Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-08-18


had departed.
do you find your new physician
satisfactory, Aunt Latimer?" asked
Miss Fassel, smiling.
"Yes. He understands me perfectly
Edith. I told him about Burchard."
"Burchard?"
why not? 1 felt that my medica
adviser ought to know the full exten
of my troubles. I also said that DR.
Bellamy was a sort of foster father t
you, and that your pa assisted hin
greatly at the beginning Of his career.
Edith Fassel grew rigid.
Aunt Latimer! Why did you?-
how could you?" she cried, sharply.
why, my DEAR" replied Aunt Lati
mer, in innocent surprise, there wa!
no harm in it-none at all! I assure
you, I treated the subject very deli
cately Even DR.. Bellamy himself
could not object to the mention made
of him."
Miss Fassel had grown deadly pale
but she quietly picked up her German
book, and resumed the reading o.
Heine, where Nigel Hume had inter
rupted it.
The mischief was done, and coulC
not be undone; but she was more
frightened than she cared to confess
even to herself.
left Aunt Latimer sleeping the sleep oi
the just, and drove into town to keer
an engagement with a lady friend. II
chanced to be a Symphony afternoon al
Music Hall. The twain repaired thith-
II, took their seats in an audience OF
cultured and brilliant people, and there
composed themselves to listen to the
finest orchestra in the world.
For a little while all went we'll. Then
the lady friend, espying in the crowd
some person with whom she desired
speech, moved away, and left Edith
alone.
In her Virot hat and stylish Redferr
gown, with the inevitable breaStknot
Of violets-the favorite flower Of aris-
tocratic Boston-she sat, observed, in
deed, but unobserving, engrossed in
her own thoughts. These were not
particularly pleasant. The sweetness
of the flutes, the whirlwind Of the Vio-
lins, filed her ears, but did not touch
her heart.
Her eyes were fixed absently on the
bronze Beethoven, standing in his high
place, and listening, as it seemed, to
his own music. Was it nocturne, SYM
phony or rhapsody that filled the per-
fumed air?
She heard, yet did not hear, until
somebody slipped suddenly into the
seat left vacant by her friend, and
through the brazen blare and soaring
harmonies a voice said:
1T was you, then. who sent DR.. Bel
lamy to me that night?"
And won his gratitude by so do
ing" she said.
His face was like a gray flame.
How can 1 fittingly acknowledge my
obligation?" he asked, coldly.
She put up her fan with hasty
movement. He never dreamed how
frightened she was. Her heart seemed
throbbing in her throat.
"Oblige me by forgetting the matter
altogether, Dr. Hume. 1 did not mean
that you should ever know. DR.. Bel
lamy promised silence, and Aunt Lati-
mer was not in the secret; but" trying
to smile, "she managed to reveal 1t
just the same
She felt if she did not see, the fiery
intensity Of his gaze.
1T seems. Miss Fassel, that l car
never quite escape you. In my life yol
are a constantly recurring power Goo
knows l would rather find myself in
debted to anybody living than to you,
You pitied me because 1 was the neal
relative of your lost love, Lepel Eli
cott"
NO" she protested, little indig'
nantly; that fact counted for moth
ing"
"I will speak once, and then forever
hold my peace. You remember now
and when l refused to become a suitol
for your hand, but you do not know
the cause of that refusal. 1 loved yol
madly-without limit or reason! ha(
some pride and little self-respect, ant
even to win the Ellicott money l woul(
not bargain like that for the woman
adored. Moreover. 1 knew my passion
was hopeless-I was no more to yol
than the dust beneath your feet. IL
save us both from needless humilia
ton I declined to crafty my aunt
wishes and approach you in the char
acter of a wooer."
you did WELL" she answered, ant
then became as rigid and voiceless a.
the bronze Beethoven himself.
81 loved you then" he said, and
love you still! Many men, as it ap
pears. have fallen into the same folly
So I am neither stronger nor weake
than others. Perhaps you wonder tina
I should tell you this. I cannot keel
silent longer. 1 have always foreseei
that I must some time be compelled t
speak-that you would tear the trutl
from me. in spite of all my efforts t
suppress it."
Some sort of wild fugue was storm
| ing up from the orchestra now. He
fan fell in her lap, her delicately glove
hands upon it. Was she capable Of be
ing swayed. like others Of her SEX t
feeting breaths of passion? 1t seem
ed not-at least. she gave no sign o
agitation. The fire in his lean. pal
face died suddenly in dull despair.
do not pity me a second time" h
said. resentfully; 81 cannot bear tha
sort Of thing-I would rather haV
your bitterest hate! How still you 81
how white you look! You are n
woman. but a statue-marble, withou
| heart or feeling"
"You fatter me" she murmuret
| with a faint curl of the lip.
IF you were Of flesh and blood. tn
very force Of my love would compel yo
to say something to me now
| AS if stung by his words. she rouse