Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-03-31

er, dear, and l think you are well
pleased to have me clear your name
from the suspicion Of hiding papers
that did not belong to you"
With this apology to her dead for
what she was about to do she returned
to the sitting room. The gay chintz
covered chair had been pushed back
against the wall. She advanced to-
ward it resolutely.
81 believe I'd rather have the plain
black horsehair showing anyhow. 1t Is
more in keeping with n funeral" she
said and went to work.
Kneeling before the old chair, she set
about untying the numerous tapes that
kept the slip cover In place. Many a
knot was rendered all the more refrac-
tory by the tears she dropped upon 1t.
The old armchair was very intimate
ly associated with her life. AS child
she had watched her fathers pen trav-
cling patiently by the hour over the pa-
per spread upon the little shelf attach
ed to it's right arm. She had n vague
recollection Of O mysterious drawer. To-
Gated somewhere under the ample
seat, which had an inconsiderate habit
Of tumbling out Of Its socket at the
most unexpected moments. scattering
its contents in the most unseemly fash
ion. Many time had it compelled her
to 90 down on her knees to recover the
disiecta membra Of the next Sundays
sermon.
Later. when the Rev. Mr.. Spillman
had been transferred to q world where
there was neither writing nor preach
ing Of sermons, the chair had become
Identified completely with her mother
But the drawer, which had been voted
q family nuisance when subject to
cal eless masculine handling. had never
played any part in latter days. Moth
er" Spillman had long ago carried into
effect her threat to fix it so 1t should
cease from troubling-how. Malvina
had never thought to notice.
EYES," she said, rising to her feet
after conquering the last knot. I'D
rather never see this old slip cover
again. Every flower In 1t would set
me to thinking about mother, and that
won't be good for me-"
With q skillful jerk she drew the
cover from its loosened moorings. A
loud noise accompanied the act. 1t
startled her, coming so unexpectedly
upon the solemn stiffness. The old
drawer had fallen out once more.
ITO think 1 should have forgotten
the old drawer! Mother must have
crisscrossed someof these strings about
it to keep it in place"
She stopped to repair the mischief
she had done. A package OF papers
had fallen out Of the drawer. She was
sure she had never seen them before.
With q frightened cry she gathered
them into a parcel. A long envelope.
soiled and unaddressed,. had fallen out
with the papers. Hastily replacing the
drawer and reverently folding the old
cover away in the closet. she carried
the package nearer to the lamp for eX.
animation. With a strange sense Of
reluctance upon her she drew a chair
up to the table and carefully manipu-
lated the lamp. She was dallyirg with
the moments. She was sure her moth
er had never made any use Of that
drawer. This package would prove to
be a lot Of worthless old papers left
over from the days Of her fathers oc-
oh
trembling fingers unfolded settled that
point forever.
Then all that talk about papers that
concerned Thomas BroXton had not
been the fancy Of disordered mind!
Her mother had been secreting papers
that belonged to the BroXton estate!
With never a thought as to the ethics
Of the case she spread out paper after
paper. mastering the character Of each