Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-07-16

tHt lOle letter. Win d CRY VI ".
she seized it. tore it open, and read
My Dear Daughter hope to SCI
you soon
In the anguish Of this disappointment
her sight failed. She stripped th'
sheet to atoms, and tossed 1t, unread
upon the Cinderville beach. 1t was no
her father that she hungered to see
not her father from whom she longet
to hear, She started blindly back tc
the inn. Tomorrow would complete
the second week Of his absence. In
turn Of the village street she met ole
Tom Dexter.
"Your parding, ma'am!" he said
pulling at his battered hat-he hat
grown very deferential to Esther since
her marriage with Fleetwood ANY
news from your husband this morn
in'?"
| mo, Tom," she answered.
He shuffied uneasily about for few
moments, then blurted out:
There's bad news jest come from
the lighthouse, ma'am. Your gram
ther went out in his boat yesterday
and there was a squall, and he was
capsized, all in sight Of the Light, and
drowned. Rube, he happened to &c
over to the rock last night with sup
plies, which was mighty lucky fol
your Aunt Deb. He stayed all night
and tended the lamp for her. She sent
him back this morning to tell you the
news"
She felt a great thrill Of horror.
Where Is Rube?' she cried.
Down at the wharf" answered old
Tom getting ready to sail back to the
Rock. He's a-going to keep the Light
till somebody can be properly app'int-
ed"
He must take me with him." said
Esther, and, pale and breathless, she
flew to the old wharf and sprang into
Rube Dexter's boat much to the as
tonishment of Rube himself, who star
ed at her as though she was a spirit.
Il cannot wait to ask your permis-
sion,' she cried, Historically; Il must
go without delay to Aunt Deb"
You're welcome to a. sail with me,
stammered Rube.
He had not seen her since her mar
riage, and something in her beauty
now filled him with awe and wonder.
His bruised and aching heart swelled
with wrath against the man who had
won this pearl of the island from the
native youths who vainly painted to
possess it. Out shot the boat from the
shore.
"Old Joe Runnel went off the hooks
sudden like" broke out Rube, at last.
She nodded, but did not answer.
HE missed you nightly after you
ran away from the Rock. You made
a hasty match, Miss Esther. Maybe
'twould have been as we'll for you II
you'd have taken up with one Of your
Cinderville lovers, who would not have
skipped and left you at the end OF
week"
A streak Of red shot into her white
cheek and then faded, leaving her pal
er than before.
nfaMr. Fleetwood has been called to
Canatla by the death of q relative,
she answered, with stern dignity. How
dare you speak Of your superiors In
that way, Rube Dexter? Left me? 1t
is lie!"
The bitterness Of disappointed low
er was ranking in his heart He
trimmed his sail and answered, stub
bornly:
"Cinderville folks are beginning to
talk"
"Cindervile folks" she echoed, with
a grand disdain. Let them! Their
gossip can matter little to my hus-
band or to me-"
"They say he's run off and forsook
you for good"
She gave him a look that made him
quail.
Enough, Reuben Dexter!" she an
swered; IF you speak another word to
me I will capsize your catboat."
Rube terrified, relapsed into silence,
and maintained the same till he made
the land at the Rock. She arose then,
grand as Elizabeth Tuder at the Tow
erstair, and stepped ashore, flying
rather than walking up the rock path
to the house.
Esther found Aunt Debbie in the old
familiar living room, taking an inven-
tory of the dead light-keeper's posses
sions, with which the apartment was
bestrewn. At sight of Esther in the
open door the old spinster uttered a
groan.
"Oh, you wicked, ungrateful girl!'
she began, shrilly; you ran away from
him, and now he's good for sharks and
dog fish, and I've got to leave the
Rock, where I've lived this seventeen
year and more; and, oh, Lord! we've
had nothing but bad luck since that
Canadian deceiver first set his foot on
the island. Have you brought your
marriage lines with you?"
Yes" answered Esther, and whip
ped from her pocket a paper in the
Rev. David Lanes own handwriting
Read for yourself, Aunt Deb"
Aunt Deb read, then looked critically
at her niece.
You're awfully peaked" she sneer-
ed, "and as white as a ghost. What
do you s'pose this slip Of paper
amounts to?" swapping her bony fin
gers contemptuously at the certificate
Hes deserted you Already, l hear
cleared out as soon as the first week
OF his honeymoon was over. More than
likely he's got a wife in Canady-
there's plenty Of sich men a-goine
now -days-you can't take up news
paper but that you read Of 'em. Sure
as you're born, Esther, that man ain't
your lawful husband"
"Oh, don't say such dreadful things
to mel" shuddered Esther; you will
drive me mad!"
Serves you right" cried Aunt Deb
viciously; "why did you go and run OF
| fhnf no c