Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-12-24

capable of deceiving them if he had the
wit. Had he done sop 1t was question.
It was solved for US by Mr.. Gryce's
temperance in the room an hour or so
later. From the moment the light fell
upon his kindly features in the doorway
I knew that I might breathe again free
". It was not the face he showed in the
house of q criminal, nor did his bow
have any of that false Difference In 1t
with which he sometimes tries to hide
bis secret doubt or contempt.
"I have COME to trouble you for the
last time, ladies' We have made a dou-
BILE search through this house and
through the stables and feel perfectly
justified in saying that our duty hence
forth will lead us elsewhere. The Sc
crets we have surprised are your own,
and if possible shall remain so. Your
brothers propensity for vivisection and
the return and death of your mother
bear so little OH the real question which
interests this community that we may
be able to prevent their spread as gossip
through the town That this may be
done conscientiously, however, ought
to know something more Of the latter
circumstance If Miss Butterworth will
then be good enough to grant mo few
minutes conference with these ladies,
1 may be able to satisfy myself so far
as to let this matter rest where it is. "
rose with right good will. A noun
tain weight had been lifted from me,
proof positive that had really come to
love these girls.
What they told him, whether it was
less or more than they told me, I cannot
say, and for the moment did not know.
That it had not shaken his faith in them
was evident, for when he came out to
where l was waiting in the hall his as
pect was even more encouraging than
it had been before
"No guile in those girls" he whis-
pered, as he passed me- "The clew CIV
en- by what seemed mysterious in this
house has come to naught. Tomorrow
we take up another. The trinkets found
in Mother James cottage are something
real You may sleep soundly tonight,
Miss Butterworth. Your part has been
we'll done, but know you are glad that
it has failed.
And l knew that I was glad, too,
which is tho best proof that there is
something in me besides the detective
instinct.
The front door had scarcely closed be-
hind him when William came storming
in. He had been gossiping over the
fence with Mr.. Trohm and had been
beguiled into taking glass Of wine in
bis house. He showed it,
"Those sneaksl'' cried he. II hear
they've been back again, digging and
stirring up our cellar bottom like mad.
That's because you're so dreadful shy,
you girls. You're afraid Of this, you re
afraid of that. You don't want folks to
know your mother once Well, we'll,
there it is nowl If you had been willing
that should be known, would have
been let alone and my affairs left un-
touched but now every fool will cry
out at me in this staid, puritanical old
town, and all because few bones have
been found of animals which have died
in the cause of science. Isay it 8 all your
fault! Not that have anything to be
ashamed of, because haven't, but be-
cause this other thing, this Id wick
ed series of disappearance, taking place
for aught we know dozen rods from our
gates (though I think-but no matter
what I think-you all like, or say you
like, old Deacon Spear), has made every
one so touchy in this pharisaical town
that to kill q fly has become a crime
even if it is to save oneself from poi
son. I'm going to see if cannot make
folks look askance at some other man
than me. I'm going to find who or what
causes these disappearances.
This was a declaration to make US all
stare and look little bit foolish. Will
liam playing the detectivel Well, what
might not live to see nextl But the
next moment an overpowering thought
struck me. Might this Deacon Spear by
any chance be the rich man whose ami
mostly Althea Knollys had awakened7
TO BE CONTINUED NEXT SATURDAY.