Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-01-30

there, in ft.'
"In a fit" echoed Lucy, in terror; and
rushing into the dining room she beheld poor
Claude in pitiable state.
He was lying on the floor, writhing con-
vulsively, while spasms contorted his features
and the whites of his eyes were displayed in
a terrible manner.
"Oh Heavens, what shall l do?" cried
Lucy, who had never seen such case before,
and knew not how to act. "How did it hap
pen? Was he ever this way before? Where
is Mr.. Stanley? Have him called immedi-
ately!'
II have no idea where Mr.. Stanley il" said
the housekeeper folding her arms with an
unmoved air. 81 have not seen him this
morning"
"But he was out there, in the grounds, five
minutes ago-he must be called" said Lucy,
ringing the bell violently, as she spoke. "Mrs.
Ford, Claude must not lie there-will you
help me lift him on the sofa?
81 would rather not touch him" said Mrs.
Ford, composedly; she may bite me"
With whitening glance of indignation,
Lucy bent over the poor child, and lifting him,
with some difficulty, in her own slight arms,
placed him on the sofa without assistance.
Her very touch seemed to compose him; his
struggles became less violent, and gradually
ceased his eyes closed, and he lay for mo-
ment as still as death, and almost as white.
"Claude, my dear love-my poor boyP
murmured Lucy, her heart wrung with an
guish, as she stroked back the fair curls from
his brow, and pressed her lips to his cold
cheek.
He opened his eyes, meeting hers with a
glance of recognition, then instantly closing
them again, he hid his face against the sofa,
muttering in fearful tone
"Oh! the black man-the dreadful man
Take him away"
"There is nothing here-nothing to trouble
you, my child" said Lucy, soothing ly. "See,
1 am with you-don't be afraid, you are safe
with me-"
keep me with you, aunt Lucy-don't let
me co." said the boy, clinging to her. "Oh!
it was such a dreadful looking thing"
"He is out of his mind" remarked Mrs.
Ford, calmly. "These attacks commonly do
them this way. Iguess he'll come round after
a little while"
"He has been terrified by something" said
Lucy, and she could not forbear glance of
suspicion as she spoke Nothing else could
have brought on such an attack"
"Dear me, ma'am, how little experience
you must have," said Mrs. Ford, smiling.
'These attacks come on quite suddenly, with
out any cause, whatever. Itsa an epileptic fit,
that's all. Perhaps he is subject to them.
Here's Mr.. Stanley; dare say he can tell you
about it."
Here Stanley came hurrying in, with face
of great concern. "My dear Lucy, what is
all this ?" he cried "Claude ill-Claude in a
fit, the servants tell me! How did it come
about?"
81 cannot tell found him so when I came
in," said Lucy. 81 think. something has
frightened him." and she repeated, in low
tone, what the child had said.
Call imagination boy! He has very
weak nerves." said Stanley, compassion ately.
"But don't be alarmed, my love-how pale
and agitated you look! 1t is not the first at
tack of the sort he has had; he will be quite
we'll again presently. He was always deli
cate child, I believe.
Claude, who had lain quite passive during
this conversation, now raised his eyes again,
and said in languid tone
II want aunt Lucy to stay with me"
"And so she shall, my dear-so she shall, "
said his uncle, soothingly. "He is very fond
of you, my love-very fond !" he added to his
wife. tPerhaps it will be best if you sit here
with him for time; it will tranquilize him,
and gradually restore him to himself"
"May not have him carried to my dress
ing-room ?" asked Lucy. ut is so much qui-
eter in there"
mo, would not move him." rejoined her
husband. "He can lie quietly here, and moth
ing will disturb him. Besides, he will be suf-
fciently recovered to sit up presently"
To Lucy's great relief, the housekeeper now
left the room, saying that she must 60 and
attend to her work. Stanley, after lingering
for few minutes, also took his departure,
bidding her ring the bell if she needed any
assistance and Lucy was left alone with her
little patient.
He lay perfectly still, with his eyes open,
but with such dreamy, far away look in
them that she judged it best not to worry him
by talking.
Again she was perplexed by uneasy specu-
lations, as to the possible cause of his singular
attack
Could he have really seen anything to
frighten him, or was the object that had caused
his alarm entirely the effect Of his magma
ton?
A short time ago, and she would have ac-
cepted the latter solution without difficulty.
But now her suspicious had been aroused, and
she was on the qui vive for new discoveries.
She mistrusted the housekeeper, with her
smooth tongue and hypocritical, yet covertly
insolent manner. She did not, alas even put
faith in her husband. There seemed to her to
be some mysterious agency at work about the
house; some dark, evil influence overshadow-
ing it like threatening cloud. And she felt
powerless to act, to do anything to protect
herself against this unseen, unfathomable in
Auence. And the helpless child lying here