Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-09-26


opened, and the object Of his thoughts
stepped lightly out, with a merry
laugh on her lips. She tossed a CO.
quettish remark over her shoulder tt
the man who followed her. 1t was
Chesmore.
/ Stuart shrank back into the shadow
but Chesmore had spied him. mo, YOU
don't, varney-I want you to meet the
sweetest little pink flower Of humanity
ever. Miss Custance, meet Stuart
Varney."
The touch Of the girls hand seemed
to shatter every doubt Of her. Stuart
became absurdly happy, said ridicu-
lous things, made fool Of himself
| generally. He did not care until Ches-
more suddenly broke their hands
apart, with the words: mo poaching
varney. Come on, virgie. Hop into
the back, varney, and wen spin you
home"
varney excused himself, but not be-
fore he had caught the gleam Of sort
Of malicious satisfaction in Chesmore's
eye. And Varney recalled his antago-
nist's words: Don't forget-we1l be
| quits before we finish"
He walked and smoked, and thought
Of the girl. He cursed the present
fashions for women, but remembered
the pretty modesty Of her delicate
figure. He cursed the cafes Of bohe-
mia, their fumes Of liquor and smoke,
their sometimes lewd songs. He curs-
ed Chesmore for the disrespectful
boldness with which he had flung the
compliment concerning the girl in her
very face, and she had not been dis
turbed by 1t. He cursed the air of
proprietorship with which the man had
cuddled the girl to his side, before
driving away with her. Why did she
permit it-why? Why? Didn't she
know that 1t was as much as q wo-
mans reputation was worth to be seen
about with such man? And then he
recalled, with modification, that ne
| had promised to call on her.
"Ches1l sure have 1t in for us now
said Stuart to his chief, in conference
the next morning.
You're too hot-blooded. Where did
it happen?" frowned the power behind
the throne"
"A dirty, common saloon" answered
Stuart. s@
The chief glanced UP in surprise.
Seems to me you've always found a
saloon a pretty good loafing place-eh,
varney? And also rather produc-
tive field of operation. I'm rather sor-
ry. He's dirty when he takes hand.
Look out for your own head. Well
stand by you up to the last ditch, you
know; and the last ditch is the morals
Of the dear public-clean legislation by
clean men!" And he threw quizzi-
cal side glance at Stuart.
Stuart turned away In disgust. Why
did everything seem so different to-
day? His ambition had led him up to
the point where success was his for
the mere reaching forth Of his hand.
He was brilliant young lawyer, and
firmly enconced in public favor. It
looked as if he would be supported by
both the conservative and the liberal
element. The particular plum was a
fat office, with opportunities galore for
scientific graft. In couple Of years
he could retire wealthy, marry Alice,
and support her and his mother in
comfort for the rest Of his days. They
would have a home in an exclusive
suburb. He would become a respect
able country gentleman and man Of
family. And then-and then. all the
years with Alice by his side.
Stuart was stricken with horror by a
sudden relevation. He had loved Alice
through boyhood and manhood-it was
always taken for granted that she was
to be his wife. At least he thought he
had loved her. But now he knew-he
knew that he had never loved her;
that he had never known the meaning
Of love until-but that couldn't be. It
was sheer madness. He must get rid
of it, and, man-like, he turned to the
Red Ribbon for relief Relief! There
was no. relief for the strange thing
that had taken possession Of him. He
ought, in honor, to see Alice at once.
But he had never before gone near her
after a Red Ribbon seance any more
than he would have gone near his
mother. Both Of these women believed
him almost god-like in immaculate
ness. To be sure he had done nothing
to deliberately mislead them, but he
had let them deceive themselves, sim
ply because his father had trained him
always to be a gentleman in the pres
ence Of the women he respected. And
now conscience was playing strange
tricks. He respected all women, and
feared nothing so much as self-con-
demnation.
Alice must know-that was settled.
Her little chaste kiss, as she raised
her lips to him, seemed suddenly cold
and uninteresting. He felt sorry for
the girl.
He went over the political situation
carefully for her. He showed her what
he must be, and what he must do in
order to accumulate the wealth her
ambition coveted for him. $50 you
see, DEAR" he said wearily, ut will be
a history Of intrigue, deceit, dishones-
| ty, dishonor. You have not known Of
what I am capable, my good little
church mouse"
She moved restlessly. Really, Stu
art, this does not interest me-indeed,
I have scarcely followed you. Other
men do these things. I couldn't marry
| a poor man." And she pouted.
Stuart stared at her intently. But he
did not see her. He saw pair Of eyes
that seemed to plead for something in
his manhood that had long been hid
den even from himself.
"Well, Alice, I'm going to quit It..
I'm going to make stand for clean
politics"
That's a plank in your party plat
| FORM" averred Alice sapiently.
"Platform he-n he caught himself