Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-03-21
CHAPTER xxXIv.
The Track of the Storm.

'T wish to see Miss Mabel Sardis-
the young lady who has hitherto been
known as Mercy DILL"
The speaker was Eric Sake. He
stood. hat in hand, In the parlor of
Madame Manners school, addressing
q worn, sad under-teacher, who an
swered, with some hesitation:
Miss Sardis is in great affiiction.
The death Of her guardian, or, rather,
that he was her father-is sad blow
to her. Your name, II you please?"
Eric SAKE produced card.
BE 30 good as to say, a relative
from New York"
The teacher departed. It was not
long before Sake heard a light step in
the passage outside. The door opened,
and Mercy Dill stood before him.
She was dressed In deepest mourn
ing. She looked wan and sorrowful
Her wonderful golden hair, her violet
eyes. her classic face, gave the artist
a thrill Of pleased surprise.
Miss Sardis, you never heard Of me
before?" he said quietly. .'
She glanced at the card in her hand.
Never"
"You have q cousin, Beatrix Sardis,
who was your fathers late ward. She
is my wife: and I come, at her re-
quest, to make your acquaintance, and
to conduct you, If you will allow me,
to the place where We feel that Cullen
Sardis daughter ought to be at this
particular time-our home"
The blood rushed to her white
cheeks, the quick tears to her eyes.
you know all, then? My dear faith
er told you
Yes. On the night Of his death he
wrote letter to his wife. in which he
related your story and commended you
to her care"
"And she-does she wish to see
me?" cried Mercy. eagerly. -
His face grew very grave.
Miss Sardis, your fathers wife lies
stricken with paralysis at my own
house. For years she has been a ner-
vous sufferer and in the loss Of for
tune. position and husband together
she sustained terrible shock-this is
the result She is helpless; she knows
next to nothing Of what Is passing
time. Her own daughter Is in France.
Her friends-well, there are few
friends that cling to us in misfortune,
Miss Sardis. Will you not come to
her? It Is impossible to ascertain
whether she wishes 1t or not, but sure
ly she needs YOU"
"Oh, I shall be only too glad!" cried
Mercy, tearfully-"only too happy to
find my kindred. I have thought of
them so much Of late. I am all alone,
and oh!"-with an involuntary clinch-
ing Of her slim hands-'T cannot tell
you how lonely, how utterly forsaken
have felt since my dear fathers death.
When the dreadful news was sent to
me, hastened to Jacob Phillips to
beg him to take me to New York, but
he could not. He was very ill-com-
pletely prostrated, indeed, by the mis-
fortunes and the sad end Of his mas
ter; and so / returned to the school, to
termine whether or not my relatives
were willing to receive me-"
I'm the confusion and embarrass-
ments which your fathers death
brought upon u.s." said SAKE. II con-
fess that we forgot you and your claim
for a few terrible days, but, as you
see, only to remember you again az
soon as we could collect our scattered
thoughts"
II understand" she answered, sim
ply. Take me to Mrs. Sardis. I will
do my utmost to fill the place Of hel
own daughter-I will, indeed!"
Eric SAKE looked at the earnest
beautiful face, and said to himself
that one good, at least, had come from
the wreck of the Sardis fortunes, and
that was the discovery Of this girl.
when will you be ready to start?'
he asked.
"Then. by all means. let us go to.
night"
The cruel fate that seemed never
tired Of heaping fresh afflictions upor
Mercy had given her q father and 6
fortune, only to snatch both from hel
in the first hour Of possession; but the
appearance Of Eric Sake, the assur.
ance that her unknown kindred hat
thought Of her and desired to have hel
with them, was balm indeed to hel
desolate heart.
Her bills at the school had been pait
by Cullen Sardis before his suicide
She had nothing to do but pack hel
belongings, bid farewell to teachers
and pupils, and depart with Erik Sake
He was very kind and courteous anc
communicative. On the journey t
New York, Mercy learned from hin
much Of the family history. She piled
him particularly with questions con-
cerning Ethel.
ITO think that have q sister!" she
murmured, as the two sat upon tht
deck Of Sound steamer. approaching
their destination through the rosy
glow Of an early June dawn; III
seems too good to be true. But feal
so grand a lady will scarcely care fol
me. And she Is so far away, 1t Is no
likely that we shall ever meet. Have
you sent her word. Mr.. SAKE, of-of"-
Yes, Of everything" he answered
gravely. your grand lady, Miss Sar'
dis, leads sad life Of it. CandidlN
speaking, Count Stahl Is an unprinci'
pied scoundrel, who has drawn hi!
supplies for the last two years. ant
even longer, from Cullen Sardis' pock
ct. To him Is due, in a great meas
ure, your fathers ruin. What he will
do now-how the bankerS failure ant
death will effect Ethels domestic hap
piness, we cannot tell; but my little
wife Is full Of grave doubts and anxi
cites upon the subject.
"A countess and miserable!" mur
INJURED Mercy; "oh, poor darling!"
She was very thoughtful and silen