Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-11-03

Of personal body servant He shaved
me very skillfully, helped me into my
clean clothes. made my bed, tdied my
cabling and brought me what ! stood
most in need of. q hot and sufficient
| meal
Save for one ever haunting, torment
ing uncertainty, could afford to bide
my time; / might possess my soul In
patience. fairly confident that the right
would come right In the end.
But what Of Frida? When should l
see her again? To win her and be
parted from her all within few short
hours-It was hard measure, indeed.
And how would she take my disap-
pearance? Would she be grieved. an.
noyed. suspicious-what?
These last rather anxious specula-
tions were broken In on by the ap-
pearance OF Lysander, my laconic
jailer. who brought me a cup Of hot
coffee. with the brief words-"Break.
fast. boss"
He was presently followed by Colonel
McQuahe and Lawford. They both
inquired most affectionally after my
health. Had l slept well. was the food
to my taste. the boy attentive?-all as
pat as though they were my hosts and
we were the best Of friends imagina-
BILE.
"Say now. Mr.. Wood" went on Nc
Quahe. II dew hope you'll change your
decision Of yesterday. 1t was III con.
sidered-yes, SIR, you may take that
from me. See. we've no wish to keep
you here below the whole voyage
mayhapsa tarnation long voyage-but
we can't let you 60 on deck unless you
PROMISE
"What?
"Jest this. You must promise not to
try and communicate with any hooker
that may approach us, neither by wav-
ing, shouting. or otherwise signaling.
Also. never to speak to any soul on
board but our three selves; never to
signal or make signs to the captain or
any man jack Of the crew-not that 1t
would help you any, for they believe
you to be sick mentally. lunatic
with disordered senses, brought to sea
for his health. We two are the doctors,
Lysander here is attendant and keeper.
Will you give US your word Of honor
as gentleman"-
ITO gentlemen?" I interjected, and
the irony was not lost on Lawford.
whose red face grew redder.
"As man to man." corrected Nc.
Quahe. "I calculate that's good
enough. And don't raise our dander.
or you may hurt yourself"
81 will promise" said, "but con-
ditionally. claim to withdraw from
It when It suits me. when and how |
please"
"As howY'
''If find that l am fairly treated.
II circumstances alter, if'-
"You see a chance Of making your
escape! Waal, sir. when that time
comes we shall take the gloves of. and
you will feel our fists"
1t was q splendid day on deck, bright
sun. a brisk air freshening of the
sparkling sea. We were under full
canvas-she was a schooner yacht
and doing a good ten knots, l imagin-
ed. down channel. l judged the d.
rection of our course by the position Of
the sun. the movement of the shipping
aud steamers going both ways, yet
more by the blue line on either bow.
have called our vessel yacht, her
name the Fleur-de-Lis, as | saw It
marked on the life belts. brass work
and compass box; yacht, as was evil
dent from her fittings. the clear deck
fore and aft, the abundant brass work,
the absence Of hamper, the fairly
white sails. But she was not particu-
larly shilshape, not as spick and span,
as scrupulously clean, as If her owner
was on board; her crew were seeming
ly a scratch lot, not true yachtsmen,
and the skipper, although alert and
sailorlike, was in a shabby suit, not
the regulation blue cloth and brass
buttons.
Then they arranged me In my chair,
with quite tender solicitude, 1 admit,
but that was part Of the play; gave
me books and pipe and left me, but
not to myself. Two Of the three were
always at my elbow or held me con-
stantly in sight. was close guarded,
but I hardly minded it, for a sort Of
dreamy, luxurious lassitude overcame
me, the reaction, no doubt, from so
many emotions, and dozed on and of
pretty well all that day, Thursday. l
awoke next morning between 6 and Z,
feeling fresh and fit, and would gladly
have turned out to enjoy the invigorat-
ing air on deck. But no one came for
long time, although rang and called
and clapped my hands. When. after
time, Lysander appeared, he wore a
discontented, saturnine look on his
dark, ugly face and went on with his
valeting sullenly and silently till he
left me. By and by Lawford came in,
anxious and perturbed, as could see
by his face and manner.
"What's amiss, Lawford? Have your
sins found you out? The hangman
might be aboard. to say nothing Of the
police"
"They're in sight anyway" he said
in low whisper. Then, checking my
exclamation Of delight, he added i'm