Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-06-05
TffH MAN
OUTSIDE
Bv CLARENCE BoUTELLE.
CHAPTER XXI.
By CLARENCE BoUTELLE.


and rescued Elsie, since Lurline Ban
hottie disappeared, since Walter Aid
rich came too late to find more than
the dead man who had given his life
to his trust-only to fail in that trust
after all.
Elsie was at home again, in the old
Barron mansion, sad, pale, quiet, but
prettier and sweeter than ever
AIdrich and Elsie had had one or
two interviews, and both had been
frank and straightforward. Theirs
was an affection which would outiast
the life that depends on such gross
things as air and food and blood-cur-
rents and nerve-f force. Theirs was a
love which would last for ever, II
knowledge and personality does not
fall and fail at the brink of the grave:
Each of these two understood the
other fully. Each knew how deep and
lasting a regard held sway over the
heart and life Of the other. But Elsies
resolve was firm and steadfast.
What 1 did. 1 did of my own free
will and accord; 1 shall not do that
from which my conscience shrinks; the
future is in the hands of God" she
said.
Sem had seen Prier Immediately on
his return to Boomville. These two
had several long conversations. Sem
had gone with Prier, one afternoon,
when that gentleman made his peace
with Elsie. She had already learned,
from Sem, to respect and admire the
old detective, and the afternoon had
been a pleasant one.
Sem and Prier had called on Rev.
John Kane. They had thought it wise
TO acuuaint him with the true charac-
ter of Miss BannOttie. He had been
terribly shocked. Of course, and very
pale and silent. But they had had the
satisfaction Of seeing him take her
photograph from his album, lay it face
downward in the hottest part of his
bright fire, and watch it turn to ashes.
Mr.. Prier had called upon Aldrich.
There had been several things upon
which these gentlemen had found 1t
interesting and profitable to converse.
All differences and doubts had been
swept away from between them.
Sem and Aldrich had not yet met.
can scarcely say why. Perhaps the
curious complications to which they
were parties had had something to do
with it. though Aldrich had been made
tn understand what Senn'S purpose had
been, and had forgiven him all the re-
suits which his error had caused. He
loved Sem. His love had struggled in
his heart through all the months OF
distrust and doubt, and had never died
out. He loved Sem; ne had never
ceased to love him: and, standing in
the full light of the knowledge of how
much Sem had loved him, and of the
fearful risks he had taken and the cross
he had borne for the sake of that love,
he knew that in the future he should
care more for his true and loyal friend
than ever before.
And still, they had not met yet not
since Elsie's rescue and Lurline's
flight. 1t was the fault of neither.
Each may have had a diftidence-a
sensitiveness-which made delay. But
their meeting, their friendliness, their
warm hand-clasps, their looks and
words Of love-these were only delay
ed: they were certain to fall into the
near future of these two men-unless-
That is the word, kind reader, In
less!
Pophecy of loss and sorrow, of va
cant places in the sunshine of home,
and of open graves across the path of
life, we use it with our hopes, our
fears, our doubts. Would life be
worth living, were there no world be-
yond this. in which eternal forgetful-
ness shall be the fate of that wretch
ed word-unless!
The people of BoOmville had learned
just enough of the true state of at-
fairs to enable their active imagina-
tiOns to supply the rest Of the story.
You may be sure, therefore, that there
were many versions of the history of
our friends-and foes-accepted and
current on the streets of BOOmville.
l wish l had time and space (and
patience) to write down some few of
the many wild stories told and mon
strous theories held by the BOomville-
ans on the subject which so much in
terests us. They would be entertain
ioht ha Instructive
and. like most fiction (true to the OLD
saying). they would be stranger than
the truth l have written-but for one
thing. Hamlet" with Hamlet left
out. might indeed out Shakespeare
Shakespeare's Self-but for the miss
ing Hamlet. And so-strange as were
the tales they told-we may we'll lei
them fade into the silent air. since they
took no account of Lurline Bannottie.
What BOOmville'S men and women
and children knew. was much. They
knew that Sem was a hero-in some
way. They knew that Mrs. Sem was
somehow a heroine. They knew that
Prier was the greatest detective of the
age. though they didn't know why
They knew so many good things Ot
Mr.. Walter Aldrich that they didn't
have time to enumerate them. But
thev didn't know anything Of Miss
Lurline Bannottie, beyond the fact tha
she had been the hired companion o
Mrs. Sem. They knew she hadn't re-
turned. of course. but they didn'
know why: they didn't even think t
ask; what did she count in the matter
anyhow? You won't find BoomVillt
on your map, kind reader, and yol
will waste your time if you look, bu
I have no doubt there are so man!
Roomvilleans in your town that you'll
find them in a decided majority in th'
next excited crowd you find DISCUSSING
the latest and most startling news oI
your streets. Don't you think so?
There was one thing which troubled
the Boomvilleans very much. The!
would look at Elsie and sigh; the!
would gaze at Aldrich and shake thei
heads; and then they would say, slow