Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-07-15
were filed again. You're so kind!
Just splendid! I never thought new

Just splendid! I never thought new
er dreamed-". ., ..' 'a
"Hush!" the lady whispered-1 feal
they're coming!" Her hand closed ovel
Aurelie's. "And you, dear-you'd moi
do thing or say thing to hurt him
You'd let him go-refuse him IL you
had toto send him off to school and
into his career to win as he can win!",
"Oh, Mrs. Van Hart! OF course
would! I'd never let him know! P6
just be brave and laugh. I never, new
er, thought Of it,"
For an instant the lady's cool blue
I, eyes narrowed In a suspicion Of some
trickery. But Aurelie uprose now
standing with her wide gaze fixed on
the door where her lover had gone
Into his world. And she could not fol-
low. There was no Cinderella slipper
for her here! III fF i
"Our boy" the mother whispered:
If you could know-could dream what
he means to us, Aurelie! His father
his family" ia'-i
The girl listened dumbly. The lady's
voice was breaking now; and Mrs. Van
Hart moved from her stately manner
was something Aurelie could not imag-
inc apart from an unthinkable tragedy.
"And you're his mother" she burst
out "Of course know, Mrs. Van Hart!
I'm a regular little heather, but
know! must have had mother,
sometime, for she left me this"-she
raised the rosary from under her chin.
-"Uncle Michigan says had 1t when
he done stole me to occupy the land!"'
The lady nodded sympathetically.
She took Aurelie's hand. Dear, want
to show you something" She led the
girl across the room softly and by the
grill and curtains Of the door they
stopped. His people, Aurelie," she
whispered: his life and place. There
he's dancing now!" 'f" 81
Then miracle came to Aureiie.
Something that in all her wild passion
and jealous freedom of the south she
had not dreamed could be. She saw
Harlan. dancing with Elise Dickinson,
saw him pass in the throng. the waltz
ing couples, the figures Of dainty girls
in white and pink and delicate blues.
And the music, dreamy and exquisite,
calling to her heart all she had read
or felt might be Of light and laughter
and goodness-all that one with soul
to love would love, even as one starv-
ed. Saw and was unmoved. by jeal-
ousy, by passion, by resentment or de-
sire. Only she felt some pure and lofty
pity tug her heart, whether for Mrs.
Van Hart, or Harlan, or herself she
could not tell. Only she had no longer
felt the little fool, absurd in her pride,
but as though she had accomplished
some wonderful thing that raised her
above every one, even In this great
lady's eyes.
Yes, she could look dumb and clear
eyes on Harlan dancing with Elise, and
without desire or evil. She drew back
and held the curtains down and nod
ded TO the motner.
tPm safraid.f she said-"Tn tell him
So" She moved toward the veranda
door across the room and there she
nodded again. "If he loves me, Mrs.
Van Hart, he'll come back to me, any
way, If 1t was years and years! But I
won't let OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES"
Then, as she turned to go, she was
conscious that Harlan was In the 9TH
er door: Harlan, and behind him the
laughing group Of dancers. He saw
her just as she stepped into the cool
october dark; and midway, under the
lights, his mother, gracious, smiling,
turned to the guests in welcome. And
great fear shot across his face. He
checked a cry as he broke from Miss
Dickinson's arm and dashed across the
room. But quick as he was, his mother
was before him, in the doorway, block
ing his egress, yet carelessly, unnoted,
her arm to the frame.
"Mother!" he shouted. What have
you done?"
For answer she looked at him. And
Aurelie, outside, a wrath melting in
the moonlight under the naples, turn
ing her head, saw the mothers face. 1t
was tense with a desperate and beau
tiful hardness, convulsed with horror,
yet controlled as by the art of an ac-
tress; and her slender figure was a
steel in spring set against him. Aure-
lie gave a gasp of admiration as she
fied-terror and admiration, for 1t was
as IL Harlan was about to strike the
woman in the doorway.
What have you done?" he whisper
ed. What have you done?"
His mothers hand was on his. She
were now strolling from the music
room, gracious, imperturbable, victori-
Gus. He stood staring out at the flick
of the leaves. Once he blurted mans
savagery upon her, and once he turned
to go. But they were all about him
now, laughing. Elise came to him by
the window where he again was star
ing out.
Whats the matter, Harlan? You
look as If you had seen a ghost!"
Il have" Again he fought his des-
perate insurgence to quit them all, to
curse them ALTO shout his anger and
his humiliation at them all and leave.
But he smiled, after a moment, into
Elise's friendly eyes, bantering chum-
my eyes; in a little while he was him.
self, gracious, imperturble.
The Van Hart hereditament won.
(To be Continued).