Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-09-10
"Yes." he answered.


swered, listlessly. with my crippled
resources, and no particular interest
in living, the effort Is more than l can
attempt."
She leaned over the table in her ca
lgerness.
"Oh," she cried, "do not say that!
know Of some one who would gladly
gladly provide you with all the money
you need! Would you not for such a
vital purpose, accept a loan from "a
l-friend?"
Taken by surprise, he stared, then
shook his blonde head.
Indeed, no." he answered. Many
thanks for your kindness and sympa-
thy; but it is quite impossible-I can
not go abroad.
"You would rather stay here and
die?"
There are worse things in the world
than death, as I know by experience"
he answered.
She was reckless for the moment,
and she cried out, wildly:
"How you must hate the woman who
brought all this upon you!"
His face changed. Its ashen hue
frightened her
You, a stranger cannot be expected
to understand" he answered, in a
queer, labored voice; "but you must
never speak of that person here. Some
one ought to have told you
Some one did tell me-" she stam-
mered, feebly. II beg a thousand par
dons!"
He fell back in his old attitude, with
his hand before his eyes, and remained
thus, silent, motionless, for long
time after.
That night Mrs. Lispenard wrote a
letter, in which the following passage
Occurred:
II know that both you and Mignon
think of me ceaselessly, anxiously. In
the darkness that surrounds me l see
but one ray of light-he loves little
Guy. Sometimes I am almost resolved
to give him his child and go my
wretched way alone; but even that
sacrifice, though it might mean utter
heartbreak to me. could not compen-
safe for half that I have made him
suffer. Day after day, week after week,
goes by Old Marjery's ankle is heal
ing, and yet dare not reveal myself
to him. Can I stand up and say, I am
the author Of all your misery" All,
no! In the long. dark wintry nights,
when this old Canadian house Is quite
still, l rise from the side Of little Guy
and steal to his door and hear him pro-
pelling himself about his room, too
miserable to sleep, too feverish to re-
main quiet. He little knows how the
wheels of that chair tear and rend my
heart! BY day, in the presence Of the
household, he Is calm, heroic, cheerful.
At night, shut up by himself, for he
refuses all attendance then, I am sure
that he suffers fearfully. -.
The good doctor brings me all your
letters. without his help I could new
er have gained entrance into this
house. He cannot even toll
crate the mention of the woman who
shot him-he hates, he abhors her!
Tell me, what shall I do?"
Mrs. Lispenard and her child had
been four weeks at Tamarack Hall
when something happened.
Fleetwood lay stretched upon his So
fa one day, reading letters and quite
alone, save for little Guy, who was
playing with a new toy on the hearth
rug. The open wood-fire blazed and
snapped merrily. Perhaps the child
ventured too near its flame-perhaps a
wind in the great chimney blew some
cruel spark to the pretty white frcck.
At any rate, there was a sudden pierre
ing shrek, and Fleetwood dashed down
his letters, to find little Guy wrapped
in a sheet Of fire.
The two were alone in the chamber,
and the child was beyond the reach OF
his arm. With a superhuman effort he
hurled his half -paralyzed body off the
sofa, and, like lightning, rolled little
Guy in the rug. When Mrs. Lispenard
rushed in a moment later, she found
her boy whimpering with fright, but
uninjured, save for a few singed curls
and a spoiled frock, and Fleetwood
stretched helpless on the floor, swoon-
ing with the agony of the exertion he
had made.
He looked more like a dead than a
living man. She knelt over him, for
one brief instant and laid her cheek to
his.
ooh, Guy!" she moaned. "my love
my love!"
Then the servants appeared on the
scene. He was lifted up and the doc
tor summoned in haste.
1.-The child! the child" he cried out
wildly as soon as he regained con-
seriousness.
"The child Is safe enough" answered
the housekeeper. "but you are hurt,
sir, and badly, too"
Never mind that" he replied, III
the boy has escaped. l care nothing
about myself"
His hands were cruelty burned, and
so great was the shock he had sustain
ed that for days after he was confin-
ed to his bed and could no longer pro-
pei the invalid chair. During this time
Mrs. Lispenard's care and attention
seemed to redouble. She watched be-
side him tirelessly, but old Marjery
had begun to hobble about the house,
land she clamored loudly to be admitted
Iagain to her masters chamber.
II will not have her here" said
Fleetwood sharply. Il cannot let you
go, Mrs. Lispenard-T cannot get on
without you-at least. till l am better y
Her heart swelled fiercely.
Il will stay as long as you WISH
she answered. in low, shaken voice.
1t was a stormy winter night, with
the wind and sleet rattling through the
tamaracks, and the dull thunder Of the
rapids sounding in the distance.
Across the storm lashed windows OF
Fleetwood's chamber the great boughs
scra tcbed and famed like birds of