Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-01-10
Miss Dill is my nephew's betrothed

one of my family"
| The signor started in real or affect
ed surprise, and gave Mercy long
wicked stare.
II congratulate your nephew, madam
he Is a man to be envied. ! congrat
ulate Mees Dill-may she be happy
Ciel! How hot Is this day!" and HI
sank upon the opposite seat Of the ar
Dor, and wiped his swarthy face will
his handkerchief.
you have pupils In this part Of th'
city, suppose?" said Miss Affry-sht
,, could think of nothing else which coult
bring him there.
Exactly, madame have just come
from a lesson. All, don't let me disturb
your conversation-don't let me incom.
mode you. Mees Dill looks pale-I feal
she is ILL.,"
In truth, Mercy face was like ashes
She could see no more Of flowers, OF
sunshine, or green turf. A great dread
and fear were upon her. The presence
of this man filled her with dismay, and
his wicked eyes, the sound of his soft
foreign voice, sent a creeping chill
through every vein in her body. She
felt as If some deadly reptile was neal
her. AS she thought Of her first meet
ing with him upon the street, all the
instincts of her nature rose up in arms
Il am III" she said, starting to her
feet, with a new, indignant splendor on
her face, II want to go home, Miss
Airy"
The old woman gave her a surprised
glance. but rose at once.
Certainly. my dear. Good DAY, Mr.
Discordo."
But the professor Of music bounded
off his seat like rubber ball. II Mer-
cy had thought to escape him in this
manner she now saw her mistake.
ALLOW me, madame!" he cried, eag-
erly. II, too. am going back to re
court. I beg re pleasure Of escorting
you"
Miss Affry could see no harm in this
request. VERY well-if you like" she
answered.; and so Signor Discordo
walked cody by Mercy's side to the
street-car, and the three went home to
Seedy Court in enforced company.
To Mercy the ride was purgatorial
He talked to Miss Airy, but he stared
only at her, and with those wicked eyes
burning upon her pale face, she dared
not move-or look-she could scarcely
breathe. When the car stopped she
was the first to spring out. She rushed
into the court in advance Of the others,
but swiftly Signor Discordo followed
after, came up with her, covertly seiz-
ed her resisting hand and gave 1t q
gentle pressure.
"Ah!" he whispered, they call you
Mercy-will you have no mercy for me?
II you could look into my heart, you
would not treat me So"
And still Miss Affry saw nothing. In
deed, at that moment she was oblivious
both to Mercy and the signor. Her
rheumatic old legs were In hot pursuit
Of a huckser's cart at the far end OF
the court. Waving her cotton umbrel-
la to the driver, she bade him stand
and trade, and left poor Mercy to her
prosecutor.
II forbid you to speak to me again,
said the girl, with the dignity Of one
Ito the manner born" If you torment
me further 1 shall ask Miss Black to
take care of mel" and with one angry,
outraged look she darted into the door
of No. 10. and up the stair to the poor
back chamber, where she laid her gol-
den head on her work table and cried
as if her heart would break.
Who was this man, and what did he
mean? Had he taken lodgings with
Miss Affry to be near her at his leis-
ure? This question, which brought her
so close to the deadly truth, actually
flashed through Mercy's mind. Should
she tell Val? No. She shrank instinc-
lively from the thought. BY nature she
was proud and shy, and self contained
and her starved, lonely, perilous life
had only increased these characteris-
tics. She asked herself what the Ital-
ian's object could be in pursuing her
an insignificant little work-girl, who
sharply rebuffed all his advances?
Il hate him!" said Mercy to herself
clinching her slender hands; and then
she added with shudder, unaccount-
able, prophetic, And, oh, fear him.
too!"
Well she was not without friends
One word to Miss Affry or Val, would
at any moment, rid her Of the Italian
With this consolation in her heart, she
seated herself at her sewing, and put
the thought of Signor Discordos swar-
thy face and evil eyes resolutely from
her.
She saw him once more that day
When the dusk fell upon the city, and
the back chamber grew too dim for fine
stitching, Mercy dropped her work, and
went to her open window, in which
Vars violets and some boxes of hardy
ANIMALS were blooming. She sprinkled
the plants from an old battered water
pot, carefully detached the dead leaves
counted the swelling buds, and caress-
ed the blossoms as If they were living
sentient things. All the while she was
quite unconscious Of the picture sht
made. set in that dingy easement, the
dying light falling on her perfect figure
and pearly face, fairer than any flower
she tended; her golden hair ripping
out in little curls and tendrils from the
great rich twist in which it was held
Truly, at that moment Mercy was &
sight for gods and men.
Presently her eyes wandered from
her boxes to the neighboring chimney
pots, and then downward over disma
areas to the back yard of No. 10. Will
great start she saw that male figure
| was standing there, under Miss Affry':
clothes lines, putting at a cigar, ant