Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-12-30

to the point Of anything criminal that
would advance his pocketbook. so
would she be. Added to this. they had
known one another intimately in Lon
don in a certain society in which Mrs.
DAquila was not at home and which
Sartoris sought occasionally.
They had heard the verdict Of the
consultation of surgeons and physi-
clans, and it was presented to them by
Sir Andrew Beck.
An operation would do no good.
Brancaster might die that night or he
might begin to mend. Once his re-
covery began-if begin it did-it
would be very rapid. Much of the i'm
mediate past would be as nothing to
him. Probably he would not remem-
ber anything about his accident.
"An injury to the brain such as he
has received" Sir Andrew had said,
"often knocks a bit out of the MEM
ory."
And now Mrs. D'Aquila sat think
ing over his words, as she had just
come from the chamber of Brancas-
ter, while Sartoris, equally thoughtful,
smoked his strong and perpetual Gig
arettes at her side. Finally the woman
raised her eyes broodingly to his
thoughtful face as they sat together
on a stone bench.
"Greville," she said somberly, Il
have lost my chance"
He started.
"Eh, Nora, what's that?" he asked.
II have lost my chance-of becom :
ing-a first class widow" she said in
deadly calm tones.
"Whose?"
"Brancaster's."
Rats"
Fact"
He'd really have married you?"
He would"
Rubbish beg your pardon"
Certainly" went on the woman
You don't understand Brancaster.
He's a pre- something or other. That's
where / come in. I'm long and I'm
lank. He calls it aesthetic. l dye my
hair puce. He calls it Titan and
Burne- Jones. l can paint and whisper
at the piano under a pink lamp shade,
with the soft pedals down, while l
look unutterable yearnings into space.
| can babble second hand philosophy
French philosophy-in the moon
light. He draws and he paints and,
like most men, he is romantic; like
real noblemen, he is chivalrous; like
most gentlemen, he is generous. He
thinks ! have been misunderstood and
harshly judged. I'm certain that il
some day l got him in the right mood
in tears and a teagown, with my hair
down and a laudanum bottle on the
mantelpiece, you knOw-why, one day
it was as near as this"
To the amazement Of the captain
she took from her handbag and gave
to him a special license to marry
dated but month before.
Sartoris sat bolt upright on the
bench they were jointly occupying.
why didn't you?" he shot out.
Some rot about me in the papers
er'-She made a vague gesture.
There's more in about you this
morning" he said. you've made di-
vorces rather a hobby, haven't you?'
But she didn't note his last words.
Il could have talked him out of it,
she went on. Now therell never be
another chance. IT'S awfully rough
luck. | might be a widow, Lady Bran
caster, if anything happened tonight
Funny situation if I'd married him
last week, and he recovered, and then
as Sir Andrew said, couldn't remem-
ber anything he had done"
There was a period of silence be-
tween them, while both stared straight
ahead. An idea seemed to be in the
air. Neither afterward knew just
which of them had thought of it first
But after a moment they turned with
q common impulse to stare under
standinely at one another.