Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-11-21
CHAPTER VII.

Twas the day be eore Christmas, and
Frayne was merry with the music of
Christmas preparation. Ever since re.
veille the men had been busily at work,
and while mcst of them were engaged
in the decoration of their barracks
messrooms and the little chapel, Terry
Rorke, with a good sized squad, was
still putting the finishing touches on
the assembly hall. An odd thing had
happened that morning. No one had
ever known that fellow Graice to offer
to do stroke of work Of any kind, espe-
cially where Rorke Lad anything to do
with the matter. yet here he came, right
after reveille, to tell that very man that
if it was all the same to him he'd take
the place of Higgins. who had been put
on guard, and would help at the assem-
bly, room.
"There's no whisky to be had there,
Graice, if that's what you want, and
ye look more n like it. Answer ME this,
now. Where'd ye been whin ye came
runnin in at O'Clock this mornin?"
"On still hunt, corporal" answer
ed Graice, with leer. "It's to keep
away from whisky this day I'm ready
to work with you. I'm supernumerary
of the guard"
"You were drinkin last night, and
you've had yer eye opener and brain
cloudier this mornin, pod scran to ye
There's an internal revs lie tax on the
breath of ye that would make an ex-
ciseman jealous But, God be good to
us, av it's to kape mischief away from
the garrison this day I'll 60 ye. G'wan
now, but whist, ye've no liquor about
ye, Graice?"
"Devil a drop outside of my skin,
corporal"
"Then kape out of reach of it and
out of the way of the ladies, lest the
sight Of yer ugly mug would throw
them into fits. G'wan," and Graice
went. "Was 1T ye, ye black throated
devil, that gave that sweet lady her
fright last night?" he continued reflect
lively. There's no provin it beyond the
boot tracks, and they'd fit worse look
in feet than yours. TIA the wan mark
of the gentleman that's left to ye. Yes,
sergeant, I'll kape me eye on him." he
continued, in response to suggestion
from the senior noncommissionedo officer
! of the troop, who came forth from the
Office at the moment ''The captain S
hot about that business of last night,
and like as not there's the blackguard
Now, what OH earth does he want to be
playin Peepin Tom about the officers
quarters?"
"No good, of course, but we can prove
nothing, as you say, except that he was
out of quarters and wasn't at Bunlo
Jim after ] l o'clock. He was here and
in bed when I inspected"
Very little was known about this
episode. Mrs. Daunton had quickly re-
yived under the ministration of Ellis
and Mr.. Ormsby, and, half laughing,
half crying, had declared that just as
she reached the window the blind
swung slowly back and the moonlight
fell full on the head and shoulders of a
man with a fur cap, black beard and
soldiers overcoat. She could describe
no other features. He saw her at the
same instant. Each recoiled, but in her
excited, nervous state it was too much of
a shock. Ellis, who at first had been
prone to attribute Helen's prostration to
the interview with Ormsby, recalled the
prowler she herself had seen and could
not but corroborate Mrs. Daunton's s
story. Jack had rushed out, only to find
boot tracks in the snow and an un-
fastened blind, but no other sign Of q
man. Mrs. Farrar was kept i'll total ig-
norance of the affair, and only Leale
and Will at first were taken into the Sc