Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-05-23
Xxx.
THE EXPLANATION.

II received your note, Sir Rezln, Sald LOU
Ruthven, stsand trust have not kept you waiting.
With these words, the nobleman drew from his
breast heavy time piece, decorated with jewels
and consulted it.
IT see that have come within the time which
you requested" =,
'Strict punctuaHty was immaterial, my Lord,
was the baronet's ceremoni6us rely, "and MIR.
Innis-a necessary parsonage in the interview
just arrived"
s'Mr Innis?"
And Lord Ruthven, apparently ignorant that he
had spoken, gazed with obvious surprise upon the
young man. .,
"Yes, my Lord" said Sir Rein, "as you vii
very soon perceive, it was absolutely indispensable
that Mr.. Innis should attend on this occasion, anc
Ae like yourself, awaits an explanation Of my sud
den summons"
II am very much at your service, sir; but hae
not Lady Brand and her daughter better retire r
''It is advisable that they should remain"
sThen this is family consultation p
"a family meeting, at least; and though alone
shall speak for my wife and daughter, they deslrf
to be present"
Sir Rein paused, and for full minute gazeo
alternately at Innis and Lord Ruthven-hls coun
tenance quite pale, his breast heaving.
II see that you expect me to speak, gentlemen,
he said in low voice, "andI can nGlonger put OF
the explanation. Lord Ruthven-y yesterday l wa
planter of large landed possessions; to-day l an
beggarl Do not interrupt me-let me explalr
everythinga at once, my Lord. You must know thai
the estate of Haddon, upon which I live, andwhicf
is one of the most princey in the Colony, came In
to 1hy possession by marriage with Lady Brand
1t was devised to her by her uncle, Colonel Seaton
q gentleman who never married, and who adopted
two nieces, of whom my wife was one. These
nieces were cousins, and became as children tt
Colonel Seaton Well, sir, upon the death Of the
Colonel, it was found that he had left the estate
Haddon, the great bulk of his property, to the
younger of the cousins, Lady Brand and to tht
other a much smaller portion. The report that tht
elder of the cousins alady of high spirit had quar-
relied with her uncle, short time before his death
explained this disproportionate devise to Lady
Brand. Theeldermarried Mr. Innis, of 'Lodore,
and died, leaving an only child, the gentleman be-
fore you, my Lord. My marriage had taken place
some months before, and Haddon has, to this time,
been in my possession. 1t now passes to the rep
resentative Of the elder niece of Colonel Seaton. l"
And Sir Rezin bowed to Innis A low sob from
Lady Brand was heard in the short pause; but no
word interrupted the speaker. He continued with
scarcely comfortable agitation, but clearly and con-
secutively.
sThe ground of Mr. Innis' claim 10 the estate,
or rather the title by which he holds it from this
moment, is derived from later Will OF Colonel
Seaton, discovered within the last few days The
details of this event are extraordinary. In the
month of November last, my daughter had very
disagreeable dream in which she imagined that
some one entered her chamber with sword or dag
GER that the intruder disappeared, leaving his
weapon, and that rising from her couch she secur'
ed the instrument and deposited it in an old chest
of drawers heirloom of the family and known
to have been used by Colonel Seaton. On looking
for the weapon, the next day-as might have beer
expected-none was to be seen. The drawers
were all securely locked, and the search was given
up"
Innis saw Honoria tremble as her father spoke
and CHANGING to look toward Lord Ruthven, was
startled at the death-ike pallor of his face. He
was so pale that he appeared about to faint, and
his brow was bathed in an icy sweat. What could
be the origin of this terrible emotion? Tbeyoung
man vainly asked himself the question, but was
speedily diverted from the subject, by the continu
alton of Sir Rein narrative
Nevertheless, the baronetwent on, "the dream
which my daughter had, did not pass from hel
memory. 1t continued to haunt her, and she firm
ly believes, to this very moment, that it was moi
entirely her fancy. Whether such be the truth Of
not, you will Judge; even if my daughter sim
ply dreamed, the result of that dream was certainly
startling. As I have said, the subject continued
to haunt her, and absorb her thoughts She could
not Danish it. and absence from the scene Of the oc
currence only strengthened the influence of the
impression. The departure Of the family from
Haddon was so hurried, that she scarcely had ar
opportunity to collect her thoughts, or reason or
the affair; but after reaching Williamsburg, she
felt that in one direction only, lay the solution o
the problem. As I have said, she imagined in hel
dream that the shadowy dagger had been safely
deposited in the old chest of drawers in her apart
ment. There, if anywhere, was the explanation
of the mystery, and she determined to solve it
An opportunity was recently presented. A servant
was despatched to Haddon for some household ar
tices forgotten in the haste of departure, and thi
servant bore an order from my daughter to an ole
negress, who had grown gray and decrepid at the
hail. to search for the keys of the chest Of drawers
open them, and send to the capital whatever they
contained. I cheerfully INDUCED my daughter:
fancy, hoping thus to dissipate an influence which
evidently made her gloomy. But little dreamed
that the result would be so extraordinary. The
old neress, in obedience to the command Of hel
Young mistress, instituted search for the keys anc
finally discovered them in some out-ofthe-way
place. rusted with age and almost useless. They
nevertheless, answered the purpose, and opened
the chest of drawers. In the top drawer, WHERE
the dagger of the dream had been deposited"
"It was not found!' exclaimed Lord Ruthven
in voice so hollow and tremulous that all eye:
turned suddenly toward him.
''No, my Lord" replied Sir Rein, looking with
the deepest surprise upon the speaker, who wa:
ashy pale, ''but-'
''Do not let my agitation interrupt you, sir, u
said Ruthven, with sudden compression of his
lips 'the truth is, your relation is so strange SC
tragic--but proceed, sir.
And shading his face with one hand, he assum
ed an attitude of attention. his dark eyes gitteng
in the shadow
"a few words more will end the narrative, SAID
the baronet. "No dagger was discovered, but the
search was far from unimportant in its result