Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-04-13
CHAPTER XIV.
The Author Speaks.

CHAPTER XIV.
! The Author Speaks.
It was a dismal, eerie night, with
strong wind crying, like banshee, In
the treetops.
i Down by the river-side-down In
that disreputable place called the
Nest" where Heron's mill people hud-
died together in squalid proximity, in
a low, black cottage, with a painless
front turned on a muddy, ill-flavored
lane, old Sal Bagley, mother Of that
precious rascal, Joe, stood frying pota-
toes in an iron skillet, over fire OF
Goals, and putting at a clay pipe In her
intervals of labor.
The room was small, low, smoke
begrimed-the woman unkempt, hag-
gish,. repulsive. A pine table, spread
for two, occupied the centre OF the
i fioor-on it kerosene lamp burned.
| Odors of tea and bacon mingled with
the savory fry in the skillet. Old Sal
turned the potatoes with rusty fork,
but suddenly paused and listened, as
| the wind went screaming by the door.
Through its uproar she had caught a
sound of approaching footsteps. mo-
ment later the latch was lifted, and on
the threshold stood Jael, the waiting
maid of Sergia Pole.
i She wore the same blue wrap which
Martin had picked up from the garden
walk on the night Of the thefts at
| Wolfsden. A hood, attached to the
garment, was drawn over her head.
Her black eyes shone like a prisoned
hawks. Old Sal nodded a welcome.
Come in, lady-bird," she croaked,
and the girl entered silently.
whats up?" demanded the old
woman.
Jael closed the shanty door, then
threw back her blue wrap, as though
sitting.
Enough" she answered. IF Joe Is
seen again at Wolfsden, I'm to lose my
place. Miss Pole has given me strict
orders to send him packing. Since the
robbery, she looks at me suspiciously.
Sal stirred the potatoes in the skill
let
"Pooh!" she scoffed; "the big white
girl with the yellow hair? She's OF no
account! Anything else?"
ls-@.A-police officer has-been -as-&ttefs--
den-Mrs. Steele sent for him. Colonel
Rivers, she said, would never forgive
her IL she did not take prompt meas
ures to discover the thief. So the man
came, questioned everybody, searched
the servants trunks, and, of course,
singled me out as the guilty party.
Everything Of mine was overturned
again and again"
What did the fool find?" said old
Sal, dryly.
Nothing. Mrs. Steele sat him down
to an excellent dinner, and gave him
bottle of the colonel's best wine. He
swore that for a true-blue lady he had
never met her equal; and then he
strutted out of Wolfsden, like a man
who had done his duty"
| go on"
After that Mrs. Steele wanted to
send to the city for detectives; but
Miss Carbury said 'No'-she would
rather wait till Colonel Rivers came
back, and let him manage the affair
so there it rests at present"
Old Sal took long pull at her clay
pipe.
1.-THE police have been at the Nest,
too, lady -bird-prying about, and pok-
ing their noses in at this very door.
Here, as at Wolfsden," with chuckle,
they got nothing for their pains.
There were two Of 'em, and, gracious
Lawd! 1 wouldn't give the hair Of an
ass's ears for all the wit held in that
pair of skulls-he! he!"
Jael stood up in the low room. with
something of the Medusa in her stony,
statuesque aspect.
DO YOU know what I've come to say
tonight, Mother Sal?" she asked, in a
hard, cold voice, I'm going away-rll
stay no longer at Wolfsden-Ill have
no more to do with any Of YOU"
The clay pipe dropped from old Sars
faccid lips, and crashed in a dozen
pieces on the cottage floor. In sudden
CONSERVATION she crept up to Jael. and
peered into the girls handsome, dark
face.
Tut! TUT" she cried; better not
kick over the traces, my dear-its dan
gerous! You know who holds the lash
over you-you know who can force you
along the road, whether you like 1t or
not. Take care! You don't belong to
yourself-there's a mark set upon you,
girl"
4 Jael made a wild, defiant gesture.
"Hag!" she stormed, 81 acknowledge
no authority belong to no one-Tll
obey no one any more!"
Sal shook her gray, witch-like head.
$50! Try it, -bird!-just try to
escape your lawful owner, and see how
soon you'll be brought to halt. My
word for 1t, he will hold you fast In
the face Of Satan himself! Lor', but
you're a bold one, to set yourself up
against your elders like this-so sud-
den, too! You used to be docile
enough"
Jael looked like a tragedy queen, her
black brows knitted-her lips blanched
and indrawn. That's true!" she shud-
dered, stretching out her open palms
in the lamp-light. Look at these
hands, SAL and think Of the work they
have done! A year ago I didn't mind;
but now-now loathe 1t all! l will be
a bond slave no longer| will do the
bidding Of others no longer! God
above! in all the wide world this night
1 abhor nothing so much-nothing-as
my own wretched self"
A lively alarm appeared in old Sails
wrinkled face. She stroked the girls
extended hands in a soothing way.
! "Dearie, dearie, whatever has come
|. over you?" she whined. You can't
afford to quarrel with your bread and
butter. We're all birds Of a feather
dear pet and you'll gain nothing by