Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-12-11
FROM THE RANKS.
nv CAPTAIN CHARLES KING.
Copyright, 1894, by the ]. B. Lippincott Co
CHAPTER XI.


man loyelier day Of rest than the still
Sunday on which Frank Armitage rode
slowly back from the station The soft,
mellow tone of the church bell, tolllng
the summons for morning service, float
ed out from the brown tower and was
echoed back from the rocky cliff glisten-
ing in the August sunshine on the
northern bluff. Groups of villagers hung
about the steps of the little sanctuary
and gazed with mild curiosity at the ar
irving parties from the cottages and the
hotel The big red omnibus came up
with load of worshipers, and farther
away, down the vista Of the road, Armi-
tage could see others on foot and in car
riages, all vending their way to church.
He was in no mood to meet them. The
story that he had been out pursuing a
tramp during the night was pretty thor
oughly circulated by this time, he felt
assured, and every one would connect
his early ride to the station, in some
way, with the adventure that the
grooms, hostlers, cooks and kitchen
maids had all been dilating upon ever
since daybreak. He dreaded to meet the
curious glances of the women and the
questions of the few men whom he had
taken so far into his confidence as to
ask about the mysterious person who
came over in the stage with them.
He reined up his horse, and then,
seeing little pathway leading into the
thick wood to his right, he turned in
thither and followed it some 30 yards
among bordering treasures Of coreopsls
and goldenrod and wild luxuriance Of
vine and foliage. Dismounting in the
shade, he threw the reins over his arm
and let his horse crop the juicy grasses
while he seated himself on a little
stump and fell to thinking again. He
could hear the reverent voices Of one or
two visitors strolling about among the
peaceful, flower decked graves behind
the little church and only short stones
throw away through the shrubbery. He
could hear the low solemn voluntary OF
the organ and presently the glad out
burst Of young voices in the opening
HYMN, but he knew that belated ones
would still be coming to church, and ne
would not come forth from his covert
until all were out of the way. Then,
too, he was glad of a little longer time
to think. He did not want to tell the
colonel the result Of his morning lnves-
LEGATIONS
To begin with, the watchman, the
driver and the two men whom he had
questioned were all Of an opinion as to
the character of the stranger was
q military man." The passengers de-
scribed his voice as that of a man of
education and social position; the driver
and passengers declared his walk and
carriage to be that Of soldier. he
was taller, they said, than the tall, stall
wart Saxon captain, but by no means so
heavily built. AS to age, they could
not tell. His beard was black and curly
no gray hairs. His movements were
quick and elastic, but his eyes were
hidden by those colored glasses, and his
forehead by the slouch Of that broad
brimmed felt hat.
At the station, while awaiting the
answer to his dispatch, Armitage had
questioned the agent as to whether any
man of that description had arrived by
the night train from the north. He had
seen none, he said, but there was Lar
sen over at the postofioe store, who
came down on that train. Perhaps he
could tell. Oddly enough, Mr.. Larsen
recalled just such party-tall, slim,
dark, dark bearded, with blue glasses
and dark hat and clothes-but he was
bound for Lakeville, the station beyond,
and he remained in the car when he
Larsen) got off. Larsen remembered the
man we'll, because he sat in the rear
corner of the smoker and had nothing to
say to anybody, but kept reading a
newspaper, and the way he came to take
note of him was that while standing
with two friends at that end Of the car
they happened to be right around the
man. The Saturday evening train from
the city is always crowded with people
from the river towns who have been up
to market or the matinees, and even the
smoker was filed with standing men
until they got some 80 miles down. Lar
sen wanted to light a fresh cigar and
offered one to each of his friends. Then
it was found they had no matches, and
one of them, who had been drinking a
little and felt jovial, turned to the dark
stranger and asked him for light, and
the man, without speaking, handed out
q little silver matchbox. 1t was just
then that the conductor came along, and
Larsen saw his ticket. 1t was "round
trip" to Lakeville. He was evidently
going there for a visit, and therefore,
said Larsen, he didn't get off at Sablon
station, which was six miles above.
But Armitage knew better. 1t was
evident that he had quietly slipped out
on the platform of the car after the reg
ular passengers had got out of the way
and let himself off into the darkness Oh
the side opposite the station. Thence
he had an open, unimpeded walk OF
few hundred yards until he reached th'
common, and then, when overtaken by
the hotel omnibus, he could jump aboart
and ride. There was only one road
only one way over to the hotel, and h
= could not miss it. There was no doub
now that, whoever he was, the nigh
visitor had come down on the evening
train from the city, and his return ticke
would indicate that he meant to 60 bacl
the way he came. 1t was half past i
when that train arrived. 1t was nearl..
midnight when the man appeared at tn
cottage window. 1t was after Q whe'
Armitage gave up the search and wen
to bed. It was possible for the man t
have walked to Lalieville, six mile
I'll ond reached the station ther