Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-01-31

cessful aristocrat out OF me. It's only
a few weeks ago yoa know, that Aun
Afry first told me that possessed
such thing as noble blood. Left t.
myself, / can swear / should neve'
have suspected It."
Mr.. Finch smiled indulgently.
| When you reach England-wher
you once find yourself at Deepmoor
believe me, you will begin to realize
your true position; the old Arbuckle
blood in you will make itself felt"
/ Aunt Airy had fallen into an arm
chair, and was having joyful cry al
to herself
"Deepmoor!" she sobbed. 'Oh, Val
you can't think how grand you will be
there! What rent-roll the old bdro-
net had-what family plate and jew
els! What timber there was in the
park-what splendor everywhere! And
as I think Of it! Now, laddie, don't
don't go to spelling everything by an
unsuitable, headstrong marriage!"
Val wheeled about and looked at heI
with keen eyes.
I'm Heavens name, what has turned
you so suddenly against Mercy?" he
demanded.
Nothing has turned me against
her." said Affry, boldly; that's not
the proper word, Val speak only for
your good. Val Black, the poor bank
clerk, might marry whom he liked
even a girl from the gutter; but not
Valentine Arbuckle, the heir Of bar
onet. Can you take her to Deepmoor
can you present her to Sir Godfrey
as its future lady? You know you
can't-you know that everything is
changed now."
x1,,Iu H., h.
saw. like Miss Airy that he must i'm
prove his opportunity. stop, beg of
you, and reflect little. Even the
young person herself, under present
circumstances, cannot, in reason, OBJ
ject to a delay. My dear sir, for your
| uncle's sake-for the; sake Of the grand
old family whose last male represen-
tative you are, ! entreat you to con-
slider well what you do"
Val ran his fingers through his red
hair till 1t stood up like porcupine
quills all over his head.
And you think my uncle would be
angry at this marriage which I pro-
pose to maker" he demanded, roughly.
More than angry--he would be SIM
ply furious" answered Mr.. Finch, with
decision; 'for he is born aristocrat,
| with all the peculiar prejudices Of his
Il
him-to comfort and console him dur
ing his last days. You owe some con-
| sideration to him and to your fathers 8
| name, do you not? ! must protest
with Miss Black. against any step
which Is likely to ernbitter Sir Godfrey
against you-any messalliance which
may fill you with regret and chagrin in
after years."
Val looked steadily at his compan-
ions. His commonplace face had grown
almost grand.
You say that everything is chang
ed" said he; Il am not changed-I am
exactly the same person that I was
twenty-four hours ago. Come, you two
have entered into an alliance, often
! sive and defensive, I see. You both
my word with the sweetest, loveliest
girl on earth because I suddenly find
myself the heir Of a lord. Why, the
| nobler man Is by birth, the more
ashamed he ought to be Of mean ac-
ton. You ask me to have considera-
| tion for the pride and prejudice Of a
relative who helped to drive my faith
er and mother to exile and death--who
has left me unrecognized for twenty
| five years, and for whom do not care
| the flip Of a finger--in Heavens name
| why should I?-but none for the wo-
| man love with all my heart, and have
Faithfully promised to marry. Your
arguments are good. I dare say, but
ly that the girl from the gutter, as you
call her-to me she seems both hero
inc and an ANGELS more precious
than your titles, your ancestral blood
your Deepmoors. AS God hears me,
want no delays, and will have none
Neither friends nor enemies shall part
me from Mercy. You mean well, but
you don't understand the case at all.
love her, and / am going to marry
her!"
He said it with a quiet resolution
that was simply appalling to his two
listeners. Neither could find voice tc
speak, hut Aunt Airy gave the lawyer
look which said plainly, "All Is lost!'
AS for Val, with the air Of one who
has settled a matter, he strode to the
window and looked anxiously out. AL.
ready the sunset shadows stretched
long and dark in the court.
This is passing strange!" he cried
in fever Of wonder and anxiety;
where is she-where can she be, Aunt
Affry?"
"I'm sure l haven't an idea," sale
Aunt Affry, in an aggrieved tone;
don't ask me-"
Val seized his hat.
'I can't stand this-it Is too much
I'm going to find her." he said, anC
rushed out Of the house.
Whittier should he go? Never wa:
a man more completely at loss. Mer'
cy had no friends no acquaintance
No amount of loneliness had evel
brought her to mingle with her fellow
creatures Of the gutter" Her hard
bitter life had made her shrink from
rather than seek associates. Val dit
not know Of a place on earth wher,
she could possibly be detained at thi!
hour. He tore Off to the Aid Society
rooms, only to fine them closed for th'
night BY this time the sun had set
the city streets were already CROWN.
dark. Val hurried back to Seedy Court
confident that Mercy must have reach
ed the house before him; but no! Mis-
Affry had spread her tea-table ant
lighted the oil-lamps in the little sit
ting room; but Mercy was not there
Mr.. Finch and the old woman occupied
the place alone.
What! you haven't found her?
cried Miss Affry, staring aghast as Va
entered.
NO" he answered.
They looked at each other, and potl
grew pale. 1t was plain, beyond al
question, that something had happen
ed-but what? No ordinary matte
could keep the girl from home iron
: her lover, at the very hour appointed
for her marriage.
!, Mr.. Finch was the only person VIII
tasted the tempting supper. His lega
!, mind remained calm amid the genera
. disturbance. He could scarcely be ex
!. pected to sympatnize with Val In hi
fierce anxiety and, indeed, he did not
he simply preserved grave silence
AS 1t Is clearly necessary to first catcl
| your hare before dressing him, so tn
lawyer perceived that 1t would be wis
to find the girl before raising furthe
objections to Walls marriage with her
Unless she appeared soon, the obnoxi
Gus union could not take place thi
night, at least. and the prospect Of an!
delay, however brief, he hailed witt
secret joy.
| Most extraordinary" said MI
Finch to himself; but for the homo
of the Arbuckle name-for the sake o
this half f-civilized young hot-head
who Is as ready 10 ruin himself for
pretty face as was his father befor
him-yes; and for the sake of his pos
| fn ha will