Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-08-28


though I did not need to refer to that,
as use had made me thoroughly acquaint-
ed with it's every line and feature. On
On stepping out of the boat, a few PAGES be-
hind the carriage, Immediately chartered
a hack, slipping five-dollar bill to the dri-
yer and telling him to follow the carriage
up and I would double the amount. am,
as you know, neither Monte Christie nor a
fool, but knew that that was the best way
to sharpen the fellows wits, and now it was
neck or nothing, as this chance, once let slip,
might never occur again. The Jehu whip
ped up in high style. We boWled merrily
along down the street and, after drive OF
ten minutes, stopped at corner.
"'There you are, sir!' said the hackman,
pointing up the street with his whip.
'sI jumped out on the sidewalk, and saw,
some fifty yards ahead, that the carriage
had also stopped before rather elegant
mansion lying back from the street and the
footman was now letting down the steps for
the lady. Telling the hackman to follow,
/ walked briskly towards them, passing the
house in time to see the lady ascend the
steps and the coachman drive down lawn
at the side. Clearly thought 1, this is
where she stays. The coachman has gone
to put up his horses. She has been to New
York visiting or shopping. Now to buSl-
ness
''Dismissing the hackman, I then set
about making inquiries in ordinary detec-
tive fashion, which need not explain to
trouble than I anticipated. Not but that
everybody 1 spoke to was perfectly will
ling to impart all the information he OF
she possessed. The trouble was that this
information was so meager. The family, l
found out, consisted of only two ladies-one
elderly, the other young. They had only
taken the house few weeks previously
bringing with them but two servants, all
the rest having been engaged since. There
seemed to be even doubt regarding their
name, some calling it 'Lawton' and others
'Lanton,' owing, suppose, to an uncertain
ty about the central letter, a neighboring
green-grocer using the one autograph on
his books and a butcher the other. Even
of the neighborhood and those of the SER
wants whom 1 had an opportunity to ap-
proach, failed to clear up this vexed ques-
tion, being nearer to the word Latin than
anything else, thus dividing the honors
equally between the rival spellings. There
was, however, no doubt about one thing,
and that was their wealth. Money, it was
universally admitted, flowed with lavish
hand. Feeling somewhat tagged and not
little elated over the result Of my days
efforts, caught the nearest car to the ferry,
arriving in New York by o'clock; and
after fixing up little, as you may fancy
was necessary after the toll and heat OF the
day, sent up my card to Sir Arnold Chud.
leigh at the Windsor. Sir Arnold must
have seen something in my eyeasI entered,
''You have found her ?" he queried, with
a tremble in his accent.
"Atlast-yes,' Ianswered, methodically
Followed her carriage up from the Fulton
ferry. Fine residence. Live with elderly
lady. Name supposed to be 'Lawton' or
'Lanton'- n'--neighborhood don't know which
haven't been there long enough; reputed
wealthy
"'Thanks, my dear fellow-thanks,' said
Sir Arnold, effusively, grasping my hand
earnestly, mot a word more! Let me get
over my agitation. You have dined? No?
Then suppose we have little dinner up
here. We can then talk the matter over
calmly and coolly, and you can refresh your
memory upon minor points,"
81 ain always happy to dine with gen
tleman, more especially when the dinner is
good, and there is interest in the subject.
matter under discussion. During dinner l
detailed to Sir Arnold, much D'rre fully
y
the events of the day, with all the various
little incidents that, trif1ing as they were,
might serve to give him even slight con-
ception of her, who, had been all along
sure, held his heart in fee. Once, when l
told him that read on an envelope in a
postman's hand, as he was entering the gate,
the words Miss E. Lanton, he struck his fist
impulsively on the table, exclaiming:
"'There is no doubt about it. That is her
name. 1t is she. And now, my friend, he
went on, after the servant had removed the
things and produced the decanters, after the
service you have done me, and the interest
you have taken in it, it is only right, and
feel it will do me good, to tell you that por-
ton of my early history which bears upon
present events-that is to say, if you are
agreeable to hear it, for 1 certainly have no
wish to inflict my sad experiences upon
others.'"
"Ofcourse," said Bascom, addressing me,
II couldn't hurt the poor fellows feelings by
telling him that the interest l had taken in
the matter was merely pecuniary one, for,
though you mayn't believe it, whether it
was that l had got worked up to that pro-
fessional pitch Of enthusiasm where the
doctor is identified with the patient, or what
it was, no matter, felt a sympathy for him
and wanted to see him safely out of his trou-
BILE. That my curiosity was piqued, don't
say. Hand me another of those cigars,
please. They're good. Where dye get 'em
"'I needn't tell you,' began Sir Arnold
Chudleigh, pushing the decanters my way,
that am in what is commonly considered
simple baronet, and consequently not a
member of the peerage, my fortune exceeds
that of many dukes and most earls; and
our family were lords of the manor centu-
ries before a Norman set foot in England.
Like most who never intrigued in politics,
but minded their own business, our lands
stayed with us. Had we swallowed the
bats held out to us in the shape of titles
during the last thousand years or more, we
might have had more glory and less land.
But this is nothing to the point. No matter
how circumspect one may be in public al
fairs, it is not always possible to be equally
so in private. Unfortunately, this was the
case with my father. Adjoining our estate
miles, lived on the one side one of the proud
est Norman earls, and on the other simple
Saxon landholder like ourselves. One of
the earl's daughters, pround and clever but
not beautiful, in vulgar parlance set her
cap at my father, but to no purpose. He
treated her advances coldly; and, in fit of
spite, she married-almostag against his will
worthy Uthred Langton, our neighbor on
the other side. My father also married.
Edith Langton, ourneighbor's daughter and
I, grew up almost side by side. AS a natll-
raj consequence, shall 1 call it? we loved.
And here was where the spite of the earl's
daughter, Uthred Langton's wife, developed
itself. It was whispered among the old
women on the country side that Lady Malise
Langton had sworn, in some dark and dread
manner, to be avenged on our family, for
the slig ght-real or tancied-that had been
put upon her. Idle as were these old wo-