Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-09-21

mo. I went down there merely to
assist the poor wretches, and. STUN
bled on you by chance. May ask
how you came to be travelling alone?'
II was not alone" she answered.
my mothers servant was with me.
saw his dead body under the en-
bankment."
Shall not I telegraph to your
friends? BY this time they are, no
doubt, suffering untold torments re-
garding you"
She smiled oddly.
Il think not. I have the misfortune
to be a stranger to my own kin. Still,
they would like to know, perhaps, that
live"
He lifted his handsome brows.
Undoubtedly. shall be glad to
take down whatever you may dictate"
Into the compass Of two lines and a
half Sibyl compressed the news Of Ma
mans death, her own escape and the
shelter she had found at Beechwood,
where she awaited further advice
from the mother who was to her a
shadow and a name. With a faint, re-
pressed smile Varneck rose up.
You will remain here, of course,
till your friends come for you" he
said, and hurried out of the chamber.
On this second night it was the
~ Dnf MI
with Sibyl. She found her beautiful
charge restless and out of spirits.
Twill mamma care?" Sibyl kept re-
peating to herself, turning her aching
head here and there upon the pillow,
when she knows I have been so near
death? Will she care?"
This problem grew so vexing at last,
and the room so deathly still, that her
unstrung nerves gave way. She
stretched out her sound hand and took
sudden hold of her strong young
watcher.
Talk" she gasped. Keep me from
thinking! My head is ready to burst
and I can't sleep. Talk Of something
i don't care what"
Patty's round face expressed great
compassion.
Dear me, you're lonesome, thrown
so among strangers, and no wonder,
miss! Certainly I'll talk, though Mrs.
Hare strictly forbade it. Nothing
comes harder for me than keeping
my tongue still. You find the house a
little gloomy, don't you? It's Mr.. Var
neck's country seat; but he comes
here at all seasons, as the whim takes
him, to get away from his mother, we
suspect. though one doesn't dare say
so. I'll tell you a secret miss, If you
would like to hear it,"
Sibyrs great eyes opened, but shut
again heavily.
Not if it concerns anybody but
yourself" she answered.
"Lor'! why should l say secret?'
pursued Patty, heavins a sentimental
sigh. Every one knows 1t. Mr.. Var
neck's been crossed in love, miss-dis-
appointed as some people call it,
There is something in this term
strangely captivating to the female
imagination. She lay watching the
shadows on the wall above her head.
"She was some low person." went
on Patty, emboldened by the silence
and delighted to tell the story to this
beautiful young stranger. III" got
shot for her, and like to have died
His mother was frantic, and she's new
er been the same person since. Most
of his time he passes in this old place
shut up like a monk, which shows how
bad his heart was touched, miss. Be-
ing the last male of the race, Mrs
Varneck is wild to have him marry
which he won't do, for there's great
contrariness i'm him, in spite of his
smooth manner. AS for her, she Is one
of your gh-headed, Stiff-necked sort
Here at BeechwoOd we all dread her
like poison. If she can't rule Mr.. Serle