Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-10-13

'My dearest friend" she wrote, u must
send you few words, II 1t were only to tell
you that I am WELL I must not say much,
| for I feel that am doing wrong even in
sending you this short message. But DIR.
| Branksome has told me that he thinks may
| do So and much as I have loved my uncle
| I cannot Weld myself completely to his will
| in this. All, you cannot tell what a change
| there Is in him since this has happened. /
cannot account for it He is so different
from what he has ever been before-so
| utterly unlike his own selt-that it almost
seems to me that something has happened
| to transform his whole character and to
change the love he once profes'ed for me
into hate. I am trying to bear it patiently,
| for owe 80 much to him But sometimes
| it is very hard. DR.. Branksome has been
| my friend through it all, though even he Is
compelled, when my uncle Is present, to
hide his sympathy with us both. l
don't know how it will all end, but I
do want you to feel that you can trust me.
shall be true to you through everything.
P.ease, dearest. do not believe any evil
you may hear Of me- know. have my
enemies, AMI can't help thinking that they
are your enemies also. If you hear tales
about me, rest assured that if l have erred
at all. it is from my love for you, and that
nothing. neither lifs nor death, shall ever
make me false to you. I cannot write
more; am ashamed to send you this; but
think know you well enough to be sure
| that you will understand all that want to
say to you, even though I have not the
power of saying it Alright, and that you will
believe in your heart Of hearts that / love
you above anything and everything else in
| this world"
was touched and consoled by the frank
| and outspoken language of my darling. 1t
was what should have expected from one
so full of noble impu' sas, so little given to
| consider the mere conven tionalities Of every
| day life I felt that she must indeed love
me with all her soul, or she could not have
| addressed me in such strain as this
Branksome's letter, tco brought me some
consolation, though it also caused me uneasi-
ness regarding Daisy. 1t was as follows:
4DEAR Mr.. FEHToy: You will forgive me
| for writing to you on a subject which have
no doubt you regard as too sacred to permit
| Of any intrusion by a stranger. But have
myself loved-once; and trust that it Is
not as a stranger that you look upon one
who so long stood in the place Of father to
Daisy I was grieved beyond measure, my
dear friend, by the manner in which your
! visit to this placs terminated 1t was, in
deed, an unexpected blow. As an older man
than yourself. you will, know, forgive me
if l say that cannot but feel that it would
have been better If, before speaking to Daisy,
you had taken me-or, still better, Mr.
Mauleverer-into your confidence. But l
acquit you entirely of any worse fault than
that Of having acted, as young low
ers are so apt to do, upon i'm
pulse fear, however, that our
good host takes much darker view Of your
conduct have reasoned with him and
expostulated with him warmly on the sub
ject; but so far without effect I tried to
speak word to you on the morning when
you left US, but had been forestalled by the
steps taken tohasten your departure. I can
only say that you may count on me as a friend,
aud that shall try, for Daisy's sake as well
as for your own, to put an end to the
present distressing state Of affairs. She IS q
bright girl, but she Is very proud and q
very passionate one also; and sometimes
tremble when think what may be the con-
sequences Of the cruel and incessanS persecu-
ton to which she Is just now being subjected
by man who seems to have forgotten that
she is the only creature left in this world
who is bound to him by the ties Of con-
sanguinity.
u sha hope to see you before many days
have passed, and then I can tell you more.
You, will. I suppose, be staying at The
Grand hotel shall find you out there be-
fore long. In the mean time. believe me,
yours most sincerely,
FRANCIS BRANKsoME."
Another week passed without my hearing
anything directly or indirectly Of the occu-
pants Of Great Lorton Hall My mind,
which had been soothed by the contents OF
Daisy's letter, was again becoming agitated
by the fever Of impotence and uncertainty.
had sent letter-a long letter. in which my
whole heart was poured QUITO Daisy, ad-
dressed under cover to DR.. Branksome; but
no reply had come, and was meditating
some further steps for the purpose Of gain
ing tidings Of her.
One morning however, a servant brought
me word that person had called to see me
on particular business and was waiting in the
hall Of the hotel ! went down and found
one Of the crew Of the Golden Hawk await
ing my appearance He saluted me respect
fully, and placed in my hand note 1t was
unsigned, and I did not know the hand
writing, but 1t was written on a sheet Of
notepaper stamped with the name of the
yacht 1t contained only simple message:
If you wish to see DR.. B., coma on board
the yacht at once"
The man waited moment after I read the
note, and then said:
"The captains gig is on the beach. sir. If
you mean to 60 on board"
@Who gave you this motel" asked.
"The captain himself, SIR" was the imme-
diate reply. "And I was told that you would
return with me-"
"When did DR.. Brank some arrived"
:Idon't know, sir I have not seen him.
He must have come on board when I was
below"
OF course did not hesitate a moment I
hardly stopped to light cigar before T
started for tn beach. walking with brisker
step and gayer heart than I had known
since I left Great Lorton-for was I not
about to get news Of Daisyf
1t was somewhat bo!sterous October day;
but the wind was from the northwest, and
the sea in the bay was therefore almost
calm. In the citing saw that the passing
steamers were making heavy weather Of It.;
but on shore there was nothing threatening
in the appearance Of the skies. Two men
were waiting in the zig, and with the help
OF one Of the local boatmen we had soon
pushed Off and were making our way to the
yacht.
How we'll remembered my former visit
to her when was in the company Of Daisyl
looked eagerly as we neared the stately
vessel for the friendly face Of Branksome;
but looked in vain He was evidently
below, probably sheltering himself from the
keen autumn air.
As stepped on board one of the stewards
came up to me and, touching his hat, said,
"This way, sir, if you please"
l followed him down the gangway and
passing through the dining saloon found
myself in passage leading, as remem-
bered, to the chief saloon and to the lovely
little boudoir which had been prepared for
Daisy's special use. To my surprise it was
to the latter apartment that was conducted.
1t was rather dark within, but some one was
awaiting me and entered with outstretched
hand.
"How kind of you" I began, and
stopped suddenly. 1t was not Branksoms's
commanding figure that I saw before Inc.
1t was the short. powerful form of Flinter.
was more startled than I should have
liked to admit; but I recovered myself as
we'll as I could.
II beg your pardon" said, II came on
board to see DR.. Branksome, who has sent
for me-"
@Just So" replied Flinter in dry tone,
haneath which T fencied that 7 detected a