Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-05-06
CHAPTER XIV.

luS upOu VIC SAouhN'
CHAPTER XIV.
THE DELAToUR FAMILY.
"Really, Gervais, this is very awkward
predicament, isn't 2" :.
$50 it is; but, my dear fellow, we can't
leave the girl here, you know; by some
means or other she must be carried to place
of safety"
The speakers were two young gentleman, of
about twenty.four and twenty'six years OF
age The scene was the wood in which Alice
had been journeying; the time, the hour of
sunrise; and the subject of the dialogue was
Alice herself, who stood leaning against a
tree at little distance of, looking very pale,
detected, and apprehensive.
Gervais Delatour and Paul Raymond, RI
ding down in the direction of Columbia from
the country home of the former, had chanced
to pass through this wood, having spent the
night at a farmers house close by, and encoun-
tered Alice, who having recovered from her
swoon, but feeling very faint and weak, was
sitting on the ground in forlorn attitude,
having neither strength or courage to proceed
on her way, though aware that it was perilous
for her to linger longer than she could help
in the vicinity of the hated domicile from
which she had made her escape.
Struck with surprise, and also with admi-
ration at her beauty, and compassion for her
apparently helpless and unhappy condition,
the two friends had drawn bride, and re.
spectfully rendered their assistance if she
needed it. Poor Alice, greatly abashed at
the consciousness of her own dilapidated ap-
pearance, and the sngularity of the predica'
meDt in which she was placed, and not know
ing what on earth the gentlemen must think
of her, could hardly find words in which to
answer them. She stammered, faltered, utter
ed few incoherent phrases, and then burst
into tears.
II fear you are ILL.," said Gervais Delatour,
in sympathizing tone. "Will you not make
use Of my horse to convey you home? I will
accompany you to see that he carries you
safely"
II have no home," said Alice, and then re-
collecting how strangely this assertion must
sound, she added
IL am an orphan, and have lately been
with some people who were very unkind to
me. l have met with great misfortunes. l
have left their house. and now don't know
exactly where to 60. l have been half the
night in this dreadful wood"
"Good heavens!" cried young Delatour,
who, as Alice spoke, was more and more
charmed by her grace and beauty, and felt
convinced that she must be person of refine
ment and gentle breeding. Is it possible that
you are entirely without protection Of any
sort? Raymond" he added, turning to his
friend, "don't you think we might manage to
hire conveyance from that old fellow back
yonder, if we tried ?"
"a conveyance ?" repeated the other, dubi.
ously. "What for?
Thereupon the two withdrew apart and
conversed for few moments in low tone.
Paul Raymond did not enter readily into his
friends plan, which was to hire vehicle of
some description and carry Alice to his moth
er's place, some twenty miles higher up.
"My dear fellow, you are absurdly roman
tic! How do you know but what this girl is
an impostor-some undeserving character per-
haps-"
"Oh nonsense, Paul Look at her face
ifever saw candor and purity, they are writ.
ten there! I'm not so easily imposed on"
said Gervais, impatiently. Common courte-
sy would make man help young, unpro-
tected creature in such strait as this"
II thought prosecuted, wandering damsels
of this Sort only existed in books" said Ray
mond, good-naturedy, but with touch Of
irony in his tone However, if you are dis
posed to act the part Of knight.errant and
rescue her"
you'll help me, am sure," said the other,
eagerly. Look here Paul this Is an awk-
ward predicament, as you say, and we must
act as delieately as possible. Shall propose
my plan and see what she says to it?'
"My advice is," said Raymond, "that we
show her the way to the farmhouse, and take
some of the womenkind there into consulta.
tion"
"Well, maybe that would be BETTER" said
Gervais, musingly. "The old lady seemed to
be good, motherly soul, and that rosy-faced
daughter perhaps she would come here to
meet this poor girl, if one of US went to fetch
her, and take her back with her."
"Oh! that would take such long time"
said Paul, who was somewhat impatient of the
interruption to their journey. 81 can 60 on
and tell them she's coming, if you like, and
you and your 'fayre Una can follow on to-
gether."
Thereupon Gervais returned to Alice, and
addressing her with the same high-bred cour-
tesy which had before marked his manner to-
ward her, again offered her the use of his
horse, since she evidently had not strength to
walk, and proposed to conduct her to the
farmhouse where, he said, he felt sure she
could obtain comfortable shelter. Alice saw
no alternative, but to accept the proposition ;
and she presently found herself on the back
of Gervais Delatour's beautiful iron-grey, his
master holding the bride and carefully choos-
ing the smoothest path, while young Ray
mond cantered on ahead to give warning of
their approach.
Never was more romantic adventure
Alice felt as if she was enacting one Of her
own idyls. In spite of her desolate condition,
her spirits insensibly rose with the sense of
freedom and escape from danger The fresh