The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-06-19
The Mystery Of Garrick Hall.

"lt was just such night as this, Rob
ert," said Aunt Edith, to my papa, with a
little shiver.
"Exactly,' papa replied, thougLtfully,
"and the same time of year. too."
"Suppose you tell the children all about
it, mamma said quietly "thcy look rs if
they wanted to know very much"
"Well, since IL IS perhaps time they
knew, will tell You how Aunt Edith saved
my life, continued papa, turning to Edgar.
the eldest of us. ''long ago, long before you
were born, my boy"
"Aunt Edith and were only brother
and sister; ever so much greater cronies
than you and Edgar are, Jessie, not only
because we had each other to love. but
because we had to make common cause
against an enemy, Jeffrey Lawson, our
step-mother's son by previous marriage.
We lost our own dear mother when we
were babies. JEFF was ten years older than
l was; and after our fathers death which
happened when l was eight and Edith
six, we would have had poor time of it
but for Dame Turtle, our dear old nurse.
She looked after our interests, and fought
al onr battles vaiantly whether we were
IN the right or wrong. Our step. mother was
so wrapped up iu jeff that she bestowed
little trouble upon lis. I, especially, was
no faVorite, for she got the silly idea into
her head that l stood between jeff and the
property Of Garrck. Ho was fine, hand
SO ne fellow, as l remember when | was
10, and he twenty-five strong and daring.
naughty in disposition and hasty in temper.
could see even then he bitterly resented
my being master, and himself as If nobody:
fnr all our servants had grown old with us
and were staunch and loyal to us children
Of the house.
'fOnr mother-we called hc 80, though
she was little more than kin, and less than
kind-resented it too and looked forward
with very bitter feelings to the time when
l would be 81; for then according to our
fathers will she was to leave Garrick Hall,
the homestead, and reside in IL little cottage
he owned in Wales.
''lt would be a different position for her
as she had but a small jointurc-all her
own fortune had been spent on jeffrey
aud by some lnexplicable chain of woman's
reasoning, she blamed me for what she was
pleased to call her unmeritcd misfortunes.
Each year that passed made matters worse
between us. AS grew older many things
Ii tho management of the property struck
Inc rs III just. The best of the timber wa,
being cut down and the house allowed to
fall Into state bordering on rum, because
my mother would not spend money on re-
pairs which alone was to enjoy the benefit
Of Our family lawyer was dead. Jeffrey
chose his motherslega adviser, and neither
Edith or l knew where to look for advice
Or assistance. Things remained ve:y much
in this state till was nearly twenty, when
one day jeff entered my room in state of
wild excitement, and showed mo will
that had been discovered in some out-of-
the-way corner. 1t was dated a few days
before my fathers death: and except that
it bequcthcd to jeffrey the sum Of .f5, 900,
and the reverslon to Garrack if died with
ont heirs it was substantially the sume as
the one already III existence.
II had my doubt about the validity of
the document, but passed no comment :;
both the witnesses were doad, and had
not shadow Of proof to advance. Suspi-
cions in slch case go for nothing, 81
held my peace, the more especially as Jud-
son, our old steward, was prepared to swear
to my fathers signature. SO jeff Lawson
had his Go, 900.
ION the night of which am going to
tell you, there was large part of the money
in the house. jeff was going to London
the next morning: and he meant to start
early; he said goodbye to us over night,
ana went up to his room first CARRYING the
money with him. Edith aid l remained
IN The dining room little longer, chatting
on different matters, among others jeff f's
departure, OF strange restIessncss I had
observed In his manner of late, of the pos-
slble date Of his return; and somehow,
quite unintentlonally, let fall a hint abou,
my suspicious about the will, and discov.
cred that they corrcsponded exactly with
Edith's. At last, when the fire had burned
quite out, and the candles were getting low
In their sockets, we went up stairs together.
1t was q wild November night, and just
such angry, impatient gusts of wind and
vagrant thundcr-ciaps as this: I occupied
the west room; yonr aunt the one adjoin.
lug; and jeff slept In the west room at tho
other end Of the corridor while his mother
had her apartments in the south wing, Al
l bade Edith goodnight, the clock on the
stairs struck 10, and sho merrily wished me
many happy returns Of the, day, for hat
just entered my goth birthday. In few