Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-02-04
CHAPTER XXXIII.
A Glass of Wine.

GLASS OF "ine.
A hand touched Hawkstone's arm;
strange man stood by his side.
There's a carriage waiting at the
door for Mr.. Basil Hawkstone," he said.
BE so good as to come with me, sir
Mrs. Hatton wishes to see you in an
other place"
"She wishes to see me? BY Heaven!
1 wish also to see her!" said Hawk
stone, through his teeth, and, stern as
rate, he followed the man.
At the foot Of the church-steps
close carriage stood. Madly intent up
on finding Bee, and tearing the child
from Zephyr and Jasper Hatton, Hawk
stone leaped inside the vehicle. and was
driven rapidly away through the moon
lit streets Of Whithaven.
The strange driver stopped at a
wooden gate. behind which a tumble
down cottage stood, guarded by rows
of unpruned evergreens. 1t was the
house where Vincent Hawkstone had
visited Mademoiselle Zephyr two hours
before
Push back the gate, sir" said the
driver, and knock at the door"
Hawkstone, who could no longer feel
surprise at anything, followed these
instructions, and found himself on the
threshold of the cottage, face to face
with the French maid Celende, who had
promptly opened the door at his ap-
proach.
Enter, monsieur!" she said, and
Hawkstone strode into the musty,
moth eaten parlor. which was warmed
and lighted, but empty. AS he lowered
in that damp, moldy room, looking
darkly, Indignantly around him, and
wondering why he had been lured to
such a rats nest a door swung open,
there was a limping step, little cry,
and Bee herself was in his arms-Bee,
his lost daughter, whom he had pur-.
sued for three bitter, miserable days.
Trembling, and full of sobs, she chung
about his neck.
"Oh, papa, papa" she cried; "have
YOU come for me at last? Take me
back to Tempest Island-quick-
quick!"
And then followed the soft sweep Of
satin and lace. an odor Of orange flow
ers saluted his nostrils, and Vera, still
in her bridal fleeces. stood before him,
with the old, defiant. daredevil light in
her blue eyes.
Did you enjoy your visit to Goth
ann" she began. in the taunting tone
that he knew so well. VERY sorry, l
am sure. to have led you such vain
chase. but could think Of no other
way in which to gain a little time.
Look at this house! Consider what 1
must have suffered, hiding here for
three dreadful days! 1t required nerve,
did it not. to exchange my luxurious
rooms at the Eagle Hotel for such
squalor and ruin? But something Of
the sort was necessary to mislead you,
don't you see?"
His child was safe in his arms, and
only few miles Of moonlit water in
tervened betwixt him and Tempest Is
land. What mattered the malicious
tricks OF this woman now?
Madam" he muttered, dryly, you
have led me long chase, but not a
vain one, since find my daughter at
the end Of it. l shall take good care
that Jasper HattOn does not abduct her
again. For the pleasant surprise which
you planned for me in Whithaven
church tonight l thank you! You did
me a greater service than you knew
when you stood there and married that
poor fool Hatton. Did he find it pleas
ant to walk out of the church with you
over the dead body of a rival? Fare
well, madam. Look your last on your
child. for, as the Lord liveth, and as my
soul liveth. you shall never see her
again"
She broke into wicked little laugh.
Her deriSive eyes shone softly, the odor
of the orange flowers on her breast
confused and sickened him. Never had
she looked so dazzling. so dangerous.
And did you think really wished to
keep Bee?" she purred. why, the very
night we carried her away from the is
land l was tempted to push her out of
the boat before we reached WhithaVen
Troublesome little thing! / am glad
to wash my hands Of her-glad to re-
turn her to her fond papa, for she has
wept, and sulked, and tormented me
incredibly since her capture She
loves that girl Jetta Ravenel-talks
only Of her, which is enough, of itself
to make me hate the child. If she had
inherited my beauty might have bred
her TO my own profession, but why
burden myself with a plain, crippled
! little creature like this? No. All my
Iattempts to secure her have been made
solely to torment you. Never has she
possessed the smallest value in my
eyes save as an instrument to veX ant
annoy you Take her back-do!-tc
her dear Miss Ravenel, for whom she
has constantly lamented during hel
stay here"
She had just seen one Of her victims
dead at her feet, but she could laugh