Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-11-29
Bv ETA w. PIERCE.

II promise to stoop to nothing les
than a princess, mother" he laughed
gayly Il trust it will be many da!
before anybody takes your place-ii
fact, no living woman can take you
place on the Tempest. Be not alarm
ed; l know nothing of love, care moth
ing for it," tossing back his brown
locks. II am too much of a despot by
nature to submit to it's control 1 shall
return to you even as 1 go-unscathed
heart-whole," and then he added
with bold arrogance: There are few
women in the world fit to be the wife
of a Hawkstone."
THE doom Of the family is unhappy
marriage Do you know that, Basil?'
Il have heard some rubbish Of the
sort" - loftily - but superstition In
these days is vulgar-quite unworthy
of US, you know! You may be sure
that the family doom, as you call it
will never overtake me-"
So he went, in his splendid, boastfu
strength, and Jetta Hawkstone was
left alone at Tempest Island.
A year passed, but Basil did not re-
turn. He had attained his majority
now, and was his own master, ac-
countable neither to his stepmother nor
any other.
His letters were frequent and tender
but evasive. He made no apologies nor
explanations, and frankly declared that
she need not look for him for another
twelve month at least. He seemed
fascinated with European life, and he
was spending money with lavish
hand.
The second year went by like the
first. but Basil Hawkstone did not
come. His mother waited anxiously
With the unerring instinct of love she
felt that something was wrong.
What the deuce can Prince Lucifer
be doing over there in London and
Paris?" sneered young Vincent Hawk
stone. who had come down to the is
land to spend a vacation. The boy
was poor and kinless save for Basil
He hated this elder and more fortunate
Hawkstone with his whole heart, and
did not scruple to express these senti-
ments when occasion offered. You
may be sure he's up to mischief my
dear aunt Basil is sly, deuced sly. for
all you think such a paragon. l hope
to goodness he'll have the decency to
send me abroad when / am done with
school. We two are the last Of the
Hawkstones He is rich, am a beg
gar. He ought, in common justice, to
divide the family shekels with me-"
She looked at him in cold anger
Vincent, I forbid you ever again, in
my presence, to speak like that OF
your cousin! Your insinuations are
unworthy, unjust. He can do no
wrong-I trust him implicitly. In.
grateful boy! you forget that you al
ready owe him everything. Your faith
er was a prodigal, who spent his sub
stance in riotous living. He left you
friendless and penniless. For years
Basil has provided for you literally
You are living now upon his bounty
Vincent, l fear a day will come when
you, like the serpent warmed in gen.
erous bosom. will repay your cousin
with some deadly sting"
Il hate Basil!" answered Vincent
with boyish bluntness. II hate his high
and mighty airs; / will sting him If
ever get the chance, see If don't"
One fateful day letter came to Jet
Ia Hawkstone from the far south. The
signature at the bottom of the sheet
was Gabriel Ravenal. She read 1t with
blanching lips, then started up from
the dinner-table where she was sitting
with the boy Vincent, and rang for a
servant to fetch Harris, the overseer
The latter came, an old man now, be-
ginning to stoop with the weight OF
years.
Il am called away in haste, Harris
said the lady of the island. Take care
of everything here, Vincent included
till l return"
Yes, madam" said Harris.
II cannot tell how long 1 may be
absent, so you must keep the island
and especially the Hall, ready for my
sons arrival. He may come at any
,fYodr
II will see that he is welcomed pro-
perly. madam" replied Harris.
Her trunks were packed in haste
and attended by single maid-Salome
had died years before-she departed
from Tempest Island.
She was absent a month. No mem
Der of the household knew whittier she
had gone, or what the errand was
which had called her away. She came
back one day in the late winter. Vim
cent Hawkstone, who had given ole
Harris no end of trouble in the islanc
ladys absence, went down to the whar
to meet her. AS she stepped ashore
from the ydCHl WHICH, ildu piOu6hN ~
from Whithaven. the boy noticed tina
her movements were feeble and slow
She had wan, wasted look. 1t seem
ed as though a dozen years had pass
ed over her since her departure. Sh'
was not alone BY her side walked
Young girl in a mourning frock-th'
handsomest creature that Vincent hat
ever seen.
Who the deuce can that be?
thought the boy. as he sprang to NEE
his aunt.
Has Basil-has my son arrived! I!
was her first question, made in an anX
ious and enfeebled voice.
NO" replied Vincent; Eve have
heard nothing from him since yol
went away. Basil-yOu think Of NJ
one but Basil! OF course he's not com
ing. BY Jove! if l had his money,
wouldn't quit Paris and Rome for suci
place as Tempest Island, though lif'
here seems likely to be more tolerabl'
lnow."-casting a bold look at TN
III ,,.lo ,,.oe cpryayipp him with