Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-12-16
BY WALTER MORGAN.
CHAPTER Ill

Ten years had passed, and still no tidings
had been received of the missing master of
Linton. Great had been the stir and excite
ment over his mysterious disappearance; but
like all excitements, this had died away after
time and it had come at last to be common.
ly reported and believed that Sir Roland had
met with sudden or violent death-most
probably the latter either by his own hand or
that of another, though no one knew of his
having had an enemy. The lakein the neigh
borhood of the Towers had been dragged,
and every nook and thicket of the surround
ing woods carefully searched, but no trace
could be found which might lead to an ex-
PLANTATION of his disappearance. The groom,
who had last seen him, could give no farther
account of him than that he had left him al
the Park gate, in the company Of his wife,
when he had taken his horse in charge to car.
ry it to the stables His wife, the last person
who had been observed in his company, aver
red that she had parted with him at the en-
trance of the house, and could tell nothing Of
his movements beyond that time. A super
stitious fear seized upon many of the domes.
tics, and nearly all of them left the Towers,
their places being supplied by new set
The butler, Priscilla, and few other old re-
tainers, remained in the service of Lady Hep
burn, rather from attachment to the place
than from any liking for herself Old Pris.
ella, however, seldom showed herself. For
days she would keep out of everyLody's sight,
and when she did appear, seldom spoke a
word to those she met. 1t was matter Of
surprise that she had refrained entirely, so far
as any one knew, from making comment on
the event which had wrought so great change
and cast so deep a shadow over the house.
Not word regarding it was ever heard to es.
cape her lips; but the fixed and stern gloom
of her countenance. the sdark and menacing
expression which her features now wore, indi
Gated the intensity of her feelings on subject
which must have possessed for her so deep an
importance. Like a phantom Of darkness
she fitted silently to and fro; now emerging
from her retreat, now vanishing again, with a
suddenness and secresy that seemed to invest
her movements with something of the super.
natural Lady Hepburn had begun by hating
her; but she now feared her as we'll, and il
by chance she caught glimpse of her figure
at distance, she would hurriedly retire to hel
own room, or some other place where she had
no dread of encountering her.
Lady Agnes Hepburn was dead, having
passed away after a lingering illness, some
two years subsequent to her son in.law's dis
appearance Shortly after the latter event
she had presented herself at Linton Towers
where stormy interview had taken place be
tween her and Miriam, ending in an irrecon
cleable estrangement. They had never me-
again. 1t was said that she had laid the
blame Of Sir Roland's supposed death upor
her daughter, declaring that if she had treat
ed him differently, and made his life happier
he would never have come to an untlmely
end. The bitter words which ensued on botl
sides had never been forgiven by either, ant
the lonely death-bed of the proud, resolutt
woman had been unblessed by the ministra
tion Of her only child. A heavy weigh
must surely have rested upon the conscience
of the Lady of Linton; of remorse for he
conduct to the dead-the mother to whom
she had refused 6lial respectable husband
whose overtures of reconciliation she had me
with codness and disdain, denying him tn
simple boon even of her friendship. Blu
whatever were her secret feelings, they wer
betrayed to no human eye. She wore tn
garb of widow, rather as it would seen
from respect to outward forms than from