Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-25
CHAPTER vi.
Captain Shirlaw.


down the asphalt walk of the garden
hopped into a skiff that was lying
against the bank, and rowed across tne
river to his own domain on the oppo-
site shore.
Moonlight sheeted the ripping cur
rent, the night wind was heavy Win
the perfume of flowers. Lispenaro
moored his boat at the stone Jetty'
and took the nearest path to the
house. This led, for space, through
thick trees; then it emerged suddenly
on a strip Of garden running over with
white and yellow lilies, and surroundeo
by a sunken wall, like that OF some olo
English pleasaunce. Lispenard paus-
ed. looked around the fair spot lifting
his hat quickly as If to some invisible
presence.
"Lilian!" he muttered.
It was the name Of the beautiful
sister who had died, a raving maniac
behind bolts and bars, high up in the
gray tower. AS Cyril Wye had said'
the skeleton in the Lspenard closet
was q formidable one.
He went on past the garden, and
climbed the ascent on which the house
stood. There were no flowers here,
only a short, close turf, like velvet, and
the intense green Of carefully pruned
shrubbery and century old trees.
Out of these arose the dark gray
walls and towers, their naughty, for
bidding aspect broken only by one
great patch Of color-a terrace filled
with palms and hibiscus, and strange
tropic vines, set in Deli jars and i'm
mense blue China vases. Here
plate-glass window chanced to be
standing open. Lispenard made his
way to 1t, and hopped-for that word
alone described the motion-through
into a luxurious smoking room.
"Shirlaw, are you here?" he called.
In an easy chair at the far end OF
the apartment lounged young Fellow
in an undress uniform, with face
and figure of an Antinous. He was
putting at a cigar and teasing half
dozen dogs that were grouped around
him in various attitudes.
Behold me, old mani" he answered,
lazily. "'Pon my soul, you feed these
brutes too much-they are growing so
fat and indolent that they refuse to
perform the most common trick. Hal
10, How odd you look. Llspenard!
Where have you been?"
Across the river!" replied Lispen-
ard. briefly.
Captain Victor Shirlaw dropped his
cigar into a Moorish jar beside the
lounging chair, and Strengthened him.
self with sudden interest"
ITO Rookwood?"
Yes. 1 went in response to an ur-
gent summons from Philip Vye-he
had a little matter of business to
transact with me-"
Shirlaw lifted his handsome brows.
81 understand. The distinguished
lawyer has, of late. been drawing
pretty extensively on the purses OF
his friends. That precious son of his
is going the pace with a vengeance.
Don't frown, Lispenard. OF course
you allow no meddling in your private
affairs, but l must speak my mind.
To tell the truth, l am somewhat pre-
judiced against our legal friend. He
browbeats his wife-he snubs and
abuses her In the face and eyes OF
everybody, and a man who will do that
is capable Of anything. Oh, come now!
whom did you see at Rookwood?"
The olive face of the dwarf was
slightly averted from his guest. He
patted the sleek dogs that were leap
ing affectionately upon him.
Whom did see? An angel"
by Jove! Are such beings to be
found in the Dale, old man."
when you stand face to face with
Miss wye, you can decide that ques-
tion for yourself"
Shirlaw's brown eyes kindled-he
was thoroughly aroused.
"Oh, you mean the daughter OF the
cattle king? Then the expected young
lady has arrived from school? Ia, ia!
Like Byron, have an antipathy tc
schoolgirls detect. as did his lord
Ship the lisp Of the nursery in theil
utterance, and the odor of bread-and-
butter about their persons. But, by
Jove! this one must be an extraordi'
nary creature if Abel Lispenard ad'
mires her!"
Ijspenard continued to stroke the
dogs.
''I did not say that l admired her.
he answered. iIritably, but 1t woulc
be well for that distant cattle king tC
come east now and take charge of nj:
daughter. With her unearthly beauty
and the fortune which she will pre-
sumably inherit, she certainly needs
different guardian from Philip wye.
Her unearthly beauty" BY Jove
this grows interesting" thought Shir'
law. Aloud he said, How you piqu'
nv curiosity. old fellow! l must has
ten to make the acquaintance or MIS-:
WYE. So." with a languid smile. "yot
do not think Philip wye proper guar
dian for his niece"
"No-decidedly no."
'There s rumOr dDTOdu Ill llle bhn
that he means to marry the youne
lady to his worthless SON.
II dare say"
Shirlaw settled himself again In hi:
lounging chair, his splendid soldierl!
figure in strange contrast to th'
square, grotesque shape of his host
"Wen, | do not know as l am called
to meddle in the family affairs OF tn
Yves" he said. carelessly; zen passant
old fellow. l had callers in your alb
sence-the Berkeleys came in force
Nina leading the van, her arms full o
Wagners atrocious music, which sh'
desires you to play over in your hour
of leisure. She grew melancholy whel
I told her you had vanished. l con
fess. Lispenard. that I'm deucedl!
afraid Of that young woman, with he
eye-glass and her Boston culture AM
L.