The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-06-26
BY W A. LEE AND HUGH WILSON.


Tho house is unoccupied.'
Mrs. Inglcsby stopped in tho act
of pulling 2 Noisetlc bud, and looked
ut the house IN question. For an un
occupied dwelling it certainly pre-
sented strange appearance just
then blinds werc open, window.
were raised, stir and movement wcr.
plainly visible within. AS she look
ed, q gentleman showed himself at
one Of the open windows, and then
hastily vanished.
"If your house is not occupied, it
must be haunted" said she, turning to
Rose with smile.
But Rose was frowning rs she gaz-
cd in the same direction, and her
companion, whom nothing escaped,
saw that one tiny foot was beating
ncrvously on tee gravcl-path.
"The new owner must have como, !"
answered she almost bitterly
"When said it was not occupied, !
meant tkat the old man who used TO
| live there is dead, and that his
nephew, who inherits tho place, had
not arrived" ..... .. .....
so it has changed hands," said
Mrs. Inglcsby, looking with consider
able interest at the stately house
over which the bright May sunshine
slanted ;s lovingly and gayly as if 90
coffin had ever passed across the
threshold. Il think l should hate to
Leave such q homo. What was the
namc of tho old man of whom you
spcak?" ...'
lie was an old wretch" said Rose,
vindictively, "and his name was Dew
ercuX."
More than this mcagre information
Mrs. Inglesby did not receive. AS
Rose uttered the last word, there
came through the open windows the
clear, ringing sound of the breakfast
bell, and the two ladies retraced their
steps to the house. .......
The day passed very quietly, and
so, likewise, did the evening. But
again no visitors dropped in; aud it
seemed as if the curiosity Of Nor
thorpe was to be restrained in simply
heroic degree. This evening, how
ever, Rose showed unmistakablc
signs of ennuii. She strollcd listlessly
TO and fro, haunted the ncighhorhocd
Of the front windows. started when
ever there was step on the pave
mcnt near tho door, and finally COM
mi:tel the euormity Of an undissuiscd
yawn. Somewhat ashamed Of this
last achievement, she went 10 the
piano; but, in the midst of her very
first song, there came a sharp peal OF
the door-bell that made her start and
turn. a moment later JOHN passed
through tho hall to answer the sum-
mons, and Mrs. Henry Inslesby,; who
was listening, with exemplary pa.
ticncc, to her mother-in-law's placid
stream Of small.talk, looked up with
Il little interest in tho interruption.
AS she looked up, her eye chanccd to
fall on Rose, and something in the
girls face attracted her attention.
She was listening eagerly listening
with lips parted and color varying
to the sounds at the t'ront-door; to
John fumbling an instant or two at
the handle before turning it, and to 4
voice : round, jovial voicc-inquiring
if Colonel Inglcsby and the ladies
were ut home. The bright brown
eyes that were watching it saw Il
swift flush Of vcxation como over the
listening face, and the lips meet only
to be impaticntly bitten. "Pool
child!" thought the elder and more
experienced woman" she is looking
for some man who has not come"
Somebody had come, however; for,
besides the voice aforesaid, hat and
stick were audibly deposited in the
hall, and n stout old gentleman, in Il
wig, soon made his appearance at tho
open door.
lie was greeted cordially by the
Colonel as "Brcnt," and was plainly
an intimate friend, from his own
greetings to Mrs. Ing!esby and Rose.
When ho was presented to the
young stranger, hs at once claimed
tho privilege of shaking hands, on
the score Of having been lifelong
friend to her husband and her hus-
bands family.
The hustle of reception being over,
and all due compliments paid, he sat
himself down aud plunged at once
into social topics, in which Rose alone
seemed to take no interest. While
he talked at one end of the room, she
went on playing ut the other, and it
was not. until the name of Kcnnon
caught her ear that she took her
hands from the keys and turned
round.
"What was that, Mr.. Brent ?" she
asked, quickly. "Did you say that
Mr.. Kcnnon has left town?"
Il said he intended to leave" said
Mr.. Brent, while Mrs. Inglcsby ex.
changed a quick glance with her hus-
! band. Il met MIN on Inc sCrceC TO-
day, and he told mo that he was off
to tc gone week, I think he said.
But I rather incline to think"-hcrc
the old gentleman looked very signif-
cant-"that ho' has gone for good"
"Why?" demanded Rose, with i'll
restrained eagerness.
Ar. Brent glanced round at his an
dience before he tapped his snuff-box
gently, and answered, with q smile,
"Bccause Philip Dovereux has arriv-
cd."". .-..T- f,.. .....
To say that this item of nows made
a sensation would DO to state an cx-
tremo fact as mildly as possible.
Whoever Mr.. Philip pevereux might
be, it at least was evident that his ar-
rival in Northorpe was O matter of