Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-10-27
Copyright, 1900, by r. F. Fenno & Co.
CHAPTER VIII.
TIE q q CHATTANOOGA


never felt so deserted and forlorn
as when | stood on the platform at
Waterloo on the Sunday morning wait
ing for the special train for Southamp-
ton. There was great mob of people
crowding and clamoring around pas
sengers and their friends to see them
o1f-all strangers to me. many OF them
talking an uncouth. unintelligible Ian
guage. The porters were too much
oyerpowered with luggage to attend to
me, and | had Roy to look after.
He was very fractious. dragging at
his chain. yelping In short. angry snaps,
with fierce shows Of teeth. and keeping
every one at distance. | cannot say
what | should have done but for the
kindness Of q man. a gentleman who
spoke with a strong Yankee twang and
who found us seats. He persuaded the
guard to allow Roy to remain In the
carriage with US. and the dog was for
the moment good. | don't know why
burdened myself with him. but l
clung to him feebly. desperately. for
no other reason than that he was VII.
lies, the only real living link left me
with my dear missing friend.
This new acquaintance was youth.
little more. In straw hat and a light
check suit: he wore no gloves and had
a diamond ring on one finger and a
great diamond brooch In his slipknot
tie. He was not handsome. far from
it-freckled face. red hair and ferrety
eyes-and yet there were kindliness,
good feeling. chivalry In his face. that
many q better born gentleman might
have envied him.
"Guess you're new to this kind OF
thing" he said affably as we started.
"Never been across before?
Mother frowned at me from her cor
ner as though to check this forward
stranger. but I was so sure he meant
we'll and so grateful to him for his
kindness that | smiled and let him
talk on.
"You see. there are lot Of big toads
In this puddle. and outsiders are left a
long way behind. Quite number Of
swells on board the train-dukes and
duchesses. young mlllionaires. that
Cresus British captain"
My heart bounded at the names he
mentioned. for I knew that he was re-
ferring to the conspirators, and l ask
ed him, rather nervously, II he knew
any Of these people by sight. / dared
not tell him. Of course, how deeply
they interested me.
"Why, certainly; the whole hypothec.
There's the Duchess Of TERRA Sagrada.
The title is Spanish, not much. take
It, like their castles. But she's an
amazing fine woman, tall and hand
some. Reckon that's won her her
duke. She was on the boards once
some Boston variety show. The dukes
like bit Of dried root and black as
sarsaparilla-"
"And this millionaire"
"Wood. You have heard Of him. Is
that so? The young English captain
who got all the McFaught millions.
needn't show him you; guess you know
him by sightT'
How was I to answer this most en-
barrassing question? Was 1t put quite
innocently? Had this man any sus-
picion? | looked into his little pale
blue eyes. but they never faltered, and
I replied that, like the rest Of the
world. had heard the story.
Hes no great shakes. you'll say,
not for a British officer. Don't fit his
fortune quite. It's good deal to live
up to-"
When the train ran into Southamp-
ton and we left it for the wharf where
lay the little tender that was to con-
vey us to the big liner, Mr.. Rossiter
(my new friends name) showed us the
people he had named. We were crowd
ed now into narrow space, and sat
almost in each others pockets. 1t was
easy to make out every one, and soon
learned all I wanted to know.
First, there was the arch impostor,
the villain who was masquerading as
nv dear Willie Wood. saw q short,
thickset, vulgar looking man, very
much overdressed, smoking a long
cigar, holding his head high, as though
arrogance and hauteur were In bis
part. He was not alone; his two COM
panions, the only persons to whom he
spoke. were the Duke and Duchess OF
TERRA Sagrada. as my friend whisper
ed me.
I confess | stared at them with all
my eyes, my heart beating tumultuous,
". II / only knew what they did!
They had been with Willie-were the
last to see him, probably, in the Vic
toria dock.
The man. a small man. thin, twisted,
snakelike, and venomous. was no
doubt the ringleader. one Of the prime
movers in the plot. AS | looked at
his dark, sallow face. heavy, brooding
with dull. savage. bloodshot eyes,
trembled to think might have to
measure strength with him-that l, q
weak, helpless woman. might be called
upon to unmask him, and bring him to
account. What chance should | have
alone against these INSCRIPTIONS, muir
derous, coldly deliberate villains?
got some little comfort. however,
from my examination of the woman
Duchess or no duchess, accomplice and
confederate or hapless tool. willing or
constrained, knew that within her
door means she had been kind to
Willie, and would have helped him If
she could. She was not wholly bad. |
felt sure. A handsome woman. un,
doubtedly; very tall. with a fine figure
and beautiful face. although with q
sad, worn, anxious expression-the
face Of one who had known some