Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-06-13
BOOK 1.-THE ROOT.
CHAPTER II.
An Intruder.

final showing of the evidence to be
presented to the grand jury. His facts
were not as strong as he expected to
make them.
At 10 O'Clock he quit work and hur-
ried home to refresh his tired spirit
with Harriet's music. He could think
more clearly while she played for him
AS he hurried up the steps be sud-
denly collided with handsome young
fellow just emerging from the door,
His first hope was that he had Grip
pied a lodger. He hated the sight and
sound of them. He had always felt
their presence in the house an unpar-
donable intrusion. A second look
showed him that the youngster who
had hurried down the steps with pro-
found apologies and much embarrass-
ment was not a lodger. He was DRESS
ed too handsomely and he had evil
IDENTIFY been calling on some one.
Perhaps on Harriet!
A sudden fear gripped his heart. He
felt like following him to the corner
and demanding his reasons for such
impudence.
Where had he seen that boys face?
Somewhere, beyond a doubt. But he
couldn't place him.
He let himself in softly and started
at the sight of Harriet's smiling face
framed in the parlor doorway. His
worst fears were confirmed. She was
dressed in a dainty evening gown and
had evidently enjoyed her visitor.
Stuart pretended not to notice the
fact and asked her to play.
He fell lazily into an arm chair
while the deft fingers swept the keys.
AS he sat dreaming and watching the
rhythmic movement Of her delicate
hands, he began to realize at last that
his little pal, stub-nosed, red haired
and freckled, had silently and mys-
teriously grown into a charming wo-
man. He wondered what had become
of the stub-no 1t seemed to have
stretched out into perfect proportions.
The freckles had faded into a delicate
white skin of creamy velvet. And
what once threatened to be violent
red head had softened into beaten
gold.
But the most charming feature OF
all was the deep spiritual tenderness OF
her eyes, blue sometimes, gray and
blue sometimes, but always with little
brown spots In them which Nature
seemed to have dropped by accident
the day she painted them. Stuart al
ways imagined she had picked up a
brown brush by mistake. He thought
with a sudden pang of the possibility
Of losing her She was twenty y-three
now, in the pride and glory of perfect
young womanhood, and yet she had no
lovers. He wondered why? Her mu-
sic Of course. 1t had been the one alb
sorbing passion of life. Her progress
had been slow for the first years, Whlle
at college. But during the past two
years of training every lesson seemed
to tell. He had watched her develop
ment with pride and brooding tender
ness And her eyes had always spark
led with deep joy at his slightest word
of praise For the first time 1t had
occurred to him as an immediate pos
sibility that she might marry and their
lives drift apart.
He resented the thought with un-
reasonable anger. OF course she must
marry. And he would have to give her
up.
He began to realize dimly how much
he owed to her of peace and happiness
during the past nine lonely years. A
sweet comradeship had grown between
them deeper and more tender than the
tie which binds a brother and sister
and he had taken it as a matter OF
course. He resented the idea of a
break i'm their relations. Yet why
should he? What rights had he over
er life? Absolutely none, of course
He wondered vaguely if she were sly
enough to have a sweetheart and lei
nobody know? Who was that fellow;
where had he met him before?
He rose with a sudden frown. Sure
as fate-the very boy-the tall dreamy
looking youngster who danced with
her so many times that night ten years
ago at her birthday party? She said
he was too frail-that her prince must
he strong Well, confound him, he
had gotten strong. That's why he had
failed to place him at first. He made
up his mind to put a stop to it. He
was her guardian anyway. HeI
father was so absorbed in saving the
world, any thief could slip in and steal
his daughter under his very nose. The
fellow who took Harriet would have
to measure up to the full stature of g
man. He made up his mind to that.
He walked over to the piano anc
stood behind her moment.
When the last note died softly away
and she began turning the pages OF
pile of music sheets without looking
up, Stuart said, with a studied indiffer-
ence:
Tell me. little pal, who was that
tall young fellow l ran into on the
steps,"
Why, don't you remember my frai
Young admirer of long ago."
do you love him, girlie?"
Stuart bent low and looked search
ingly into her eyes.
Her fingers slipped lazily over th'
KEYS in little touches of half-forgotter
songs.
when | was very, very young,
thought I did 1t makes me laugh now
It's wonderful how much we can out
grow, isn't it,"
I'm glad you've outgrown this"
Why? He's an awfully nice fel
low"
"Perhaps-but | don't like him.
What's the matter with him."
Il Just don't like him and | dom
want you to like him"
OH"
You see, little pal. I'm your guar.
dian"