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


Happy? Yes. No life is perfect. Nc
joy is unmixed with sorrow. But the
ten years just past have been happy
very happy"
You are glad, then, that I saved
you?"
Sem stretched out his hand and
caught those of his friend.
"Glad-glad!" he cried.
And now-well-"
What is it? Ask it."
Il scarcely know how to ask you
You will pardon me. will you not?"
Pardon you? Of course will"
Was what happened an-an accident
or were you so discouraged-and-
and"
Was it an attempt at suicide? Is
that what you mean?"
That is it."
1T was an accident, purely and SIM
ply an accident. 1 suppose the thought
of suicide runs through every mans
mind, the sane as we'll as the mad
sometimes, and I shall not pretend that
had never found it running through
mine. While 1 remember the old home
among the New England hills while
remember the glay-haired mother who
lives there and who counts the days
almost, between my visits at home
while cherish her memory in my
heart after she shall have gone from
me, l shall be safe. No suicide or MUIR
der shall stand at my door. 1t was an
accident"
Pray pardon my thought; /"
TT is pardoned. Your suspicion was
not an unnatural one"
And now-will you tell me about
your sensations. your thoughts"
Sem shuddered.
1T isn't a pleasant thing to think
about nor to talk about. but 1 will try
to tell you. l heard the train coming;
| saw it round the curve; l saw the
light strike upon the darkness and push
it further back. Then, suddenly, I felt
faint. My head grew dizzy, the icy
platform seemed to reel beneath my
feet. 1 felt myself falling. I tried to
catch something. My efforts were use
less. I went downtown upon the
track My head struck the rail. I felt
the blood gush down over my cheek.
Then a strange thing come to pass.
namely this: I was mentally strong
and vigorous, while l was physically
nothing. 1 could not move. I could
not shrek. l could not make a sound.
| heard women shrek. / saw one fall
fainting on the platform. Why? l was
only a ragged tramp, and she had
drawn her cloak closer about her so as
not to touch me, when she had passed
me a half-hour before. 1 saw man,
who could have saved me as we'll as
not. falter and turn away. l saw men
stop to count the chances, unwilling
that chances counted at such n time
were chances thrown away forever.
heard hoarSe cries. heard the brakes
applied to the wheels, but knew then,
as we'll as / know now, that the train
could no more have been stopped be-
fore reaching me than the earth can be
stopped in its course. l suffered q
thousand deaths. l never knew how
sweet life was before. Them saw
you dash across the platform, spring
upon the track. You lifted me from the
rails, you threw me out of danger.
have never forgotten it. l never SHALL
"Pshaw! 1t was nothing"
You risked your life, though"
IN a sense, yes. There was no time
to lose A false step. a stumble, and
neither one of us would have been here
tonight. But any man with a cool head
and quick hands could have done it,"
But you-you did do it."
Il did"
And you did it for me-"
Yes"
And you helped me to work, helped
me to a place Of honor and response
bility"
True But let us not dwell longer
on the past. Light another cigar, the
one you have has gone out And get
the chessboard and men again. I must
have my revenge before you go"
They sat down to their chess again
But the lawyer keen and acute and
far-seeing though he might usually be
seemed preOccupied. 1t was not many
minutes before Sem quietly captured
his queen. saying Check" as he did
so: and, soon after. he had driven Aid
rich once more to hopeless defeat, say
ing that word of victory from which
there is no appeal-"Checkmate!"
II cannot play tonight" said Aldrich
Your story Of ten years ago has un-
nerved me, somehow. And beside"
"Besides?"
Besides that, there is another thing
which cannot keep out of my
thoughts. A thing-a fact
II think I understand. I've been
waiting for you to tell me. Shall 1 take
the privilege YOU had little time ago
and ask YOU few questions"
Aldrich laughed.
You needn't do that. The matter is
happily settled. l am the most fortu-
nate man in the world. She is good
and true, and as beautiful as she Is
good. Congratulate me-"
Aldrich held out his hand.
Sem took it.
Il do congratulate you," he said. i
give YOU good wishes for your whole
future. and with all my heart. l con-
gratulate her too; you may tell her sc
when you next see her. l have known
YOU 50 long and 50 we'll. while
But YOU know her. You have chosen
wisely, doubt not. heartily congrat-
ulate you both"
Thank you"
When shall l lose yOu?"
"What?"
when shall l lose you? When are
YOU To be married?"
That is Il question l cannot answer
vet. Not before next spring; possibly