Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-05-20


then she can not have you" went or
Helena Won Ritz.
But, madam, you forgot one thing
She is worthy of me, or of any Other
mani"
II shall be judge of that. If she Is
what you think, you shall have her
and Oregon!"
But as to myself, madam? Tine
bargain?"
Il arrive, monsieur! If she fails
you, then l ask only time"
II begin to see, madam" said I. chow
large these stakes may run"
"In case 1 lose, be sure at least shall
pay. l shall make my atonement," she
said.
Il doubt not that madam, with all
your heart and mind and soul"
"And body" she whispered. The old
horror came again upon her face. She
shuddered, l did not know why. She
stood now as one in devotions for a
time and l would no more nave spoken
than had she been at her prayers, as,
indeed, l think she was. At last she
made some faint movement of her
hands. l do not knew whether it was
the sign of the cross.
She rose now, tall, white-clad, shim-
merng, a vision of beauty such as that
part of the world certainly could not
then offer. Her hair was loosened now
in it's masses and dropped more widely
over her temples, above her brow. Her
eyes were very large and dark. and
saw the faint blue shadows coming
again beneath them. Her hands were
clasped, her chin raised just trife,
and her gaze was rapt as that of some
longing soul. l could not guess Of
these things, being but man, and, /
fear, clumsy alike of body and wit.
There is one thing, madam, which
we have omitted" said I at last.
What are my stakes? How may l
pay?"
She swayed a little on her feet, as
though she were weak. Il want" said
she, Il wish-I wish"
The old childlike look of pathos came
again. have never seen so sad face.
She was q lady, white and delicately
clad: l, rude frontiersman in camp
grimed leather. But stepped to her
now and took her in my arms, and held
her close, and pushed back the damp
waves of ner hair. And because a
mans tears were in my eyes, have no
doubt Of absolution when / say had
been a cad and a coward had | not
kissed her own tears away. l no lon
ger made pretense of ignorance. but
ah! how I wished that l were ignorant
of what it was not my right to
know.
led her to the edge of the little bed
of husks and found her kerchief. All,
she was of breeding and courage!
Presently, her voice rose steady and
clear as ever. "Tnrelka!" she called.
"Please!"
When Threlka came, she looked
closely at her lady's face, and what she
read seemed, after all, to content her.
"Threlka," said my lady in French,
81 want the little one"
turned to her with query in my
eyes.
"Tiens!" she said. wait. have a
little surprise"
You have nothing at any time save
surprises, madam"
1.-TWO things l have" said she, sigh
ing: "a little dog from China, Chow by
name. He sleeps now, and l must not
disturb him, else would show you how
lovely a dog is Chow. Also here l have
found a little Indian child running
about the post. Doctor McLaushlir
was rejoiced when I adopted her"
well, then, madam, what next"
Yes, with the promise to him that
l would care for that little child. want
something for my own. See now.
Come, Natoka!"
The old servant paused at the door.
There slid across the floor with the ST.
lent feet Of the savage the tiny figure
of little child, perhaps four years
of age, with coal-black hair and beady
eyes, clad in all the bequilled finery
that a trading-post could furnish-a
little orphan child, as l learned later,
whose parents had both been lost in a
canoe accident at the Dalles. She was
an infant, wild, unframed, unloved,
unable to speak a word Of the Ian
guage that she heard. She stood now
son of her sight of me. AS l stepped
aside, the little one walked steadily
but with quickening steps to my satin
clad lady on her couch of husks She
took up the child in her arms
Now, there must be some speech be-
tween woman and child. l do not know
except that the Baroness Won Ritz
spoke and that the child put out a
hand to ner cheek. Then, as | stood
awkward as a clown myself and not
knowing what to do, / saw tears rain
again lTOlll TIE eyes Dl f1eltlld NOIl
Ritz, so that l turned away, even as
| saw her check laid to that of tire
child while she clasped it tight
See, then" she said; mere is my
companion across the mountains"
Again l began to expostulatc, but
now she tapped her foot impatiently
in her old way. You have heard me
say it. Very well. Follow if you like.
Listen also if you like. In n day or
so, Doctor Mclaughlin plans a party
for us all far up the Columbia to the
missions at Wailatpu. That is in the
valley of the Walla Walla, they tell
me, just at this edge of the Blue Noun
tains, where the wagon trains come
down into this part of Oregon"
They may not see the wagon trains
so soOn," l ventured "They would
scarcely arrive before October, and
now it is but summer
AT least these British officers would
see part of this country, do you not
comprehend? We start within three
days at least. | wish only To say that