Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-11-09
CHAPTER V.
LoREEN, LUCETTA AND WILLIAM.

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knollys that would in measure have
counteracted that made by the more
nervous and less restrained Lucetta.
The dignifed reserve Of her bearing,
the quiet way in which she approached
and above all the even tones in which
she uttered her welcome were such as
to win my confidence and put me at my
ease in the house Of which she was the
nominal mistress. But that look With
that in my memory I was enabled to see
below the surface Of this placid nature
and in the very constraipt she put on
herself detect the presence Of that same
secret uneasiness which had been so
openly if unconsciously manifested by
her sister.
She was more beautiful than Lucetta
in form and feature, and even more
markedly elegant in her plain black
gown and fine lawn rufaes, but she
lacked the evanescent charm Of the
others smile, and though admirable to
all appearance was less lovable on q
short acquaintance. She had not had as
much suffering as Lucetta.
But this delays my tale, which is one
Of action rather than reflection. 1 had
naturally expected that with the ap-
pearance of the elder Miss Knollys !
would be taken to my room, but on the
contrary she sat down and with an
apologetic air informed me that she was
sorry she could not show me the precise
attentions she wished. Circumstances,
she said, over which she had no control
had made it impossible for them to offer
me the guest chamber, but If l would
be so good as to accept another for this
one night she would endeavor to pro-
vide me with better accommodations on
the morrow.
Satisfied of the almost painful nature
of their poverty and determined to SUBJ
NIT to privations if necessary rather
than depart before had penetrated the
mystery of this remarkable household,
1 FASTENED to say, with what | hope
was sincere good feeling, that any room
would be acceptable to me, and still ex-
pecting to be taken up stairs began to
gather up my wraps, but Miss Knollys
again surprised me by saying that my
room was not yet ready; that they had
not been able to complete all their ar
rangements, and would l make myself
at home where l was till evening.
AS this was asking good deal OF. q
woman Of my years, fresh from rail-
road journey and with natural habits
of great neatness and order, I felt some
what disconnected, but hiding it for the
reasons before given l laid down my
bundles again and endeavored to make
the best of the somewhat trying situa'
tion
Launching at once into conversation, !
began, us with her sister, to talk about
her mother. | had never known, save IN
the vaguest way, why Mrs. Knollys had
taken that journey abroad which had
ended in her death and burial in a for.
eign land. had heard she had gone
abroad for her health, which had begun
to fail after the birth of Lucetta, but as
she had gone unaccompanied by her
husband or children there was much
that it would be interesting for me to
know concerning these events which !
felt that these girls might be willing to
tell me, but Miss Knollys, Intentionally
or unintentionally, assumed an air 80
cold at these we'll meant questions on
my part that desisted from pressing
her and began to talk about myself In a
way which hoped would establish
really friendly relations between us and
make it possible for her to tell me Later,
if not at the present moment, what 1t
was that weighed so heavily upon the
household that no one could enter into
it without feeling the shadow Of the
secret terror that enveloped it.
But Miss Knollys, while more atten-
tive to my remarks than her sister had
been, showed still by certain unmistak-
able signs that her heart and interest
were anywhere but in that room, and
while I could not regard this as throw
ing any discredit upon my powers OF
pleasing - which have rarely failed
when 1 have exerted them to their ut
most-I still could not but experience
the dampening effect of her manner. l
went on chatting, but in desultory
way, noting all that was odd i'll her un-
accountable reception of me, but giving,
as 1 firmly believe, no evidence OF my
concern and rapidly increasing curiosity.
The peculiarities observable i'll this
my first interview with these interest
ing but by no means easily to be under
stood sisters continued all day. When
one sister came in, the other stepped
out, and when dinner time came and l
was ushered down the bare and dismal
hall into all equally bare and unattract-
i've dining room it was to find the seats
laid for four and Lucetta only seated at
the head of the board.
"Where is Loreen?" 1 asked wonder
ingly, as I took the seat she pointed out
to me with one of her faint and quick
ly vanishing smiles.
"She-she cannot come at present,
my young hostess stammered with the
least glance of distress at the large,
hearty looking woman who had sum-
moned me to the dining room.
"Ah," | murmured, thinking that
possibly Loreen had found it necessary
to assist in the preparation of the meal,
land your brother?
It was the first time he had been
mentioned by any of US. had shrunk
from the venture out of motive Of
pure compassion, think, and they had
not seen fit to introduce his name into
any of our conversations. Consequently
I waited her response with some anx-