The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-07-07
Behind q Panel.

Behind Panel.
a wide, white, forehead; above, braids
knotted with white aster; pansy- dark
eyes under curled black lashes. The love-
windows held Captain Gordon Sommcrs
captive.
"Come, Captain" called voice from
the water below.
He made no response to startle the girl,
for she had not seen him. The cool, oval
face rested on the slender hand, and she
was looking dreamily over the water.
II say, Cap, what keeps you2 What
have you found2"
He could have strangled Low, with his
impatient believing, for now the fair face
started and flushed, and. turning, Adelaide
Westcrlcy saw the intruder in the garden.
Captain Somcrs stepped forth, but with
ont his usual grace and ease, and lifted his
hat.
81 beg your pardon, Could we get some
water hcrc2"
eyes, certainly. Knock at the south
door, and my man will give you all you
want"
She seemed startled out Of an habitual
serenity, yet her voice had strange soft
ness and sweetness.
'H-We" continued the captain, care in
search of stray boat which got adrift from
tho yacht Mcrmaidlastn night We have been
about here for three hours, 1t must have
got over the bar and gone out to sea-"
Low, lifting himself to look over the bank
saw how things were, and settled back re-
agnedly.
"a small boat called the Dolrhin!" asked
Adelaide.
EYES,"
''With book and spy-glass III it," she
continued.
''Yes," confessed Somers, ashamed of
his seamanship. 81 let 1T get away from
me. have charge of the yacht. There
she Is yonder." pointing to tho offlng.
''You will find your boat fastened to
post just inside the brcakwater. My man
Stephen picked it up last night lie is in
the garden. Stay, will call him."
She C,nic down to the goI den dooI-i
beautiful young creature all IN white-and
found Captain Somers awaiting her, cap in
hand. They went together down the over
grown paths, he holding the rose vines
aside to let her pass.
II am giving you too much trouble"
said he.
'sNo. There is my man. stephcnl"
she called.
The old man came up with his spade. He
began telling how he had found the boat
for which the young gentleman did not
care two straws, casting desperately about
In his mind to learn how he was to meet
Adelaide again.
She had already withdrawn to the terrace
and stood awaiting his final bow. She lit
tie dreamed the truth-sweet Lady Of Sha-
lOt1 Sbp 1nnlfinor
strong figure, the cool, sensitive blonde face,
the pictu1 esque yxchtman's dress; she had
Inhaled the faint fragrance of cigars, felt
the magnetism of this Strangers gentle
touch as he put her dress aside from the
thorns, and a feeling Of pain she could not
express visited her pure heart as she reali.
zed that in minute he would be gone from
her gaze.
And he went. With one backward
glance from the fine blue eyes, with gay
and graceful salutation and final call of
thanks to The young lady, Captain Somcrs
turned bend of the .roscpath and disap-
peared, followed by old Stephen.
ga desperate venturel" he muttcrcd,
"but my only chancel''
If, while unmooring the boat, he dcftly
questioned the old servitor of the Westcr-
ley's old Stephen never tald. But when
he saw the two boats floating off shore, ho
chucklcd over the bit of silver in his hand.
and muttcrcd, GOOD luck to you, sirl''
The fair Lady Of Shalot went slowly back
toh her bower. Perhaps the pretty chamber
dtd not then look quite beautiful. Perhaps
she, too, murmured, 81 am half sick of
shadows" 1t would not be at all strange.
This girl of 20 lived a strangely isolated
life. She was the last Of her race, living
on the estate bcqueathcd to her in infancy
by her dying father. A half sister of her
mothers, an aged woman called Aunt Re-
solve, was her only companion. She had
mover entered society. She knew little of
the world outside OF the beautiful gardens
and shores of the jumpers.
But Tor old Aunt Resolve, the girl SEEM
ca TO De wasting her sweetness on The desert
Dir. Tho devoted old woman idolized her.
From her babyhood she had dressed. wash.
Cd, and tended her. Perhaps it was q mis-
taken fondness that relieved the heircss of
all care of her estate, for 1t required some
management to mako 1t yield an income
for the family, and Adelaide suffered from
ennui. Perhaps little care would have
been good for her. But Aunt Resolve
thought differently, ana the girl knew
nothing OF the oystcr-bcds and tho crops
that were hers,
The girl stood in the rosepath again tho
following evening, her garden hat In hcl
hand, her eyes unconeciously fixed upon tho
yacht Mermaid in the of1iing. She was In
an unusually thoughtful mood. There had
come to her for the first time the though,
whittier her life was tending. TO wear
away the seasons from youth to ago IN un.
eventful monotony, her soul unsatisf1ed,
ala not suit her. But spell, fate, seem.
ed upon her. Probably 1t would never be
Otherwise: and q sadncaa no suorda co,,ld