Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-06-08
He flung a fresh bough on the fire.

The red flame leaped gayly up tn
chimney's throat, and shed broat
glare of light around the oak room
Graham picked up his maps, and NOV
ed to a distant corner, to put then
away.
"Of one thing I am assured" salt
Heron-''the Steele woman Is profes
sional thief-a leader Of thieves-th'
queen, doubtless, Of the Blackbird gang
and as such, Jael regards her with
most unwholesome fear"
I probably looked as felt-horrified
"The queen of the Blackbirds! Yes
1t must be SOL" I cried, with convic'
tion. But one would like to know hoV
such a creature could creep into Col
onel Rivers's household in the suis'
Of clergyman's widow?"
He shrugged his shoulders.
without doubt, the riddle will some
day be read" He moved step nearer
to me on the hearth. 1 heard hin
draw his breath hard. Il am vel
aware" he said, that you came to He
roncroft today solely to find YOU
brother. No lesser motive could havt
brought you under my fool"
II did not think Of the place to which
I was coming" l answered, "but only
of Graham"
And IL he had been in Africa"
al,1
him, even there" I said, with a smile
you have been separated from him
all your life-you have lost years Of his
love and care-a great misfortune"
"Yes," sighed. with Graham fol
my brother, everything might have beer
changed"
He WINGED q little.
while he stays on this side of the
world you will wish to see him con-
stantly-will you not?'
"Oh, yes"
1T cannot be for long. know him
we'll enough to feel sure that not even
the discovery of sister can alter his
future plans"
Indeed, I do not ask to keep him
here" I answered, sadly enough. q
would not dare think Of such thing"
His iron gray eyes burned upon me
with a steady fire.
"Stay with Graham at Heroncroft fol-
the present" he urged, "and cultivate
while you may, the acquaintance sc
long delayed. You will always think
more kindly Of the old place, II the
memory Of your brother becomes as
ISOLATED with 1t. You are free to con-
slider yourself his guest instead OF
mine."
I had recoiled from the heat Of the
blazing boughs to the shadow Of the
tall mantel. you are very kind"
managed to say; and then q sudden
palsy seized my tongue-I could not
utter another syllable. He stood at the
end of the hearth-rug, facing my cor
ner, and the look in his eyes will haunt
me till die"
II do not ask how you have spent
the last three weeks, Hazel. 1t Il
enough to know that they are past, and
you are still alive" ---------
VERY much alive" murmured, un-
der my breath. He did not catch the
words.
81 marvel to find you quite unchang-
ed! Soft eyes-red lips-bloom Of the
lily-all remain the same. Heart
break and despair have left no visible
mark upon your beauty"
did you expect to see my hair turn
white, like poor Marie Antoinette's, in
a single night?"
God forbid!"-hurriedly passion
ately. But your life is laid waste, Ia
1t not?-your happiness destroyed!
How, then, can you keep the looks that
suggest not a hell of sorrow, but q
heaven of joy? I am distracted
maddened by this strange contradic-
tion? 1t is hard to believe that I am
not dreaming He checked himself
by an effort, then resumed stifiy:
Pardon me. Now that you have found
Graham, all will be well. He will help
you to bear everything. Though you
may be separated always, the thought
Of him will reconcile you to life. AS
for mel saw him clinch his hands
involuntarily-"you will no longer be
annoyed by any chance sight Of me-
Hazel. 1 mean to take myself imme-
diately and forever out Of your path
1t is the only thing that 1 can now do
by way of reparation."
Verify, I had been this mans bane!
But for me there would be no sacri-
flee of home and inheritance-no reck-
less flight to lands unknown. A wave
Of remorse, regret-I know not what
swept tumultuously over me. I felt
the tears slipping off my lashes. In
stantly he was pressing close to my
side, with a face like ashes.
For Gods sake, tell me, why dc
you cry?" he demanded. Have
brought upon you any fresh misery
have 1, Hazel? Answer mel"
tried to drag my face away from
his urgent gaze. mo, MOI"
Perhaps you pity me, then?"
"Oh, yes, a great DEAL"
He started, as II stung. Don't!
Pity? I scorn it, abhor it will
have none Of it," And before I could
answer a word he wheeled about, and
walked out of the library.
Well, that was the end Of our inter-
view. looked around for Vivian-he
also had vanished.
"'God made a foolish woman, max
ing me-" I quoted, sadly, as I leaned
against the chimney piece, alone now
with the fading fire. So he had
thought me still pining for Sir Griffin
Hopewood-wearing the willow open
ly-going about in sackcloth and ashes
with all my beauty dissolved in tears?
Perhaps he was even learning to de-
spise. where he had once loved. From
bitter experience 1 knew that such 9
thing was quite probable-that Love
was not the immoral passion described
by mad poets. To me, 1t seemed rath-
er like the fading embers, fast cooling