Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-01-26
that ever lived Was worth that.

| aside ner 1earS lot his Sdlely SAdS-
perated Betty beyond measure. She
, scolded him vigorously. Charley ac-
cepted the scolding with humility, but
his resolution was unshaken; he did
not propose to vacate the public roads
at any mans behest; that would be
an unwise precedent to establish.
Betty replied that this was not a
matter in which silly vanity should
enter, even If his life was Of no value
to himself 1t did not follow that she
held 1t lightly. 1t required some eight
closely written pages for Charley to
explain why existence would be an un-
supportable burden II he were denied
the sight of her.
| A week had intervened since the
attack, and from JEFF, who always
brought Charley's letters, Betty learn
ed more Of Charley's condition than
Charley himself had seen fit to tell.
According to jeff his master was now
able to get around pretty tolerable
well, though he had a powerful keen
misery in his side.
THAT was whar' they done kicked
him most, Miss" he added. Betty
shuddered.
How much longer will he be con-
fined to the house?" she asked.
"I heard him low to Masr Caring
ton. Miss, as how he reckoned he'd
take a hossback ride tomorrow even
in if the black and blue was all come
out of his features"
oh" gasped Betty.
Seems like they was mighty care
less whar' they put their feet. don't
it, Miss?" said JEFF.
1t was this information she cleaned
from JEFF that led Betty to desperate
lengths, to the making Of what her
cooler judgment told her was a des-
perate bargain.
At Thicket Point Charley Norton.
greatly excited, hobbled into the IL
brary in search Of Darlington. He
found him reading by the open win
dow
Look here, Bruce!" he cried. Its
settled; she's going to marry met"
The book slipped unheeded from
Carrington's hand to the floor. For
a moment he sat motionless, then he
slowly pulled himself up out Of his
chair.
whats that?" he asked q trifle
thickly.
Betty Malroy is going to marry
me-" said Norton. Darlington gazed
at him in silence.
| Its settled, is it," he asked at
length. He saw his own hopes go down
in miserable wreck; they had been
utterly futile from the first. He had
known all along that Norton loved
her, the young planter had made no
secret Of it. He had been less frank.
"I swear you take 1t quietly
enough" said Norton.
| do II"
Cant you wish me joy?"
Darlington held out his hand.
you are not going to take any
risks now, you have too much to live
for" he said haltingly.
NO, I'm to keep away from Belle
Plain" said Norton happily. "She in
sists on that; she says she won't even
see me If 1 come there. Everything
is to be kept a secret; nothing's to
be known until we are actually mar
ried it's her WISH
Its to be soon them" Darlington
asked, still haltingly.
VERY SOON"
| There was brief silence. CARING
ton with face averted. looked from
the window.
| II am going to stay here as long
as you need me-" he presently said.
"She-Miss Malroy asked me to, and
then I am going back to the river
where l belong"
Norton turned on him quickly.
You don't mean you've abandoned
the notion Of turning planter?" he
demanded in surprise.
well, yes. What's the use of my
trying my hand at a business I don't
know the first thing about?'
"I wouldn't be in too big a hurry
to decide finally on that point" urged
Norton.
1T has decided ITSELF" said Caring
ton quietly.
But Norton was conscious Of sub
tie change In their relation. Caring
ton seemed a shade less frank than
tx-Itl q n
once he had removed his private af-
fairs from the field of discussion. At
terward, when Norton considered the
matter, he wondered if 1t were not
that the Kentuckian felt himself su-
perfluous in this new situation which
had grown up.
Charley Norton's features recov-
cred their accustomed hue, but he did
not go near Belle Plain; with reso-
lutte forttude he confined himself to
his own acres. He was tolerably IA
miliar with certain engaging little pc
culiarities of Mr.. Wares: he knew
for instance, that the latter was
Igenlleman Of excessively regular hab-
IltS, once edCn iOTlHlSHl' Hiohhi6 o''
excuse of business, he spent day In
Memphis. neither more nor less. Nor
ton told himself with satisfaction that
Tom was destined to return to the sur
prise of his life from the next of these
trips. This con"iction was the one
Thing which sustained Charley for
some ten days. They were altogether
the longest ten days he had ever
known. and he had about reached the
limit Of his endurance when Betty's
groom arrived with letter which
threw him into a state of ecstatic hap
piness. The sober-minded Tom would
; devote the morrow to Memphis and
business. This meant that he would
leave Belle Plain at sun-up and re-
turn after nightfall.
You may not like Tom, but you
can always count on him." said Nor