Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-25
DAUGHTERS OF CHIN
By Eta w. PIERCE

your teeth!"
"Shirlaw, you are nothing, If you ar
not absurd" answered Lispenaro
with spark of anger in his sombre
dark eyes; ito speak Of marriage IL
connection with a monster like me-
how bitter his voice grew!-"seem
little less than sacrilege! Where
Miss Berkeley's music?'
"She left it in the drawing room
You call yourself hard names, Lispen
ard-why, bless me! you ignore TIT
fact that you are considered a grea
catch"-
Hush, for Gods sake, Victor! Yol
mean that there are women, who, To-
money and social power, would ever
sell themselves to a being like me
Yes, 1 dare say, it Is quite possible
but / swear to you, Shirlaw," and nov
white heat, like lightning, overspreae
the olive face, that no woman shall
barter herself for the Lispenard for
tune, or the Lispenard prestige, while
I remain custodian Of the two!"
He went out quietly, and closed the
door of the smoking room. Directly
Shirlaw heard the distant sound Of
piano played with great skill and pow
Ell, he knew what that meant-ht
would see no more Of his host for the
night. Guests in Lispenard's grant
house were often left to entertain
themselves. Shirlaw, however, was
something more than a guest-he was
a very intimate friend and distant
kinsman, and Lispenard's eccentricities
never troubled him in any way.
He has gone to quiet his disturbed
soul with music" yawned the brown
young soldier, 80 1 will fare forth
and look at the moon"
He sauntered out of the house, and
down the shadowy walks, past the gar
den lilies to the river. AS he paused
on the little jetty and looked across
the track of moonlit water to the op-
posite bank, a sudden idea struck
him.
IF should jump into Lispenards
skiff," he unused, 1T might be my luck
to catch a glimpse Of the houri oppo-
site. Shirlaw's luck was a provert
at West Point and more than once II
has served me in my little bouts with
the 'fiery-eyed Apache!' Here goes!'
Instantly he was in the boat, pushing
out into the current. A burning Gu
riosity had seized the young captain
If there were angels about, he meant
to see them. He sent the skif straigh'
into the shadow of the trees that
fringed the banks of Rookwood. AS
he did so, gay girls voices saluted his
ears a gleam of summer draperies was
visible in the shrubbery, he could heal
light footsteps on the dewy gravel.
"I adore a garden by night" said the
voice of Maud LOTUS. Behold the
supernatural proportions which these
roses take in the glamour Of the moon!
Yonder Is one, seemingly suspended ir
space, like a great white star! here Is
another as red as your cousin CyriPs
eyebrows. By-the-way, how rude
that young man is, dear! l sang tC
him until l was hoarse-it was solely
for your sake-and all that he said by
way Of thanks was, 'Confound Verdi!
/ wish he had never been born!"
Yes, he is rude" replied Mignon':
severe young voice; "as rude as Hot
tentot. Let us go down and look a
the river?"
with pleasure love; but do you no
feel slight dampness here? l have
neuralgia sometimes. you know, II
spite of my avoirdupois. l will rur
and ask your aunt Elinor for shawls.
Away toward the house flashed ont
white cloud; the other remained mo-
tionless for a moment, in the walk
then it began to move slowly down to-
ward the river. Shirlaw, sitting in hi!
skiff under the shelter Of the trees, ant
scarcely daring to draw his breath
saw a lovely head, like deer's emerg'
from the garden shadows-saw such
shape as sculptors love pause on TIT
bank and look across the ripping riv
er. The moonlight only added a new
glory to her uncovered golden hair ant
fawless face. Her white hands wer
full Of roses, and she began to tea
their petals apart and drop them dow
into the river, and as she did so. n
heard her hum softly to herself thes
lines of an old song:
"'Oh. l loved in my youth lady fair
For her azure eyes and her golden hair
| Oh. truly-oh, truly loved her then,
And naught shall l ever so love again
Save my hawk and my hound, and m.
red-roan steed,
For they never have failed in my hou
| OF need"
"Mignon."
| A man had started suddenly up be
hind the lovely vision. and seized tn
hands with their burden of shatterinl
petals.
"Mignon," repeated Cyril Wye. "yor
were angry with me tonight in tn
hall, and l have followed you t
apologize for my rashness there. For
give me. because l love you, and me-
in love often do foolish things, yo
know"
She tore her hands free.
Il told you l would never forgiv
YOU" she answered, sternly.
"Oh. but that's nonsense, for yo
must! Long ago l made up my min
to marry you. To be sure l had no
meant to speak so soon, but you your
self force me to do so; and, after al
one time is as good as another. Come
now. my beauty, for customs sake,
must ask the usual question: Will yo
be my wife,"
She stood tall and white in tn
moonlight, drawing her draperie
closely about her. as if to escape a
contact with him.
For customs sake" she replied,
a withering tone. Il will condescen
to answer you. No, a thousand time
no. Your impudence Is quite inexcus
able. Cyril for you are well aware tina
Ii find you now. as l found you year
ago-detestable! Now leave me, an