Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-05-28

morning Pitt Rivers entered his wards
chamber with arms full of magnificent
exotics, the spoil of his greenhouses.
He fitted an Aeolian harp in a window
opening on the Chestnut Walk, but its
mournful music soon flooded Sergia's
eyes with tears, and the colonel said:
'T will have no part In thing which
makes you Weep"
So he carried 1t away, and brought
a marvellous flute Of gold and ebony,
upon which he played soft. tender airs,
with the skill of master. Sometimes,
to beguile the tedium Of the hours, he
talked to her of the far lands he had
seen-of society in Paris salons and at
heavy London dinners, forcing her to
laugh at the keenness Of his wit, and
wonder at his knowledge Of men.
Sometimes he sang French and Ger
man love songs, in that wonderful.
highly cultivated tenor voice which she
had always admired; or he read to her
rare books from his library. In score
of ways he tried to amuse and divert
his ward.
my dear Sergia," said Miss Carbury,
with conviction, your guardian thinks
only OF you-lives only for you."
And through all her sensitive being
Sergia felt the truth of the words-felt
Rivers's love and care surrounding her
on all sides, like an atmosphere. The
girls illness and isolation were the
mans opportunity, and being very keen
and clever he was not slow to see and
improve 1t.
One day, Miss Carbury, intent upon
some errand below-stairs, crept softly
out of the sick-room, leaving Sergia
fast asleep. The chamber was careful
ly darkened-soft perfumes and utter
silence pervaded it. On table near
the bed stood silver bowl full OF ex-
quisite yellow roses, which Colonel
Rivers had just sent up from the
greenhouses in the garden.
Presently the unguarded door opened
softly. Mrs. Steele crossed the carpet
with stealthy step. For once her jing-
ling keys were laid aside. Noiselessly
she approached the white couch where
Sergia was lying, with all her fair
plaits Of hair scattered on the pillow,
and the dense, dark lashes clinging
close to her pale cheek.
The housekeeper's glance fell first on
the roses in the bowl. An unspeakable
fury swept her long, narrow face.
Like lightning, she dashed the flowers
to the floor, and set her foot upon them.
Then she turned to the bed, and with
the breath suspended on her lips, look
ed down on the sleeper,
Illness had wasted Sergia but little.
Her full, snowy contours, her thick,
lustrous lengths Of hair, indicated her
rich vitality. She was beautiful and
young-an heiress, too, and well-born-
a match for the best. How could an
older palmer woman hope to hold her
own against such a lovely rival? For
a moment Mrs. Steele leaned helplessly
against the foot of the bed; then q
mad desperation famed in her yellow
eyes. She seized a square, down pill
Iowa great, soft, smothe,ng thing,
harmless to look at, but full OF deadly
possibilities-and made as II to dash
1t upon the unconscious, upturned face.
In the very act, a hand grasped her
own roughly-Pitt Rivers jerked her
back from the bed.
Caught" he whispered. How
dare you enter this room, after all that
have said to you?"
'I came to see how your ward was
getting on" she whispered back, sui
lenly. THAT simpleton Carbury locks
the door against meme, who ought to
be sovereign in this house!"
He looked at the trampled roses. at
the big pillow, and waved her still far
ther from the bed.
Sergia slept on undisturbed.
Miss Carbury does we'll" The words
were hardly above his breath. but the
look that accompanied them made
Mrs. Steele tremble. II see that l must
send you away, Maisie. 1t is not safe
to keep you longer with me. am go
ing to marry Miss Pole-as sure as
there is a God in heaven, nothing that
you can do, or attempt to do, will turn
me from my purpose! Yes. the time
has come for me to be forever quit OF
you!"
Her face was a white blank. 1t was
as IL the Wolfsden housekeeper had
heard her death sentence pronounced
Quit of me forever!" she repeated
clinching her hands convulsively. "You
cannot mean that. If you send me from
YOU shall die! will bear everything
i will not attemupt to interfere again
only let me stay near. l know that
l am faded and old, and she is beauti-
full and young; but you might remem-
Der all the years.
Il remember nothing!" he interrupt
ed. THE ingratitude of man Is proven
bal. 1 love my ward madly. I would
sacrifice you, and all the rest Of the
world, to make her my wife. If you
attempt to harm her again-if you ven-
ture to raise so much as a finger
against her-I will show you no mer-
cyl"
He was goading her beyond endur-
ance. She glared at him like cat.
You tell me to my face that you
love her?" she hissed-"that you viii
marry her. in spite Of me-in spite"-
He took her by the shoulders.
mo Mysteries, Maisie. You mus
submit to the inevitable-you will sub
NIT, for l know how to manage you
Go now!" and he pushed her uncere.
moniously toward the door. MISS Car
bury will be here in a moment"
And Mrs Steele went, without an.
other word.
Shortly after the pillow episode, Ser
gia was standing at her window, ont
sunny noon, looking thoughtfully dowr
into the fading garden. when Colone
Rivers appeared in the door. Sh'
smiled, and beckoned him in.
Il want to talk with you, guardy.
she said
With boyish eagerness the colone