Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-04-30
CHAPTER XIX.
The Author Speaks.

CHAPTER XIX.
The Author Speaks.
Sir Griffin Hopewood was madly IN
love-yea, hopelessly enslaved In the
meshes of the grand passion!
From the perils Of a half dozen Lon
don seasons, from the Vaccinations OF
a score of English dowagers, the olonde
baronet had triumphantly escaped, on
w to fall an easy victim to little
American girl just out Of school, with
no fortune but her face, and family
record so terrible that even an infat-
uated lover must shudder to think Oh
II.
And vet, Sir Griffin was stubbornly
bent upon making Hazel Ferrers the
next Lady Hopewood. Pride of birth
and class prejudice bred in the BONE
failed now to move him. He was very
far gone indeed, and love in this prac-
tical nineteenth century is the same
nassion that it was in the days OF Cleo
patra and that amorous Roman VINO
flung a world away for its sweet sake.
II was a black, starless night, with
thunder muttering in the sultry SKY.
The Wolfsden clocks were Ginning
twelve, as Sir Griffin, very red In the
face. arose from table in Colonel
Rivers's library, where the two men
had been playing at 'irds.
To tell the truth, the baronet did pos
sess a sad weakness for gaming, and In
his American friend he had found
kindred spirit, whose skill in games OF
chance unfortunately surpassed his
own.
"As usual, Rivers" he said, "you win,
and I lose"
Better luck next time," smiled the
amiable colonel. Take courage, dear
boy!"
Only a man madly infatuated, and
with an income of fifty thousand
pounds per year, could have borne with
euuanimity the losses that Sir Griffin
had sustained at Wolfsden; for though
Pitt Rivers might assure his ward that
he always returned his winnings to the
baronet's purse, Sir Griffin himself
could have told another story.
by my soul, colonel" said the bar
onet, 'it is plan that
1.-The good stars met in your horo-
scope
as in that of Browning's heroine. Ore
always finds you upon the winning
side. Did you ever in your life meet
with anything that could be called a
reverse?"
Rivers gathered up the stakes from
the cloth. -ssa-put them in his pocket.
.Qnee!" he answered, laughingly,
and it was a staggering experience!
True, have had wonderful success in
my dealings with men, but with wo-
matchmaking a wry face-"the DEVILS
own mishaps! Fate, I suppose. must
draw the line somewhere"
"Why, man, in Paris you were known
as a confirmed lady-killer," said the
baronet.
The colonel shrugged his shoulders.
"Yes, dear boy, but in few individ-
ual cases, where 1 really cared to sue
ceed, defeat has been sure to over
whelm mel AS for these little losses
Of yours, they are, Of course, mere
bagatelles. You are we'll equipped
against such 'slings and arrows Of out
rageous fortune you know. for your
ancestors were thoughtful enough to
heap up riches for you ages before your
birth. Now"-looking at his watch
my advice is like Lady Macbeth's, TO
bed-to bed!'"
"The heat indoors is unbearable to-
night" said Sir Griffin. Il must go
out for a turn in the garden before l
sleep"
Then comfort yourself with choice
Manila" urged the colonel, as he Of
fered his cigar case. Should you meet
any Blackbirds, you need feel no alarm,
for your pockets, fortunately, are re-
lieved of the filthy lucre which might
tempt the rogues to make an onslaught
upon you."
Sir Griffin helped himself to weed,
and sauntered forth upon the terrace
for a breath Of cooler air. He stopped
to look up at the white draped window
of Hazel Ferrers's chamber, but all was
dark and still there; doubtless she was
asleep-his beautiful darling! He kiss
ed his hand to the curtained easement,
then lighted his cigar, and was about
to move on, when he suddenly heard an
odd sound close beside him-the stified
moan Of some creature in pain. Sir
Griffin was rather soft-hearted than
otherwise. With an unpleasant start,
he looked quickly round.
The lights were out along that side
of the house-deep darkness covered
the terrace-he could discern nothing.
He listened. The means were repeat
ed Plunging hand into his pocket,
the baronet found match, and touch
ed 1t to his lighted cigar. A tiny flame
spurted up, and by its feeble glimmer
he discerned a woman crouching at
his very feet, her body bent. as If In
physical agony, her arms, from which
the sleeves hung in shreds, clasped
about her knees, her forehead bowed
upon them.
Never had Sir Griffin seen such
arms! They were bloody and torn as
from the strokes of a lash, and scanned
with nvid ridges from wrist to shoul-
der. Her neck. partially revealed by
a disordered dress, bore the same rec
wounds-marks of brutal blows, lately
administered.
Sir Griffin recoiled in horror ano
amaZement at the sight.
"Halloo!" he cried; what is this"
The apparition leaped to her feet, as
II in dire alarm. BY the expiring matcf
he had just time to observe that she
was tall of stature-that her hair fel
in loosened braids on her wounded
shoulders-that her pale face was
smeared in a CHASTITY way with the
blood of the arms against which it had
rested. Then out went the match
hor 1t,ith &c