Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-12-17


after her in amaze and delight. Her
marvellous grace and beauty, and a GER
tain unconscious air Of breeding, as
strange as it was natural, glorified her
poor dress, and made imaginative peo-
pie feel as If she were some princess in
disguise.
In passing back and forth with her
work, Mercy was sure at all times to
receive admiring glances in plenty; she
had become used to them-hardened to
them, one might say; the poor and
desolate must harden themselves to
many unpleasant things; but this was
all. Beyond the bold glances Of men,
and the inquisitive stare of women,
Mercy had hitherto walked the streets
unmolested, bearing to and fro the neat
bundles that meant bread and shelter
for herself and the wretched mother
who was, alas! her reproach and
shame.
On this gruesome, stormy afternoon,
however, a new and strange thing was
ed from the Aid Society rooms into the
jar and whirl of the street, man step
ped out from a neighboring door and
met her on the pavement, face to face.
The door itself was dingy and old,
and surmounted by three faded gilt
balls and the name Of m. Isaacs, Pawn
broker" in half f-obliterated letters. The
man who sprang from 1t like black
shadow, straight into Mercy Di.l's life,
was Of medium height, lissome elegant,
dressed like a tailor's lay-figure-in
fact, a person whom one would natur-
ally feel surprised to meet in an OBJ
scure wn-broker's shop. His face
was swarthy and much pitted with
small-pow. The cheek-bones were
sharply defined; a black mustache
curled up from the corners of his
mouth; his black eyes, set under brows
that met above his aqui!ine nose, were
as brilliant and deadly as serpent's.
He stared fixedly at Mercy Dill for
moment, and something dropped from
his lips-two foreign words which she
did not understand. The look, how
ever, was enough. With burning cheeks
and indignant heart, she darted past
him and vanished in the crowd. Swift
as lightning he turned and followed
her.
Mercy Dill did not see him-did not
know that she was pursued. When up
on the street, she never glanced to the
right hand nor the left. She hurried on,
and came to corner where the squeak
ing voice of a hand-organ was making
the heavy air melodious.
There, upon the curbstone, a dirty.
unkempt old cripple was seated, with Il
handkerchief twisted round his head,
and a greasy old hat placed before him
to receive the pennies Of passers by.
Wildly he was grinding away at John
Browns Body. Mercy would have
passed him unnoticed, but his alert
eyes singled her swiftly out from the
pedestrians moving back and forth be-
fore him.
"Halloo little lass" he called, holding
out one begging hand over the top of
the organ, don't pass your old friends
by without trifle."
Then she glanced down at him, and
recognized the man, Joseph, who had
robbed Moll Dill of shawl and shoes on
the night Of her return from Deer Is
land-recognized him with an indig-
nant flash Of her violet eyes, and hurri-
ed on without word or sign.
"Ha, you're growing proud, you be,
little LADY," called Joseph after her,
derisively; but she did not heed or
hear.
A dozen yards, perhaps, beyond the
old organ grinders corner hand was
laid softly and suddenly upon Mercy's
shoulder.
She turned with a frightened start,
and saw the swarthy, marked face and
glittering eyes of the man whom she
had encountered at the pawnbroker's
door.
a strong foreign accent. where you go
so fast? Peste! wait, want to speak
to you"
The angry blood flashed into Mercy's
pale face. Poor, humble as she was,
this was the first time in all her young
life that open insult had ever been Of
fered her. Even the black sheep, the
pariahs of that North End street where
she had suffered so long with her out
cast mother looked upon Moll Dill's
daughter-the girl with the angelic face
and strange, superior air-as something
to be feared and respected-a being, in
fact, of another sphere, before whose
presence they always skunk away
abashed and discounted. Mercy shook
off the strangers hand.
How dare you!" she flashed, like an
outraged princess; and then, over
come by some great, strange fear
some premonition, perhaps, of what
she was to suffer at this mans hands in
the future, she broke from him wildly
and fled.
He followed; but in a moment she
was lost to his view-some alley, some
abrupt turn in the crooked street had
swallowed her up.
"Dame!" whispered the man in pro-
found disappointment. He looked
around him irresolutely. Then. struck
with sudden thought, turned on his
heel and retraced his steps to the or
gan grinders corner.
That one-legged artist had by this
time abandoned John Browns Body v
and was pegging merrily away al
| champagne Charlie" In the midst OF
his sharp lookout for pennies he was
| surprised to see a dark, elegantly
dressed man pause in front of his or
gan, with a very interested air.
us ze business good, friend?" sai6
he, speaking with strong foreign ac-