Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-08-14

some unhappy chance, looked up a
Edith Fassel there on the staircase, he
superb opera cloak, with it's border o
white ostrich tips, shimmering lik
cloth of silver-in her gloved hand
fan Of half blown La France roses.
Overhead, a frightfully brilliant ligh
revealed each to each with cruel fidel
ity. Miss Fassel turned quickly to he
friends; the burden bearer hurrie'
away with his load. When he returned
few minutes later, to struggle with
fresh trunk, the opera party had van
ished-all save one gentleman, VIII
fingered in the door, and looked at tn
porter curiously.
"Aw-those traps of mine, yo'
know" he said, and slipped something
into the mans hand, and went Off t.
one of the waiting carriages.
Nigel Hume, the porter shoulderet
the second trunk, tore up the stair, ant
deposited it in its place. Then HI
snatched up his hat, and rushed out o.
the hotel into the night.
She had seen and recognized him! Hi
laughed wildly. For six months he hat
heard nothing from her. And now
great God. he must meet her like that!
Hume was weak and famished, ant
light in the head. An empty stomach
and a proud heart go i'll together. Will
her own queenly eyes she had looked
on his humiliation and want-the straits
to which he was reduced. The sting
of that thought was a thousand times
sharper than hunger or cold. Without
doubt the swell at the door had giver
him the money at her bidding.
BY a street lamp he examined the
coin which had been thrust into his
hand 1t was a ten-dollar gold piece
Suspicion became certainty. In sud
den fury he flung the money into the
street, and rushed away to his dreary
lodgings.
Since the little episode at Cape Desc
lation, and his return to the Hub and
the old routine Of life, things had gone
badly indeed with Nigel Hume.
eq lusIm sqluom esoql 10 GIolsIu eqL
briefly summed up in three words
poverty, struggle, disappointment. He
had graduated from the medical school
with honor, and hung out the shingle
of ull-hedged physician in that pool
quarter of the city where he lodged;
but his last dollar was gone, and pa
tients failed to appear.
Even the kindly presence Of Jack
Harold was denied him in this time OF
discouragement for his one only
friend had been called West on family
business, and would not return fol
months.
On this closing night of the year
Hume, plodding drearily through the
snow and sleet, felt that the medical
profession was sadly overcrowded, and
that a young doctor, without money
friends or influence. might as well
throw up the sponge and starve al
once.
And, after ALL starvation isn't sc
bad, when one gets used to It," muttered
the young fellow, as he stumbled up the
dark stair to his poor lodging room
IF I had a trifie more Drawn, I would
bid good-by to a calling that refuses to
keep me, and become a porter in good
earnest. AS 1t Is, am growing so dis
gracefully weak, even that humble shift
looks impracticable."
He stopped midway on the flight, to
regain his falling breath. He had eaten
nothing that day. his rent was unpaid
his pockets were empty: but he was not
thinking Of these things. The unex-
pected encounter with Edith Fassel had
driven all minor ills from his mind. BY
this time she was in her box at the
opera, and that swell who had given
him the gold piece was bending over
her, whispering his alteration In he1
ear. He fanced all the glasses in the
house leveled, not at the silver-throated
prima donna, but at that one white
queenly girl Was she thinking Of him
at the depths to
which he had fallen? His cheek burn
ed, his heart beat madly. She would
never guess that by the humble WORK
Of a porter, performed in hours when
necessity was strong upon him, he mac
managed from week to week to keer
body and soul together. And for even
this poor chance to earn a pittance ne
was indebted to a hotel official, who
had accidentally discovered the young
doctors need. and regarded it half with
contempt. half with pity.
Hume pulled himself together, and
continued the ascent to his room.
1t was bare and fireless. The young
fellows overcoat had been sent some
time before to the sign Of the three
balls, and in consequence he was chill
ed to the marrow. He lighted kero-
sene lamp. restored his sluggish circu-
lation by a few turns across the floor
books a ponderous volume, opened 1t
and sat down to read.
In his professional research Hume
usually found oblivion from physica
discomfort: but tonight his wontet
sOlace failed him. A wOman's face
pale as a magnolia petal. arose betWiX
his gaze and the page.
The events Of the year trOoped back
| like grim phantoms, on his memory.
What was that bit of society gossip
which had recently reached his ear
His aunt, Mrs. Ellicott, had found
new heir-a young female-some con-
nection of her long dead husband! The
name Of the fortunate creature was. a:
yet, unknown to Hume, but her occu
patton of the place left vacant by him
self meant the deathblow to his las
| hope.
Up to the present time he had fel
few regrets for the Ellicott millions
but tonight, pinched with want, dis
heartened despairlng, the thought o
his loss Knocked him painfully.
What precious idiot l was t.
throw away a chance like that" III
muttered.
A sharp furry Of snow smote tn
window. The cold became more in
| tense every moment His hands wer'