The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-12-21

| On. cried Meta. with slight Start
what Changing noise was that:'
"Only the gate Of yonder gray ole
vault swinging in the wind" Meta
BOXED earnestly toward it.
"Oh, Frank. am sure I saw some
thing move back there in the shad
ows."
Nonsense, Meta. what could posi-
bly, be there but the dead bones OF
some ancient Dutch burgomaster:"
And Meta could not but join in the
merry laugh at her own childish folly
and forget it.
They sat there some ten minutes
watching the sun 20 down into the
river below, in red panoply Of bright.
ness and to Miss Georgiana's intense
disappointment, saying not word OF
lovesick sentiment, such as she had
longed and expected to hear; then they
rose up and strolled away down one
Of the broad graveled paths that led
to the eastern gates of the cemetery.
"Poh" thought Miss Tripton, discon-
! tentedly. THAT wasn't worth listen
ing to-
But rs she essayed to unlatch and
open the iron vault. gate, she discov-
cred, to her dismay, that it was fast.
Some unsee or .unsuspected catch in the
iron mechanism Of the gate had Gagged
her safely in the recesses Of the dis
NAL old vault.
In vain she shook the fastenings-
the stone and iron were too firmly
welded together to admit Of any tam
pering with their rivets.
Dear. dear thought Miss Georgi-
ana. beginning to tremble all over with
sense of the very diSagreeable posi-
ton in which she had placed herself.
What shall I do? They can't have
gone far. I'll scream
She lifted up her voice. in 4 femi-
nine scream-"Help. ne-e-lp" But
only the rustling of the leaves and the
piping Of the summer insects replied.
She screamed again. this time at the
very top of her voice: still. no answer.
And then Miss Georgiana, forgetting
all her strong -mindedness and self
praise, sank down all in 4 heap in the
corner Of the vault and began to cry
piteously.
Its growing darker every minute"
she whispered. land 1 shall have to
stay here all night, with the ghosts
and the spiders. and the horrid,. horrid
dead mems bones. All night. and to-
morrow is Sunday. and the cemetery
gates will be locked. and who knows
but l shall die with fright and hunger
before l can get ont Of this hideous
place. Oh, dear. dear. III never. never
listen again. I'll let Meta marry whom
she likes. and never interfere, if only
get alive cut of this dismal vanlt.
Why did I come here? Why couldn't
l have minded my own business? Old
Aunt Polly Parkes always said /
should come to grief prylng into other
peoples affairs, and her words have be-
come gospel-true at last
And once more, in paroHysm Of
despair, Miss Georgiana raised her
voice and walled aloud for help.
Meta Graham, who was pauSing at
little wayside fountain, where crys-
tal-clear stream of water dubbed into
4 marble basin, whose edge was nearly
hidden in blossiming water-fags and
aquatic plants, stopped to listen with
the tin cup ut her lips.
Frank she said. gravely, Il GER
tainly do hear something
so do IT, said Mr.. Elles!ie. 81 hear
the water dripping into the fountain.
and the sound Of the wind rushing
through the treetops. and two black
birds singing in the hedges
But 1 hear human voice crying out
for help
Nonsense
Meta pursed up her lips and nodded
her head.
Listen for yourself. Frank" she
! urged. "Hark. there it Is again"
"Well, it does sound like voice"
admitted Mr.. Elleslie. Shall we go
back? Perhaps some one has lost his
way in the winding paths, or" and his
eyes twinkled mischievously, ''some
ghost is crying out for its freedom
"Oh, Frank. don't talk sou pleaded
.Ieta, clinging nervously to his arm.
Let us 90 back at once, and see what
| it means.''
And few monutes only had elapsed
before Frank and Meta had retraced
their steps to the green glade where
the marble statue cleaned family
through the darkening twilight. and
the hoEeysuckles diffused their heavy
fragrance on the air.
Why" calculated Meta, sit is
Cousin Georgy peering out from behind
the iron bars like wild beast in q
cage"
How on earth came you here. Miss
Tripton." rather unceremoniouSly de-
manded Mr.. Elleslie; and Georgiana,
we'll frightened for her duplicity, cor
fessed the truth.
Frank burst out laughing Meta drew
herself up, flushed and indignant.
Under the circumstances she said,
II can hardly pity your Involuntary
captivity as much as l might otherwise
do
But III never do such thing again
il you'll only let ME oat this time,
| pleaded Georgiana.
And Mr.. Elleslie went for the gate