Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-02-11
CHAPTER XII.
THE FIRST OF MAY.

Next mOruluS dlteI NY io9uAA w
England I donned the orthodox top hat
and frock coat and set Off to walk TO
South Kensington to call upon my sister
Janet, who, by the way, was widow,
her husband having died of malarial
fever when with his regiment on the
west coast Of Africa
I found her in the morning room in
the act of writing note Of welcome 70
me. She greeted me with all her old
sisterly affection and when she had done
so made me sit down before the fire
and tell her all my adventures.
"We have heard the most wonderful
tales about you," she said, with smile.
"How you were captured by sort OF
female Captain Kidd Of fabulous beauty,
who carried you off to an island in the
Pacific, where you were made to dig
sufficient gold to pay your ransom.
"Indeed?"
.'It has been recopied into all sorts of
papers," she continued. but I've no
doubt it was mass of mere fabrication.
Own the truth now, wasn't it?''
Every bit" answered candidly. II
have been very much annoyed by those
stupid newspaper paragraphs. 1t is just
like the rabid craving Of the age for SEN
sationalism. But before I 60 any fur.
ther, Janet. l want to tell you some
thing. am going to be married" "
"You, George! Why, yon always used
to say you had made up your mind never
to do anything so foolish
$50 did, but you see have changed
my mind.
$50 it would appear. And, now, who
is she? Tell me where you met her and
all about her. "
This was what dreaded, but it had
to be met and faced.
"Well, in the first place, her name is
Allie. She is 81 years of age and an or
phan. Her father was a captain in the
English navy, but is now dead. She is
very sweet, very accomplished, and very
beautiful, and / feel sure, Janet, if only
for my sake, you will offer her hearty
welcome when she comes home.
"You know me we'll enough to be
sure of that, don t you, dear old George;
And is nything settled yet? How soor
does she come home, and when are you
going to be married."
ITO your first question l can only an
swer, as soon after the lst of May as
possible. On the lst Allie will arrive in
England. Now will you wish me hap
piness, Janet?"
with all my heart and soul. But
am dying to know more. Tell me where
you met her and indeed all about your
adventures; remember, you have been
away a whole year. -
told her as much as l thought pru'
dent without revealing Allies identity,
and when my story was ended we sal
chatting on till lunchtime
When l left the house in the after
noon, knew | had insured a kind re-
ception for Allie when she should arrive
in England.
Now must skip the greater part oil
a year and come to the middle of the
last week in April, just three days, IL
fact, before l knew might expect my
darling
bad her own assertion that sht
would be in England on the lst o.
MAY, and | had never known her fail tt
keep her word. Just as that though
passed through my brain there was
ring at the bell, and few seconds late'
my man brought up telegram on
salver With fingers trembling will
eagerness l tore the envelope open arr
read the following message:
Arrived this morning Bundaberg House
Surblton Come quickly ALE
There and then ran out of the room
gave the telegraph boy in the porch hal
a crown for his trouble, seized my ha
and stick, hailed hanson and babe th'
cabman drive me with all possible speet
to Waterloo The man was a smar
whip, and as he possessed good hors'
we covered the ground in grand style
When we reached the station, l palt
him off, purchased my ticket and raj
on to the platform just i'll time to catci
the 6:l5 express Punctually at fv'
and twenty minutes to l left the trail
again at Surbiton and, proceeding int
the station yard, called another cab.
"Do you know Bundaberg House?'
asked the man as l took my place IN tn
vehicle