Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-04-09

pulling the petals Of a marguerite, witt
dreamy smile on her lips. At sigh
Of me she flung the blossom from her
What a precious simpleton I ami
she said, frankly.
Where is Mr.. Vivian?" I asked.
81 dismissed him at the last turn II
the path-we had a delightful walk
Did you think me very bold to inveigl'
him into escort duty as I did? Yo'
see. I wanted him to tell me about th'
Caffres and Cameroons! How ruffiet
you look, Hazel, dear! Has my cousir
Francis been making love to you?"
1 felt the blood burn in my face. Sh'
burst into one Of her exasperatins
laughs.
"Yea, verily-he has! Well, Francis
is not half bad. Did you accept him?'
L shook my head, more, provoked
with Sergia than I had ever been II
my life.
Foolish grill" she said, with sudder
gravity. Francis would have beer
your slave-he would have made yol
supremely happy in spite Of yourself
How seldom one knows what Is reall!
good for one! Now let us hurry In
doors. Everybody will be wondering
at our nonappearance."
The dullness Of the dinner-table tina
day opened our eyes to the fact tina
our absent host was really the ligh
and life Of the house. Conversation
tagged. With the exception OF Sil
Griffin, every one looked bored and dis
trait.
'T fancy we could not long exist a.
wolfsden without Colonel Rivers
yawned Sergia-
HE is the sun round which we al
revolve!" sighed Mrs. Van Vert.
When would the colonel return?
wondered. How long must my engage
ment be kept a secret, even from Ser
gia? Nobody seemed to detect any
thing unusual either in my appearance
or Sir Griffin's nobody noticed the lit
tie plain gold ring upon my hand. We
were left undisturbed in possession o.
our secret, and I, for few hours a.
least, was supremely happy. His ten
der, stolen glances, his whispers, hii
stealthy hand-pressure, his hoverine
presence. his furtive sighs-what open
ly acknowledged devotion could equa
in sweetness these things? Yet, more
than once, did yearn to electrify dear
stupid Miss Carbury with the new:
that Sir Griffin had laid his title ant
class prejudice at my feet, and thai
the earl's daughter must find another
mate, since I, the little Yankee nobody
had been preferred before her.
AS we parted that night, at the foo
of the stair, where we had been left
alone for a moment, Sir Griffin bent
and drew my soul to his in one long
kiss.
"Sleep well, little love-" he whisper
ed, "and dream Of me-"
1 fled to my own chamber. Sleep
Not till I knew upon what basis my
newfound happiness rested. All my
life I lived in ignorance Of my owr
name. I went to my trunk. and, diving
into its depths. brought up the papers
which Patty had delivered to me al
Nine Deland's school, My hear
thumped against my side, my hands
trembled violently. Only too well
knew, if those fateful documents helt
any story Of disgrace, any dishonorable
secret, Sir Griffin Hopewood would fly
from me as from a pestilence.
The house was still-the guests hae
gone to their own quarters. An over
mastering dread was upon me-a fore.
boding of dire evil. l opened my moth
er's marriage certificate, glanced at
the names and dates set down therein
Then I took her letter, written, as
we'll remember, while her murderer
stood at the door Of Lake Cottage, and
kneeling before the lamp which burned
on my toilet table I read as follows: