The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-06-27

CONTINUED.
'rMamma has often enough de7
scribed the places little distance
from a clump of sycamore tyees,
twelve trees growing out OF a Single
root, she said, and on one Sf the
trunks is carved the rudeN out
lined figure of an Indian woman; I
don't know if that figure means any
thing. but mamma and 7 have often
thought that perhaps it wa assc ,iated
in some way with oar Indian ancestor,
and as papa was searching for the
treasure at that time, hej begged to be
buried in that spot. Poor dear father
His mind bad broken down, ana
mamma could never understand his
wild rawlings about the buried treasure
and its hiding-place." -.
"AnG you have absolutely no clue?,
asked Mrs. Travers, in a disappointed
'Si s:None at ali; papa had paper or
parchment or something of the sort,
containing the whole secret, but he
: could not follow it out, and he had
either lost the paper or else had so
carefully hidden it that it was worse
than lost. Mamma used to have wild
hopes of finding ityears ago, and even
to the last she clung to the thought
that should yet be a great helress.
But I take no interest in it, Mrs.
Travers, none at all! Though have
indeed sought for the sycamore trees,
it has been to find my fathers grave;
it was my mothers last earthly wish
to be buried beside the husband she
loved and who had adored her."
"Oh, Dolores, dear child! Why
did you not tell me sooner" said Mrs.
Travers, in voice tremulous with
sympathetic feeling. "I could have
done much to further your desire; 1
will Immediately take steps to do so.
Did you find the place."
"Not yet, but I shall surely do so;
those long rambles which you have
seen me take in company with Henri
have been in search of that clump OF
trees. I have at times almost de-
SPARED, and have wondered if they
could have been fancy of mamma, OF
if some accident might not, in all
these years, have destroyed the
trees"
"No, no, the trees exist" inter.
rupted Mrs. Travers, eagerly. they
are known as the haunted sycamores;
it is said that once every year, for
ages past, on the 18th of October, a
shadowy ghost is seen hittering about
there; it is a mere legend, of course,
and no such thing occurs. Some eff.
feet of the moonlight, probably, but
the ghost-story has served to locate
the spot, and it can easily be found.
"On the 18th of October" repeated
Dolores, "oh, why did I not tell you
sooner! I have lost so much time"
"Oon't be troubled about that, Dol
ores-the right time always comes
even when we think we have lost it.
And I hope it has come now," she
added irrelevantly, rising and taking
q hasty step or two towarda gentleman
who was rapidly approaching her
across the lawn.
So much engaged had they been in
their conversation that neither had
heard the approach of the carriage on
the road at some distance; and for the
moment both had forgotten the e1-
pected arrival of guest.
Dolores also arose, and with a
vague, delighted futter of anticipa.
tion, her gaze was fixed ,'on the ap.
proaching stranger-she could not be
mistaken! There wass mot in all the
world such another, 80 gracious,
graceful, distinguished in bearing, so
refined, elegant and absolutely perfect,
in the elevated and the spiritual beau
ty of his countenance; and now he
too, had recognized her, and once
more two lovely and kindred souls
seemed looking at each other out OF
their eyes, end recognizing some
close and eternal relationship in that
long, deep gaze.
"My dear Dolores" said Mrs.
Travers, "this is my friend, Lord
Harold Moray-Lord Harold; the
Senorita Mendoza" -.
Dolores put out her hand-her love-
ly white, trembling hand; and Lord
Harold, clasping it in his. felt himself
thrilled to the heart by that first touch
of the warm, pink, sensitive palm.
He bowed low over her hand, and
with difficulty refrained from raising
it to his lips: and Mrs. Travers thought;
"Well, certainly, they have made
an impression on each other. I could
not reasonably hope for more, on q
first acquaintance. But is it the first? ?
Can it be possible that they have met
before?"
CHAPTER Xxx.
"LovE's YOUNG DREAM"
"Wcll, I never believed it, and
couldn't now if I hadn't seen it," ex-
claimed Mrs. Trevers, ''but this is
certainly convincing evidence that ii