Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-03-28
n G
Social Bucaneer
BY Frederic 6. Isham
copyraht 1910, by Bobbs- Merrill Company
pxrinb. 1910. by the sobbs. Merrill Company.

left the looms at Chefoo, fitted per-
fectly the 1.-the figure; his shirt was
very fine and cool; he carried his light
straw hat in his hand. Although Of a
frugal disposition, he more than liber-
ally tipped a stout lad for looking af-
ter his small baggage. Then, while
others, in a fine perspiration, waited
in the closed omnibus or dilapidated
hacks, to be taken to their destina-
tions, he started to walk across the
village to the road up the hill.
The day was pleasant, though sui
try; the shady paths enjoyable. On
either hand queer little stores and
houses offered a honey and agreeable
change from the monotonous sky
scrapers or Fifth Avenue palaces.
And If the casual stranger did not find
wealth of poetry about old-fashioned
American clapboards. there were
glimpses of the sea through green in
terspaces, to appeal to the imagination
and crafty the visual longings.
These latter effects. to Chatfield
Bruce, appeared essentially worthy of
contemplation. Close at hand, the in
trusive large small object, the twig Of
vine, a branch of tree, seemed to
insist on the Importance Of little things
in natures larger panorama. A rose
danced against the illimitable; fly on
"a leaf was outlined upon the infinite.
He paused, then moved slightly; the
picture changed. A white pleasure
yacht suddenly became apparent on the
blue sea, twined around before him
with honey -suckle buds. The boat ap-
peared very pretty in that irregular
frame of bright, waving flowers; all
imposing pleasure craft, no doubt, at
closer range. Bruce tried to deci-
pher the name He could make out an
M" but no more.
Minnie: Mary, Molly; it might be
any of these; or Marjorie! Why Mar
jorie? An odd name; what had made
him think of it? Some one he knew,
or had met?
The chug. chug! of heavy motor
car laboring upward caused him to
turn, to see a girls figure, the film Of
veil, black hair athwart white
brow and blue eyes-a face distinct,
yet intangible, with dust around 1t like
mist, red lips shining through, as a
flower afar in some shadowy screen.
Bruce stepped back slightly-the road
was narrow. A mans form screened
hers from his; Sir Archibald, big and
forid, sat at her right on the front
seat. An instant Bruce heard, amid
those explosive, persistent, mechani-
cal sounds, vague protestations In a
masculine voice concerning American
roads, then a girls light laugh: then
he, she, vanished from view.
Bruce gazed after them while the
cloud of dust slowly settled. For a
time he seemed to forget himself at the
wayside. Then once more he walked
on: at first slowly, then more quickly.
The road became sleeper. On one side
the hill descended with considerable
abruptness; on the other, the bank
had been cut into for the thorough
fare, leaving a perpendicular wall OF
earth about six feet high. Beyond
this. a tangle of green wood that had
been allowed by the owner to run wild
was further guarded by thick hedge.
From somewhere in the distance
amid this large estate, the young man
fancied he had heard once or twice the
report of a firearm-the proprietor or
his friends after rabbits, perhaps. He
had turned his head, on his face the
sudden, alert expression of one not
unaccustomed to danger, when the
sound of weapon was heard from the
thicket, near at hand. Instinctively
Bruce moved; as he did so. bit OF
lead grazed his hat.
Quick as a flash he sprang toward
the hedge, but the sandy earth gave
way before him: his hands seemed to
touch only thorns. At the same time
he heard a branch break as before
retreating footsteps. Realizing the
fruitlessness of pursuit, he stood mo-
tionless and listened. Only silence!
No: the death-like hush was broken
by a birds song. The young man
wheeled and busted his clothes. For
tunately the sandy soil left no marks
he could not remove. He regarded
his hat; it was Clipped. Rather rue
fully he smoothed the straw with his
finger: fortunately. the injury was
not irreparahle. He moved the ribbon
slightly to cover it: one does not like
to buy two new straw hats a season.