Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-07-16
The Stury Tellet,
The OLD CHART.

dare to spend an hour in the old Grange
81 wouldW cried Rilla, with flushing
glance at her fair, pale cousin.
"Oh, Rilla, but they say it is haunted"
faltered Bessie Sage, with little shudder.
"By rats and OWLS" said Rilla, laughing:
Miss Justine Penrynn, the heiress and
Rilla Brooks, rapidly concocted little plot,
which should test the girls courage, and
also appease the spirit of malice and spite
harbored in her own heart.
She had no cause to hate Rilla, but hate
her she did and with venom. She had all
heart could desire-or at least it seemed So
youth. beauty, fortune and friends by the
score, while her young cousin lived IN pen
niless obscurity. 1t came about IN this
way. ,.,
ter. The son married to please MS 1ather'
but the daughter married to please herself,
and suffered disinheritance in consequence.
She died in few years, leaving a DaDy
daughter, and pleading, pitiful letter to her
father, who read it with tears in his eyes,
and who forthwith took charge of the little
qirl-a brown eyed, dainty sprlte, VINO
made the old Grange merry with her child
ish laughter and pattering, childish feet.
It seemed that Capt. Penrynn was DOOM
ed to out-live all his family, for his son
also died, leaving one daughter, SO ne had
only two grandchildren to inherit ms
wealth, and he made new will, dividing
the property equally between them. ,;oa
Two wears before our story opens, he died
yery suddenly; but when Lawyer Sage
searched for the latter will, 10! it had van
ished.
He was astounded; he went through his
friends private papers again and again,
but no will appeared, except the one leaving
all to his son and his heirs, forever. =,
"Perhaps he hid it," unused the puzzled
lawyer. IL remember just before he died,
he pointed toward that chart and tried to
speak. I will examine it."
il. and looked behind it, but only the blank
wall met his view. So he read the old Will,
after an elaborate explanation to the assem-
bled friends and relatives, and Justine
listened with secure eXultation, and Rilla
with some pain and beWilderment.
Miss Penrynn returned to town without
offering even small portion OF the estate
"A mean, heartless stingy thing" cried
Bessie, Indignantly.
could not see pretty, impulsive Rilla turned
adrift on the world, and took her home
with him, to finish her education with
Bessie and to help teach the younger
children. 49,.
She had lived a quiet, busy, happy life
there until Paul Daverant came out to the
village to spend the summer hunting ana
fishing.
It was by the Doctors orders he sought
the healthy quiet of country life, ana AFTER
making acquaintance with lawyer Sage's
family, he ceased to groan over the dull
ness of his existence.
He had been in Hartwell more than
month, when Miss Penrynn came down Tor
a few days. She wished to consult dear
Mr.. Sage about some investments, and she
coolly announced that she would stop with
them, and her Paris finery and finished
worldly graces quite overshadowed Rifia
and Bessie.
weeks of torture to poor Rilla, for she had
only to endure half-veiled taunts, and cut
ting malicious stabs, for the velvet-tongued
heiress, but her poor passionate heart sui
fered an agony of jealousy. Justine step
ned in between her and Paul Daverant.
She claimed his attention almost as right,
and. with fine assumption of careless lndlf-
ference he allowed her to do it.
Perhaps it amused, perhaps 1t Pleased
him; Rilla thought the latter and blushed
scarlet with shame and indignation to think
CIldG Sllc lldI gwen iiCi ASeAo w SS AA.>'- ">
cared nothing for it. -.
She grew cold in her manner toward him,
and avoided his society so persistenty that
he must have noticed it, though n he made
no sign, But she was miserable and half
reckless, and rather fancied the idea OF
spending the night at the lonely old Grange,
which had not been Inhabited since the
captains death.
Perhaps it was haunted, as some of the
ignorant country people said, and perhaps
something would happen to her, and then
more.
"Suppose you 60 to night" said Justine,
after a few minutes thought. 1--WE, can
leave you as we 60 on to the party, and call
as we return"
"But Mrs. Williams said she wanted Ril-
la to be sure and come; and then l want her
to enjoy the party"
Nonsense! 1t is sure to be dull af-
fair: and then Mr.. Daverant has gone to
the city to-day. Our dear Rilla would not
enjoy it unless"
II am sure you are altogether mistaken !;
but care nothing for the party, and-yes,
will stay at the Grange tonight"
"Oh, Rilia, don't, mamma will be SO an
gry" pleaded distressed Bessie.
''She must not know it until afterWard,
and then it will only be joke" said JUS
tine. "After all, Rilla's heart will fail her
when the time comes"
mot so; it is made of tougher material
than that" said the girl coldly.
SIS it: thought it was rather soft and
weak"
''Did you? That proves that even you
can make mistakes sometimes" And Kill
la met her Cousins mocking eyes steadily.
That evening, Miss Penrynn held quite a
conversation with her MAZDA conversa-
ton made up of terrified protests on one
side, and threats on the other.
"Oh dare mott" sighed the woman,
clasping her hands.
s"rhen consider yourself dismissed from
nv service" said the mistress coldly. And
then, to save her situation, she submitted.
RiIla put on her white party dress, tas-
tened some superb crimson roses on her
breast and in her hair, and with her deep,
dark eyes, her fresh, delicate color, and pi-
uuant face, am not sure that. she did not
look lOVlier than her cousin with all her
laces and glittering jewels.
The Grange was mile from Hartwell,
and Bessie almost Wept when Rilla Sprang
out of the carriage before the lonely gate;
and BERTHE Wilford, their escort and Bessie's
lover, used all his powers of persuasion to
change her mind.
But the amused glitter of Justine's eyes,
she remained firm, and waving the hall
door kew at them in farewell she fitted up
the leaf-streWn walk to the dark, des0Iate
old house.
A light shiver crept over her as the hall
door swung open with noisy creak OF its
rusty hinges, and gust of damp, lll-smell-
ing air rushed out; but lighting bit OF
candle she had brought with her, she mount
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