Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-10-20


isolated mining camps, found himself
for the first time wishing that the
Thornton's were not there. How long
the storm had been brewing it was hard
to tell, since scarcely mutter Of the
distant thunder gave warning of its
approach before it had assumed for
midable proportions. The next morning
the men were quietly at work in the
mines as usual, and Everard rode down
the valley along the line Of the new
road, five miles of it now, and Hartley
went through his more difficult diplo-
matte troubles at the mine, as though
the discovery and wrathful judgment
of the night before had never been.
The time was coming when Everard
would at least be compelled to move
follow the steadily creeping road on
its way and keep in touch with his
own men, but he dreaded leaving with
out telling John Thornton what he
knew, and he dreaded still more the
feeling Of mental smallness which
came to him at the idea Of bearing
tales, even against a felon. To leave
Hartley there alone, daily by her side,
with his pleasant voice and steady
eyes masking a past of which she had
no conception, would be insanity.
And then in the gray dawn of the
second day, someone came swiftly and
quietly into Everard's room, shook him
vigorously, and Hartley's voice was in
his ears
The men have gone up to Thorn
tons. Hurry, man! They're simply
crazy. the whole lot of them!"
There was a commanding snap in
the ex-convict's voice which brought
Everard flying out Of bed. His fin
gers seemed frightfully slow and clumsy
as he dove after his clothes. Hartley's
swiftly whispered explanation keeping
time to his humping pulse beats.
1T all comes from chap by the
name of Lafferty, who came here about
six weeks ago. He's a slippery scound-
rel with just enough smartness to
make trouble, and that's what he's been
busy at every since he came I've felt
it in the air, but somehow 1 couldn't
get my finger on it. I've been look
ing him up on the quiet, and find that
he's made a big row everywhere he's
been, and barely escaped with his mis-
cradle hide from some Of them. II
found something with enabled me to
fix up little plan to cut his claws
once for all, but here the confounded
little reptile has gotten in one ahead
of me- He has those men worked up
to such an insane pitch that they be-
lieve anything, and the Lord only
knows what they'll stop at this day."
Out of Everard's window the two
men dropped with superlative caution,
revolvers cooked, and made their swift
way toward the Thornton house. The
gray of early dawn was deepening into
its rose and gold, and already they
could hear a sound like the distant roar
Of an ocean, and the huge, hoarse voice
of mob. With one accord they broke
into a run, watchful eyes looking out
that no one should intercept their
progress.
"Thorntoni Thornton! We want
| Thornton" The discordant howl re-
solved itself into this as they came
nearer, skirting a strip of wood to
get close to the house unseen.
They knew we'll enough what they'd
get if they ta' Fled me, the scoundrels!"
the treasurer and superintendent NUT
tered, jerkily, CLEAN Of stubborn de-
termination changing his pleasant face
to flint and stone, but Everard's only
answer was a quick exclamation Of
horror.
The Thornton Yeranda had just come
into their view, and on it stood the
ruddy, strong old man, his arms folded
as he patiently awaited lull when he
could make himself heard. A stone
shot past his head, crashing a window
behind him, and at the same moment
Jessca Thornton, startled but bravely
defiant, came swiftly out of the door
way and stood by his side, her slender
hand laid protectingly on her fathers
arm. Awakened by the uproar she
had stopped only to slip into a neglige
of heavens own blue, and had sped out
there to be with her father in the time
of danger Startled and anxious, he
seemed to beg her to go in, but she
only stood closer to him and shook her
head Surely they would not dare to
strike him when a woman stood so
closely in the line Of their aim! Her
cheeks were flushed with excitement
and indignation, her eyes were star
like her head royalty up-tilted as she
stood before them, her fathers own
daughter, in defiant courage and pride.
Near the side of the house small
cyclone suddenly struck the swaying
mob, where the line was thinnest, as
it stood temporarily silenced and as
tonished by this unexpected apparition.
An arm, which had been raised to fling
a handful of loose dirt at Jessica
wealth and the spending of it, dropped
suddenly numb and paralyzed under
crushing blow from the butt Of Ever
ards revolver, two terrible figures
threshed their way through the line
before the men had realized who they
were. and in the next instant Hartley
and Everard had bounded over the We
randa rail and stood beside father and
daughter.
i For the first time since he had
known her, Everard stopped neither for
Jessica ThOrnton's approval nor CEN
sure. The arm which had proved itself
mighty in her defense was swung
I. swiftly around her, and half carried
her into the house She went unresist-
ing, her warm breath on his cheek her
eyes still dark and bright with ex-
citement.
| Il wanted to help my father" she
whispered looking up at him, a very
! child now in gentleness, as she had
been an angry queen before.
ENl