Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-08-20
CHAPTER XXXV.
How They Meet.

when she thought Of her father. There
was no mutual love betwixt the two
How would Gilbert wye receive her al
Happy Valley? Not with pleasure
surely, unless the sealed message
which Aunt Deb had intrusted to hei
care should have some soothing efrec'
upon his temper. When Esther con-
sidered that he had never attempted to
find her after her flight from Rook-
wood. or to hold any communication
with her. her spirits fell. She began
to distrust Aunt Deb's judgment, and
the wisdom of the mysterious errano
upon which she had been sent.
She had taken the precaution to
write to Gilbert wye in advance, and
beg him to meet her at Diamond City
the railway terminus, forty miles from
Happy Valley. Would he heed the
request?
Throughout her journey she was
haunted by lively apprehensions on
this subject, and when she reached
the terminus she found they had not
been in vain. No Gilbert wye was
there.
1t was a dreary autumn day. Es-
ther took refuge in the Diamond hotel
an ugly frame building, with a bar
that seemed to be ceaselessly patron
lied by the male element Of this rough
mining town. She inquired OF the
landlord II there was a gentleman
named wye among his guests.
mo, MISS" answered the man.
never heard Of such a party"
He Is my father. l had hoped to
find him waiting for me here" ex-
planned Esther He lives on a ranch
in the township of Happy Valley"
You don't say! Pm something OF
a stranger in these parts myself
come from Vermont. Haven't been al
the mines but a few weeks. I'm bless
ed II / know where Happy Valley Is
Your dad hasn't shown himself yet;
but you'd better wait a spell. He'll be
sure to turn up"
The rain poured in torrents, the
mud was deep in the miserable streets
of Diamond City. Esther concluded to
wait that day at the hotel; and If Gil
bert wye failed to appear to go on
alone to Happy Valley by the stage
that left Diamond City just before
nightfall. Thus far no one had mo-
Tested her on her journey or made her
afraid.
She spent the day in fruitless wait
tho Ir,inl nf hotel
she looked out on a street filled with
log huts, canvas tents and board shan
ties Every other door seemed to open
into a saloon: AS the dark drew on,
sooty oil lamps began to flare weakly
out in the reeking barrooms There
was one across the way in which dice
were rattling. She could even hear the
call of the dealers. A brawl was go
ing on there too, and shots were flying
across the billiard tables. Pack mules
and Mexican donkeys, laden with tools
and provisions for distant mining
camps, passed along the street. A
swart rider, in flannel clothes and
battered sombrero, with bright-bar-
relied Winchester swung across his
high -pommeled saddle, rode by through
the wet. After him came miner on
a shaggy burro, so small that the
mans heels almost touched the ground.
Oh, where was Gilbert WYE? Plainly
he did not mean to meet her. She
summoned the landlord at last, and
bade him secure a seat for her in the
evening stage for Happy Valley.
The sitting room Of the hotel had
been given over to the exclusive use
of the handsome young lady from the
east. An hour before starting time,
as Esther sat before the fire taking a
solitary cup of tea, the landlord tapped
at the door.
There's a gent outside who has
come to the terminus to meet a lady
from the east" he announced. ut amt
your father miss" with a broad grin;
but maybe it's somebody he's sent"
"Win you ask him to come in?" said
Esther, with a throb Of painful sus-
pense. She arose in haste to receive
her visitor
He entered-his handsome figure
splashed with the mud Of a long, hard
ride. his military overcoat dripping
with wet 1t was Victor Shirlaw.
Both stood petrifed with amaze
ment; then Shirlaw reeled back g
step.
Esther"
She grew rigid and forbidding.
1T is not possible that you have
been sent to meet me?" she said
sharply.
He grew red, then pale.
Certainly not" he stammered; "thi:
is some mistake Of the landlord.
came to meet my sister, who is tC
spend the winter with me at my from
tier post. She wrote that she woulc
probably arrive in Diamond City to-
day. But you-what brought you tC
Colorado, Esther?"
Pardon me, If 1 decline to enter into
explanations" answered Esther, cold
ly.
The light of the oil lamp shOne or
them both. He looked older, graver
than when she had last seen him a
Rookwood. She stood up splendid, re-
pellent, unapproachable. Some sudder
panic seemed to seize Shirlaw.
II understand" he stammered; "yot
have come out here to join your father
you expect him to meet you at this
place! Yes. it must be so! Lispen'
ard wrote me that Gilbert Wye had
ah-returned west. Oh, this is fright
full.
She stared in cold surprise.
You agitate yourself needlessl!
Captain Shirlaw. My plans, presen
or future, cannot concern you in th'
least"
"True-too true!" he answered, bit
terly. "and yet l cannot refrain from
warning you. when I find you in dan
ger. That day, when saved you from
-daStrp,ntiOn POnkwoO6 yOl