Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-02-18

| ing the WlnQlnB rOdu WHICH "ohu .i
long, as she rightly judged, lead her In
to reach Of human help. Never OH
frightened bird fly faster. BY the tim
| Discordo alighted from his carriage a
the door of the haunted house, Nero,
had reached a bend in the murky wa.
and espied at a little distance befor
her a light-the beacon Of safety AM
salvation. She ran toward 1t. 1t shon
from the window Of cottage standing
| in a trim garden beside the high-roa'
to the town. The gate was open. Mer
cy ran through, sprang into a porcl
covered with sweet-smelling vines, ant
crouched down there; half mad witt
terror and excitement.
She was free-she was safe-she wa
close to human succor and companion
ship. Thank Heaven! thank Heaven!
with a wild ringing in her ears, witt
her heart humping like trtp-ham
mer against her side, she waited. NO
long. Far off on the wet road she soor
heard 1t coming-the carriage driven q
furious speed. Had Dtscordo turned
coward at last? Finding that his vic
tim had escaped, was he Fastening L
secure his own safety before she coult
expose his outrageous villainy? At any
rate the vehicle tore past Mercy's place
Of concealment as II upon an errand o
life and death. It vanished In the nigh'
the noise Of the swift wheels died away
on the wind; and then all was still.
For a while Mercy remained In hel
covert, listening, fearing; then az i
became certain that her danger wal
over-that she was indeed delivered
from her prosecutor, she arose with 9
great burst Of silent Thanksgiving, stole
out into the road again, and walked on
in the track Of Discordo's carriage. She
must make her way back at once te
Seedy Court-to Miss Affry and Val
and tell them her story.
But where was she? How many
miles lay before her? Was her face sci
in the right direction or not? Present.
ly she heard a heavy vehicle In the
road behind her and CHEEKY whistle
followed by the words:
Get up, old horse!"
It was a heavy market wagon, pack
ed with boxes and barrels the whole
covered with q piece Of sailcloth. A
lantern burned upon the seat, where
also, she discerned the figure OF
middle -aged, honest-faced countrymar
jerking the reins over the broad back
Of his farm horse. Made bold by the
urgency Of her case, Mercy stepped uI
to the wheel Of the wagon and into
the lantern light and quavered.
Please, sir, is this the road to Bos-
ton?" ..l..
Her appearance was decent enough
for she had secured both her hat .Ino
shawl in her flight; but her face, shin
ing through her drifting golden hair
was like the face Of the dead. The man
drew up his horse at once, looking GU
riously at the figure by the side OF his
wheel.
"Yes," he answered.
"Oh, please, sir, Is 1t far away?" said
Mercy, in an uncertain voice.
well few miles, miss"
Would you kindly tell me the name
of this place, sir?"
"Medford." =,
She drew back. He spoke to his
horse and moved on, but at the end oi
a few yards stopped again, as II struck
with a sudden thought, and called to
Mercy through the darkness: Here
miss are you travelling to the city"
"Yes, SIR" faltered Mercy.
TITS q long walk for you, at this
hour Of night" said the man, good ma
turedly; you're welcome to a seat here
on the load with me, If you like"
She hesitated only for a moment;
then, full of gratitude for this unex-
pected help, climbed up to place by
his side. Mercy had keen instincts
and she knew at once that she was safe
with this man. .."-i. +t.-- !
Got business in the city," he ask
ed.
YES" she answered: II am going to
find some friends there"
Thank Heaven! this reply seemed tc
satisfy him. He logged on, calling out
-ou, than RI hic ofonf horse bll1
giving her no further attention. She
soon found that he was casting up some
perplexing mathematical account IN his
mind; calculating the worth of his
load perhaps-and the occupation KEEP,
his thoughts entirely averted from his
companion for which she was deyoutly
thankful.
The wagon being heavily laden
progress was necessarily slow. Mercy
sat motionless, voiceless, staring ou,
into the night before her, and thinking
only Of Val and Miss Affry. Nine lone
days she had been missing! No doubt
they thought her dead. Every moment
that kept her from them now seemed
like century.
They rumbled on, slowly but surely
and finally saw a great many lights
shining far off-myriad sparks Of fire
against the gloom. Then they crossed
a bridge, and entered the city.
whereabouts are your friends
miss?" said the driver.
Mercy told him.
'I'll drop you close by; or, seeing it's
so late, I'll drive into the court, II you're
afraid"
She declined this offer with thanks
She was not afraid. In a moment she
would be with her dear ones. She
scrambled down from the wagon, badt
grateful farewell to this stranger
who had befriended her in her need
and, turning the corner Of street
found herself once more in SeedJ
Court.
One eager rush along the pavement
and Mercy was at the door Of No. 10
She looked up at the grimy, wooder
face of the old house. 1t was as darl
as the grave. Everybody was In bed
of course-landlady and dodgers alike.
Timidly she rang the bell. No an
swer. Again, louder than before. NJ
light, no sound anywhere. No. 10 was
wrapped in profound silence and dark
ness. She waited, listened; but no ont
came to open the familiar door to her
Miss Affry was wont to leave 1t un
locked for the convenience Of her lodg'
erS, but tonight II was as IaSt as DOL
and key could make it.
Oh, how could Val, how could Mis-!
Affry sleep, while she stood there
houseless and trembling. at theil
threshold? Once more Mercy pulled
the bell, but with the same result. Be-
wildered and disappointed, she sa
down in the darkest corner Of th'
steps, under the shelter Of the dusty
old grapevine.
II will make no more noise; will
try not to disturb them," she said II
herself, but just wait here till morn
ing. It will not be long,"
She drew her old shawl about hel
shoulders, and tried to feel that every.
thing was right. After all, she hat
been gone but nine days. Surely M
misfortune could have overtaken th'
Blacks in that little time. Neverthe'
less, a great sadness began to Greer
over Mercy-a foreboding Of evil.
How silent and dark was the court
Every rustic of the dry grape,leave!
made her start and tremble. Was 4
Discordo's step that she heard ad'
vancing along the pavement? No-onlI
rush of wind. Suppose he shoult
come back to the court to look for her
and find her waiting there alone? Th'
thought made her flesh creep. How
ever, her fears were groundless. Meth
er her arch enemy nor any other per