Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-02-21

gloomily: Il don't know about that
Marriage takes many man from his
friends and companions"
Nonsense! We shall have many
repetitions Of this evening; we shall try
our powers and our fortunes many a
time over the narrow battlefield of the
lchessboard."
Il hope So" said Sem, rising and go
ing over to the chessboard and men
He touched them lovingly and as If 1t
were reluctantly, came lettering back
to where his friend sat.
Il hope So" said Sem again; II hope
Iso; but someway 1 cannot help doubt
ing it. The news of your engagement
has strangely affected me. I cannot
lexplain it, Do you believe in PRESENT.
ments?"
IN presentiments? No, do not. Do
lyou?"
II think not, and yet there seems to
be a deepening shadow all around us.
cannot get it out of my mind that
something is about to happen which
lwill deeply affect us both. 1t seems i'm
lpressed upon me that this 5th day OF
November, in the year 1870, is crisis
in the lives of us both. 1t seems as
though I had laid aside the chessmen
for the last time; I find myself Won
dering-not whether this is to be our
last evening together. but why it Is to
be the last"
Aldrich took out his watch.
Don't think me inhospitable," he
said. lightly; you know I've never
driven you away from here yet, late
though it might be. But the fact is
you cannot be well; you wouldn't talk
as you do if YOU were; let me prescribe
for YOU"
"All right. What do you prescribe?".
Rest. Go home and go to bed Get
a good nights rest. Get these foolish
fancies out of that brain of yours. You
are working too hard, or"
I'm not working too hard,' said
Sem, stoutly.
"Or worrying too much" concluded
Aldrich.
I'm not worrying. Business is dull
in some places, and some firms are 60
ing down. But B. is going through all
right: there isn't the slightest doubt of
that. / should be no loser, except the
loser of q position. If he didn't. but you
know me we'll enough to be sure l
should be troubled if he were in any
danger. The fact is he is safe-per-
fectly safe"
| Yes"
And now, I'll take your advice. l
will go home. 1 will get good nights
rest. Wen laugh over the foolish fam
cies OF this night, many and many a
time, as earnestly as we wept over the
almost tragedy Of ten years ago."
Sem lighted another cigar. The two
men stood talking pleasantly. Sem
opened the door. The friends stepped
out The night was calm and still.
November though it was, the air was
warm and pleasant. The sky was
cloudless. and the stars seemed unus-
ually bright.
Yet, at that very moment, Jasper
Jahnway, sleeping before his library fire
at Jahnway Park, was letting the self
Originated fancies of his dreams mingle
with the sound of the awful thunder of
the tempest outside. Gilbert Sem had
never heard the name of Jahnway
Park: he knew nothing Of the existence
of Jasper Jahnway, nor did Jasper
know aught of him: yet the tempest
was coming into the deep-blue, star
studded sky of his life as surely as it
is that the wind blows, or the waters
flow.
Aldrich turned suddenly, almost alb
ruptly. He held out his hand to his
friend. Goodnight" he said. Then
he went in.
And Gilbert Sem, happy again, NOV
ed slowly away. Away from the house
whose threshold he would never cross
again; away from the friend whose
hand he would never clasp again; away
from the past he cherished and the
present he loved; away, as far away as
the imagination can picture, from the
future he had dreamed about.
He walked slowly down the street,
smoking and thinking as he went.
From time to time he spoke to him.
self
Dear old Aldrich." said Sem to
himself; Il wonder if I shall ever have
a chance to make my account with him
even? 1t isn't likely. He isn't the sort
of fellow to go laundering down under
the wheels of an express train"
And he smoked and walked in ST.
lence.
He reached the door of his boarding.
house. He paused a moment there, and
looked up at the sky.
Dear old Aldrich," he said again;
'he deserves it all-all. I hope he
will be happy. Of course he will be.
Nothing amiss can happen" He paus-
ed in his self-addressed talk, seemed
to think suddenly Of something which
troubled him, then said, vigorously:
"The fact is he is safe" Another
pause "Perfectly safe-unless-"
And Sem walked downed the street.
And
And it is getting late. Do you know
that there are times when it is better
safer, perhaps-for the gentle reader to
let the actors in a drama like this go
their ways alone? Let us go to rest.
or, if you cannot rest until you see
IGilbert Sem safe at home, let us wait
by the door Of his boardidng house un-
til his return.
1t was very late when he came back.
He looked worn and wan. There was
anguish in his eyes. There was un-
doubtedly a heavy load upon his mind.
He seemed to have grown much older.
He went up to his room. He threw
himself upon his bed. For hours he
tossed and turned, groaning.
II was growing almost daylight when
,.-ez borro,, 70 oopnner tho WOrnOut