Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-10-13
q Serial Sturp.
FIVE MILLION POUNDS.
BY T. wEAIYsS REID.
CHAPTER VII-CONTINUED.
THE HAI1NTED ROOM.

BY T. wEnIYss REID.
CHAPTER VII-CoNTINUED.
THE HAUNTED ROOM.
stood, candle in hand, by the side Of the
bed, asking myself these questions. and as
did so my eye suddenly lighted upon some
thing which was lying. apparently where it
had slipped from the sloping pillow, on the
sheet below. It was scrap Of paper-a
note! l seized it with eager hands, and in
an instant all tho craven fears that had been
creeping into my heart vanished. l forgot
ghosts and nightmares, and even the hateful
Flinter himself with his deadly knife, and
with q low cry of delight pressed the little
note to my lips, for saw that it bore my
name in the handwriting Of my darling.
With a trembling hand opened it and
read the message which 1t conveyed to me
a message written nurriedly in pencil
sOh, my darling" she said, lit is hard,
hard; but we must part, just when l have
found you. / knew how it would be If 1t
was discovered knew we should never be
allowed to meet again if they could help it
You must leave this place to-morrow-for
your own sake even more than for mine.
But do not suppose I shall forget you I
shall be free some day, hope. God grant it
may come soonl Whenever it comes you
may depend upon me. Do not go far away,
dearest, If you still care for me. II you go
to Scarborough shall know where you are.
and that at least will be some comfort
Good-by, darling, for shall not be allowed
to say it by word Of mouth. But remember
that Ishall always be true to you. DAISY"
There was q postscript written in char
acters so struggling that it was clear that
they had been penned under the influence OF
bic scene with my uncle He came t. me
that he would have been SO cruel"
How the long remainder Of that night
passed cannot tell was almost stupefed
by this crowning misfortune. Tbs secrets OF
the haunted chamber no longer troubled me;
nay, cared nothing now for Flinter's hardly
concealed animosity. The thought that
overbore all others was that, as Daisy her.
self had put it had found her but to lose
her. In comparison with this, all night
mare visions, secret visitations Of my bed
room, and even portents like tbs rusty knife,
which had so mysteriously been placed upon
my bed, seemed Of no consequence. dressed
and sat in dreary suffering, waiting for the
coming Of the morn.
Much sooner than might have been ex-
pected in the ordinary course Of things l
heard q servant moving in the outer room.
I was aware that fire was being lighted,
and by and by the rattle Of cups and
saucers told me that table was being laid
in the room. was somewhat surprised, as
! had been given to understand on the pre-
vious night we would all breakfast together
in the hall below. WAITED impatiently to
learn my fate.
Twas not very long in suspense Long be-
fore eight o'clock there was tap at the door,
and opened it to admit the servant who
came laden with hot water and the neces-
saries for my bath. He stared in amazement
when be saw that was up and dressed. It
may have been that part Of his nston!shment
was due to my appearance. was conscious
Of the fact that the experiences Of that terri
bic night had given me face 50 haggard
and worn that I might have been years older
than looked when retired to rest
he made few inquiries as to the services
I required, and then, in somewhat hesi-
tating manner. as though he were aware
that he had unpleasant news to communi-
cate. he said:
"Your breakfast, sir, will be served In
your own sitting room in half an hour, or
sooner, if you wish it; and my master has
ordered me to tell you that you will find
letter from him on the breakfast table"
Then be retired respectfully.
Too well knew what the letter would say.
I was utterly jaded and dispirited by that
night of agony. And yet, when thought
that was about to be expelled from the
house which sheltered the woman I loved,
and that I should be compelled to leave her
in the society Of such a man as Flinter. I
felt ready to do anything and defy every
body If might but be with her.
bathed and redressed wearily, and then
in the sitting room / read the letter
addressed to me from Mr.. Mauleverer. It
was very courteous, but very cold and en-
phatic The writer said that he had learned
with surprise and pain that l had been
guilty Of conduct, which he would never have
thought Of attributing to ma had, in ef-
feet, made love to his niece-his adopted
daughter-the lady who was, as everybody
knew, his destined heiress He could have
forgiven this conduct on my part-strongly
as be must have objected to any marriage
between me and Miss StanclifRe-if had
acted openly, as he should certainly have
expected me to do. But in seeking sur
reptitiousy to win the affections Of his
niece had adopted course which he re-
Trained from characterizing, because he had
no wish to wound my feelings by the use Of
strong language, but which, he regretted to
say, made it impossible that he should con-
tinue to receive me as his guest Orders had
been given for the brougham to be ready
for me at nine o'clock precisely, and it
would take me to Lorton station in time for
the express train. He concluded by wishing
me a polite but very formal farewell
In my rage, humiliation and bitterness I
sat down and dashed off one Of those i'm
petuous letters which are only penned by
young men in love- In it repudiated with
Scorn the notion that the wealth Of which he
was unhappily possessed-so l put it-had
anything to do with my love for his niece,
and while expressing my regret that had
not secured his approval of my suit before
spoke to Daisy, declared emphatically that,
loving her as did with my who.e heart,
should never willingly relinquish the hope Of
making her my wife.
Possibly there might To other phrases in
this letter that were calculated to wound the
natural pride Of man like Mauleverer.
hardly know whether this was 50 or not, for
it was written while my mind was agitated
by a whirlwind Of passion and grisf. Be
this as it may. however, when by and
by I was taking my seat in the
brougham prepared to leave Great
Lorton Hall with crestfallen head and
sullen heart, I received letter from one
Of the servants, on opening which I found
without word In my rage and indigna-
ton at this insult tore the unlucky epistle
10 pieces, and, as stamped upon the frag-
literally shook the dust of Great Lorton Hall
from off my feet.
One long, lingering look back gave when
the brougham mounted the hill I could
not see the house, inclosed within its red
brick walls. But there were the great elm
trees, among which the rocks were circling
in the Gear morning air. l thought that
Daisy perchance heard their hoarse cries.
When should we be so near to each other
apainl My heart was filled with a deadly
sense of pain, and felt my eyes, too, filing
with unbidden tears.
Two souvenirs took with me from my
visit to the hall One was the rusty, old
fashioned knife had found upon my bed;
the other. the precious note in which Daisy
confessed her love for ms.
CHAPTER Will
MR. FLINTER AGAIN.
The season was beginning to wane at