Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-02-11

Thank you," he gravely answered,
Il did not think to meet you here. l
, had almost forgotten that you and
Evelyn were school friends"
u Not the slightest agitation In his
; voice of manner. This encounter
, with the fair woman who had rejected
him for q title and position seemed
not to move him in the least.
Perhaps he has forgotten that !
was ever friends with any member of
the Harding family" thought Ethel.
They exchanged q few commonplace
es, then said Mrs. Severne to her
brother:
"You must stay and dine with US.
Lawrence. Your visits always take my
tbreath, they are so swift and short"
i, "Stayw murmured Alice Bradford.
n Lawrence shook his handsome
brown head.
il "I have a business engagement in
another part Of the city. Being
ladies Of leisure. you naturally forget
that working people can spare but
little time for the pleasant things OF
life"
Mrs. Severne pouted.
Ethel, DEAR" she explained to her
visitor, mamma and Lawrence have
a little martini box of house, where
they dwell together like amiable her
mits. Mamma cannot be induced to
go into society again. SO many OF her
friends deserted her at the time of
lour troubles that she has quite lost
faith In human nature. She now
believes In nothing but Lawrence.
She has become sort Of female
Diogenese; and the worst Of It is. she
seems really to enjoy the life, and
Lawrence also"
| At this moment, Mrs. Seyernes
Ilapdog seized mouthful Of Alice
Bradford's embroidery silks, and ran
on to the far end Of the room, where
he took refuge under an antique
cabinet.
| Lawrence went to the rescue, and
lbrought back the spoil to its owner.
land proceeded to help her disentangle
1.-THE snarl which the brute had made.
Meanwhile Ethel talked with Mrs.
ISeverene, but her languid eyes saw
more than they appeared to see. Not
lone of the coquettish glances which
Miss Bradford cast at her assistant,
mot q flush nor dimpling smile es-
lcaped her. A thrill Of inexplicable
indignation stirred the heart Of Count
lStahl's betrothed.
"Disgusting!" she said to herself;
her sleeve like this? Anybody with
II
Iadores him."
And yet it was really none Of Miss
Sardis's business Why should she
care though q score Of Boston blondes
stood ready, figuratively speaking, to
fling themselves at Lawrence Hard
ling's head?
Presently a clock on the mantle
Istruck the hour, and Ethel arose and
made her adieux.
Lawrence escorted her down the
tstairs to her waiting carriage. Half
Eway In the descent her foot chanced to
telip on the polished oak, and she would
Ehaye fallen had ne not caught her
promptly on his arm. For one instant
her beautiful patrician body was
pressed against his side, for one In
slant his stern gray eyes looked
straight into her own.
"YoMr marriage is close at hand r
hear" he said, In a strange voice.
YES" she answered.
II wish you JOY. Ethel"
Thank you. Lawrence"
That was ALL The next moment
he had handed her into her carriage.
She rolled homeward among its cush-
ions, shivering under all her wraps
of fur and velvet; and with slow
step and very odd expression Of
face. Lawrence Harding returned to
Mrs. Severfe's boudoir.
| A few hours later and Ethel saw her
old lover. AS she entered the Academy
Of Music that night his face was the
first upon which her eyes rested. He
was In the Severne box, leaning upon
Alice Bradford's chair, and looking of
toward the stage, absorbed evidently In
the warbling Of the prima donna.
| At the entrance of the Sardis party,
he turned and looked at Ethel. What
| did he think Of her? Her dress Of cost
ly silk shimmered through folds Of
Brussels point. Diamonds blazed on
her marble arms and exquisite throat
and In the superb masses OF her waved
bronze hair. Her face was like an old
cameo-as cold and as white, too-the
great, dark eyes alone held slumber-
GUS fire under the sweep Of their long
lashes. Mrs. Sardis, in velvet and bro
cade, with a priceless opera cloak up
on her thin shoulders. Bee in blue
faille and pearls, very fair and girlish
and sweet. Count Stahl, elegant and
adoring, "the observed Of all observ-
ers;" and the banker, cold, gray and
aristocratic, made up the party.
The great three-tier chandelier blaz-
ed overhead the music poured out
gloriously from the prima donna's SILL
yer throat! jewels blazed; lovely eyes
g!istened; white arms pressed the vel
vet cushions like Pygmalion's marble;
and in the midst Of the warmth and
brilliance, the perfume and melody.
Ethel Sardis's eyes met those Of Law
renee Harding-met and spoke unut-
/ terable things for q moment; then he
turned away, and bending over Miss
Bradford, pointed out to her something
in the libretto.
And Alice was looking her best this
night in a Worth toilet, with blue
feather and diamond aigrette in her
golden hair, and with what Ethel call
ed the Boston expression" upon her
face-that Is, certain lofty repose of
feature which gave her the appearance
of Minerva
Ethel" whispered Mrs. Sardis to
her daughter. observe, that pair
Miss Bradford and Lawrence Harding.
| I understand that their engagement g
expected daily by their friends, and
certainly It does seem imminent. An
excellent match It will be-for him.
The Bradfords are rich and well con-
nected.
Ethel answered not a word.
| All, what an evening 1t was!-splen-
did, interminable; full Of feverish bit
terness. The count hung over his be-
trothed and murmured tender nothings.
Gounod's music was divine, but, all,
| the perversity OF the human neart! not
all the admiring eyes leveled at her
from every part Of the house, not the
presence Of her titled lover, elegant and
devoted; not the envy Of observing
friends could compensate Ethel for the
sight Of Larry Harding leaning over
Miss Bradford's chair and whispering
in her jeweled ear. as forgetful OF the
old love as II 1t had never been. Verify
blessings. brighten as they take their
flight!
She was glad when 1t was over
when they all arose to go. In the lob
by they encountered the Severnes.
Harding passed Count Stahl without
recognition, bowed quietly to Ethel,
and disappeared in the crowd. with
Alice Bradford hanging to his arm. The
Sardis party went back to Fifth ave-
nue.. On the stair, Bee, half asleep,
stopped to murmur:
What a delicious night Ethel-what
heavenly music! think / never en-
joyed myself so much, the baron was
not there!"
II am tired Of operas" was Ethels
brief answer; and then she entered her
own sumptuous chamber and sat down
/ haf yoirror await the aDDear-