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

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dren's welfare is concerned" ..u
II can't say" replied Sir Roxwell. II
don't know anything what passed between the
old lady and herself, beyond the mere fact Of
their having quarreled. I always fancied
the old lady must have been hard and un-
just; though, according to most peoples opin-
ion, I ought not to find fault with the injus-
tice, since have benefited by it. But to tell
the truth, don't care much for the property.
1t is fine property, to be sure; no man
could desire better. But whom have got
to share it with me, or leave it to when die,
that care a straw about? If I was mar.
ried man with family, of course it would
be different. But nv wife and two boys arc
dead, and probably my turn will come before
long. If this girl is really living, it would
be satisfaction to me to look forward to her
enjoying it after me. Or might adopt her,
or something of that sort. But where the
deuce can she be hidden away? That is the
question" ., ...... ..... ....... ...
ayes, that is the question:" said Joshua
"This is not an age in which orphan girls are
kept mysteriously concealed from the knowl.
edge of every one, until such time as it suits
them to appear suddenly and put in claim
To fortune. There are no grim castles or
enchanted woods, over which fairies and
witches keep watch and ward. If this girl
were really alive and in England-or even
out of England-what more improbable than
that her very existence should have remained
secret until now ?" -.a"t"j -. D..
"You ought to have an interest in hunting
her up, if she is alive" said Sir Roxwell,
looking narrowly at him. "You are proba-
bly, her nearest relation-her mothers first
cousin. Of course you would wish to be in
strumental in securing her prosperity"
"Of course" said Joshua, seriously. "Noth.
ing would give me more satisfaction. If l
really believed one word of that letter, I'd
start to try and hunt her up without an
hours delay"
1t was quite true that he would have liked
to do 80; though he would not have been &C
tuated by as praiseworthy motive as he
would have wished Sir Roxwell to believe.
For his own satisfaction, he wanted to dis
cover Mildred's whereabouts; but nothing
was farther from his thoughts than to make
Sir Roxwell party to the discovery. On
the contrary, he meant to use every means
in his power to keep him in ignorance on the
subject. His hope was, (there being no d.
rect heir to the estate) to make himself so
useful and important to its present owner, as
to establish the likelihood of coming in for
handsome share of the property after his
death. He had already been once banked
in this aim, and he did not mean, if he could
help it, to fail a second time.
Sometimes vague thought as to the posi-
bility Of his finding Mildred and marrying
her, so as to make his prospects doubly sure,
aoated through his mind. But as it would
not do to depend upon that, he redoubled bis
attentions to Sir Roxwell, and as time went
by, and nothing was heard Of Mildred, and
the anonymous letter seemed to be almost
forgotten, it did really appear as though bis
patience and perseverance, were about to have
their reward. Sir Roxwells health grew
more feeble, and Joshua, both in medical
and confidential capacity, grew more and
more necessary to his comfort. All this time
he kept bis sister at safe distance, but suf:
fciently within reach to control her move
ments. and maintain in her wholesome awe
of his displeasure.
Sir Roxwell's health grew more precarious,
and several times he was so i'll that it seemed
doubtful whether he would recover. On one
of these occasions, when Joshua, as usual,
was lowering assiduously about him, he ut
tered certain expressions, which created in
the Doctors heart livelier hope than he
had ever yet INDUCED in, of attaining his de-
sired end.
"Do you know, Carey" be said, after
prolonged silence, during which he had ap-
parently been absorbed in thought, 81 al
most incline to your opinion in regard to that
letter.?
"What letter, Sir Roxwell p asked Joshua.
"That anonymous one. verify believe
it must have been fabrication"
"There can be little doubt Of it, SIR" re-
Joined his listener.
II know you've thought so, all along. 1t
seems to me that if there was any truth in the
story about that girl, something more would
have come to light by this time-eh?"
xls,L ,oO
because, as you say, it's not easy for peo-
pie to keep young girl concealed from
everybody's knowledge, like an enchanted
princess. And besides, what motive could
there be for such proceeding?"
"None whatever, that can imagine"
"But then, on the other hand, it seems re-
markable that anybody should have taken
the trouble to invent such tale, without
the chance of deriving any benefit from it
and what possible benefit could any one de-
rive from it?"
"Isn't there any person you know, who
might possibly have an idea that you contem-
plate leaving your property to some other
person, against whom the said party may
have grudgeS" cunningly hazarded Joshua.
Sir Roxwell, who was irritable at times,
answered with some sharpness
"Can't you talk plainly, man, so that 1 can
understand ou?" he exclaimed. What the
deuce can make out of such a mixing up
of some persons and 'other persons and
said parties? What do you mean?"
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