Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-07-21

!, SAID 10 Harold ana II you happen u
have any brandy in your pocket, few
drops will not come amiss."
; Here it isl" cried Jack, prompt!
producing a tiny flask. Take pull a
it, Miss Hillyer-it will revive you
courage; though, to be sure, there /:
, small need of that. In this blunderins
fellow you see Nigel Hume, friend o
mine, and a new arrival on Cape Desc
} lation. You can trust your arm to hi!
care, for he is we'll up in surgery
though he knows nothing about birds.
Miss Hillyer declined the brandy, anC
calmly arranged her jacket prepara
tory to moving on.
II was returning from an errand a
Berry's grocery" she said to Harold
and 1 seemed to hear voice-youl
voice, somewhere in the fog
MY voice." he interrupted eagerly
How good of you to recognize it,"
"Oh, did not feel quite certain" she
explained, because the crows otter
make a great noise over these wastes
and confuse one in regard to sounds
Hume grinned wickedly as his friends
face fell. Had I called aloud to YOU
concluded Miss Hillyer, Il might have
saved all this bother. Good-by"-
mo. no." protested Jack; pray al
low US to walk home with you, Miss
Hillyer Hume must dress your arm
properly, you know, and we could nev-
er think of leaving you to make the
rest Of your way, wounded and alone.
"As you like" said Bess Hillyer, in
differently; and the three started fol
the cove.
The sailor girl, serene as May morn
ing, declined all aid from her male es-
cort on the way, and behaved very
much as though nothing had happened
1t was plain that the young person who
had suffered shipwreck in the South
Seas and brought her fathers vessel
safely into port with fever and other
horrors aboard, was equal to being
shot by strange man, and preserving
her equanimity through the ordeal.
Two years had brought few changes
t6 Caleb Hillyer's cottage. The fish
flakes were still there-the little gar
den patch, set with hOllyhOcks and
camOmle-the weather-worn porch
and the long. sharp seine boats on the
beach.
AS the trio went up the cobble stone
walk, i'm the fast-falling darkness
Hume stumbled against some object
crouched on the step Of the porch-a
man, with needle and mesh block and
heap Of torn nets flung down at his
side. He was not working, however
but STOPPING forward in an attitude OF
distress, his head grasped in both
hands. Hume recoiled. BEG pardon
he said, politely; but the man returned
no answer. Without being able to take
in the details Of his appearance, Hume
was conscious that he stood in the
presence of something uncanny-repul-
sive. Like lightning, Bess Hillyer
turned and laid her sound hand on the
bowed shoulder.
Andy" she said, and her voice was
like a caress, put by the nets now
night is falling-it Is time for you tc
come in and rest your poor head"
Still the man answered nothing-only
sat as before, with both hands clinched
in his hair. A look of unspeakable
pain and pity swept Miss HillyeTs
handsome face She hesitated an in
| hn nf r.
tage. and ushered her two companions
into Caleb Hillyer's living room.
| No lamp had been lighted there, but
the merry driftwood fire which always
glowed on the hearth, both in the chilly
summer and the intensely cold winter
was now blazing its brightest. Flung
down on a mat before it, Hume saw a
young girl, in a simple blue flannel
gown, with dimpled hands dropped list
lessly on her lap, and large lovely eyes
fixed on the red flame.
Rose" said Bess Hillyer, soothing
ly. don't be frightened. dear-I am not
seriously hurt"
The girl on the mat started to hel
feet-turning on Hume and his friend
a small oval face, with a tinge of sea
shell pink in either cheek. and long
slumberous eyes shining through ex-
quisite lashes.
"Oh! what has happened, Bess?" she
cried, running toward her cousin. "Oh!
oh! Somebody has wounded you!"
Yes" confessed Hume, remorseful'
i ly, "by a stupid blunder 1 shot Miss
Hillyer out on the cliffs. l assure you
feel like murderer"
Rose began to scream Historically.
Hush. DEAR" pleaded Bess; lit is
nothing. You must not blame Mr.
Hume He aimed at the gulls breast
in my hat Be a good girl, and bring
some bandages and basin Of water
he is waiting to dress the hurt"
But Rose sank into the nearest chair
and fell to crying like terrified child
I'll call Martha Bray" volunteered
Harold. who was quite at home in the
house.
From some neighboring room a serv'
ing woman, answering to the above
name, came to Hume's assistance.
No sooner had the young fellow sci
about dressing Miss Hillyer's wound
than Rose hushed her sobs and begar
to watch him through long, dense
lashes. Suddenly she broke into
storm of reproaches.
You dreadful man, how could yot
hurt Bess like that?-our dear, darling
Bess! l hate you for it! Perhaps yot
did it purposely. Take him away, Mr.
Harold. Who is he?-why did yor
bring him hare? AS 1 look at him,
feel as though some one was walking
on my gravel"
Good Heaven! Miss Rose, how ab'
surdly YOU talk" said Harold. Acct
dents will happen, you know. especial
ly in fog. He is my friend, and botf
of US are heartbroken over the affair
Now hold up. child. You will only
complicate matters by fainting. 1 an
so upset that l have forgotten how
to bring you to, and Hume can't hell
me-"