Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-11-05

remarked. II have telegraphed to my
friends to expect me, and only a great
emergency would lead me to disappoint
them. Twill be glad to receive Mr..
Gryce Oh my return. And without
further parley I took my bundles back
from Leila and proceeded at once to the
carriage. Why should | show any fail
ure of courage at an event that was but
repetition of the very ones which
made my visit necessary? Was like
ly one to fall victim to mystery to
which my eyes have been opened? Had
| not been sufficiently warned of the
dangers of Lost Mans lane to keep my
self at respectable distance from the
place of peril? was going to visit the
children of my once devoted friend. If
there were perils of no ordinary nature
! to be encountered there, was l not all the
more called upon to 60 if only as moral
support to these young people, who per-
haps themselves were paralyzed by fear?
Yes, Mr. Gryce, and nothing now
should hold me back I even felt an in
creased desire to reach the scene Of these
mysteries and chafed some at the length
of the journey, which was of more te-
dious character than l expected. A poor
beginning for events requiring patience
as we'll as great moral courage, but l
little knew what was before me and
only considered that every moment
spent on this hot and dusty train kept
me thus much longer from the embraces
of Altheas children.
recovered my equanimity, however,
as we approached. The scenery was
really beautiful, and the consciousness
that | should soon alight at the noun
tain STATEN which had played a more
or less serious part in Mr. Gryce's mar
rative awakened in me a pleasurable
excitement which should have been q
sufficient warning to me that the spirit
which had led me through that affair
next door had seized me again in way
that meant equal absorption if not equal
success
The number of small packages l car
ried gave me enough to think of at the
moment Of alighting, but as soon as l
was safely again on terra firma l threw
hasty glance around to see if any Of
Altheas children were there to meet
me.
felt that l would know them at
once She had been so characteristically
pretty they could not fail to show some
likeness which would lead to an instant
recognition while they could not fail
to know me. Blu. while there were two
or three country maidens to be seen
standing in and around the little pavil-
ion known here as the mountain station
| saw no one who by any stretch Of i'm
agination could. be regarded as of AL
thea Burroughs blood or breeding.
Somewhat disappointed for l had ex-
pected different results from my tele-
gram, l stepped up to the station mas
ter and asked him whether | would
have any difficulty in procuring car
riage to take me to Miss Knollys' house.
He stared, it seemed to ME unnecessari-
ly long, before replying.
WAL, >" said he, Simmons is usu-
ally here, butt don't see him round
today Perhaps one of these farmer lads
will take it.
But they all drew back with sort of
scared look, and was beginning to tuck
up my skirts preparatory to walking
when little old man Of very meek ap-
pearance drove up i'll very old fash
ioned coach, and with hesitating air,
springing entirely from bashfulness,
managed to ask if was Miss Butter
worth. 1 hastened to assure him that l
was whereupon he stammered out some
words about Miss Knollys and how sor-
ry she was that she could not come for
me herself. Then he pointed to his
coach and made me understand that l
was to step into it and 60 with him.
1t was not an altogether encouraging
outlook, especially as l saw the heads
of the various onlookers draw together
and many curious looks directed at us
both and the conveyance that was to
carry US. But I was in no mood to be
daunted now, and accepting the old cod
gers apologies with what grace could
| stepped into the wagon and prepared
myself for ride into town.
But it seems was not to be allowed
to enter upon this adventure without
another warming While the old man
was engaged in bringing my trunk, the
station master approached me with
great civility, and with touch of his
hat asked if it was my intention to
spend few days with the Misses Knoll
lys. | told him that it was, and, thinking
it best to establish my position at once i'll
the eyes of the whole town, added with
a politeness equal to his own that i was
an old friend of the family and had been
coming to visit them for years, but had
never found it convenient till now and
that l hoped they were all well and
would be glad to see me.
He made some sort of reply, showing
considerable embarrassment, then pluck
ing up his courage said with marked
constraint:
"Pcrhaps you have not heard that
this village just now is under a cloud. y
II have heard" I said innoccntly,
"that one or two men have disappeared