Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-04-13

Above all, don't go to thinking tina
you've a conscience, because no Black
bird has any business with such
queer thing!"
Jaers grandly nodded body began t.
shake and tremble. Her voice rose t.
a shrek.
Conscience! Oh!-oh!-that wore
goes through me like a sword!"
Some one who had entered the room
unperceived by either Of the women
now came quietly around the table
passed an arm about Jael, and forced
her gently into the nearest chair.
"Give her a drop Of brandy, moth.
err" said Joe Bagley. cheerfully shes
as full of Mysteries as a fine lady
You see, she's been with that kind sc
much Of late, she's learned their ways
Old Sal ran to a closet in a corner
poured some brandy in a cup, and Of
fered 1t to Jael. The girl dashed the
liquor violently on the floor.
I'm not hysterical, Joe Bagley," she
said to the stout, ullet-headed man
who was looking down upon her with
a sort Of rough tenderness, "but my
mind is made up. Pm done with the
Blackbirds, one and all!-that's the
whole matter for you in nutshell!"
Joe laughed.
Nonsense! You can't get on with
out US, Jael, nor we without you
Come, no shirking, girl, and no treach-
cry, even Of the unspoken kind! Can't
you see that it's simply impossible fol-
you to blow against the Blackbirds, OF
even desert them? Why the deuce
do you show the white feather at this
particular time? BY my soul, began
to think that preaching fellow, Vivian
is at the bottom Of 1t ALI"
She had been trembling a moment
before. Now her grand Juno figure
became suddenly-rigidly still. On
her lips the quick breath was stayed
she stared gloomily at the speaker, but
did not answer.
For some time back I've suspected
that you was getting more preaching
than was good for you," continued
Mr.. Bagley. in a lively voice. "At the
first opportunity, I'll pop Mr.. Vivian
over for this piece Of work"
The statue leaped into life again.
IF you harm so much as a hair OF
his head" Kissed Jael, you shall rue
1t till your dying day, and all the
Blackbirds with you! will tell every
thing that can be told-I will spare no
one-no one!"
mot even your own flesh and blood,
eh?" chuckled Joe.
Least Of all, my own flesh and
blood" answered the girl, sternly.
His round, beady eyes opened in a
perplexed stare.
"Well, you're rum one, JaeL" ne
drawled, land a dangerous one, when
you fall into a tantrum! Blood will
tell, and we know the sort Of fluid that
boils in your veins. Now, listen to
reason, by dear. You won't deny that
mother Sal and I have always been
good to you? We brought you up as
our-vwn--we never failed to treat you
kindly, eh?" Jael gave a sullen nod
of assent. "If you go to turning trail
tor, lady-bird, you'll bring the old
mother and me into the blackest kind
of trouble. Come, come! you don't
really want to do that, s'pose?"
He saw her face change. Reluctant
ly she put out her hand.
"You and Sal are all the friends I
ever had, joe" she admitted.
"Then you must stand by US, lady
bird, as we've stood by you in past
times" said Bagley; and he began to
stroke her strong, shapely hand with
an air more deferential than lover
like. THAT preaching fellow Vivian is
too good looking for his calling. Pity
he wasn't as ugly as the sins, he talks
about! don't approve of him in any
way. He has a fashion of cramming
things straight down ones throat,
whether one wants to swallow them
or not. From my soul I wish he was
comfortably dead and buried-he's too
dangerous to tolerate long In these
parts. Jael, my beauty"-trying to
speak with clumsy playfulness-"I
hope you haven't been losing your
heart to the handsome parson."
She tore her hand from the man,
and laughed in a bitter, mirthless way.
women like me have no hearts,
joe" she sneered. "Only the happy and
the innocent possess such things. What
affinity can light have with darkness,
or good with evil? Can you imagine
a demon in the pit losing its wicked,
miserable heart to some great, strong
angel in paradise?"
He kept his small narrow eyes fix
ed sharply upon her.
Pooh! You are no demon, Jael, and
Mr.. Vivian is no angel. Talk sense,
like a good girl! The colonel's ward,
Miss Pole, has a heart, II you have not,
and she wears it on her sleeve, too, for
daws-yes, and Blackbirds, to peck at!
I chanced to be watching her that Sun
day she drove to the preaching ground
to hear Mr.. Vivian. Just powers! her
face told the whole story. AS sure as
you and I live, Jael the heiress means
to draw the preacher into her nett"
A jealous wrath famed suddenly In
Jaels black eyes. She clenched her
hands.
Miss Pole" she painted, "is no mate
for Graham Vivian-the best that lives
would hardly be his equal. Moreover,
Colonel Rivers is going to marry her
he's off his head about her. She won't
escape him. Mark my words, she'll
be like wax in his hands. Whether
she likes 1t or not, her fate is fixed"
Joe grinned.
do you believe that, lady-bird?"
Il know it," answered Jael, dryly.
He began to whistle in soft, exas-
perating way. Instantly Jael showed
symptoms Of fresh Mysteries.
"Oh! OH" she cried, "in all the world
there is nothing so cruel, so terrific
nothing that goes wrong so often as