Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-01-21

YORKV
ern blood Of his, stirred now by new
and strange forces. He entered the
old room, haunted by the memory OF
the Hebrew girl whose unhappy love
had been her destruction, locked the
door, and, with feverish haste, wrote
these lines to Cullen Sardis:
II love your niece and ward with
all my heart. Rest assured, however
that I shall not approach her in the
character of a lover until / have OBJ
tanned your consent to do so. May
request you to appoint an interview al
any time and place which will best
suit your convenience?
That was ALL No other course than
this ever occurred to the chivalrous
high hearted southerner. In the very
best sense Of the word he was man
of honor, full, too, Of the mighty pride
Of his peculiar race. To no unworthy
or clandestine means would he stoor
to win the pearl Of price which he now
coveted above all the world-consider-
alton for Miss Vann, whose guest Bee
was, would alone have restrained him
| from that. He knew that he would find
small favor with Cullen Sardis but
| the thought gave him no particular
alarm. He expected obstacles, and ne
had courage and resolution by which
to overcome them. Unhappily, how
ever, he did not understand the char
acter Of the man with whom he had to
deal.
Eric SAKE did not go near Bellevue
avenue on the morrow. Bee wrote in
her journal, Rode with Miss Vann-
cow nothing 0f n
A dull, interminable day."
He worked, instead, upon Miss
Vann's portrait, and dined at the ele-
CANT villa Of an artist friend. upon
whom the gods had bestowed both
wealth and fame. At the richly ap-
pointed table he chanced to overhear
this scrap of conversations:
Have you observed that petite
blonde in Charlotte Vann's carriage Of
late?" (this from a lady with creped
head and a dazzling display of dia-
monds.) Rather pretty. is she not?
though sadly lacking in style. She at
tracts considerable attention on the
Drive"
"Yes"-the second voice was femi-
nine, also, and high -pitched-'it is a
ward Of Sardis, the famous banker.
She Is very young-is not yet out. It
is said that Baron Strozzi has quite
lost his heart to her."
'1ndeed!" ..... ..
"Wait till Mrs. Sardis returns from
Europe-I dare say she will make a
match between them. She has secur-
ed a count for her own daughter-be
sure she will do we'll for the niece"
The second day came and passed.
On the morning of the third, Eric Sake
received an answer to his letter.
A clang at the old-fashioned knock
er, a step on the stair, his studio door
opened, and Cullen Sardis himself,
cold, gray, aristocratic, stepped into
the room.
Sake arose from his easel to meet
him. An odd contrast they made to
each other-these two men-the bank
er, hard, polished, middle-aged, and
master of the situation; the artist,
young, fiery, handsome as Antinous,
and losing color visibly, under the fixed
gaze of his visitor. Mr.. Sardis put
down his hat and cane, drew off his
gloves and said good-morning, in the
most courteous manner possible. His
closely -shaven face, a little haggard,
and somewhat deeply lined about the
eyes was an impenetrable as marble
mask.
81 thought it best" he began calmly,
ito reply to your letter in person. /
need not say that its contents took me
completely by surprise"
The dark blood rose slowly to Eric
Saxe's temples.
II scarcely think it surprising that
Pardon me, II would be much strang-
er thing If did not love her."
The banker transfixed him with his
cold fyrav aUaS
And may ask if my ward loves
you?"
81 have never spoken to her on the
subject. In my letter I gave you my
word that l would not approach her as
lover till had gained your consent"
But you have reasons to believe,
most likely, that you are not wholly
Indifferent to her?"
Yes, I have reasons-I say 1t with
all becoming reverence, God knows"
The banker moved uneasily in his
chair. Verify, a. handsome, high-toned
fellow like this was just the one to
take captive the fancy of a silly
schoolgirl.
You are by profession painter"
he went on. I'VE live in very mat
ter-of-fact world, Mr.. SAKE. All ro-
nance must have its practical side.
Since am to consider you a suitor for
my wards hand, you will excuse me If
ask what are your pecuniary re-
sources?"
SAKE had expected this. Erect. proud
as a prince, he made quiet answer.
II am poor for I have had my own
way to make, and many difficulties
to contend with. My possessions con-
sist entirely Of a desolate plantation In
Georgia, worth next to nothing, and
my talent But am not altogether un-
known to the world. The door of sue
cess is open to me. 1 have but to
work with energy and patience, and
my future Is assured. And you will
see that can work ! love your ward
with my whole heart and SOUL have
loved uer ever since the morning when
1 held her half-drowned body to my
heart out in the surf yonder. There
is nothing that l cannot do for her
sake. Believe this, beg you."
| The banker listened with courteous
patience, his gray eyes fixed keenly or
the passion flushed face of the speak
err He was taking the mental meas
ure of the man, and deciding upon the
best course to pursue in this very per-
picking matter.
You acknowledge that you are
DOOR" he said. with a faint smile; dc
you know tnat MISS SarQlS Is an nelr-
ess, and a very wealthy one at that?"
The lurking sarcasm in this query
was not lost upon Eric Sake.
Yes, I know it," he answered, hot
lily; Il wish to Heaven she was not
l wish she was as poor as I am, fol
her wealth is the one great barrier
between us-the very thing which
places me at an enormous disadvan-
tage as 1 stand here talking with you
at this moment"
Mr.. Sardis brushed i grain of dust
from his sleeve.
'I wish to be frank with you, Mr.
SAKE. Generally speaking, when a mar
in your circumstances seeks the hano
of a girl like my ward, society at once
pronounces him a fortune-hunter."
| Eric Saxe's face grew pale witt
wrath or chagrin, or perhaps both.
II should have been ignorant, indeed
of the world, if had not prepared my
self for something like this" he an.
swered bitterly. II suppose 1t woulc
be useless for me to swear that 1t Is
Miss Sardis herself that / want, moi
her fortune-that I would be only too
glad, only too thankful to take hel