Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-08-13

IOI the universe anu lOllOW lHlS llie
which l make with my pencil" viva
ciously tracing a route over the pa
per. 81 would go in this direction as
far as the railway terminus, and then
by Jove! l would take the stage fol
the township of Happy Valley, keeping
on the way a sharp lookout for road
Iagents, particularly for one fellow
Icalled in that region, Black Dave, the
king Of them all, and a person much
sought after by the vigilants-ha! ila!'
Was Cyril wye a well-balanced be-
ling? She gave him a cold, forbiddine
look, but put out her hand for the lit
tie map marked with his pencil.
Permit me to keep this" she said
Certainly, with all the pleasure In
life, cousin. Can 1 oblige you In any
other way? Have you no message to
send to our poor Tilted Mignon? No?
Then adieu. It's pity have not time
to cultivate your acquaintance fur
ther."
With his mocking voice ringing most
lunpleasantly in her ears Esther went
away down the stair. She hastened
back to the Charlestown cottage, and
repeated to Aunt Deb every word OF
her conversation with the two Yves.
my father will never visit the east
Iagain," she said; 1--WE shall never see
him again, Aunt Deb"
An extraordinary agitation seized the
Iparalytic. She rocked herself piteously
back and forth In the chair to which
she was now confined.
"Oh, why didn't 1 know it before?'
she groaned why did he go without
a word to me? Lord help us! But
this Is trouble indeed"
Then, meeting Esthers large, ques-
Its for your sake, Essie-for your
sake! 1 can't explain now, but you'll
know some time. Sit down this very
minute and write to Jim at his Happy
VALLEY Ranch, and tell him I've got to
see him at once on matter Of life and
death. Tell him he had no business to
go off in that way. Why didn't he
come to bid me good-by? Then he
would have heard the whole story. for
I'd made up my mind to keep 1t no
longer. The very day before Father
Joe was drowned off Porgy Island, he
and l had some talk about this very
matter and we agreed 'twould be best
to let Jim know the whole truth. And
L -, 20 ho from C0In-
RADIO and hear tit can't be writ. '
won't put it on paper. He's got ~
come and soon, too, or he'll find me
under the sod"
Esther, uncomprehending but obedi-
ent, wrote according to Aunt Deb's
dictation. The letter was directed to
Gilbert wye at Happy Valley. Day af-
ter day the two women waited vainly
for a reply. Aunt Deb was in a fever
of impatience.
He thinks it's an old womans
whim," she cried. He's too busy to
heed it. Somebody must go to him.
Her withered, half-helpless body
slipped from the chair and sank at Es-
theirs feet. She clasped the girl alb
ljectly about the knees.
1T is you who must go, Esther! For
your own sake, for mine, for the love
of God-say you will"
Esther drew back, overwhelmed, hor-
rified
81! Oh, Aunt Deb know nothing of
Colorado or Happy Valley. It's so far
away, too. i cannot-I cannot" .
But Aunt Deb only clung the closer,
and grew the wilder in her pleading.
I'VE have Father Joe's money. You
shall take plenty to spend for the jour-
ney, Essie. You must-you must! You
will kill me If you say no! Jim must
be brought to me before l die. VINO
but you can do it? I'll not rise from
this floor till you say you Will"
Unspeakably dismayed at the thing
required of her, Esther argued, refused,
but without success. Aunt Deb would
neither disclose the secret Of her press
ing haste to see Gilbert wye, nor abate
her passionate prayers and entreaties.
In despair the girl said at last:
when do you wish me to go?"
Tomorrow"
| "Alone?"
Yes. No one will harm you. In
these days women go everywhere un-
attended. Moreover you have the
whole route marked out by your cous-
in on that railway map. Come back
as soon as you can, and fetch Jim
only fetch JIM"
Esther's heart sank like lead. How
could she attempt the long, strange
tourney? Was 1t the whim of SICK
old woman. or did some need, vital and
urgent really exist for this-to her
Istupendous undertaking? She raised
Aunt Deb from the floor at last.
VERY WELL" she said, drearily. Il
will go. since you urge me so much;
but what will you do while l am
away?"
II will stay here and wait for you
to come with Jim. You will be al
Happy Valley and home again in three
weeks"
"And suppose my father should re-
lfuse to return with me?"
He will not. shall send him a
message that will compel him to
come"
Esther stood up, tall, splendid, but
unutterably detected, in the small din
Igy room.
Something has been worrying you
lAunt Deb" she sighed, ever since we
left Cindervile; something is breaking
your strength, sapping your life, max
inc YOU miserable, and if journey &c
Colorado will relieve you, ! am willing
to undertake it, though l have pre-
entiment"-pressing her hands wildly
u her temples-"that 1t will not enc
we'll"
I'VE can't help that" shivered Aunt
: Deb; "the Lord will take care OF that
At any rate, Jim must come, and stanc
face to face with me again and heal
what have to say"