Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-05-28

Of friends, the kindest Of guardians;
it breaks my heart to give you pain
"Then reconsider the answer which
you made me on the night Of the ball,
Sergia!"
Since you wish it." she faltered, II
will, at least, think again Of all you
have said-of all your goodness and
generosity. More I cannot promise
now."
A sudden glow overspread his hand
some, bearded face.
Here, at last, Is a crumb Of comfort
the ghost of hope! Well, put my
fate in these white hands-deal with
me as kindly as you can, Sergia."
She looked troubled, confused.
Let us talk Of something else, guar
dy," she implored. Tell me about
Hazel Ferrers-tell me everything.
cannot understand her desertion Of us.
Has she written no letters-sent no
message since she went away?"
A full week before, Pitt Rivers had
burned certain letters addressed to his
ward-one bearing a city postmark,
another in the bold handwriting of
Graham Vivian; but with brazen calm
ness he answered:
mo, dear child, we have received no
letters, no message. Hazel, I fear, has
forsaken us. Her grandfather Is dead,
and she has entered into possession of
his fortune. She needs you no longer!
Indeed, she seems to have repudiated
all her old friends since that stroke of
good luck. The engagement with Sir
Griffin Is off-the two quarreled-and
the baronet has returned to England,
doubtless a sadder and wiser man.
From good authority 1 hear that your
tickle friend is already consoled for his
loss"
Sergia's eyes opened wide in amaze
ment and horror.
"Oh, 1 cannot believe it, guardy-
there must be some mistake! Hazel
desert me, because she has inherited a
fortune? Absurd! impossible!"
Dear child. we are often deceived
in those we love best. Ask Miss Car
bury-now that you are strong enough
to bear it, she will tell you the whole
story"
Sergia leaned back in her chair, as
though overwhelmed. For a few mo-
ments she was very still. Then she
said in a shaken voice:
81 want to be alone for little while
i want to think alone. Go away,
please, and leave me to myself, guardy."
He arose reluctantly.
Il will go as far as the library" he
answered. II have some foreign news
papers to read there. Don't take this
matter to heart, Sergia, for 1t Is the
way Of the world"
Then he went out, and left her to the
solitude she craved.
Hazel, her own familiar friend-her
more than sister-gone, without a word
of farewell; gone, and no letters, no
tidings received from her! Instructive
ly Sergia felt that the half was not told
that important things were being
concealed both by Miss Carbury and
Colonel Rivers. She started up from
her chair, and walked across the cham
Der. A sudden determination nerved
her to effort, the excitement of the mo-
ment gave her strength. She must act
quickly, or Miss Carbury would appear
and spoil everything. She put on a
wool wrap, and stepped cautiously out
into the corridor. The house, empty
now of guests, was very still. Unchal-
lenged, the girl descended the staircase
glided by the door of the library, where
the colonel was, doubtless, absorbed in
his foreign newspapers: gained the gar
den. and. under cover of the shrubbery
set her face toward the pine wood and
! Heroncroft.
Any one meeting Sergia in the green
gloom Of the former place might have
thought her q wanderer from the near
est graveyard-so white and ghostly
was her look. She was going to the
old brick house in the hollow, to find
Francis Heron. He would tell her al
that she desired to know about Hazel
about others, in whom she was inter-
ested. Rivers and Miss Carbury might
evade her questions, but Francis was