Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-02-10

think you would De sorry 10 nave He
face-what I am facing now. You
were always so forgiving, Alix; you
would be the first to be sorry"
He put his hand over the tigerish
pain that was beginning to reach his
heart. His throat felt thick and
choked, and still he did not cry.
IAN hour ago." he said, aft it had
been that the least thought of what
this meant TO you might have reached
me an hour ago, it would not have
been too late AliX, one look into your
eyes all hour ago might have saved
us az! cred" Peter said aloud, with
hitter groan, clinching tight the
hands IF the OLD friend who had erept
IN to stand beside him, Erred, she was
here, In all her health and JOY and
strength only today. And nov"
81 know-old man" the other man
muttered. He looked anxiously at Pc
ter's terrible face. In the silence the
dog whimpered family. But when Pc
ter, after an endless FIVE minutes,
turned away, it was to speak to his
friend in an almost normal voice.
81 must 90 down and see Cherry,
Fred. She took her husband TO the
old house; they were living there"
Helen will stay here" the old man
assured him quickly. "I'll drive you
down and come back here. We thought
perhaps q few of US could come here
tomorrow afternoon, Peter" he added
timldly, with his reddened eyes filling
again, land talk of her little, and
pray for her little, and then take
her tO-to rest beside the old doc
tor" ... ,...
81 hadn't thought about that" Peter
answered, still with the air of finding
it hard TO link words to thought. But
that is the way she would like 1t.
Thank you-and thank Helen for
me"
"Oh, Peter, to do anything" the
woman faltered. "She came to US, you
know, when the baby was so ill-day
after las2ATny own sister couldn't have
been more to u.s."
Did she?" Peter asked, staring at
the speaker steadily, "That was like
her" -
He went ont of the house and got
into a waiting car, and they drove
down the mountain. AliX had driven
him over this road day before yester-
day-yesterday-no, it was today, he
remembered. ..
"Thank God l don't feel it yet as
/ shall feel II, Thompson ~ he said
quietly. The man who was driving
gave him an anxious glance.
"You must take each day as 1t
comeS," he answered simply.
Peter nodded, folded his arms across
his chest, and stared into the early
dark. There was no other way to go
than past the very spot where the hor-
ror had occurred, but Thompson told
his wife later that poor Joyce had not
seemed to know it when they passed
it. Nor did he give any evidence of
emotion when they reached the old
Strickland house and entered the old
hallway where Cherry had come nying
in. few short years ago, with Mar
tins first kiss upon her lips.
Two doctors, summoned from San
Francisco, were here, and two nurses.
Martin had been laid upon hastily
moved bed In the old study, to be
spared the narrow stairs. The room
was metamOrphOsed, the whole house
moved about 1t as about a pivot, and
there was no thought but for the man
who lay, sometimes moaning and some
times ominouSly still, waiting for
death.
.Tie cannot livew whispered Cherry,
ghastIy of face, and with the utter
chaos of her soul and brain expressed
by her tumbled froCk and the careless
ly pushed back and knotted masses of
her hair. Ills arm is broken, Peter,
and his leg cruShcd-they don't dare
touch him! And the surgeon says the
spine, tOo--and you see his head! Oh,
NON II 10 81 lSIllDlC, EhC Stliu III
agony, through shut teeth, knOtting
her hands together; at is too terrible
that he is breathing now, that life is
there now, and that they cannot hold
itw
She led Peter into the sitting room,
where the doctors were waiting.
as there any hope?" he asked, when
Cherry had gone away on one of the
restless, unnecessary Journeys with
which she was filling the endless
hours. One man shook his head. and in
the silence they heard Martin groan.
'It is possible he may weather it.,
Of course" the older man said doubt
fully. He is coming out Of that first
StupOr, and we may be able to tell bet
ter in a short time. The fact t.at he
is living at all indicates tremendous
vitality"
Cherry came to the door to say
"DOctorw on a burst OF tears. The
physicians departed at once TO the
study, and Peter was Immediately sum-
moncd to assist them in handling the
big frame of the patient. Martin was
thoroughly conscious now; his face
chalk white. Cherry, agonized, knelt
- 1,,s. u, Toe,