Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-03-30
CHAPTER VIII.
Hazel Speaks.

Il
wants were astir, but their oetters Still
slumbered. Not sound could hear
from Sergia's chamber; so l dressed
noiselessly, and crept downstairs into
the garden.
Wolfsden was grand, old-fashioned
gabled house, painted dust brown, ana
wearing a mellow air Of age. 1t stooo
on a magnificent green knoll overlook
ing the river Immense chestnut trees
bordered the walks and driveways'
The place had long been unoccupied'
and its gardens and shrubbery wore
look of riotous luxuriance. / found a
smooth shaven terrace on the southern
side Of the house, with palms and aloes'
and garden-chairs ranged about, and
tbera I sat down in solitude and ST.
lence.
As vet the suns disk was hardly Wis
fb,e above the tree-tops. The air reek-
ed with odors shaken from garden
thickets. Birds sang in far-away ho1-
lows. A pale mist chung, ghost-hKe'
to the shining brown loops Of the river
The hush Of dusky, dreamful night
still brooded over everything.
Suddenly heard a murmur OF voices
and Colonel Rivers and Mrs. Van vert
appeared at the end Of the terrace.
The lady was dressed like a Louis
XIV. shepherdess, in white gown DEL
icately embroidered in roses, and a
w,da straw hat, the brim fastened back
with white birds. Her hands, In long
Suede gloves, held an immense ouncn
of roses tied with white ribbon.
"oh," she cried, at sight of me; AN
other early ,riser!"
Colonel Rivers advanced with the air
of courtier.
81 hope you have rested well, Miss
Ferrers." he said, searching my race
with kindly eyes. You have not peen
disturbed or annoyed in any way?"
ooh, no." I answered: '"I always rise
early"
you look absurdly charming, sitting
here alone, like a creature of the dew
and the dawn" said Mrs. Van vert.
"Now, with me early rising Is part OF
regime, prescribed by my physician
Colonel Rivers is kind enough to make
II agreeable by attending me, every fine
morning, through the gardens ana
shrubbery." She leaned and murmureo
behind her roses: "He Is really the
kindest, the most fascinating OF men!
You cannot think how good he Is to
everybody! We are compelled to love
him, whether we wish to or not And
the eauze fichu on her bosom heaved
to a deep sigh. Colonel Rivers did seem
to get on we'll with the ladies!
moment later she turned her blue
eyes on him pensively, and said:
"Ah, colonel, is it not good to oe
fresh and unsophisticated, like this
beautiful child-ready for all sorts OF
new impressions, new delights? One
may sneer at the Observation-Disclosures per-
iod, which that dreadful Byron pre-
tended to scorn, but is it not the only
time in life when one is really happy
do you wish me to tell you," he an
swered, gallantly, that If seventeen Is
charming, five-and-twenty is irresisti-
BILE? Every year should be but nGw
weapon in the equipment OF love-!
woman. Miss Ferrers has not learned
her own powers yet. You know yours.
and"- with a melting glance-"you
must be generous, and use 1t Tercl-
fully"
Then he turned to me with live'7
air
What do you think of Wolfsden,
Miss Ferrers? Can you be content to
pass the summer here?
I shook my head.
1.-THE summer is long time, SIR j
answered, inwardly determined to be
at my bread winning before 1t should
be over. He smiled, as though he dis
cerned the thought.
"You are now in the Den Of the
Wolf, Miss Ferrers," he said, playfully
and you will find escape impossible
PRAY look about you! Yonder," point
ing with a delicate hand ablaze with a
big diamond, there, in the hollow, is
Heron croft-you can see its stacks OF
chimneys rising through the trees
That is Francis Heron's family man.
sion, where he keeps bachelors nall
and entertains his college classmate
and evangelistic friend, Mr.. Graham
Vivian.
That superb Antinous, who has re-
nounced the world and it's vanities!'
sighed Mrs. Van Vert.
YES" said Rivers, with shrug OF
the shoulders, whatever the ladies
may think of Mr.. Vivian's preaching
they find the preacher himself exceed
ingly impressive. AS you see, Miss
Ferrers, my estates join Heron's. His
mills are a mile or two further on
down the river, and
Before he could finish the sentence
the man servant Martin, whom l ha6
seen on the previous night, mounted
the terrace, and approached us with
wrathful air.
Begging the ladies' pardon" he
cried, them Blackbirds have been al
its again, sir! Last week twas the
vegetable garden. now it's the hot
house, sir. The glass is smashed, ant
the grapes and nectarines are all gone
deuce take the scoundrels!"
The coloners bearded face darken'
ed.
Martin, we must begin a night
watch here-this is growing unbeara'
BILE"
DO blackbirds eat grapes and nee.
tarines?" asked, in amazement. "Wha
rapacious things they must be!-Guit'
uncommon!"
He laughed, but in a mirthless way
Unfortunately, Miss Ferrers, these
Blackbirds are not fowls Of the air. The
name is applied in this vicinity tC
Heron's mill -hands-a disreputable lot
up to all sorts Of petty thieving. They
have given me no end Of trouble since
took possession of Wolfsden. If thi!
mischief is not stopped soon, I mus