Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-02-21
CHAPTER xxv-Continued.)

Dismayed, bewildered, she stood con.
fronting this unexpected ana aihios'
incomprehensible misfortune. Discor-
dos threat in the haunted house rusn-
ed back upon her memory. he nao us-
ceiyed the Blacks with his 1alsenooos
made them to doubt her, Mercy-set
their hearts against her, perhaps! MS
conviction came upon her with gTeat
shock. Whittier had they gone? HOW
couId she find and undeceive them?
She remembered the banking house.
Val would be there-there he was to be
found every working day in the week.
She had only to hasten thither then
and tell him all.
Mercy departed from Seedy Court,
and reached State street long oerore
the banking house was open. Nothing
was left for her to do but hover ABOUT
its vicinity, walking up and down, TOO
desperate and anxious to care Tor any
thing but the errand which had brought
her there. She looked IN vain 1or val
People began to crowd INTO the street
but he came not.
Presently a handsome carriage drove
up to the door of Sardis & Co., and
man. tall, imposing, autocratic, alight-
ed and entered. Business, then, had
begun. Mercy glided straight after the
important looking person-straight IN
to the handsome banking room, where
the clerks had now assembled to their
daily work. She cast one wild look
around. Val was not there!
ooh, sir, will you tell me where l
can find Mr. Black?" =,
She smoke to the gentleman who had
entered before her. He turned and saw
her standing just inside the door-a
forlorn little figure in a shabby gown
and crumpled hat and shawl, her beau
tiful face as colorless as ashes, the gol-
den hair disordered about 1t, the great
sorrowful eyes heavy with unshed
tears. Cullen Sardis gave perceptl-
BILE start.
"Mr. valentine Black" sir" faltered
Mercy, an unspeakable eagerness ana
anxiety breaking into her voice. He
is one Of the clerks. I do not see MIN.
Is he here this morning."
Black" answered Cullen Sardis,
gazing in a sort of fascinated curiosity
at the wan, uplifted face. mo, he is
not here-he sailed for England two
or three days ago."
England"
The room, the cold, high-bred face
Of the speaker, whirled before Mercy's
eyes.
"oh, sir, you cannot mean it-you
must be mistaken!"
mot at ALL" answered the banker I
will call Mr.. Phillips to tell you about
it. You are some relative or MT.
Black's?"
She wrung her hands involuntarily
81 am his promised wife, sir"
Mr.. Sardis elevated his gray brows.
"And do you not know Of his recent
good fortune?"
mo, sir. I have been away-out Of
the city sir, for nine days"
Mr.. Sardis motioned to his head
clerk, who came out from behind a
handsome railing and approached the
two. The banker whispered something
in his ear and walked away to pri-
vate room. Jacob Phillips went up TO
Mercy Dill.
"Our late clerk, Mr.. Valentine Black" "
he began, as If he were giving busi-
ness details to some customer, has
fallen heir to a title and fortune In
England. He Is, or will be, baronet.
Nine days ago an English lawyer, who
had been sent to America to search or
the rightful heir, found him out, and
acquainted him with his good luck. He
sailed at once with Miss Black, for his
new possessions. It appears that his
father was the younger son or a nopIe
family, and was disinherited because or
a low marriage, apd that his name was
not pul AlpuShlS. 1ou ASNh
faint-be seated"
Mercy clutched the door to save ner-
self from falling.
"A baronet!-Vall I am very ignor-
ant, sir-I suppose I do not quite un-
derstand II. He was so poor and hum
BILE, sir-almost as humble and as poor
as T."
Phillips seemed impressed with the
girls appearance.
TT is quite true. Can do anything
for you?" he said.
She caught her breath, as If choking.
"Oh, sir, he left some word for me
did he not-some message?'
Not here"
Did he say nothing about me-oh,
try to remember-nothing"
'I fear not-I am sure not"
She turned blindly, cropping with one
hand to find the door.
Thank you'll will go now-I am
sorry to have troubled YOU"
How she reached the open air she
never knew, but presently she found
herself upon the street again, feeling
as stunned and helpless as If some one
had dealt her a blow. Val rich and a
baronet!-Val gone to England with
Miss Affry, leaving no word for her
1t was incomprehensible! Should she
go down to the wharf and throw her
self into the water and so make an end
Of this confusion of brain, this agony
of heart that assailed her? The deep
religion which controlled the girls ma
ture strangled that temptation at Its
birth. She crossed one street and
turned into another, never knowing
what she was doing, for the pavement
seemed to heave under her feet, and
everything was blurred and misty be-
ond lad hV Hind
instinct, went on and stopped at last
at the Aid Society rooms.
Here a new disappointment awaited
her, though she was now incapable OF
feeling or even comprehending 1t. The
rooms were closed. Work had failed
and the door was fast against appli-
cants Ignorant of this fact, however
and because she was too weak to stand
Mercy sat down mechanically upon the
of the matron.
Hour after hour went by. Nobody
came to open the rooms. Now and
then some person passed by, stared al
the beautiful, pinched face and blank
desolate eyes Of the waiting girl, but
spoke no word to her.
Morning dwindled into noon. Still
Mercy did not move. She was hungry
and faint; she was homeless, friend
less, pSnnlleSS. 1He Only lIlLS VI Noi
ue she possessed in the world-the only
thing by which she might secure. per-
haps, little food or a nights lodging
was Val's ring, shining there, mockine
and bright, on her cold Handsome
than part with that she would die &
hundred deaths.
After a long time a man mounted
the stair and gave Mercy surl!
glance.
You'd better move on, girl" III
said; its growing dark here"
Growing dark! She cast frighten
ed look around Yes, it was quite true
She had been there the entire day. The
matron was not coming.
Mercy descended to the street ant
walked away-whither, she neither
knew nor cared.
Was there any one in the wide worlC
to whom she could go now? No one
The evening lights began to glimmer
People jostled her along the pavemen
happy people, fastening to friend!
and home Nobody paid any heed t
the shabby girl with the wild, white
beautiful face and the blank, lost air
She was but one small atom in th'
great maelStrom.