Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-03-28

prevented anything like gaucherte on her
part, while the new sense of responsibility
seemed to rouse her from her habitual indo-
lence and Indifference into taking more
watchful and active part. And when dinner
was over and the dessert placed on the table,
the servants withdrew, leaving her to a
9te Il ste with her guardian, her shyness be-
gan to melt away under the cheerful in6uen.
ces of the place and hour. She allowed her.
self to be beguiled into giving sundry sketch.
es of her school life, and once or twice lit
tie gentle laugh rang out, making music in
the Colonel's ears, long unused to such sound
from girlish lips beneath his roof. The hour
which he generally spent over some enter.
tanning volume of travels or poetry, sped
away quite as fast in her companionship,
and they were both surprised when the big
bronze clock on the mantel-piece chimed nine.
"It's not very late, Mary, but I dare say
you are tired, and will be glad to 60 to bed"
said the Colonel, kindly. "Don't get up too
early in the morning. breakfast at eight,
but as you will still be rather fatigued, you
must sleep as late as you please, and you will
find everything ready for you when you come
down."
"Thank you, sir" said Mary. II general
ly get up at six-at least I did at school,"
"But this isn't school. You are at liberty
now, you know" he answered, smiling down
into her upturned face. "You are to do ex-
actly as you choose, here. I constitute you
mistress of the house, and everything is to
60 on as you like to have it."
Colonel Dacre, Colonel Dacre Is this the
way you commence the duties of your guard
ianship?
Mary flushed deep rosy red. IL would
rather everything should 60 on just as you
like, sill" she said, shyly, myself among the
rest"
"Would you, nay child ? Then it shall
only my way will probably be yours" he an
swered still smiling in his benignant fashion,
and thinking as he did so, how the girlish 6g-
ure, standing there in the warm ruddy light,
frightened and beauti6ed the room, usually
so solitary and quiet. Mary stood still mo-
ment longer. Then, with another "good-
night" withdrew her hand and left the room.
A sable handmaiden, appointed for her sole
use, was waiting to attend her to her cham
Der and assist her in her toilet duties, which
being fulfilled, she laid her head on the down.
lest of pillows, in the whitest and softest of
beds, and was soon soundly and sweetly
asleep.
The colonel sat down in the big chair he
had drawn up before the fire for his wards
use, and ruminated. That his reflections were
at first solely pleasant, might be inferred
from his smiling and satisfied expression; but,
after time, this changed. A serious, almost
troubled look came over his face. He knit
ted his brows and compressed his lips, and
gazed long and ixedly into the glowing en-
bers, as if there reading some painful pic
lures of the past. Painful, indeed, were some
Of the memories that fitted through his brain,
as by.gone years arose up before him-mem-
ories of wasted affection, of treasures of the
heart and mind lavished with bounty only
to be cast aside with indifference or con-
tempt. Of slow.growing disappointment and
vain regret and bitter yearning for happiness
never to be attained. Two faces Aoated before
his minds eye in this shadowy retrospect
the same faces that looked down upon him
from the recesses on either side of the fire.
place. Both had played an active part once
in the drama his life, and at one time the bal
ance had hung very evenly which should de.
eide his fate-whether the dark eyed Hebe or
the pale authenticated Blanche should be bis
chosen companion in his journey through the
worlds pathways. The choice was made.
Was it choice, or fiat of inexorable desti'
ny that turned the scale? The Hebe face
had vanished from bis sight, and only its
memory remained. How many years had
passed since last those eyes had beamed into
his, and that radiant smile penetrated like
sunshine into his very heart? The Colonel
did not care to count. He knew only that
somewhere in a distant land was a grave
where a cherished hope lay buried, whose
shadow still lay across the heart once glad
dened by that smile.
"Welll we'll Let bygones be bygones,"
he muttered at last, rousing himself from his
reverie with sigh. II have grown morbid,
1 believe. I have lived solitary life toe
long for my own good. This child's coming
will be healthy tonic for me. Her presence
has frightened me up already, God bless her
A sweeter face, but one, never saw
And then the Colonel raked out the fire and
went to bed, where be, too, soon slept the
sleep of the innocent and the just.
TO BE CONTINUED.
T,,D U.1,1r oF MoNEy-Ask of each