Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-01-01
By OPIE READ.
CHAPTER XVII-Continued.


Things, and We'll leave the MIST OF
Our Irumpery till we git sett,ed Some
where. IaKe care of tnat horse you've
been ridin'-he don't belong to US; was
lett mere Dy man some time ago, tel-
ler tnat had to go away off somewhere
till he S called fer; and I've lett you
plenty of corn out there to feed him on
YC'- can study your books here about
~ ell as you can IN town, and l wish
4 ,u'd sorter look after the things. Par
ker Will drive us over 10 the station
And am to go also?" l asked.
mo, believe not. It's Guinea's ar
rangement and not mine. Let her have
her own way. All women have got
their Mhims, the whole kit an bilin
Of 'em, and you might as well reason
with a weather cock. Wait mint
before we go in. AS soon as we git
half way settled Guinea will write tC
you. have no idee where I'm goin'
but it will be away off somewhere. II
makes me shudder every time l meet
~ q man that know, and Id bet horse
that if l was to meet a cross-eyed fel-
ler I'd fight him. If Alf gifts clear he
can come to us. And you-Tm sorry
you have decided to go in with Conk-
wright, for wanted you to come with
Alf."
"I will come. Nothing shall stand
in the way. Mr.. Juckl.n, have you no.
ticed-"
Yes, I've noticed everything. And
it's all right. And Susan has noticed
everything and it's all right with her.
There never was a prouder human than
Guinea, sir; the old generals pride is
rain water compared to her'n. And
she's got an idee in her head don't
exactly understand it, but she's got IT
there and we'll have to let her keep
it till she wants to throw it aside.
was ever to the generals before sun up
this mornin'. He swore that he
&wouldn't take the money, but l left it
Lunder a brick bat on the gate post and
Nome away. Well, everything is set
YOU"
We were silent at breakfast, and we
dared not look at one another. A wa
gon came rafting through the gate,
and Parker shouted that he was ready.
No one had said a word, but the old
man struck the table with his fist and
exclaimed: 81 insist on everybody
shown common sense. 1 don't want
anybody to speak to me. I'll fight in
a mint. Git in that wagon without a
word Hush, now"
wanted t. lead Guinea to the wagon,
to feel again her dependence upon me,
but she pretended to be looking awav
when I attempted to take her hand,
and so she walked on alone but help
ed her into the vehicle. and kissed her
hand when she took hold of the seat.
She gave me a quick look and smile;
and the wagon lied away. stood on
the log step, watching it, and as it
was slowly sinking beyond the hill
saw the flutter of a handkerchief
l went up to my room and sat down,
sad that I had seen her going away
from me. yet happy to know that she
had left her heart in my keeping. But
the foolishness Of this separation struck
me with a force that had been lacking
until now, and for time 1 felt toward
the old man a hardness that not even a
keen apreciation of his kindness and
his drollery could soften. Gradually,
however, the truth came to me that
Alf had drawn the plan, and with my
arms stretched out toward the hilltop
thot had slowly arisen between me and
the futtering handkerchief l foolishly
apologiZed to the old man. l did more
foolish things than that; l improvised
a hymn and sang it to Guinea-a
chant that. no doubt, would have been
immeasurably funny to the cold-heart-
ed and the sane, but it brought the
tears to my eyes and rendered the raf-
ters just above my head a work of
lace. far away And at these devo-
tions l might have remained for hours
had not a sharp football smote upon
my ear. l hastened down stairs, and
at the entrance Of the passage stood
Chyd Lundsford looking about, slowly
lashing his legs with switch.
"HellCa. Where are all the folks?"
"They are gone. sir" l answered,
stimy bowing to him.
Gone? I don't know that l quite
catch your meaning"
IF it be Elusive you have made it
so. said that they were gone, which
means. of course, that they are not
here"
Il understand that all right enough
but do YOU mean that they are not in at
present or that they have really left
home?"
"Thev Rave no home sir"
He gave himself a sharp cut with
the switch. 1t can't have been so
very long since they left, for the old
man was over to see father this morn
ing Which way did they go? l may
overtake them"
That would be greatly against their
wish, sir
Il am not asking for an opinion. l
want to know which way they went"
Il am not at Liberty to tell you that.
They have gone out into a world that
is as strange to them as America was
to Columbus"
Rot. There isn't a smarter woman
anywhere than Guinea. She has read
everything and she knows the world as
well as l do. But why are you not
rrivilegCd to tell me which way they
went? l have something to say that
concerns them closely. Did they go to-
ward town.
DO you suppose that thev would go
awav without first seeing their SOM"
men YOU mean that they went to
rown. Why t@e devil can't YOU speak
Iout? WHY should you stand as a
esmbling block?"
WHY shorld stand as a sign post"
Now hero. YOU needn't show vo"r
sn'fshness in this matter. She wouldn't