The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-04


Come 10 look at the ruins, III be
bound" said the landlord. mo one ever
, comes here for nothin' else. married
lady. still?"
81 didn't see no husband" said stin, jul
I diciousiy.
But You said something about a little
girl"
The girl was her'n. but I didn't hear
| TEL about a Mr. Warock but since she
calls herself Mrs l don't dispute that
there may be one only he didn't come by
The 40 train"
How about the wedding-ring, snl?'
/ said the landlord, with heavy POPULARITY.
you should a asked TO see that"
mot me, said Still, who had no taste
| ior satire. "Laughing's all right in the
proper place, but the right place isn't
| here"
It's bit strange. Stn you TO hnd. Wis
ltor o the name o Warlock No one can't
| gaiusay that
The arrival Of a lady. pretty, young and
| interesting, of the name Of a once awe-in-
spring family, was the topic of discussion
! during the whole OF that evening at the
! Goat" From the bar as a convenient
center the news spread throughout the lit
| tie grey town and the Evertons became
proud of their new lodger, and when ques-
! TONED assumed an air of importance in
/ keeping with the occasion.
Meanwhile. unconscious of the interest
her arrival had excited Mrs. Warlock
| pitched her small camp in what she hoped
| would be a calm street
If she had placed her motive for choos-
ing this obscure and dwindling town as a
| residence in undraped simplicity she would
| have said II came here chiefly to make
an experiment on my emotions; but partly
! because 1t is the last place which anyone
would expect me to select"
The innocent, but resentful target for so
| many Seen-edged sorrows, Mrs. Warlock
had come to believe that hostile Fortune
had emptied his culver. There is a law of
! averages which we all instinctiVely apply
to ourselves, and, when what we consid-
| er the worst that can happen to us has
| come TO pass, we borrow courage from our
| very sense of defeat But she was pleased
| with her refuge chiefly because the float
ing element of mystery in 1t suited the
mood begotten of her own disastrous ex-
periences.
Never thwart a Warlock," was a local
saying crystalized into proverb by force
of tradition. The sixpenny guidebook told
a legend on the dangers of so foolhardy
| policy. Perhaps some obscure form of
characteristic prudence on the part of the
townspeople accounted for their respectful
demeanor. For although she rented a cheap
lodging and exercised a close economy in
her expenditure, they touched their hats
dutifully and asked no impertinent ques-
tions.
CHAPTER II.
One day, a week after her arrival Mrs
Warlock sat in the little room over the
grocer's shop, looking on the quiet street
AT one end of it a big fragment of ma
sonry marked the SPOT where the great
archway projecting the portcullis had been
shaken from its foundations by the Crom-
welian powder-bags. Part of this struc-
ture, now covered with moss, ivy and other
creeping plants, was scattered in the dry
moat; but dislocated fragment still bore
the time-defying coat-of-arms of the great
family that once overshadowed the whole
West of England.
In her writng-desk lay a seal with the
same motto and crest. But the smell of
cheese, candles and bacon from the shop
below invading the little room presented
a strangely antagonistic contrast, alike 10
= her own dreams and to the vestges of de
= feated pride
But whilst the mother sat and unused. the
child grew weary and begged to be taken
= to play in tie Castle gfbunds. Under the
! shadow of Huberts Tower, whilst the
. child picked flowers the mother sat and
, continued her reveries They were vague
, shifting fancies enough, but still she de
rived morbid comfort from the almost un.
e conscious parallel that rose in her mino
between the ruined castle and her owr
J. shattered hopes. And as she sat indolently
dreaming, the Vicar, whom she knew by
D | sight, entered the gate. About sixty year!
of age, white haired and clean shaven. IL,
was still active and alert. She had heart
with deep interest what local gossip haC
l. to say regarding the old gentleman of he
!. name.
He don't take no manner of interest il
parish matters" Mrs. Everton had tol,
e her "Me and Mr.. Everton are churchpeo
pie and always have been. The chapel
u fun and the church empty. But, bless you
!. ma'am, the Vicar don't care. Let every
> one do as they like SO long as they don
e bother meH That's his MOTTO
Y But all the same nothing happened in hi
q parish which this observant old gentleman
l. of antiquarian tastes missed. The arriva
a of the lady bearing the same name as hi
l. own, had deeply excited his curiosity an
I he was determined to make her acquaint
lie ance.
H. she gives out she amt no relation
yours" said Burkenshaw, his sexton. VIII
e. retailed the gossip picked up at the bar q
the Goat"
ls "IndeedH said the vicar.
" AN her familys dead. she says" re
a sumed the sexton. But the Evertons te
Or me she's veryfclose ana moi the sort
Is lady you can question. Sometimes she an
lie the litle girl talks furren tongue"
n. "French?" suggested the vicar.
! "May be-" said the sexton, for they'v
s furren looks and furren clothes"
Now the vicar had long decided that h
r. had a right to give information to anyor
p who visited the ruins on The ground the
I'd he knew more about them than any ma
ld In England; so he slowly climbed the spC
n. where Mrs. Warlock was seated and raj!
ing his soft felt hat, said: Pardon me- bl
pc / thought it might interest you to kno
n that YOU are sitting on the spot whei
" Hugh Warlock murdered his brother G
Cd the 21st of August 1915"
IT'S Mrs. Warlock had read the story IN ~
sc guide book. but the vicar insisted on tel
Ing it again.
no The ice thus broken led to conversatic
which the lady carefully confined to II
N subject of the wears antiquarian r
searches; and So finally with his curiosit
I've piqued rather than gradhed. he departe
ab- after adding a few appropr!ate rsrnarl,s