Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-03-17

Come in," said the hermit in a
tone so colorless it called added at
tention to the gown. Miss, you have
the chair. You'll have to be content
ed with that soap box davenport
gentlemen. Well?"
He stood facing them in the middle
of his hermitage.
1--WE have come to plead began
Miss Norton, turning her eyes at their
full candle power on the hermit's
bearded face.
81 beg pardon. miss" interrupted
Mr.. Peters, but it amt any use. I've
thought it all out-in the night
watches, as the poet says. L came
up here to be alone. I can't be a
hermit and a cook too. / can't and
be true to myself. No, you'll have to
accept my resignation, to take effect
at once"
He sat down on an uncertain chair
and regarded them sorrowfully. His
long, we'll shaped fingers clutched the
cord of the purple gown.
1T isn't as though we were asking
you to give up the hermit business for
good" argued Magee. ITS just for
a short time-maybe only for few
days 1 should think you would well
come the diversion"
Mr.. Peters shook his head vigor-
ously The brown curls waving flip
PANTY about his shoulders.
MY instincts" he replied, ARE
away from the crowd. 1 explained
that to you when we first met. Mr.
Magee"
ANY man." commented Mr.. Max,
Ought to be able to strangle his in
stincts for good salary, payable in
advance"
You come here" said the hermit
with annoyance, and you bring with
you the sentiments of the outside
world-the world | have foresworn
Don't do it. l ask you
II don't get YOU" reflected Mr.. Max.
mo, pal. don't quite grab this her
say. Way up here miles from the lit
tie brass rail and the sporting ex-
ira and other things that make life
worth living. It's beyond me-"
I'm not asking your approval" re-
piled the hermit. "All l ask is to be
let alone
Let me speak," said Miss Norton
Mr.. Peters and l have been friends,
you might say, for three years. 1t was
three years ago my awed eyes first
fell upon him, selling his postcards at
the inn. He was to me then true ro-
nance, the man to whom the world
means nothing without a certain wo-
man at his side. This is what he has
meant to all the girls who came to
Baldpate. He isn't going to shatter
my ideal of him-he isn't going to re-
fuse a lady in distress. You will come
for just a little while won't you Mr..
Peters,"
But Peters shook his head again.
Il dislike women as a SEX" he said,
but I've always been gentle and easy
with isolated examples of 'em. 1t
amt my style to turn 'em down. But
this is asking too much. I'm sorry,
but | got to be true to my oath-I got
to be hermit
Maybe" sneered MIR. Max, hes
got good reasons for being a hermit.
Maybe there's brass buttons and blue
uniforms mixed up in it,
You come from the great world of
suspicion, answered the hermit,
turning reproving eyes upon him.
Your talk is natural. 1t goes with
the life you lead. But it isn't true"
And Mr.. Max is the last who
should insinuate," remarked Mr.. Ma
gee. why, only last night he de-
nounced suspicion and bemoaned the
fact that there is so much of it in the
world"
We'll he might" replied the her
NIT. Suspicion is the keynote Of
modern life. especially in New York" !"
He drew the purple dressing gown
closer about his plump form. II re-
member the last time l was in the
big town seeing crowd of men in the