Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-09-11
CHAPTER XXXV.
The Last.

CHAPTER XXXV.
The Last.
That feverish, restless life had in
deed gone out. Rose Hillyer was no
more.
AS she lay in the darkened drawing
room at Windmere, more beautiful in
death than in life, her hands full or
lilies, smile of unearthly sweetness
frozen on her lips, Mrs. Ellicott came
and wept bitterly over her. Paget
Fassel came, haggard and speechless,
kissed the flower filled hands, and
staggered from the silent presence, as
though he had received a mortal hurt.
Bess Hillyer came, sad and pale, and
left on the fair face kiss of pardon
and a tear of sorrowful love. Last Of
all, Lepel Ellicott came with face
like a mask, betraying nothing that
was in his heart But how can resent
ment live in the presence Of death?
He, too, forgave her, and remembered
her sins and follies no more.
They carried her back to Cape Desc
lation. and laid her to rest in the old
Hillyer tomb on the sandy roadside
where, on a certain summer night, years
before a gay yachtsman, Andre Gau-
tier, had first looked on the girls IA
tai beauty. The play was played out
the curtain had fallen on the tragedy
of another life.
Time driveth onward fast"
Again the old Common was green
with spring. Birds twittered in its
budding treetops. A brave show Of
hyacinths filled the florists windows.
Through the narrow Boston streets an
east wind blew, bringing the freshness
Of the sea with it. From a trailing
gray cloud came a sudden pattering of
rain. Edith Fassel, making a leisurely
tour of the shops, on some errand for
Aunt Latimer looked up in dismay at
the sky, and down at her new spring
costume, fresh from Felix.
The carriage and Aunt Latimer were
several blocks distant.
For one moment she stood, with the
big drops pelting smartly upon her;
the next an umbrella interposed be-
twixt her and the downpour.
Permit me- said Nigel Hume.
The two had not met before for
weeks and months.
She gave him a smile like April
sunshine.
Il am very glad" she said, ito see
you again"
do you mean that?" he asked, in
a shaken voice.
1T is hardly polite to question such
a plain statement"
Il did not think" he answered, with
a touch of bitterness. that Miss Fas-
sci could say anything as kind to
rejected lover"
At the corners of her classic mouth
suspicious dimple appeared.
Did l ever reject you, DR.. Hume?
think you have reversed the facts Of
the case. 1t was you who rejected
me-"
Edith"
That day at the Symphony you
went away before could answer you
at all. Had you remained little lon
GER
Pale with astonishment, or some
deeper emotion, he caught the words
eagerly from her lips.
Had I remained. what would you
have said to me, Edith?'
THE truth-the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth" she answered,
her words mingling softly with the
patter of rain on the fabric over their
two heads. From the first I was
frightened at the power which your
strong, honest, uncomprOmising nature
welded over mine. You were unlike
any other man of my acquaintance.
recognized your sovereignty only too
soon. You set up something between
us, and called it my wealth and your
poverty, my pride and position and
your obscurity, and all the time behind
the wretched barrier was silently low
ing you. When Mrs. Ellicott urged you
t. become my suitOr, and you refused
oh, was hurt and amazed, but l loved
you the more for that. Your own pride
was tenfold more cruel than mine, for
er men did,
"Edith-darling! Stop a moment!
cannot believe my ears. Have I been
such a dolt-such an idiot-all this
while
You have been very blind, Nigel,
and very proud-in fact. the proudest,
bIindest creature that I ever saw in
my whole life
Overhead the April rain Splashed
and scurried. but under that umbrella
the very light of heaven was shining.
Three months later the two were
married.
Il forgive your past Obstinacy, Nj
gel" said Mrs. Elicott to her nephew,
"since you have done exactly as
wished you to do years ago. For
Edith's sake we must have no more
family jars
Long before his union with Miss
Fassel the old dame had become thor
Oughly reconciled to her nephew. In
deed, her gratitude for Lepers restora-
ton know no bounds.
What do I not owe to you" she
cried. You have given me back my
son-you have heaped Goals Of fire on
my head. Nigel-henceforth your place
must be next to Lepels in my heart
ly remained-her brother Paget
when Mignon died" she said to her
husband his heart received it's death
wound. He will never think of love
again"
Time works many cures" her hus-
band answered.
But Nigel Hume knew that his wife