Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-11-30

MIR. Gryce Is man VINO mas maue IL
his rule of life never to risk the reputa-
tion Of any man or woman without rea-
sons so excellent as to bear their own
exoneration with them, and should /, a
woman, with full as much heart If not
quite so much brain (at least in the es-
timation of people in generaD, by any
premature exposure Of my suspicious
cast mantle of shame over this family
they are far too weak and too poor to
ever rise above again?
No, rather would l trust litt;-
longer to my own persplcaclty and
make sure by the use Of my own eyes
or ears that the situation called for the
interference l had, as you may say, at
the end of the cord I was even now fin
gering
Lucetta had not asked me how came
to be back so much sooner than she had
reason to expect me. The unexpected
arrival of her lover had probably put
all idea of her former plans out Of her
head | therefore attempted no explana.
ton with her and very short one with
Loreen when l met her at the dinner
table. Nothing further seemed to be
necessary, for the girls were even more
abstracted than ever before, and Will
liam positively boorish till warning
glance from Loreen recalled him some
what to his better self, which meant ST.
lence
The afternoon was spent in very much
the same way as the evening before.
Neither sister remained an instant with
me after the other entered my company,
and though the alterations were less
frequent than they had been at that
time their peculiarities were more
marked and less naturally accounted
for 1t was while Loreen was with me
that made the suggestion which had
been lowering on my lips ever since the
noon.
II think this" said in one Of the
pauses of our more than fitful converse
tion. lone of the most interesting houses
it has ever been my good fortune to en-
ter Would you mind my roaming about
it a bit just to enjoy the old time flavor
of it's great empty rooms? know they
are mostly closed and possibly unfur-
nished, hut to connoisseur like myself
in colonial architecture this would
rather add to their interest than detract
| from it.
impossible, she was going to say,
but caught herself back in time and
changed the imperative word to one
more conciliatory if equally unyielding
~ am sorry. Miss Butterworth, to
deny you this qualification, but the con-
dition of the rooms and the unhappy ex-
citement into which we have been
thrown by the unfortunate visit paid to
Lucetta by a gentleman she is only too
much attached to- hope you will not
expect ,as to talk on the subject-make
it quite impossible for me to consider
any such undertaking today. Tomorrow
I may find it easier; but, if not, be as
sured you shall see every nook and cor
ner in it if you so desire before you leave
the house"
"Thank you" 1 retorted dryly. IL
will remember that. To one OF my
tastes an ancient room in time honored
mansion like this affords delight not
to be understood by one who knows less
of century ago's life. The legends only
connected with your great drawing room
below 1--WE were sitting in my room, /
having refused to be cooped up in their
dreary side parlor and she not having
offered me any other spot more cheerful)
are attractions sufficient to hold me en-
tranced for an hour. Iheard one of them
today"
"Which?'
She spoke more quickly than usual
and for her quite sharply.
Mrs. Carter" Iwent on, "endeav'
ored to amuse me by relating the story
of Lucetta's namesake-she who rode
through the night after daughter who
had won her lovers heart away from
her." .
"Ah, it is we'll known tale, but
think Mrs Carter might have left US tc
tell it to you. Did she relate anything
else?"
"No other tradition of this place, y
said l.
Il am glad she was so considerate.
But why-if you will pardon me-dio
she happen to light upon that? We have
not heard those incidents spoken of fol
years.
"Not since the phantom carriage flew
through this road the last time, q" Iven'
tured, with q smile that should have
disarmed her from suspecting any ulte'
rior motive on my part in thus intro
ducing subject which could not be al
together grateful to her.
1.-THE phantom carriage Have you
heard of that?'
wish it had been Lucetta who hao
said this and to whom my reply was
due. The opportunities would have beer
SO much greater for an injudicious dis
play of feeling on her part and of suit
able conclusion OH mine.
But it was Loreen who never forgot
herself and l had to content myself
with the persuasion that her voice wai
lust a whit less clear than usual ano
her serenity enough impaired for her tc
look out of my one high and disma.
window instead of into my face.
my dear''-I had not called bel
this before, though the term had fire.
quently risen to my lips in answer tc
Lucetta-"you should have gone with
me into the village today. Then yor
would not need to ask if l had heard o.
the phantom carriage"
, The probe had reached her at last
She looked quite startled.
"You amaze me-" she said. "Wha