Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-12-10
LOST MANS LANE.
By ANNA KATHARINE GREEN.

which did not like to remember lay al
that very minute too nearly under oul
feet for my own individual comfort.
However, this has nothing to do with
the reply made to William.
81 hope" said l, "he does not run
with the buggy. want to take ride
very much this morning and could get
small pleasure out of it if that dog must
be our companion.
81 cannot go out this morning, "
William began, but changed his sen.
tence, possibly at the touch Of his sis.
ter's foot under the table, into: "But If
you say 1 must, why, I must. You
women folks are so plagued changeable.
Yesterday l wanted to 60; today ]
don't, but don't let that make any diff
ference to you. A host must follow the
wishes of his guest.
Had he been ten years younger
would have boxed his ears; had he been
that much older would have taken cue
and packed up my trunk before he could
have finished the cup of coffee he was
drinking. But he was just too old to
reprimand-that is, in that way, and
not old enough to appreciate any dis
play of personal dignity or self respect.
Besides. he was a knave; 80 / just let
his impertinence pass with the remark
II have purchases to make in the vii
laee," and so that matter ended, mani
festly to the two girls relief, who natu-
rally did not like to see me insulted
even if they did not possess sufficient
power over their brother to prevent it.
One other small episode and then
will take you with me to the village.
As we were leaving the table, where
ate less than common, Notwithstanding
all my efforts to seem perfectly uncon-
cerned except at those demonstrations
of Saracen, from which they all expect
ed me to shrink. Lucetta, who had
waited for her brother to 90 out, took
me gently by the arm, and, looking at
me closely, said:
Ibid you have any dreams last night,
Miss Butterworth? You know I promised
you some
was a little taken aback and for a
moment felt like taking those two girls
into my confidence and bidding them fly
from the shame and doom so soon to fall
upon their brother, but the real principle
underlying all such momentary impulses
on my part deferred me, and in as light
a tone as l could assume and not be an
absolute hypocrite replied that l was
sorry to disappoint her, but had no
dreams, which seemed to please her
more than it should, for if l had had no
dreams certainly had suffered from
the most dreadful realities.
| will not describe that ride into
town. Saracen did 60 with us, and in
dignation not only rendered me speech
less, but gave to my thoughts a turn
which made that half hour of very lit
tie value to me. Mother James burly
figure crouching in her doorway might
otherwise have given me opportunity
for remark, and so might the dubious
looks Of people we met on the high
road-looks to which l am so wholly
unaccustomed that l had difficulty in
recognizing myself as the butt Of so
much doubt and possibly dislike 1 at
tributed this, however, all to the i'll re-
pute under which William so deserved
" labored and did not allow myself to
more than notice it, Indeed, I could
only be sorry for people who did not
know in what consideration was held
at home and who, either through igno-
rance or prejudice, allowed themselves
privileges they would be- the first to re-
gret did they know the heart and mind
of the real Amelia Butterworth.
Once in the village, took the direo-
tion Of affairs.
"Set me down at Inc hotel, " said l,
land then 60 about such business as you
may have here in town. / am not going
to allow myself to be tracked all over
by that dog"
II have no business, was the surly
reply.
Then make some" " was my sharp
retort II want to see the locksmith-
that locksmith who wouldn t come to do
an honest piece of work for me in your
house, and want to buy dimities and
woods and sewing silks at the dry goods
store over there. Indeed I have thou
sand things to do and expect to spend
half the morning before the counters
Why, man, l haven't done any shopping
for q week.
He gaped at me perfectly aghast (as !
meant he should) and, having but little
experience of city ladies to 20 by, took
me at my word and prepared to beat an
honorable retreat. AS result I found
myself ten minutes later standing on
the top step of the hotel porch, watch
ing William driving away with Saracen
perched OIL the seat beside him. Then
realized that the village held no COM
panions for him and did not know
whether felt glad or sorry.
To the clerk who came to meet me l
said quietly, Room No. 8 if you
please" at which he gave nod of in
telligence and led ME as unostentatious-
ly as possible into small hall, at the
end of which | saw the number | had
asked for
IF you will take seat inside, said
he, II will send you whatever you may
desire for your comfort y
II think you know what that is, .
said l, at which he nodded again and
left me, closing the door carefully be-
hind him as he went.
The few minutes which elapsed be-
fore my quiet was disturbed were spent