Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-08-18
"Mignon," he said, with deep con-

Il mean it," she shivered, clinglng tC
Mrs. Ellcott His eyes follow me
everywhere-they Cypress me, like
nightmare. 1t is DREADFUL cannot
bear it," 3D.
Ever since she entered my house
Paget," explained Mrs. Ellicott, grave
| iy, "she has been tormented with these
morbid fancies. To prove how dear
she is to me, 1 will order Lepers por-
trait removed to my bedchamber, until
her nerves become composed. The
sight of it shall no longer agitate her.
"Oh, will you, really murmured
Mignon, with her face hidden on the
others breast 81 can never thank you
enough"
A servant was called, and the por-
trait lifted from it's place and carried
from the ROOM AS it vanished through
the door Mignon's spirits revived as
If by magic. The color came back to
her pale face She began to talk OF
many things-of Fassels new book
which was making a stir, just then, In
learned circles; Of the governors ball,
for which invitations were already out;
but she avoided all mention Of Storm
Island and the Terrys-it was plain
that she did not care to remember her
old life, and he, eager to please her,
Stunned the subject also.
AS soon as Fassel had taken his de-
parture Mignon ascended to her dress
ing room, where a French maid had
laid out for her young mistress car
riage dress of cream colored cloth
trimmed with costly sable, and all the
ct cetera of an outdoor toilet.
II must rest a moment Fffne,
sighed the girl; "I want to think" And
in her rosy, filmy gown she sank upon
divan heaped with silken cushions,
and let the lids fall wearily over her
violet eyes.
More than a year had passed since
her flight from Cape Desolation, and as
yet no question had been raised, no
suspicion awakened, concerning her.
She still held her stolen position in
undisturbed security. Andy Gaff, Un-
Gle Caleb, the wronged sailor girl
whether they were alive or dead she
did not know, and she hardly cared.
Once only she had written to Bess, in
closing in her letter q one-hundred-
dollar bank note, and stating that she
was we'll and happy, and that by and
by, when Andy died, she might return
to the cape.
That message, she felt sure, would
quiet Bess for season; and Hillyers
Cove was too far distant to catch even
an echo from the world in which Mig
non now moved.
II am doing very WELL" she said to
herself MY dress is ordered from
Paris for the governors ball, I mean
to surpass all the other buds on that
night Not one Of them can compare
with me in beauty. The old hateful
past is dead and buried. What person
about me now can know or dream that
am other than Elizabeth Hillyer,
Mrs. Ellicotts own relative?"
A rap at the door. Fifine went to
answer the summons At the thresh-
old stood Susan Taylor-the woman who
was the one cloud on Mignon's fair
horizon.
II would like a word with Miss Hill
YER" she said, in a perfectly respectful
tone.
Mignon arose from the divan, and
dismissed Fifine by a wave Of the
hand
What do you want of me, Susan I"
she demanded, with some hauteur.
The old waiting woman eyed the
rosy vision askance. In the look re-
luctant admiration mingled with de-
termined hostility.
"At last you've done it, miss!" she
cried, with bitter Indignation. you've
banished him from his own mothers
drawing room-from her heart, too, for
all that I know. You've carried every
thing by storm here-cajoled and
hoodwinked her, and triumphed over
him dead-him that was once her idol.
They've taken him away to his moth
er's chamber, but sooner or later you'll
drive him from that place also!"
Mignon smiled at this outbreak.
81 never asked Mrs. Ellicott to re-
move her sons picture, Susan-she did
it of her own WILL"
1T was your work-yours!-and an
insult to Mr.. Lepel-him as can't speak
for himself longer"
you absurd creature!" said Mignon,
half coaxing, half contemptuous, "do
not blame me- Mrs. Ellicott knows her
own wishes concerning the portrait I
really care nothing about it in any
way"
Susan glared at her.
What made you pretend to be
frightened of it, then? You bore some
grudge agin him living, and you made
mp your mind to have it out on that bit
Of canvasi"
Mignon stared haughtily.
This is too ridiculousI OF course,
as Mr.. Lepel's former nurse, and an
old servant of the family, some excuse
must be made for your impertinence;
but your try my patience severely. If
you say anything more, I shall be
obliged to call Mrs. Ellicott. You have
never liked me, Susan, since I first
entered this house"
The old woman's face seemed to grow
sharp and thin; but she subdued her
wrath and resumed a respectful tone.
"The likes and dislikes Of such as
miss can't matter to you"
There you err. SO many people
love and admire me, that when I meet
one, however humble, who does not,
am curious to know the reason"
Susan looked her full in the face.
you came a-creeping into his own
mothers house, to steal her heart away
from him, and to take his inheritance,
too. You're welcome to know why
never liked you" She whipped from
the pocket of her alpaca gown faded
photograph. "Do you see this picture
It's you, miss, though you didn't wear
pink crepe and primroses then; It's you