Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-07-18
CHAPTER vi
To Occupy the Land

Aurelle Speu up tHe HarEOW ioho
that skirted the rocky face Of Eagle
Point bluff, on one side the creek
shrouded with laurel and sumac, on
the other the uncouth board fences OF
the rear lots Of the town. She did not
heed her steps. Once, on rise Of the
path, she stopped and gazed stonily
back at the lights Of the house. AT
last she seemed to understand that
she had been bowed out, dismissed in
a manner so marvelously gracious
that she, the little fool, had not known
it-she had stood with heart so full
of gratefulness that she had not dared
trust her voice; she had given all with
an inexplicable rapture Of renuncia-
ton. She was burning with fear
that she had been outrageously trick
ed, and then a knowledge that, In
some desolating way, the mother was
right
"She never shook hands with me"
the girl whispered and climbed on, her
pale face turned to the hills, "she just
smiled! And had her way! Oh, I
wish I could do that-that's being a
lady!" Then she turned fiercely to
look back. Il hate 'em-all Of 'em!
They're different. Harlan's different
1 see now!"
Then a last faint note of the piano
came on the night wind, and she shut
her ears with her hands and fed on to
gain the cliff, up, anywhere, to silence
and to freedom. She burst around the
buttress of rock where the road ended
in Eagle Point trail, and there, direct
ly behind the News office fence, man
in shirt-sleeves was emptying bas-
ket Of bottles down the creek bank.
The girl almost struck him as she
sped across the t-bridge. He stop
ped his task, looked up, cried after
her, and then followed. She reached
the trail and heard him toiling on
among the boulders.
"Aurelie!" he gasped: whats the
matter?"
She did not answer and he leaped
on. But the girl gained swiftly on
him, steep as the ascent was, until he
saw her slip on a pinnacle Of rock,
heard her cry out and pitch down into
a hollow filled with dry leaves. He
dashed on to find her a prisoner in the
Pocket, waist deep in the leaves, sui
LEN, breathing hard, her hair disorder
ed. She would not look at him.
"Aurelie-what on earth's the mat
ter?"
'I fell and broke my arm"
He leaped down and struggled to
her. They both were painting. You're
suffering!" Mr.. Curran gasped.
She laughed and flung bloody lit
tie hand up to him. He saw her tense
and tragic figure; there was more
mortal hurt there.
He took her arm and she rebelled,
pulling it away until she writhed with
pain. But he made her sit, and tore
his handkerchief to bind the cut, after
examining 1t.
Its not broken, Aurelie! Only
gashed-maybe sprained."
II wish 1t was broken-everything!
He could hear her heart beat as he
bent to bind the wrist. You little
savage-running off wild like this.
And the prize winner, Aurelie! The
most beautiful girl in all the west,
they say!"
She stared dumbly at him. Perhaps
he, too, was mocking her, playing on
her full heart, her needless generosi-
ty, her hungry soul, her love. There
was none of her small poses and airs
about her now, but the Celts romance
stirred in him at some wild beauty in
her. When he had bound her arm she
quivered, and he had a sense she was
about to leap from him like creature
of the woods at the chance Of free
dom. Then she turned to him.
she fooled Jme; and I'm going
away"
Fooled your"
His mother. And 1 said I'd give him
up to her, but now l see she only
fooled me. hate them now-and
him, too"
"Aurelie!" Mr.. Curran was bewil-
dered. Il never knew of this affair
you and Harlan. It's astounding
he rubbed his forehead-"impossible'
You think so, too?" she blurted
All right. I'm a fool, 1 guess. But
I'll show EN-" She came directly tc
him.
Oh, Mr. Curran, 1 want to go away
told em I'd give up this prize thing
If he wanted me to. But now it's diff
ferent. Mr.. Curran, l want to bt
somebody"
She was staring at him in the moon
light Mr. Curran could not stant
that; his own vagabond heart throb
bed mighty. He, too, was the exile
the outlander. To be somebody! Righ
then and there, Mr.. Curran knew N
would lead any forlorn hope for her
for any one who wanted to be some