpleasant.
What were you going to say about
fairy tales"
It was difficult to heed the delicate
note of warning in that half-1estins
change of subject-dificult to keep
from whispering the few syllaoles
which might dispense with so many
many words-difficult to understand
in sound of such joyous laughter, that
she would not have 1t so. But Ken
nard understood and needed.
81 merely asked you II you liked
them, and you said Say 1t again
please!"
''Why?"
"Oh, because It sounded so jolly and
hearty and in just the right mood"
Then I'd better not respond TO an
encore. What made you speak OF lalr!
tales? Don't you care for them?
They were the only things coulo
read at the hospital. People oroush'
me heaps Of reading matter, scientlnc
economic, philosophic-every kind oi
hterature-and novels by the ton. bu'
the only thing which didn't bore me
was a book Of fairy tales which De
gan reading aloud to one OF the klos
In the children's ward, and ended 0y