Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-02-28
Copyright, 1899, by Jeanette H. Walworth.
CHAPTER II.
THE MISSING PAPERS.

with local happenings-saw coming to-
ward her from the Vaudeville direc-
ton something almost too bright and
vivid for that somber day Of sorrow.
1t was a smart little basket phaeton,
drawn by two satin coated ponies. The
morning sun. shining through the
clouds Of dust that rose in the wake
Of eight swiftly pattering hoofs, con
verted it into golden hued mists sur
rounding the swift revolving wheels Of
the chariot. Miss Malvina gave little
gasp.
"Elijah's chariot must have looked
Just that-a-way"-Miss Malvina's art
conceptions were drawn largely from
chromos. it is to be feared-"only," she
modified. "Elijah's chariot wasn't har-
messed to two satin coated ponies nor
driven by an extremely pretty girl In
a saucy sailor hat and mannish shirt
waist Looks like she had monopo-
iized all the sunshine there was to
spare. Our Heavenly Father is mighty
good to some folks"
She for whom such celestial partial
ity was claimed was Miss Olivia Mat
thews. She certainly made very vivid
spot of color OH the dun landscape as
she bore rapidly down upon the patient
figure at the gate.
Her yellow hair hoated away from
her white banded sailor hat in burnish'
ed beauty. She occupied the drivers
seat in her tiny phaeton and guided
the chestnut ponies that were harness.
ed to 1t with spirited grace quite be-
yond her years. She was only IA.
By her side. with his long legs drawn
we'll up to accommodate his dimen-
sions to those Of the phaeton. sat Law.
yer Matthews.
When the flashing little turnout had
wheeled fairly into her line Of vision,
Miss Malvina muttered her disap-
proval.
Goodness gracious me! They do look
dreadfully gay for going to the house
Of mourning"
But when the satin coated ponies.
with their jingling harness. came
abreast Of the gate, she discovered
compensating gloom in the lawyers
face. Its profound solemnity Modified
her to degree.
AS for Olivia, she was always vivid.
One must needs have shorn her yellow
name and robbed her laughing lips OF
their cherry ripe redness and her eyes
30 ~ hn orl-l la ho
sunlight on dancing waters to have re-
duced her to that somberness Of aspect
considered the fitting thing for such
occasions. OF course they were on their
way to the Hall.
Seeing they were going to stop. Miss
Malvina opened her front gate and ad
vanced as far as the horse block. talk
ing as she went
Good morning to you both. My. but
don't the sun shine just too bright to-
day! l was on the lookout for somebody
to tell me-something." she concluded
vaguely.
"We are on our way to the Hall
now." said Olivia. utilizing the halt to
fling her yellow name back over her
shoulders. Reuben. stupid old thing.
broke papa's buggy last night. and so
I had to bring him over" She leaned
back. laughing, to give Miss Malvina a
better view of her companions. Poor
darling! The phaeton does not fit him
very we'll. does it?"
81 stopped" said the lawyer. with
unsmiling dignity, Ito ask If by chance
you discovered any papers near your
gate this morning."
Papers"
"Yes. in q long official envelope. un-
addressed. thought they might have
fallen out Of my bag last night when
1t struck the ground"
Miss Malvina gazed speculatively
over an area Of several rods Of leaf
strewn earth. 1.-The bag certainly was
open, for | distinctly remember clasp
ing it as picked it up. but If any pa
pers fell out | didn't see them then.
and the hard wind that blew last night
would have carried them away by this
time"
Mr.. Matthews had got out Of the
phaeton and was going slowly over
the ground with his head bent. He
stirred the leaf heap with his umbrella
as he searched.
1T is possible that did not bring
them away from BroXton Hall. but
barely possible"
A SOW with large family Of new
born pigs was contentedly reposing on
the autumn leaves that filled the near
est fence corner. The lawyer Droddrd
her mercilessly with the ferrule of his
umbrella. She got up with an indis-
nant grunt and waddled Sullenly
across the road. followed by her
squealing progeny. But nothing came
of her ejectment. There was only IN
innocent pile Of autumn leaves pressed
into a compact mass under her bulky
body.
On all occasions Miss Olivia Mat
tbews' patience was easily exhausted.
1t gave way with explosive sudden
ness.
"Oh. papa. come on! You will find
those stupid papers in Mr.. Broxtons
study. just where you left them /
am sure Of it,
perhaps so. my dear. 1t Is poSsl'
BILE. but by no means sure. am COM
ing. One moment longer. If you please
my dear"
a hollow stump near by suggested
q possible lurking place. He walked
briskly toward it. Ollie was getting
impatient. That spurred his steps. He