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

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Of Jetta. Harris, give me your arm
am growing old"
"Old, madam!" said Harris, land
you still on the right side of forty?
No, no, that can't be. You are tired
with your journey-that's ALL"
She leaned heavily on his arm as
they went up to the house. Vincent
and the girl, Jetta Ravenel, daughter
Of that man who had once lain in
Whithaven jail accused of the murder
of Philip Hawkstone. followed after.
80 you've come to live on the is
land?" said Vincent Hawkstone.. You
are southern, like my aunt, suppose?'
, She had neck as white as ivory,
and down her shapely back streamed
two massive braids of black hair with
curling auburn tips. She turned that
same neck in stately way, and an
swered:
81 hope you do not belong here!"
He laughed.
"Only by sufferance! I am a poor
relative merely-a hanker-on Of the
family. You will find Prince Lucifer
more agreeable-everybody adores him
and snubs me. You seem to be high
and mighty miss. l wonder what my
aunt means to do with you? What
ever possessed her to bring a girl to
Tempest Hall? It's no place for girls.
We've had every other horror here in
the last twenty years. but no girls.
Why, you'll be like something out Of
menagerie."
She gave him a whitening look.
You are the most impertinent per-
son that 1 ever saw" she said, and
then walked on in contemptuous ST.
lence.
When they reached the porch Mrs.
Hawkstone turned and called the girl,
softly, tenderly.
welcome to your new home, Jetta!
1 want you to be very happy here, dear
child-happier than I have ever been.
Welcome. Gabriel's daughter"
She led the young stranger across the
threshold with her own hand, then she
turned to say something to Harris, and
fell to the floor in a dead faint.
They carried her into the drawing
room. She revived shortly, and looked
around for Jetta.
DO not be frightened" she said; 1T
is nothing-nothing but, fatigue
smiling into the girls scared FACET
shall be better tomorrow"
The overseer dined with her that
day.
my good Harris" she said, Il hope
my islanders will not look unkindly on
Gabriel Raveners daughter. She is
an orphan, penniless. and alone in the
world. Already 1 love her next to
Basil"
Madam" answered Harris, your
islanders will never show unkindness
to any one that you love. They have
full confidence in your wisdom, and
many of them no longer remember
She nodded.
"Yes-yes, they seem to have forgot
ten all the evil of the past-they love
me now-they believe in me. l have
plans for this young girl, Harris, which
need not tell you now. Tomorrow
you must go to Whithaven and bring
me a lawyer and physician-l have
need, l think, of both"
That night the island lady wrote to
her son, urging him to return at once,
as matters of Importance demanded
his immediate presence. OF the girl
Jetta she made no mention.
She arose from the table at which
she had been writing and walked to
the window of the library-that ancient
window written over with the names
of Rochambeau's officers-and looked
out on the night. A full moon rode in
the sky. and shone down on the great
sea. and the hills and downs Of the is
land. The naked vines Of the porch
spanked frostily in the white light.
Peace and silence reigned. Did the
Hawkstone doom still brood over this
spot? Would the fate of this other
Jetta. Gabriel's daughter. named in re-
membrance of his first unfortunate
love, be happier than her own?
God grant it," she shuddered.
For years this woman had battled
Intellectually with great silent sor-
row. Now she was entering upon an
other contest as hopeless as the first.
Disease, merciless. incurable, was her
antagonist, and the end could not be
far away. Above stair, Jetta the girl
lay asleep her first sleep on Tempest
island. Below, Jetta the woman stood
for a long time with the moonlight
falling on her black dress and prema-
turely bleached hair, her joyless eyes
turned outward on those miles Of island
territory where she had lived and suf-
fered for twenty years. Then she went
back to the table, took up her pen
again. and firmly added these conclud-
ing lines to her letter:
MY days are numbered, Basil
come quickly! I have had sad life.
but it is almost done, and there is
something of great Importance which
I must communicate to you before l
60"
CHAPTER VI.
A Death Bed.