Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-09-29

after house. Then she stopped, raised her
hands in wonder, and called me to her side.
The interior of this beautiful little room
was indeed "a sight to see." The walls were
paneied in oil leather of peculiar shade of
orange, with rich designs in dead gold EN-
bossed upon it. Here and there was O tiny
niche inswhich an exquisite bronze statuette
was placed, and now and again the fiat sur
face Of the panels was broken by an old
Venetian mirror or q silver lamp Of antiqu :
design. Curtains Of some material OF deli
cate texture hung in graceful folds by the
side Of the windows, the gla Of which had
a subdued tint that harmonized with tie
color of the walls. The furniture OF the
room was in keeping with the decorations
There were cabinets, richly carved, and
couches covered with oriental embroideries
Chairs, tables, rugs md stove-all gave evil
dence Of q cultivated taste and boundless
wealth.
"Did you ever seq anything so lovelyl"
cried Daisy, with all young girls delight
in the beauty before her. "Who will use
this roomp
Branksome laughed heartily.
"My DEAR" he said, "every room or board
is down below, and, as matter Of fact, be-
was to make this his smoking room"
"Oh, how shameful!" cried the girl
HSurely less beautiful room than this might
do for people who want to smoke"
He looked at me with broad smile upon
his pleasant countenance at this ebullition Of
feminine feeling. thought now that had
wronged him altogether in pronouncing
against his mouth. All his features were in
harmony, and I inwardly decided that he
was one of the most fascinating men had
ever met with.
At that moment Mr.. Mauleverer came on
deck He looked slightly surprised at see
ing me there, but greeted me with cordial
courtesy. j. was evidently of Daisy, how
ever, that b was chiefly thinking.
aDo you like the Golden Hawk my dar-
lingl" he said, in tones which showed that
even he felt some Of the pleasurable excite
ment incident to the first introductio.. to q
new toy. II think the doctor deserve our
thanks for having secured so beautiful q
boat for U.s. What should we have done
without him9'
"Quite as well as you have done with him,
1 reckon, Mauleverer," replied the doctor.
"Don't give me any credit for buying this
ship. heard it was for sale quite by acci-
dent, and of course when saw it felt it
would be the very thing for you. But it
was our friend Ben, there. who really settled
the matter. don't know anything about
shipping, while he knows everything"
He pointed as he spoke to the man whose
appearance / had liked so little when I saw
him descending the stairs Of the hotel by the
side Of the millionaire. Even now, when in
recognition of Branksome's words he tried to
look pleasant, thought his face a peculiarly
evil one.
"Oh, Flin:er is we'll up in shipping, as we
have all occasion to know" said Mauleverer.
9But come, Daisy, on have not yet seen your
palace below, and luncheon will soon be
ready"
We all descended the broad winding stairs
of the cabin companionway, and once again
Daisy's irrepressible cries Of delight broke
forth. 1t would have been difficult indeed
for any one to restrain his admiration for
that sumptuous interior. There were state
rooms furnished in delicate shades Of color,
decorated with works of art of priceless
value, and fitted with every comfort and
every luxury that the traveller could desire;
there was dining saloon in which the
stamped leather decorations Of the smoking
room on deck we're reproduced, but in diff
ferent color. It was difficult to remember
that We were on board a ship. This noble
apartment looked as though it had been
transferred bodily from some Venetian pal
ace. There was saloon, spacious, airy, ele-
gant; inSwhich the embroidered silk panels
of the walls We'd with the covering OF the
couches, and sumptuous carpets, in the soft
pile Of which the foot sank an inch deep; and
there was boudoir in which the beauty and
magnifcence Of this fairy palace seemed to
have eliminated. When we reached it l
thought Daisy's face turned pale, as though
she were almost frightened by tho splendor
of which she was now the mistress In my
own heart there was heavy weight Of pain.
The more clearly the riches of Mauleverer
were mads apparent to me, the greater
seemed to be the gulf by which l was cut or
from him and all belonging to him.
We had not yet seen everything, however,
that was to be seen on board this wonderful
ship. When we left the boudoir, a short
gangway, the walls Of which were covered
with green plush and glittered with the re-
fected light Of mirrors, led us to door
which Mr. Mauleverer discovered was locked.
"What have we here2" he said, turning to
DR.. Branksome
"Oh! there you have the other side of the
picture" was the reply. "You know, per-
haps, that the old duke had been IN the navy
in his youth, and that up to the end of his
days he was terribly severe disciplinarian
1t seems that he always insisted upon having
a punishment cell made in his yachts, and I
was told that he had even been known to
offend him."
"And is this the ce'l7" asked Mauleverer,
pointing to the locked door,
ut lies beyond it." said the doctor. He
produced small key and opened the door.
1t showed us continuation of the gang way;
but now the walls Of the narrow passage
were utterly without ornament l placed
my hand upon them, and found that they
were lined with sheet-iron. At the end of
the passage was another door, which Brank-
some opened We saw dimly, for we were
not provided with any lantern, a small,
square apartment, furnished in the plainest
fashion-a striking contrast TO the beauty
and luxury of everything else. The place
was cold and dark; could feel Daisy, who
was standing near me, shiver US she looked
into the gloomy cell
~ think l must have that dismal hole i'm
proved out Of existence" said the million
aire, in his placid tones. We were all glad
to turn our backs upon This specimen Of
ducal folly, and TO make our way to the
dining saloon, where luncheon in keeping
with the splendors of the apartment was
spread upon tho table.
It must, l think, have been the feeling of
oppression that was produced in my mind
by the display Of Mauleverer's overpower-
ing wealth that prevented my enjoying that
meal, even although 1t was the first had
ever taken in the company Of the girl 1
loved. There was an additional reason, I
think, which contributed, to certain ex-
tent, to my embarrassment I was seated
opposite 10 Daisy at the round table which
occupied the middle of the floor of the cabin
Again and again tried to catch her eye,
and to win .ome word from her lips. More
than once she looked up, and l thought had
succeeded. But if for a moment her eye
seemed to rest on my face, it wandered al
most instantaneously to that Of my next
neighbor, the doctor, and then it sank once
more uron her plate.
Branksome himself kept me involved in q
bright talk, in which not only the yacht and
its glories, but the gayeties of Scarborough
and the beauties of the Yorkshire scenery
played prominent part By and by, how
ever he became confidential.
"You are looking at our friend over
there, I see" he said, Indicating the man
whom I had heard called Flinter by Mr..
Mauleverer. The truth is, was looking at
him because had become conscious Of the
fact that he was staring at ma with the dis