Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-01-16

ter that met her view She loved, too, to visit
picture galleries and libraries, and spent many
hours in the spacious rooms Of the Mer-
camille Library, where she would find quiet
corner, and turn over the leaves Of an inter-
esting book, or portfolio of engravngs, un-
disturbed. Altogether, it was freer life
than she had ever before led, and in many
respects it suited her; that absence Of the
conventional restraint to which she had hith'
erto been accustomed, which so forcibly
strikes foreigners on visiting America, (most
forcibly, perhaps, in these Western regions)
proving rather agreeable than otherwise IN
her present state of mind, which made liberty
of action an especial boon to her.
It was on one of these occasions of solitary
rambling that she met with little adventure,
which made quite an impression upon her,
and did not easily pass from her recollection.
.s She had gone to return volume to the Ii
brary, (where she was subscriber) and ind
ing there book of poems, which she did not
care to take home, but in which she wanted
to refer to a certain disputed passage, she sat
down to hunt the passagesin question, and re-
mained engrossed in the search for consld'
erable time Having, at last, satisfied herself
on the contested point, she arose to return the
book to the shelf. and, as she did so, became,
for the first time, aware of the vicinity 'of
tall, rather elderly man, who was regarding
her with peculiarly earnest and enqulrlng
expression. The exceeding intentness of his
gaze startled her, and, for a moment, she hes
itated, aud returned it, in the natural desire
to see who it was that made her the object of
his scrutiny. The face Of the person, howev-
or, was quite unfamiliar to her, and withdraw
ing her glance, she was about to move past
him, when, with quick movement, he inter
cepted her progress, by placing himself d.
rectly in her way.
"Excuse me, young lady" hesaid in a cour-
teous tone "but it strikes me that we have
met before. Your face is wonderfully famil-
lar to me-" .4
Mildred was not easily disconnected or
thrown off her guard. And though taken by
surprise at this address from total stranger,
she answered civilly and quietly. a.
II think you are mistaken, sir. have
been only short time in California, and know
few persons here" ..
"Permit me to ask you one question" eager
ly continued the other: care you not Eng
lish, and connected with the Seabury family
at Kent? ?"
81 am English, but do not know the fami.
ly you allude to-" replied Mildred, her sur
prise heightened that he knew, or guessed at,
her nationality. Then, anxious to terminate
the dialogue and escape from what might be
mere impertinent inquisitiveness on the part
of her iuterlocutor, she bowed slightly, and,
with diguifed air, walked off to distant
end of the room. While she stood before
bookshelf, apparently scanning its contents,
she glanced furtively in the direction of the
seat she had recently quilted, and saw that
the man was standing where she had left
him, with his eyes bent upon the floor, ap-
parently engaged in thought. Half fearing
a second approach from him-she knew not
why--she drew her veil over her face and
somewhat hurriedly left the room.
When she related her adventure at home,
Mr.. Crofton looked grave, and said she had
better not roam about too much alone. 81
know it is an American fashion for young la
dies to visit public places unattended" he
said, "but in great cosmopolitan city, like
this, there is no knowing what kind OF char
acters you may encounter. In future, Mil
dred, you had better let one of the children
60 with you when you want to get book, or
anything of that sort"
LA, papa, I am sure Alice or [ wouldn't
be any protection to Mildred" exclaimed
Ethel "She always takes care Of us; not we
of her."
"Was he handsome man, Mildred ?"
asked Alice.
"No; only ordinarily good. looking, I be.
lieve. did not look at him very attentive
ly." 20,
didn't you? I should have done so, if |
had been you. Was he young or old?'
"Rather old, fancy. 1 thought he was
gentleman, or I should not have answered him
as did," said Mildred, fearing her guardian
might consider her imprudent. "He seemed
really to think he had met me before"
"Well, perhaps so but one never knows
what these fellows are after" said Mr. Crof
ton. He may have been pickpocket. Are
you sure your purse is safe?"
"Oh! yes" answered Mildred, laughing
"He wasn't anything of that sort, cousin
Charles. Besides, he spoke Of the Seaburys
of Kent, you know"
"That does not prove his responsibility,
however. He didn't mention in what capaci-
ty he had become acquainted with them, if
indeed he is acquainted with them at all.
And for that matter, who are the Seaburys OF
Kent?
II am sure I don't know" said Mildred.
And the subject was dropped. About an
hour later, however, when the girls had all
left the room, Mr.. Crofton laid down news
paper he was reading, and suddenly exclaim-
ed to his wife
"Good gracious, Margaret! I have just
thought of something"
."What is it, my dear?' asked Mrs. Crof-
ton.
wasn't it Sir something Seabury who
inherited Mildreds grandmother's property
down there in Kent? Old Mrs. Sinclair,