Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-01-21

secure one, too. With curses loud and
deep, the man cried:
rs Jetta Ravenel in there, Peg?
have married a wife and lost her!
Come, wake up, woman, and help me
in the hunt"
The echoes alone replied.
His brain was still full of the fumes
of liquor: he had been drinking madly
for twenty-four hours. He put his
horses head to the nearest shutter,
with some vague purpose of squirting
through, when suddenly a hoarse, stern
voice called from within:
You have no wife, you young repro
bate! Be off, or I'll put moonlight
through you! Is Basil Hawkstone
dead, that you have taken possession of
Tempest Island?"
An iron bar, thrust out through the
window. struck the horse violently, and
sent him galloping down the forest
path, with his drunken rider clinging
about his neck in a state of savage be-
widerment.
Prince Luclfer dead?" he muttered.
NO: but, by Heaven! it's time for him
to die! If he comes back to the Tenn
pest alive, he'll make short work of
me!"
Nothing further occurred to disturb
the peace of the Inlet House that night.
When morning dawned, Peg prepared
breakfast for herself and her guest;
then she said to Jetta Ravenel:
I'm going up to Tempest Hall to see
what that man is doing there. Dare
you stay here alone with the dead till
come back?"
1T is not the dead that fear, but the
living, Peggy"
We'll, bar the door after me, and
don't open it again till you hear my
voice outside"
With that Peg Patton stepped out
into the day, and set her face grimly
toward Tempest Hall.
In the great grain fields the harvest
ers were moving about at their labors;
sheep and cattle grazed on the tawny
moOrs; the fishing boats were out-life
seemed TO be going on at the island In
its usual grooves. With her grim,
grenadier stride, Peg mounted the slope
to the horseshoe gate and looked over
into the garden.
A flocked of pigeons cooed in the sun
about the old dials: in vague disquiet
the dogs whined in the stone porch.
Not one of the servants was visible.
Presently she heard a shuffling step in
the lane behind her, and turning, saw
Joe Derby. He looked terrified and de-
moraliZed.
"Oh, Lord! Peg Patton" he cried,
there's strange things going on here
this morning! Mr.. Vincent has been
out about all night, looking for the gov
erness that's run away, and he's as
mad as a March hare. Bless you, he's
locked Harris in the granary, and taken
all his keys and accounts, and what he'll
L.,
rum tremens, most likely, for one
thing. as he's drinking at an awful
rate"
why did you let him land on the
Tempest" demanded Peg, sternly
You had your orders from the master
not to receive him here"
Joe looked discounted and shaky
He rubbed his sunburnt ear and sighed
"Lor', Peg, Mr.. Basil was gone, and
afore any of us knew it, here he was
rampaging around. ordering us as II
we were dirt. And being a Hawkstone
nobody but Harris dared say word
He were always a daredevil sort
were Nh. Vincent-and at present he's
that wild no man can hold him."
You coward" snorted Peg; "why
didn't you help Harris
"Lor'," said Joe, in an aggrieved
voice, women have no logic. Mr.. Vim
cent walked into Harris with six
shooter Who was a-going to inter-
fere them. He said the money and keys
were his'en-he's got 'em, anyway!
Iresignedly. And Mrs. Otway, she can't
move a step, and the servants are
afraid of their lives. He's threatened
us all with fire and slaughter If we
don't find Miss Ravenel. All last night
he was a-tearing round the island look
ing for her. and running Mr.. Basirs best
horses. My advice to that young lad!
is to make tracks for the mainland as
quick as maybe for the Lord knows
Vincent Hawkstone is bent on mis-
chief"
You cOward!-you coward" re-
Shes a whole handful-is thai
Peg!" he muttered then he shuffied in
to the garden, and. led by fatal curl
osity. drew near to the library window
and peered in at Vincent HaWkstone
living on the oak floor, bound hand anC
foot-helpless as a fly in a web-van-
quished-made captive by woman
As Derby's shadow darkened the pane
the prisoner turned his PROSTATE head
and his eyes met the islanders.
joe" he called, in persuasive
voice.
We'll, sir?" faltered Derby.
Come in here and cut this rope!"
"Ior. sir-I can't! I'm afraid"
Joe Derby, cut this rope, 1 say, anc
be quick about it, too! 1 shall be lore
of Tempest Island some day-then
will remember you. If you refuse, III