Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-08-11
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CHAPTER XIX-Contlnued.

CHAPTER XIX-Continued.
Here are my credentials, Mr.. Fas-
sel," she said, half shy!y, half boldly
Read them, and you will see that q
few weeks ago Mrs. Ellicott wrote to
me in my poor Maine prison. cannot
call it home-inviting me to live with
her and become her heiress."
Il know" said Paget Fassel. "She
told me-"
"As I am friendless and alone in the
world, accepted her offer. Then she
said there was an island, called the
Storm, somewhere on the Maine coast
and that a particular friend of her
a certain Mr. Fassel-lived there. She
had told him about me, and if needed
a friend I might apply to him, and he
would see that 1 reached her in safety.
You must know"-tears gathering in
her lustrous eyes-"that had told Mrs.
Ellicott how unhappy l was, and that
| wanted to come to her at once"
His fine, cold face expressed his as
tonishment and sympathy. Was this
exquisite girl, with her dainty, delicate
face and soft speech, the young savage,
the strange marine creature" that
Mrs. Ellicott had talked of at Wind
mere? He just glanced at the letters
and the marriage lines" which she
had put into his hand, then returned
them to her with chagrined look.
Before I left Massachusetts," he
said, 81 promised my old friend to
make a search for you on the mainland.
You need not be told" contritely, that
l have not kept my word. crave both
her pardon and yours. have no shad-
ow Of excuse to offer, save my own
slothfulness. Strange! l neglected to
fulfill my promise to Mrs. Ellicott, and
you appear in person to remind me Of
it,"
A charming smile dimpled her lips.
1T is little singular that 1 should
have drifted last night toward Storm
Island-the turn Of the tide sent me
this way, suppose-that 1 should have
been brought straight to you. After
ALL" cheerfully, II am glad you neglect
ed to look me up Mr.. Fassel. Had you
done so, it might have been very awk-
ward for me- Everything is better as
1t is"
How did you go adrift?"
She changed color.
II was rowing by myself. I am not
good at such work." glancing signifi-
cantly at her tiny hands. 81 let one
oar slip, then lost the other in trying
to recover the first"
Good Heaven! What an experience
for a mere child like you! The fright
and exposure were enough to kill you.
Why, you are trembling still! Go on.
You found yourself oarless, and them
81 knew my danger. 1t was awful
there in the lonely white fog, with the
boat dancing through it at the will OF
the waves. 1 felt that it was death
dance-that any moment might be my
last. Oh, yes, I was frightened! And
1 was very cold. too-quite benumbed.
After awhile l lay down in the bottom
Of the boat, to save myself from falling
over the side, and-and-I knew moth
ing more until your servant brought
me here"
Where are your guardians? I must
at once notify them of your safety.
Probably they have suffered agonies Of
anxiety since last night"
She shook her fair head.
There is no one in the world who
cares enough for me to suffer anxiety
on my account. My relatives are dead,
and, of late, l have lived with people
who have made me very unhappy.
wish you would not talk about my
guardians" in a voice of sad entreaty.
my poor child, will not. Tell me
your wishes. Terry is at your COM
mand His knowledge of boats is
boundless. He will take you back to
the mainland, as soon as you feel suf-
ficiently recovered"
She put on a look Of alarm.
"Oh, no, no! will never return to
those people! want to go immediate
" to Mrs. Ellicott. You will help me
10 do that, will you not?'
Most certainly. I myself will take
you to her"
He had suddenly forgotten his work
his impatience of Interruptions, his
love of solitude. He now desired moth
ing better than to serve this exquisite
girl. and in her own way, too.
oh" she cried, joyfully, how kind
and good you are! But 1 fear l am
making you a great deal of trouble"
"Cn the contrary" he answered, "you
are giving me a new and delicious
Ileasure!"
She leaned back in her grea' chair
with the sunshine falling like 81 nimbus
around her golden head. Her face Kep'
it's look of angelic sweetness and inno'
cence, but all the while her thoughts
were working like lightning
Here was a man, intimately connect
ed with Mrs. EllicOtt-still young II
Years, and with an air Of distinction
more fascinating than mere beauty
She marked the admiration in his eyes
his unconscious warmth Of tone, anc
she felt instinctively that she had made
a conquest Of incalculable value. BY
proper management Paget Fasse
might be used to help on to full sue
cess her bold and wicked plans. A.
she measured the man with her large
soft gaze sne inwardly devoted him
in spite of all his splendid superiority
to her future service.
Il will write a letter to the people
with whom l have lived" she said, 4
meditative tone, "and tell them ina
l am going to,Mrs. Ellicott. Your ser
want, perhaps, will take II to the main
land. and also the boat in which | wen
adrift?"
yves yes" To tell the truth. Fasse
felt no further curiosity about ne
euardians--she evidently detested then
that was enough.
"But. as l do not like the notoriet
of such an adventure" she continued
timidly. may ask Terry TO say noth
ing about last night or about poor m
to anyone?"