Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-11-22

| on the seal There will soon be q
tempest that will put out the jubilee
lights Of my good islanders. How
thick and oppressive this night Is!
throwing back his shoulders, as though
suffocating. "One can scarcely breathe
| it it. Heaven above! what is that?"
The great garden lay before them
lighted only by the distant glare OF
the bonfires. Jetta turned in time to
see something dart across the tagged
walk in front of the porch-a shape
black, swift, noiseless-seen one mo-
, ment with a white, cleaning face
turned on the bridal pair, the next
gone!
WAS 1t not one Of the island ,peo-
ple?" said the Creole bride. Every
body seems to be abroad tonight"
To her surprise he broke from her
and leaped down with nervous haste
into the tagged walk.
mo, It was none Of the island folks!
he cried. Il am sure of 1t! Derby!'
calling to a stout, middle-aged fellow
who had entered the garden by the side
gate, have you met any one unknown
to you? Is there a stranger on the is
land tonight?"
Lord bless us! No, sir" answered
Derby, lifting his hat to Mrs. Hawk
stone, 1--WE h'ain't no welcome for
90 all OF
like this, sir. I've seen no one but that
wild jade, Peg Patton, with her cloak
over her head, ambling round to the
kitchen to take her turn at the good
things"
Fetch a lantern and search the
grounds, Derby!" commanded Hawk
stone, in an agitated voice. Il am con-
vinced that something is wrong"
The man hurried away. Jetta look
ed wonderingly at her husband.
Surely, Philip, you do not attach
any importance to SO small matter?
she said. "Just the fitting Of a shad-
ow across your garden path? Are you
sure that you know these island people
so intimately that you could not fail
to recognize one Of them under such
circumstances"
He looked strangely pale.
II am sure Of nothing! had one OF
those cursed impressions that some
times overcome a man without warn
ing or reason" he answered, trying to
laugh: IAN impression that some mon
strous evil lurked near us, darling, and
was embodied in that fitting, indefina-
BILE shape. There! 1t is gone now!" In
voice of intense relief. There Is
tempest in the air. Perhaps the cleo
trio currents have something to dc
with my mood"
They could see Derby and his Ian
tern darting hither and thither through
the garden, down even to the seawall
and out upon the beach. He came
back, at last, with crestfallen air.
"Ive beat the bush, sir, but hide nor
hair Of anything can find" he cried
Must have been some Of the house
folks. Did you notice If 'twere man OF
woman, sir?" But neither Hawkstone
, ,r his bride could tell. Maybe 'twere
:. sweetheart gallivanting after one OF
the kitchen maids, sir; sich things will
be-" said Derby. by the great horn
spoon, here comes the rain, and the
folks on the beach will get wet skins!
Is it your pleasure that I should look
further, sir?"
mo" answered Philip Hawkstone
moi" And as the rain began to pattel
down on the garden leaves he retreat
ed into the house, drawing Jetta after
him.
They passed the evening in the old
library. The storm did not break al
once-it grumbled and muttered
threatening, reluctant. A half-hour
before midnight the two descended tc
the Cedar Chamber. At the door OF
the nursery Jetta whispered:
Let us look at the child"
He followed her into the room. A
shaded lamp burned on a table, and
little Basil lay asleep in pretty white
bed, under a curtain Of silk and lace
his yellow curls shining on the en-
broidered pillow, his chubby hands Still
clasping a favorite toy. He had gone
to bed in ill-humor, as it happened, and
tear still glistened on his cheek
Jetta bent and kissed 1t away.
Il foresee that you will spoil him.
said Hawkstone; then the two went or
to their own chamber.
The red bonfires soon leaped ano
flashed along the downs and the
beaches; the thunder muttered. NOW
and then a long, lamentable blast Of
wind and rain tore through the garden
and died away on the sea. The islanc
folks came hurrying up from the snore
Laughing and chattering as they came
These were the last sounds audible
in her small, ea-girt world this nigh'
as Jetta Hawkstone went to her rest.
An hour passed. Just as Dutcf
clock in the hall was striking one, the
storm burst on the Atlantic, and oVei
the hills and downs of Tempest Islanc
burst in blue blaze of lightning-a
terrific down-pour Of rain. The last
of the bonfires went out in the sputter-
ing deluge. At the same moment
woman's cry Of fear and agony arose
in a cedar paneled chamber Of Tenn
pest Hall, and rang like a tocsir
through every nook and corner OF the
house, blood-curdling cry thai
brought the servants out Of their beds
and sent them flying, half f-dressed in
to the corridors.
Help! help, oh, help!"
They rushed with one accord to theil
masters chamber.
In the centre Of the room stood fig-
ure white as a sheeted corpse-PhiliI
Hawkstone's Creole bride, uttering ap-
palling screams. On the bed lay the
lord of Tempest Island, the young, the
rich, the handsome, who but few
hours before had brought that same
fair bride to the ancient home or mis-
race. The lamps, carried by the fright