Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-08-13

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vate funeral, and Lispenard did not SCI
Mignon till all was over Then he has
tened to the old mansion across th'
river and was admitted to a darkenet
drawing-room, still smelling Of funer'
al flowers, and there she met him, will
her pallid, Psyche-like beauty, shroud
ed in blacklist Grape, and the horror o.
death yet haunting her great, velvetI
eyes, Hot lightning seemed binding
|Lispenard's sight. He could scarcel!
command his voice to speak.
What can do for you, Miss Vye?'
he said.
! She appeared to gaze over and be-
yond him into empty, cheerless space.
Nothing" she answered.
my God! how i'll you look!" hi
burst out, wildly, and then checked
himself and added, in another tone:
Has no one attempted to find youl
sister,"
Eyes, but without success. Oh, Mr.
Lispenard," wringing her small hands
suddenly, "how could Aunt Elinor die
and leave me here alone?"
He made no attempt to comfort hei
uttered none Of the phrases that are
considered proper for such occasions
That girl, standing before him in heI
sombre dress, with the yellow hall
ripping about her white, grieved brows
and eyes full Of loss and desolation
struck him dumb. He bowed himsel,
out, but turned back and uttered these
words, in an unsteady voice:
81 wish to be near you. 1t is possi-
BILE that you may need me. Remember
I shall not leave the Dale for the pres
ent." Then he was gone.
An hour or two after, as Mlgnon sal
in her own room, desolate and COM
fortress, a rap fell on the door. and
the housekeeper, for long years a IA
vorite at Rookwood, entered in shaw
and bonnet
your uncle has discharged me
without warning, Miss Mignon,' she
said; there's a strange woman COM
ing within an hour to take my place
You will see a great overturning here
now that your aunt is gone-poor
blessed martyr! Good-by Miss Mig
non! hope no harm will befall you
And she departed.
Scarcely had her footsteps died away
when another rap startled Mignon
and this time Elinor Yves waiting
woman, followed by the cook and two
NJ IS, entered
We've all got to go. miss" said the
cook, with a weeks extra wages FOL
being sent off in this fashion. Your
uncle has no further use for us, he
says. Good-by. miss-we wish you
WE'LL"
And these four vanished in the
track Of the housekeeper.
A foreboding Of evil fell suddenly on
Mignon. What did this hasty dis
charge Of all the female servants OF
the house mean? She flew to the IL
brary, where she knew she would find
Philip wye. He was writing letters al
table, but he arose with an impa-
tient air to meet her. ---.1
II can guess what you wish to say
my dear" he began, before she could
frame a sentence, "but 1t was quite
impossible for me to get on amicably
with Elinor's servants, and so, very
properly, I have sent them all packing
and engaged a new lot. You are not to
trouble yourself about such matters
my love-at Rookwood the reins OF
government are always in my hands,
She had meant to protest in some
dignified way, but his cool, authorita-
tive tone silenced her.
II must remind you, my dear child,
continued Philip wye, airily, that your
position in the house Is now somewhat
changed Your father seems to have
abandoned all thought Of you, and vir-
tually turned you over to me to con-
troll and support Since no more sup
plies are likely to come from him, you
must consider yourself dependent upon
me, and be prepared to submit to my
authority in all things. Your Aunt
Elinor was somewhat given to spoil
ing you, but with an unpleasant
smile-"have no weakness Of thai
sort"
Before him she stood up, slender ano
white in her mourning dress, the sump-
tuous crown of yellow hair the only
bright thing about her.
Il shall not be dependent upon you
Uncle Philip" she answered, with spir-
It. 81 am young and strong-I have
good education-I can earn my owl
living. And I feel sure that papa has
not forsaken me. In due time he vii
explain all that seems mysterious IT
his conduct now."
+ my dear Mignon, do not harbol
such false hopes. You are a pamper'
ed, helpless creature-you know nc
more about earning your own living
than a child unborn. AS for your faith
er. rest assured that he will never dare
to communicate with you again.
"Dare!-dare!" angrily: what doe:
that mean, Uncle Phillip"
He smiled, in an exasperating way
II decline to enter into explanations
Let me give you a word Of advice
lMignon-submit to the irremediable!
Then he opened the door and calmly
motioned her out.
The new housekeeper arrived With
| in the hour-a gaunt, gray creature
as deaf as a post. Two stolid house
maids attended her. Somehow thei1
strange, Indifferent faces, so suddenly
substituted for the kind, familiar one:
of the old servants. struck a chill tt
IMignon's - art. This radical chang'
in the house meant evil to herself.
She shut herself into the now drear1
and desolate drawing room and triet
to think. She must leave lockwood
and go forth alone into the world t
earn her own bread. But how? Sh'
could dance, paint, sing, play-sh'
knew, in a superficial way. variety o
things, but could she turn such knowi
edge to practical account? Barrel!
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