Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-05-25

The waX-nBntS SnoIle uoWH oh hS'
small head,
'Bouyant, like a bell-flower on its bed"
and over her black. slender figure, and
the lovely, passive hands that cleaned
pearl-like against the folds Of her
mourning gown. In all the future
stretching dismally before him, would
Francis Heron be able to blot the pict-
ure that she made from his memory?
Fain was he to cry:
"oh whitest Galatea, can 1t be
That thou shouldnst spurn me Off who
love thee so?"
What he did say was this:
when I urged marriage upon ytn,
Hazel, I knew you cared absolutely
nothing for me: but, just Heaven! how
could / foresee that your Indifference
would et once take the form Of pos
tive hate? Being grossly ignorant OF
a woman's nature, was foolish enough
to fancy that Sir Griffin Hopewood's
worthlessness-his cowardly desertion
of you-would give the death-blow to
your love-wean you forever from all
thought Of him."
Still she made no answer. He waited
a moment, then went on, in a choked
voice:
"You have entered upon a rich inher-
itance, but you lack one thing, Hazel
your. freedom-and lacking that, 1t Is
possible-no, probable-that all these
other possessions may become as ap-
pies of Sodom to you. If / could by
any fair means restore your liberty,
break your fetters, God is my witness,
I would do so without a thought Of
myself"
"Oh, would you?" she queried, faint
ly.
Can you doubt it?"
But there Is no way"
True. Happy or wretched, in the
eyes of the law we must remain one
while we live"
She glanced around the splendid
drawing room.
"At least, have some recompense
for my bonds, Mr. Heron" she falter-
ed, "and you have none for yours. This
seems very unfair, and 1t troubles me
to think Of It. I want to offer-yes, to
urge upon you one-half Of the Ferrers
fortune-my grandfather on his DEATH:
bed declared that you were not rich.
Let there be a fair division of his
wealth, and you shall accept as your
right an equal portion Of everything.
This proposition. coming-fr from my .hps,
does not sound particularly generous"
and she tried to smile-"for you re-
member that Judge Ferrers was wild
to make you his sole heir"
A bright spark leaped into Heron's
gray eyes.
"Is It possible you think I would
touch a dollar of your Inheritance"
he answered. scornfully. "If I were
starving, would mott"
Her fair head dropped in mortified
way.
THAT Is hardly kind" she replied.
He set his teeth.
"You talk Of kindness-you" Well,
I do not mean to be discourteou5-l
simply decline your proposal, Mrs. He
ron-with thanks. 1t is my misfortune
that, in trying to serve you, have done
you more harm than good. But take
courage! I mean to dispose Of Heron
croft and the mills Immediately, and
leave the country with Graham Vivian.
You shall have no future occasion to
tell me to my face that my presence
'sickens' you. Great Heaven! how flat
tering to a mans amour propre!
have heard the words ringing in my
ears for three days."
did 1 say that?" murmured Hazel.
1T was rather rude Of me-"
plain, unvarnished truth often seems
rude" he replied, in softer tone. Like
a surgeons knife, 1t must hurt before
it can cure. You see that your plans
and my own are such as to make any
future meeting between us highly i'm
probable. Black River, doubtless, will
seem to you always like nightmare
dream, but 1t is. happily, a dream now
over and done with forever"
81 shall never remember Black River
as a nightmare" she protested, sadly.
Il was very happy there. I do not
think" with a sigh, that 1 can ever be
so happy again. Moreover, is not Ser
gia still at Wolfsden? Her presence
would endear any place to me. 1 miss
her sorely-with all my heart / long
to see her again, if only for one mo-
ment."
Tears gathered in her eyes. She
clasped her white hands nervously, un-
consciously together. Then, like child
who is anxious to soothe and appease,
she turned to Heron and said:
Let us not quarrel. I am tired OF
reproaches-under the circumstances
they seem worse than useless. What
We have done cannot be undone. Shall
we not part friends?"
The dark blood mounted to his fore
head
"Friends!" he echoed, in passionate
despair: never! 1t must be more or
nothing! Better your hate, Hazel, than
such a miserable, luke-warm thing as
friendship. You need not draw a way"
with a short, mirthless laugh" /
have no thought of making love to you
again. 1 still retain little self-res-
pect."
She assumed an air Of cold dignity.
"Since you refuse my friendship, Mr..
Heron, we must, indeed, be as Moth
ing
The sentence ended abruptly, for a
footman appeared at that moment un-
der the portiere, and presented card
to the new mistress of the house.
1.-The gentleman insists upon seeing
madame at once" he said.
She glanced at the name and crest
on the card, started-grew absolutely
colorless.
Heron moved promptly toward the
door.
Let me bid you -night'-he be-
gan; but she arrested him with a ges-