The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-03-31

tritles, and your mother. my dear, is
probably dead?'
Even as spoke, wondered what
manner of woman her mother could
| have been.
Ninon nodded, Yes. madam" and
her large, soft eyes grew moist. Il
never saw my mother. Sappho re-
: ing.
The toothleSs SCOT black creature
was pluc'iing at her young lady 5 gown,
trying to draw her back from me-
She uttered a sharp cry.
"Oh. lily missy, come away" she en-
treated. "Ole cap'n forbid you talk.
He cotch us hcrc-dcn what"
The girl grew pale.
True, we must 90, she muttcred.
then dropped mea courtesy. Il thank
! YOU for your kindness. madam. |
would like to know You better. but my
father forbids me to speak to anybody
in this place"
And she walked sadly away toward
the Barrow, t,tl,wv'l hy old Sarpho.
After that | saw no more Of Captain
Peters daughter.
The autumn storms came roaring
across the sea. and the waves foamed
| high along the Lynn beaches and the
brown Nahant cliffs. Had that pretty
creature Ninon found anybody to read
John letter to her! had no means
of knowing, for | did not 90 near the
Barrow again. Salci" merchants were
already looking out for the return of
the Flying Dutchman, and, all things
considered, | thought it wiser to let
John do his own wooing
1t was a winter night. clustering,
bitter cold. with full moon riding in
a cloudless sky. The ground was bare
OF snow. but frozen like iron. | hcapcd
my fire with dry hickory wood, and
had just seated myself to knit in its
| light and warmth. when heard some
one running up my gardenwall, the
| door flew open. and on the threshold
stood the black woman Sappho.
49,
ment-only Il cotton gown. and 4 red
Madras handkerchief knotted in tur-
ban. with the ends projecting on either
side of her head like ears Her eyes
were rolling so wildly that | could see
only the whites, and her whole bent
and withered body shook as if with
palsy.
Good gracious" said |, dropping
my knitting into the ashes on the
hearth, "whatever has happened?"
Come quick, missis!' gasped the
old creature; 'ole cap'n powerful bad.
Lily miss wants you-come quick,
With the exercise of a little patience.
| gathered from her gibberish that
Captain Peter had fallen down stairs
in fit, and that his daughter had sent
Sappho to call me to her help.
a man in fit is too heavy weight
for my hands," said |. First of all,
Sappho, 90 for q doctor-there' one
living not a mile away, on the other
side of the Barrow
gave her some minute directions.
and sent her flying over the beach.
Then went to my herb-closet, and
made up a bag of simples, put on my
worsted cloak and hood, and started
for the Barrow.
The night was exceedingly bright
Like rain of silver. the moonlight
fell upon everything. The sea lay
white as glass in its spendor. | could
see the little pebbles glistening like
jewels all along my path. Even the
shadows of the trees seemed like things
that | might grasp and hold. As |
drew near to the old house, | perceived
the figure of a man standing outside
the high wooden gate, in an attitude
of waiting.
Its the doctor, = | thought, and
qnichened my pace. Where was Sap
pho that she did not show him in!
"IIas that stupid negress locked the
gate upon you, SIR called but the
man did not move or answer
Il drew nearer to the waiting figure:
then | discovered that it was not our
gray old Lynn doctor. but a stranger,
young. handsome, and dressed in q
fashion entirely out of date.
Cold rs the night was, he stood I'M
covered holding a cooked. gold-aced
hat in one hand | had never seen 4
face so comcly. and at the same time
so frightfully pale. His blonde hair
was confined by Il ribbon, and sprinkled
with thin rime Of powder. lie wore
a suit of dark-hluc velvet, embroidered
with something bright, and a jabot of
fine lace. with rullles OF the same at
his wrists. BY his side hung sword
| with n solid silver hilt. beautifullv V
wrought-a wonderful weapon, though
as the moon shonc upon it,
started back step. but | was not
4 timid woman, and the appearance of
this stranger NIGHTLY aroused my
curiosity.
Sir" said |, hobbing him a conr-
tcsy, for it was plain that | was in the
presence Of no common person, "dC
you want to see anybody at the Bar