Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-08-02
DAUGHTERS OF CHIN
By ETA w. PIERCE

gave eVaSlVe answers 10 all queiie'
concerning the patient.
Mrs. LOTUS, a fat, fair matron
wonderfully like her daughter, moved
with an anxious face, in and out Of
the sick chamber. Maud by turns
moped hopelessly, and fiirted vigorous
ly with Crawford, when that sandy
haired ranchman came to Tamaraci
Hall to ask for news of his friend. The
girl was waiting to be convinced either
o. her lovers truth or falsity, and she
found the time heavy on her hands.
But a change came at last. One
morning she was walking under the
tamaracks with the tame doe, when
Mrs. LOTUS appeared in the porch
and beckoned her daughter in.
MY DEAR" she said, Guy Is con-
scious, and he has asked for you.
think you had better go up"
"Oh, mamma, can bear to see him.?
He is greatly changed, but take
courage 1t is best that he should talk
with you, and explain this wretched
affair at once"
Reluctantly Maud ascended to her
lovers hushed and darkened chamber
He lay broken, bandaged, helpless
changed, indeed, from the dashing
young viking Of few weeks before
His wild, hollow eyes sought the girls
face
1T was an accident" he muttered.
"You have said that many times
Guy" answered Maud LOTUS, growing
cold with sudden foreboding.
He tried to turn on his pillow.
II deserved to die" he groaned but,
as you see, 1 still live. Maud-Maud-
my poor cousin, have been delirious;
have raved, perhaps. Of many things"
YES" she answered, Historically;
but mostly Of that creature who tried
to murder you"
He groaned. Esther's bullet had kill
ed his moral cowardice, at least. Guy
Fleetwood was far more Of g. man, ly-
ing there helpless, fainting, almost
dying, than he had been in the full
glory Of his strength.
Thank God she escaped" he gasp
ed II received only my just punish
ment Maud. that girl who sought my
life in the room below was my wife"
Maud LOTUS stood as if turning to
stone.
81 deserted her in a cowardly fash
ion," he went on, after few days OF
marriage loved her, but 1 deserted
her I cannot say more than this
Forgive me, Maud; my affection for
you was that of a brother for a sister
nothing more You see, 1 must tell
the truth, at last. / was false, weak
and wicked. My unspeakable passion
for Esther must be my sole excuse"
Maud LOTUS tore his betrothal ring
from her hand, and flung it angrily up
on the floor.
"Oh, Guy, how could you?" she Sob
bed: land a creature who goes about
to kill you. too! l am sure I shall
never recover from this shock! Oh,
see it all now: you married her at that
dreadful Maine place-Cindervil
Yes" he answered, and swooned
helplessly on his pillow. Maud flew to
her mother.
Take me away. mamma" she cried
wildly; "there is no longer a place for
us here! Take me back to Quebec
this very hour, or l shall die!"
They left Tamarack Hall before
Fleetwood had fairly regained his
senses. So when Robert Crawford
rode up to the porch that day, he found
the house unusually dark and silent
The tame doe was feeding alone in the
garden. No blonde face looked archly
up from the shadow Of the tamaracB
boughs, no girls voice gave him gay
greeting. Maud and her mother were
no longer there. Only the hired nurse
and the old servants remained in at
tendance on Fleetwood.
For the first time, the ranchman was
admitted to the presence of his friend
The two grasped hands in silence; then
Crawford stammered awkwardly:
"Eh, old fellow, shot again, and by a
woman!"
IF you love me, Crawford, don't
speak Of it," implored Fleetwood! "it
is a matter that cannot talk of, even
to my best friends"
"All right, 1 will not Miss LOTUS
it appears, has deserted you?"
Yes, poor Maud" groaned Fleet
wood: II hope to Heaven she may
marry some better man than l."
Crawford reddened violently.
What. your engagement is OFF,"
Yes"
"As bad as that? Then you couldn't
explain the shooting matter to her
satisfaction? BY Jove! Fleetwood your
lady friend seems to have used you
even worse than did Black Dave, for he
returned to bind up your wounds, and
she did not. Hard lines, old boy, hard
lineS,"
Fleetwood writhed visbiy.
Crawford, what has become of that
brigand?" he asked, in a faint voice.
Dave? He is resting on his laurels;
at least. when l left Colorado he had
not been heard from for a remarkable
while. The vigilants think he had gone
into retirement. However, they are
waiting patiently to avenge poor HoX-
les DEATH"
The wounded man shuddered.
"Of course, you remember Hoxie?
pursued Crawford, cheerfully. "He
was uncommonly fond of you. I coulC
forgive Dave all his other crimes soon
er than the murder of that one man
Well the subject agitates you, see
and your physician will not allow that
I've half a mind"-carelessly- take
little run to Quebec. Maybe l shal
see your cousin"
And then Fleetwood knew that Bot
Crawford had begun to think of some
thing besides sheep.
The days that followed the departure
of Maud and her mother were dark anC
lonely enough. AS soon as his feeble