Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-01-07
NO. g.


he went on, and a few moments after
heard the swish Of soft garments, the
click of French heels, and that pretty
brunette widow, Mrs. Van Dorm, came
flashing into my schoolroom.
i! Have discovered your den at last?"
she laughed-she has beautiful white
teeth, and she laughs continually. II
fell desperately in love with you last
night in the drawing room, my dear.
So did everybody. AS for the gentle
men, individually and collectively, you
have quite turned their heads. Why
do you hide yourself here?"-glancing
contemptuously around my little king
dom. Beauty like yours was never
born to be wasted on the desert air Of
such rookery as this"
Bee was in the midst Of q lesson. AS
politely as possible I trieG to explain
to Mrs. Van Dorm that I did not receive
callers in school-hours, buE she laugh
ed at me.
II have not toiled up two flights %
stairs to be lightly driven away" she
said, as she shook out the ribbons and
lace Of her rose colored morning gown.
You poor thing! know that the life
of governess Is far from gay. had
half-dozen Of your kind when was
growing up, and give you my word
made things uncommonly lively for all
of them. Did you see Mr.. Hawkstone
riding off with Doris Rokewood? You
would not be a woman II you did not
look through these windows sometimes.
We are bosom friends-Doris and L
female Damon and Pythias; but real
| ly, she amazes me. Hearts are caught
in the rebound, 1t is said. Doris is
but just over one love affair, and al
ready she is flirting with Hawkstone
in a scandalous way. He admires
blondes-his wife was Of that type
| you and /, unluckily, are brunettes."
Bee was listening, eager, round-eyed,
to every word.
"I beg you will allow me to proceed
with my lesson, Mrs Van Dorm"
began, but she waved her bejeweled
hand, and went on, undaunted:
Every marriageable female in the
house seems to be cherlshing designs
against Hawkstone. I call it outra-
geous. Has that little pitcher big ears?
I hope she will not tell her papa what
1 say"
"She certainly WILL" answered.
How awkward" laughed Mrs. Van
Dorm. az find Tempest Island lovely.
Life here has a foreign. favor. Prince
Lucifer is like an English baron, lord
ing It over land and tenants. He Is
unique, superb-the most fascinating
man that have met for ages! Miss
Ravenel, I heard an odd thing last
night after you left the drawing room.
Somebody said that you were once Sc
lected to be Hawkstone's wife-that
you were brought from the south for
that very fate. You should have seen
how jealous all the ladies grew when
they heard that"
She gave me look so shrewd and
penetrating that felt my cheeks burn.
Mrs. Van Dorm, you must not speak
of such matters before my pupil"
said.
1T is true, then?" she cried, tri-
umphantly. "Yes, l see. You lost the
post Of island lady, and so accepted the
humber one Of governess? Well, that
was sensible. OF course everybody ex-
poets Hawkstone to make an ambitious
marriage the next time. No man can
afford q second mistake Of that sort.
The pretty, dreadful circus-rider was
enough
1 started for the door, drawing Bee
with me. Mrs. Van Dorm arose.
Nous verrons!" she yawned. Since
I make you so uncomfortable, Miss
Ravenel, will leave you. I am going
out sailing with our island lord when
he returns from his gallop. He pro-
fesses to admire a good sailor, and 1
am that. You see, he is the sun round
which we all revolve at present-the
fire at which more than one little moth
seems determined to SINCE her foolish
wings" And then she went away.
An hour or two later I saw Hawk
stone return from his ride with Doris
Rokewood-saw him lift her from the
saddle, she blushing and laughing at
something he said-saw Mrs. Van Dorm
sweep down the garden walk to meet
him, with hands full Of autumn asters
saw her white teeth flashing, her
black eyes shining; but did not want
to look longer. turned from the Win
dow, and hurried back to my books and
Bee.
The afternoon shadows were stretch
ing long in the garden when Mrs. OF
way brought to the schoolroom an In
vitation for Bee and her governess to
join a gypsy tea-party on the rocks.
Mr.. Hawkstone bade me say, VIII
you do him the favor to come, Miss
Ravenel,'" she said. HE is waiting
for you in the porch"
My heart leaped into my throat, and
then sank back like lead.
II have a headache, Mrs. Otway," l
answered. bee may go, but I can
not"
And Bee went, in the care Of Doris
Rokewood, and 1 remained alone in the
schoolroom till twilight began to gath
er then I descended to the deserted
garden, and sat down by the ancient
dials. AS l did so a man opened the
horseshoe gate under the pear-tree,
and stood by my side. 1t was Vincent
Hawkstone.
To be Continued.