Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-10-13

Why lock me up here, instead of allowing me to
proceed to hometown and claim my son, as had
intended to do? Why bring the boy at night to
this abhorred abode of hobgoblins and all imagi-
nabe kind of devils. Why has old Loo been car
ried off and every one of US drugged almost to
death? Zounds! it strikes me, sir, that there is
too much mystery and msneuvripg about the whole
matter for plain honest dealing ..r -
But, my good SIR said Dulson, 'you cannot
surely blame Milton for all that has occurred since
your arrival, here. 1t may have been exceeding
y inudicious to bring your son to this house, but,
sir, depend upon it, Milton was actus.ted by the
best. of motives in oil that he has done
what possible motive, save an evil one, could
have actuated him in locking me up in house,
into which he feared to enter himself?'- said D.
Wilton. ... - - .-.-
4 admit, that appearances are against him.
said Dulsop .but does not the very fact of his be-
ing SO dangerously drugged, 60 very far to prove
that he is innocent of the removal of old Loo%
Iadmit that much, said D'Vilton.
sWell, then, if old Loo's presence is necessary
to the carrying out your plans, and was found
necessary to drug hin, before she could be remov-
ed from the house, does it not prove that Milton
would not have permitted her abduction had he
not been drugged? :.
81 confess that your reasoning is plausible,
said D'Vilton 'but cannot see either into the
proprety or expediency of that lock up business
will you allow me to suggest an exposition
and explanation even for such seeming unaccoun-
table steps p asked Dulson., .--- -.
by all MEANS said D'Vilton. ..
Did Milton know who you were when he locked
you up here?' asked Dulson.
Il do not think so; at anyrate die not tell him
my real name,' replied D'Vilton,
Did you not express q determination to enter
this house?' asked Dulson; and did he not en-
deavor to persuade you not to do 80"
THAT is all very true said D'Viton.
Did you not open the door for yourself, and
deliberately walk in without the slightest COM
pulsion on the part of Milton?'
That's fact said D'Vilton.
Then, as q matter of course, if you had. not
voluntarily entered the building, you would not
have been here now,' said Dulson.
Admirable logician! said D'Vilton tickled
with the ingenious reasoning Of Dulson, and smi-
ling in spite of himself. But why did he close
the door upon me?'
did you see him close the door = asked Dulson.
OF course did, said D'Vilton.
'You saw Hilton literally close the door,
WELL don't know-1Oho closed it, replied D.
Wilton, but can swear to the fact of its being so
How do you know but what the man that was
with him closed the door?'
.Pshaw! said D'Vilton, it matters not who was
guilty of the mere act Of shutting and locking
the door, Milton could have prevented it being
done'
you dc not know positively, whether he could
have prevented it or not, said Dulson. The door
of the house may have been closed by Milton's
companion, merely as a punishment for your OBJ
stinacy in entering
But how came the key of the door in the pos
session of Miltonr asked D'Vilton.
THAT also can be readily explained said Dull
son.
Indeed = said D'Vilton, you advocate Milton's
cause right cleverly.'
No doubt that he could advocate his own
cause much more to your satisfaction replied
Dulson. 1T lis because feel assured of his in
noceuce in the premises, that desire to disabuse
your mind Of its unfavorabe prejudces.'
WELL well ; how about the key?'
Some ten year ago, as l understand, Milton
obtained the services of looksmith TO open the
back door Of the house -.... o..
For what purpose? asked D'Viton.
We'll, there were so many reports about the
building being haunted, that he determined to
disabuse the minds of the people of such impress
sions by occupying room for seven consecutive
nights. For this purpose, the lock was taken
from the door and new key manufactured to fit
the wards
T hat smacks of probability said DVilton.
i hope, sir, that your opinion of Milton has
changed for the BETTER said Dulson.
i cannot say that it has, replied D'Viton.
why my dear sir, consider how kind it was in
Milton to bring the boy julius here. Certainly,
n man who would ride fifty miles merely to graf
ify your wishes can mean you no harm. Why
Il L. lo-o r t,n
unless Milton did not wish your arrival made
known until be could satisfy you of the legtima-
cy of his ward to the hership o. the D'Vilton
family
Bah the man did not know that was Edward
D'Vton until the boy had been presented
well, sir have already told you what char
acter Milton bears, and have endeavored to show
you how much that is apparently strange and
suspicious in his conduct may be accounted for
said Dulson. "
But Dulson,' said D'Viton, just suppose that
you occupied the position that do; and, that
you had received communication, containing
these words, relative to your wife and son Il
have somewhat to tell thee of thy son, and the
sad fate of Charlotte Meet me at the Deserted
House, Suppose that you set out for the said
house; and, upon your arrival there, felt hand
laid heavily upon your shoulder, and heard such
words as these from some invisible being Thou
prince of Williams, I warn thee to bewaren = and
that these words were spoken on the supposition
that Claude Milton was the person whom the in
visible addressed
How do you know that the speaker mistook
you for Milton p asked Dulson.
Why, man alive!' said D'Viton, impatiently;
what else could infer from such expressions as
Claude Milton, beware thou deep, dark,
bloody villian?' What less could any sane man
infer from such language?
Dulson looked confusedly up to the ceiling, and
remained silent.
Just imagine yourself in my place with these
words almost Kissing in your ears {: Didst think
to murder the boy, as thou didst his mother .
and then tell me candidy what impression would
be left upon your mind as to the true character of
Miltou?'
Dulson did not venture reply; Sc D'Vilton
continued: The only conclusion which CON ar
rive at, is, that Claude Milton has been in the hab-
it of visiting this house and, therefore, the in
visible speaker mistook me for him and that the
boy, spoken Of, is my son. If that be so-if Ju-
Illus D'Vilton is the hoy whose mother Claude
Milton murdered-then, as a matter, Of course,
the singular disappearance Of my wife is at last
for-Miton murdered her'
'Merciful heavensr exclaimed Dulson, you
surely, sir, cannot believe that Of Milton!'
I'm the name of common sensep said D'Vilton,
how is it possible to believe anything else?'
But the hag-for believe it was Loo who ad-
dressed you in the library-did not say word
about your son. She merely spoke Of a boy,
without mentioning Names =
Bah = said D'Vilton.,
But SIR persisted Dulson, it is very plain
Lhot x,onr oon uoo not in f1;o honaa, Of tha TINA