Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-12-06

here to the hotel he wasn't in the bus.
He must have stepped back through all
those passengers and slipped off up there
on the bench. He was in it when we
passed the little brown church up on the
hill"
"What was he ike?"
81 couldn't see him plain. He STEP
ped out from behind q tree as we drove
through the common and came right
into the bus. 1t was dark in there, and
all know is he was tall and had on
dark clothes. Some of the people inside
must have seen him better, but they are
all gone to bed, suppose.
"I will 60 over to the hotel and in
quire anyway" said Armitage, and did
so. The lights were turned down, and
no one was there, but he could hear
voices chatting in quiet tones on the
broad, sheltered veranda without, and
going thither found three or four men
enjoying q quiet smoke. Armitage was
a man of action. He stepped at once to
the group:
pardon me, gentlemen, but did any
of you come over in the omnibus from
the station tonight"
"I did, sir, replied one of the party,
removing his cigar and twitching off
the ashes with his little finger, then
looking up with the air of a man cx-
pectaut of question.
"Thc watchman tells me man came
over who was making inquiries for
Colonel Maynard. May I ask if you saw
or heard of such person?"
"a gentleman got III soon after we
left the station, and when the driver
hailed him he went forward and took a
seat near him. They had some CONVEX
sation, but I did not hear it. I only
know that he got out again a little
while before we reached the hotel"
Gould you see him and describe him?
l am friend of Colonel Maynard's, an
officer of his regiment, which will ac-
count for my inquiry
"Well, yes, sir. I noticed he was very
tall and slim, was dressed in dark
clothes and wore dark slouched hat
well down over his forehead He was
what I would call a military looking
man, for I noticed his walk as he got
off, but he wore big spectacles, blue or
brown glass, should say, and had a
heavy beard.
(Which way did he go when he left
the bus?"
"He walked northward along the
road at the edge of the bluff, right up
toward the cottages on the upper level, !"
was the answer.
Armitage thanked him for his cour-
tesy, explained that he had left the colo
mel only short time before and that
he was then expecting no visitor, and if
one had come it was perhaps necessary
that he should be hunted up and brought
to the hotel; then he left the porch and
walked hurriedly through the park TO-
ward it's northernmost limit There to
his left stood the broad roadway along
which, nesting under shelter Of the
bluff, was ranged the line of cottages,
some two storied, with balconies and
verandas, others low, single storied af-
fairs, with a broad hallway in the mid
die of each and rooms on both north
and south sides. Farthermost north on
the row, almost hidden in the trees and
nearest the ravine, stood Aunt Grace's
cottage, where were domiciled the colo
nel's household. 1t was in the big bay
windowed north room that he and the
colonel had had their long conference
earlier in the evening. The south room,
nearly opposite, was used as their par
lor and sitting room. Aunt Grace and
Miss Renwick slept in the little front
rooms north and south Of the hallway,
and the lights in their rooms were tx
tinguished; SO, too, was that in the par
lor. All was darkness on the south and
east. All was silence and peace as Ar
mitage approached, but just as he
reached the shadow of the stunted oak
tree growing in front of the house his
ears were startled by All agonized cry,
a woman's half stifled shrek He
bounded up the steps, seized the knob
of the door and threw his weight
against it. 1t was firmly bolted within.
Loud he thundcrcd OH the panels.
"'Tis l-ArmitaCr!" he callel. He
heard the quick pattcr Of little feet, the
bolt was slid, and he rushed in, almost
stumbling against trembling, terror
stricken, yet welcoming white robed
form-Alice Rcnwick, barefooted, with
her glorious wealth of hair tumbling
in dark luxuriancc all down over the
dainty nightdress Renwick, with
pallid face and wild, imploring eyes.
"What is wrong:" he asked i'll haste.
Its mother her room-and it's
locked and she won't answer" was the
gasping reply.
Arnitage sprang to the rear OF the
hall, leaned one second against the op'
posite wall, sent his foot with mighty
impulse and muscled impact against the
opposing lock, and the door flew open
with a crash. The next instant Alice
was bending over her senseless mother,
and the captain was giving hand IN
much bewilderment to the painting colo
mel, who was striving to Chamber in at
the window. The ministrations of Aunt
Grace and Alice were speedily sufficient
to restore Mrs. Maynard. A teaspoonful
of brandy administered by the colonel's
trembling hand helped matters material
". Then he turned to Armitage.
"Come outside" " he said.