Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-11-29
Copyright, 1894, by the ]. B. Lippincott Co.
CHAPTER VIII.

In the big red omnibus that was
slowly toiling over the dusty road sew
eral passengers were making their way
from the railway station to the hotel at
Lake Sablon. Two Of them were wom-
en- of mature years, whose dress and
bearing betokened lives of ease and COM
fort Another was lovely brunette Of
less than 30, the daughter evidently
of one of these ladies, and an object OF
loving pride to both. These three
seemed at home in their surroundings
and were absorbed in the packet of let
ters and papers they had just received
at the station. 1t was evident that they
were not new arrivals, as were the 9TH
or passengers, who studied them with
the half envious feelings with which
newcomers at q summer resort are Hpt
to regard those who seem to have been
long established there, and who gather
ed from the scraps of conversation that
they had merely been over to say good
by to friends leaving on the very train
which brought in the rest of what we
good Americans term ''the busload. /"
There were women among the newly
arrived who inspected the dark girl
with that calm, unfinching, imperti-
nent scrutiny and half sudibly whispered
comment which, had they been of the
opposite sex, would have warranted
their being kicked out of the conveyance,
but which was ignored by the fair object
and her friends as completely as were
the commentators themselves. There
were one or two men in the omnibus
who might readily have been forgiven
an admiring glance or two at so bright
vision of girlish beauty as was Miss
Renwick this August afternoon, and
they had looked, but the one who most
attracted the notice of Mrs. Maynard and
Aunt Grace-a tall, stalwart, distin-
guished looking party in gray travelling
dress-had taken his seat close to the
door and was deep in the mornings pa
per before they were fairly away from
the station.
Laying down the letter she had just
finished reading, Mrs. Maynard glanced
at her daughter, who was still engaged
In one Of her own, and evidently with
deep interest.
From Fort Sibley, Alice?'
Eyes, mamma, all three-Miss Cra-
ven, Mrs. Hoyt and - Mr.. Jerrold.
Would you like to see it?" And, with
rising color, she held forth the one in
her hand.
"Not now," was the answer, with q
smile that told Of confidence and graft
foation both. 1T is about the german,
suppose?"
eyes. He thinks it outrageous that
we should not be there-says 1t is to be
the prettiest ever given at the fort, and
that Mrs. Hoyt and Mrs. Craven, who
are the managers for the ladies, had
asked him to lead. he wants to know
If we cannot possibly come"
care you not very eager to go, Alice?
I should be-" said Aunt Grace, with
sympathetic interest
"Yes, lam, answered Miss Renwick
1efectively. 1T had been arranged that
It should come off next week, when, as
was supposed, we would be home after
this visit It cannot be postponed, Of
course, because 1t is given In honor Of
all the officers who are gathered there
for the rife competition, and that will
be all over and done with today, and
they cannot stay beyond Tuesday next
We must give it up, auntie, and she
looked up smilingly, land you have
made it so lovely for me here that can
do it without sigh. Think of that
an army german-and Fanny Craven
says the favors are to be simply lovely.
Yes, I did want to go, but papa said he
felt unequal to it the moment he got
back from Chicago, day before yester-
day, and he certainly does not look at
all we'll So that ended it, and I wrote
at once to Mrs. Hoyt. This is her an
swer now.
"What does she say?''
"Oh, it is very kind of her. She
wants me to come and be her guest if
the colonel is too i'll to come and
mamma will not leave him. She says
Mr. Hoyt will como down and escort
me. But would not like to 60 without
mamma" and the big dark eyes looked
up wistfully, "and I know she does not
care to urge papa when he seems SO in
disposed to going"
Mrs. Maynard's eyes were anxious
and troubled now. She turned to her
sister-in-law:
"Do you think he seems any better,
Grace? I do not"
lit is hard to say. He was so nerv-
ously anxious to get away to see the
general the very day you arrived here
that there was not moment in which
Icould ask him about himself, and since
his return he has avoided all mention
of it beyond saying it is nothing but
indigestion and lie would be all right in
few days. I never knew him to suffer
in that way in my life. Is there any
regimental matter that can be troubling
him?" she asked in lower tone.
Nothing Of any consequence what
ever. Of course the officers feel cha
grined over their defeat in the rifle
match. They had expected to stand
very high, but Mr.. Jerrold's shooting
was Unexpectedly below the average,
and it threw their team behind. But
the colonel didn't make the faintest al
lusion to it. That hasn't worried him
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