Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-01-17

With a scream, Bee flew to his res
cue. He was strong boy and heav!
one, an as she leaned down to him h,
grasped her so desperately that sht
! was in a fair way to tumble headlont
with him over the verge-she nigh
have done so, in fact, had not a strong
! arm caught her suddenly from behint
and drawn her and the terrible Phi
with her, away from the perilous brink
Good heaven! how very careless!
said the voice Of Eric SAKE. ITO whom
! docs this young savage belong?"
Bee shook out the folds of her dress
which Phil had rump!ed in his dirty
! little hands.
You seem to be always near when
need help" she gasped. Take him t
his bonnie, please-that woman coming
yonder-take all of them! 1 dare moi
keep them a moment longer
Mr.. SAKE obeyed, then returned anG
stretched his handsome body full length
upon the grass near Bee. She was not
a bad picture, even for his artist eye to
scan, in her dress of fresh linen, gar
nished with violet ribbons, her blonde
hair gathered in an immense girlish
plait and surmounted by charming
Gainsborough hat.
Are you alone?" he asked, in some
surprise.
No; Miss Vann Is sketching some
where near" answered Bee, digging a
little grave in the grass with the tip of
her parasol. "She is an inspired mood
this morning, and feared my presence
might disturb. So I sat down her and
made the acquaintance of the children.
If / ever lose my fortune l shall turn
nursery governess-it Is my forte,
think"
He regarded her with droll express
sion, but did not speak.
| Have you ever seen Miss Vann'S
studio?" queried Bee, demurely, "and
her pictures?"
Eric Sake grew grave.
Yes. You know the last infirmity
of noble minds Is ambition. Miss
Vann's friends rarely speak of her
paintings but they talk with enthusi-
asm of her champagne breakfasts, her
dinner parties, her large charities, and
her generous heart. Will you let me
tell you what she once did for "a
person whom / know well-a young
fellow who came to New York not
many years ago to study art?"
Il shall be delighted to hear" replied
Bee, with a premonition of what was
coming.
He was penniless, friendless-a
stranger in strange land" said Eric
SAKE, his voice growing fervent and a
flash of color mounting to his dark
cheek His sole possessions were
some old family valuables and a fair
amount of pluck and endurance. With
these he made tolerably bold fight
for a time, but the struggle was too
unequal. A day came when he lay
down, vanquished, in his miserable at
tic, never, as he thought, to rise again.
1T CHANGED that a specimen of his
work-a crayon portrait-had fallen
into Miss Vann's hands; that she
had learned something of the artists
history. Waking out of delirium, the
poor wretch saw a woman entering his
garret door. Never on this side Of the
grave will he forget the sight! Saw a
face bending over him, full of un-
speakable kindness and pity-heard a
voice calling him back to life and hope.
The form, the face, the voice, belong
ed to Charlotte Vann. She snatched
the sick man from death itself. She
provided for his wants and his future
studies; she found him friends; she
laid him under a debt of gratitude
which he can never, never hope to re-
pay. Society may smile at her whims,
but a nobler woman does not live, nor
one more full Of generous impulses
God bless her."
Bee knew we'll enough story he had
told. She remembered what Miss Vann
had said to her in the studio at the
villa. She dared not speak, but sat
gazing straight down the cliff, with a
suspicious moisture fringing her long
lashes, and her heart warming greatly
toward Charlotte Vann.
Eric Sake looked at her closely for a
/ thny, oh nj 10 rn6
subject.
May l ask you how you like New
port?" he said, cheerfully,
Very much," answered Bee, bright
ening also; only am not out yet,
you know. 1 cannot go with Miss
Vann to garden parties or hops or to
the grand dinners and the entertain
ments at the villas Of her friends-my
guardian has forbidden it."
What a trial to the patience Of a
girl who is longing to throw herself
headlong into whirlpool Of dissipa-
tion!" said Mr.. SAKE, with provoking
smile In year from this date, Miss
Sardis you will not know yourself.
Once let that despot, Society, get hold
of you, and, like the old woman in the
nursery rhyme, you will soon begin to
ask If be t.
Bee shook her blonde head.
| mo, l mean to dance and dress and
dine and be merry, but l do not mean
| to change. am of very conservative
nature-not half so easily influenced as
the majority of girls. mean ! do as
| like, in spite of society-in spite OF
Aunt Amelia, too; though no doubt you
think that declaration very naughty
and bold"
"Very!" said Mr.. SAKE, with sever
ity.
Bee colored, but went on, with a
short little laugh.
Like the father Of his country. !
can't tell lie. 1 am not In love with
any Of my relatives, always excepting
one" as her thoughts flew quickly to
Ethel. LAS for Aunt Ameria, she is
like that titled Frenchman who mod
estly remarked to a friend. I never
knew any person but myself who was
always quite right In everything The
Sardis family is eminently aristocratic,
plebian blood. My fortune was made
in the pork packing business. Poor pa
pa squandered his fortune early in life
he was little wild, I fear-and went
west and married the daughter of rich
pork dealer. l mean to adopt for a
crest a pigs head on field of azure.
How delightful 1t would be! Aunt
| Amella would go VIII Will rage. .
Her dimpled, wild-rose face was full
of mischief She laughed out gayly as
she met Eric Saxe's dark eyes.
How shocked, you look!" she said.
How shocked ! feel" he answered,
with mock gravity. And at that mo-
ment footsteps echoed on the cliffs be-
hind them. Bee glanced up and saw
Miss Vann approaching, attended by
Baron Strozzi, and followed by SER
want tugging a big sketch book.
The baron stuck his glass into his
eye and stared hard at the pair; but,
strange to say, Miss Vann appeared to
find nothing alarming in the sight OF
two good looking young people tete-a-
tete in the sunshine on the romantic
Newport cliffs.
"Ah, l have some delicious sketch
es" she cried. The shore and the sea
this morning fill me with what Tenny-
son calls divine despair My dear
Beatrix, it is well that you have COM
pleXion that nothing can harm. DO
not you find this sun rather warm?'
The baron bowed deeply to Bee.
coldly and distantly to Eric SAKE, who
returned his salutation in kind.