Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-05-07

We were on the verge Oh ioNers
quarrel.
Heron is in luck!" sneered Sir Grit
fin, II offer him my congratulations.
Pom my soul, you defend the fellow as
though your heart was in it." Then,
seeing that was about to turn silently
away, he seized my hand remorsefully.
Forgive me, HAZEL am a brute!
Not for a thousand Herons will quar-
rel with you tonight! do not care In
the least who the party was that you
wanted to see--I can even bear to hear
you praise Heron, since I am the VIC
tor and he the vanquished. Pray let
us be friends again! cannot live,
darling, IL you are angry with me-"
He looked so wretched and penitent,
that was forced to forgive him on the
spot. Peace was restored. / looked
around the ballroom. No one there
appeared to notice the absence of Ser
gia or her guardian. l plunged into a
quadrille with Sir Griffin, but my eyes
strayed constantly to the door, and my
thoughts to the affair on the terrace.
Was Sergia seriously hurt? Who had
done the stabbing? And why did Pitt
Rivers treat me like child? He knew
that / loved my friend devotedly, yet
he had sent me from her in an agony
of fear, and with the most meager in
formation concerning the whole affair.
"How pale and distrait you look!"
whispered Sir Griffin in my ear.
Something has surely gone wrong
with YOU"
"Yes-everything!" answered, reck-
lessly, "but I cannot tell you about it."
Then the quadrille ended, and as my
lover was leading me to seat, Colonel
Rivers pushed his way through the
crowd and joined us. He was smiling
and collected-the master, evidently, Of
the situation.
"One of our fair rosebuds has been
seized with sudden indisposition," he
said to Sir Griffin. I mean my ward
she will not appear again tonight,
and little Hazel must break hearts
enough for both" Bending over me,
he continued, in a low murmur: Ser
gia is doing well-the hurt Is slight.
Be silent. I have put secret in your
possession. Show me that, unlike the
majority Of your sex, you can keep 1t"
But, surely, sir, you will not permit
the person who did the deed to escape
unpunished?' I whispered back.
mo, no! that is why 1 enjoin secre-
cy. Remember, 1t was at my heart that
he aimed. We will first secure the
and afterward make the af-
fair public"
81 will do as you WISH" I answered,
meekly, and he smiled upon me in
paternal way, and hurried off to an
swer the beckoning Of Mrs. Van Werts
ostrich fan from a corner.
Shortly after, twelve o'clock struck.
and went in to supper with Sir Grif-
fin.
The splendid tables groaned with all
sorts Of French delicacies. Crystal and
champagne sparkled, terrapin and
spiced meats steamed. On one side
Gwen Talcott buzzed in my ears good
natured bee.
What is the matter with Sergia?
she demanded. Sudden illness is usu-
ally feigned" Her sharp eyes were
taking a swift survey Of the supper
room. Dear me! It seems that Fran
els Heron has also vanished from this
gay and festive scene. Perhaps the
departure of Mr.. Vivian has some
thing to do with his early fitting. You
are aware, l dare say, that the hand
some preacher leaves Heroncroft to-
morrow"
mo"
1T Is a sad fact. I understand that
several calls have lately been extended
to the man-one especially from rich
church in the Hub-a Back Bay
church, where he would have been
greatly lionized. 1t was a tooth-and-
nail fight to secure him; but his su-
perior mind was set on the bowling
deserts Of Africa, and could not be
swayed right nor left. Try this little
bird, nodded of pate de foie gras, Miss
Ferrers-you will find it unspeakably
delightful"
But the delicacy mentioned was
plunged in a jelly so highly seasoned
as to bring tears to my eyes. pushed
it away. Verify had no appetite. The
trail of the serpent had fallen on Col
onel Rivers's ball. Everybody looked
flushed and disheveled. The flowers
were fading, the heat was unbearable.
Sir Griffin, absorbed in truffles and
champagne, no longer noticed me.
Gwen had danced so furiously that her
powder was caked, her face red, her
hair rumpled in mad disorder. She re-
minded me of a Bacchante. l was glad
when it was all over-supper, dancing.
farewells-when
Low on the sand, and loud on the
stone,
The last wheel echoed away"
flew to Colonel Rivers, before he was
done with the final adieux.
Il must see Sergia!" l cried, as
stood before him in my tumbled finery.
Let me go to her chamber, Colonel
Rivers-let me look at her once before
Sleep"
mot for the world" he answered.
"She must not be disturbed at this
hour. Jael is with her. Go to bed i'm
mediately, Miss Ferrers, or tomorrow
you will look like a withered crone, and
Sir Griffins ardor will begin to wane.
Most of the men danced abominably,
did they t?"-and he kissed his hand
to me, and waved me off up the stair.
l went to my room, and took off my
ball dress and my faded roses. Before
extinguishing the light, crept to a
window opening toward Heroncroft,
and gazed long and anxiously at the
dark, distant hollow, wherein the house
nestled My thoughts were divided be-
twixt Sergia and my grandfather.
He is over there" was my last con-
,oio,,S raAaction "I wonder If he Sleeps