Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-08-10
an 0riaiual Stutg.
LOST AND FOUND /;
THE WHITE FAWN OF THE FOREST.
BY MRS. HENRY DEAS.
CHAPTER VIII.

CHAPTER VIII.
It chanced that Arthur Leslie, on leaving
Mr.. Johnson's Office, took fancy to 60 to
circulating library where he had ticket, to see
whether he could obtain a certain pamphlet
which had not been in when he had last gone
in quest oft. The library was on the upper
floor of bookstore in the same street as the
residence of Sophia Wells father and thus
it came to pass, as he emerged from the book
store with the pamphlet in his hand, that he
espied at distance his cousin Charlotte, at
that instant ringing Mr.. Wells front door
bell. AS it was over an hour since, he had
left her, he felt some surprise to find that she
had but just gone to pay her visit, but sup
posed that she had found some other errand
to delay her; and perceiving that she sent
in her card and turned away, he quickened
his pace for the purpose of overtaking her,
that they might walk home together. She
walked so rapidly, however, that he was una
Bile to accomplish his object, and being nearly
two squares in advance of him, she presently
disappeared from view.
Nothing was more natural, on his meeting
her at tea,time in the psrlor, than that he
should allude to this circumstance, asking her,
at thu same time, whether she had discovered
that she owed any other visits, that she had
left that particular one until so late? To his
great astonishment, this simple question SEEM
ed to overwhelm her with embarrassment.
She colored violently, and being quite thrown
off her guard, was unable, for an instant, to re.
ply.
"Why, Lofty, how guilty you look" he
exclaimed, not without a mischievous pleas
ure in teasing her, for he had yet to overcome
that boyish propensity. "Any one would sup
pose you had been up to some naughty prank
that you didn't want found out-some clan
destine meeting, perhaps~
This unexpected hitting of the nail on the
head completed poor Charlotte's confusion.
She gasped faint ooh" and glanced help
lessly towards the door, as if celebrating on
q means of escape. But Arthur had no inten'
ton of letting her off so easily.
"Come, confess" he went on tormentingly.
"You had private engagement-an appoint
ment to meet one of your admirers, and didn't
want me to know anything about it. That's
why you tried to put off going with me to do
my shopping until tomorrow! Oh! Lofty,
to think that you could be so sly"
Arthur had not the faintest idea that his
pretended surmise was such correct one.
He did not believe in his secret heart that
CnarI6sge ever mad had, or could have, an ad-
mirer in the world. But to her it seemed as
though it were impossible he could bring such
an accusation against her out of sheer fancy.
By some means or other, she thought, he must
have found her out Possessed with this idea,
and absolutely incapable, from the force of
the shock, of uttering word in her own de-
fence, she stood for moment speechless. then
burst into tears.
my goodness alive" cried Arthur, more
mystiied than ever, and, to do him justice,
somewhat dismayed also at the effect of his
jesting words. "Haye l made you angry,
Lofty? Why, you oughtn't to mind little
chaff-a fellow can't always be serious, you
know. I'm sure beg your pardon, if I've
hurt your feelings at all"
"It isn't right of you to speak so" sobbed
Charlotte, not exactly sure of her ground yet.
You should not accuse nae of-of such
things"
"But, my dear, I was only in fun do
assure you was. exclaimed Arthur, with such
unfeigned sincerity, that she was greatly COM
forted II should think you might have
known that, without my telling you so. Why,
Lofty, I'd as soon suspect the moon of riding
a steeple-chase after the planet Jupiter, as to
suspect you of doing anything clandestine or
improper would, indeed. I'm amazed that
you should have taken my nonsense for ear
nest. Come, are We friends again?'
Charlotte, reassured, though feeling dread
fully guilty, willingly responded to his over
lures of peace, and the tea-urn being brought
in, proceeded to fulfill the accustomed duties
as if nothing had happened. Her display of
agitation, however, had been too remarkable
to be readily forgotten; and Arthur puzzled
evening, to think of some reason why she
should have yielded to such unaccountable
emotion, On such trifing provocation as he
had given her.
Charlotte, herself, was thoroughly vexed at
her own Stiffness, and full of apprehension,
lest she might have laid herself open to sus-
picion, and thus increased the chances Of dis
covery. She could have made herself easy
on that score Her cousin merely attributed
her unwonted behaviour to some passing f.
of eccentricity, or depression of spirits, and
having asked and obtained pardon for his
ehare in the transaction, dismissed it, after
that evening, completely from his mind. Not
so the love-lorn maiden, who continued to
brood over the occurrence until she convinced
herself that her efaire du ceur had taken
very critical turn, and was liable, at any in
slant, to be laid bare to the gaze of prying
eyes and taking sheet Of rose-tinted paper
from her desk, on the following morning, she
indited the following note to her swain:
s'I write to entreat you, Alphonse to be strictly
ON vour guard. I feel that we are on the brink of
discovery, and the thought flts me .otth terror
ence or otherwise, that any tie but that of mere
acqaaintanceship exists between US. Neglect these
precautions, and our hopes will crumble into
dust and ashes. Our only safety lies in the most
this, all would be lost. Yours faithfully. but in
fear. y. -.
The immense satisfaction which Charlotte
dor;,aa from the composition of this senti-