Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-06-29

who smiled composedly from their
seats, he played and-lost!
With a cry Of mortal anguish, Ken
dali fell back in his chair. This arous-
ed the old innkeeper from his sluggish
sleep in the corner
81 am ruined!" shrieked Kendall
"The money is gone-the paymaster's
money! Oh, am ruined forever
more!"
"Oh, it has come to that, then, has
it?" cried the innkeeper, bouncing UP
and trembling with rage. With that
he flung open the outer door, and true
to his promise, took Kendall by the
shoulders, and thrusting him deliber-
ately forth, drew the bolt and bar be-
hind him.
Standing out there in the pitch-blacB
night and storm, Kendall looked back
once at the lighted windows Of the tav-
ern, at the shadows Of the scarlet men
passing athwart the pane; then he
turned on his heels and fled.
He ran as If for life itself, and as he
went a frightful conviction seized him
that he was pursued. The night was
intensely dark. The rain poured upon
him in torrents-it filled the miry high
way-it soaked the sodden autumn
fields. He stumbled and fell in treach-
erous cutters. He slipped in black and
Shiny pools, and at every step, the wind
and rain howled in his ear that the
money was gone.
Whittier he went he knew not, save
that the country was open and unsup-
portably lonely. Behind him, in every
pause, he seemed to hear the echo OF
stealthy footsteps. Strive as he would
he could not outrun that. More dead
than alive, at last, Kendall tore across
plowed field, and, leaping the strag-
Cling wall beyond, found himself al
the door of low hut, through the one
wooden shutter Of which single ray
of light stole out and smote the dark
ness like finger Of fire.
With a cry of joy Kendall beat upon
the door.
Let me in!" he cried; "let me in
whoever ye be, for the love Of heav-
EN-"
The door opened little. A gaunt
| i'll favored woman's face appeared In
the aperture.
"Who be ye?" she asked, gruff1y
land what do ye mean?"
Kendall pushed past her by main
force into the hut.
Good woman, l have lost my way
he answered, shiverins with wet ant
cold, and the deadly faintness that fol-
lowed his flight. Il want shelter fol
the night and a cup Of cold water tc
drink-that is ALL"
The hut had but one small room, full
of squalor and wretchedness. A grouI
of half-naked children were huddlet
about the fire Of poor sticks, thai
smoked and spluttered on the damp
hearth. An iron skillet, full Of Indiar
porridge, sat seething in the ashes
The woman looked at Kendall darkly.
There's no place for we here, sir; W
can see that for YOURSELF My hus'
bands to the war-dead or alive,
know not-and the meal in that skille
is the last thing l have for all these
children"
| For Gods sake, give me the shelter
of your roof" cried Kendall Il ash
only for that You cannot-you shal
not turn me out into this inferna
night. Here I am. and here 1 shal
stay till morning!"
The woman muttered something be-
meath her breath, and, without further
words, set about distributing the sup
per of porridge to the clamorous chill
drtn. When this was done she brou5h
forward a rusty tin pail to Kendall
who sat silent and exhausted by th'
fire, and said:
"Since I'm forced to furnish we will
lodgings, sir, we might go and bring ;
little fresh water for the children. TIL,
spring is under that pine tree at th'
corner of the hut-only a step, sir
yen hear it gurgling."
Kendall took the pail in good faitl
and started to do the woman's bidding
He was stopping over the spring t.
fill the pail when a long blue lightning
flash parted the heavens and danced
for a full minute on the water below
Looking down he saw reflected therein
his own face, and peering over eithe
shoulder. two others. pale, handsome
smiling faces, surmounted by cooked
hats and scarlet. Then all grew darl
again.
With a cry Kendall dropped the til
vessel and fled back to the hut. Th
door was barred and bolted. He thun
dered at the rusty planks, he shouted
he prayed, he implored-all in vain