Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-12-01

was gone, with her proud and happy
bridegroom, and Aunt Pam and
turned sadly back to Greylock Woods
Il suppose" said Aunt Pam, with
dismal apprehension, that my mex
blow will be your marriage, Polly!
At some future date somebody will bt
taking you away from me, as Sir Ger.
vase has today taken Man,
! shrugged my shoulders.
| You borrow trouble for naught
Aunt Pam. shall never marry. Yor
land will live together at the Woods
I never had a lover-I never shall
have one."
Aunt Pam stared.
What nonsense you talk, child!
Why should you not have a lover
Your marked Spanish style is very ef-
fective. I really think, my dear, that
you had better close the villa and
open a house in town for the winter
should like nothing better than to
introduce you to fashionable society
| have many, many friends moving ir
| the choicest circles, you know, and
you cannot fail to create a sensation
among them. OF course, you must
be properly settled in life, like other
girls."2,
mo, no. Aunt Pam, no match-mak-
ing for me If you please; and 1 do not
care for society. I would rather live
81, ,,i11 olro
a little world here for ourselves"
"Ah, but I am DID," sighed Aunt
Pam; my time Is short; and when
go, my dear, you will be left alone"
parture Of Sir Gervase and his bride
were quiet even TO dullness. 1 passed
my leisure hours principally at the
grand piano-for I had developed a
passion for music-or in the library
amid Godfrey Greylock's books and
bric-a-brac Winter closed in early
about my splendid hermitage, and
seemed to shut me closer than ever
from the world.
One night Aunt Pam appeared at
our late dinner dressed in heaviest
crepe and blacklist bombazine, and
with an uncommonly sad look on her
dear old face.
do you know what anniversary
this is, Ethel?" she said
NO." I answered.
1 had been playing one of Shubert's
sonatas, and the music was still beat
ing its delicious changes through my
head.
"It is that of your fathers death,
said Aunt Pam, gravely.
My fathers death!-the mysterious
event which I had once heard Mercy
Poole discuss, in very strange fash
ion, with Regnault, at Cats Tavern.
I sat down silently to dinner. The
meal was not over when Hopkins ap-
peared at the door.
There's a messenger waiting from
Cats Tavern" she announced. "Mer-
cy Poole is very sick, and wants to
see Miss Ethel without delay"
I had never entered the inn nor en-
countered it's landlady since the day
of Godfrey Greylock's death. looked
at Aunt Pam.
How odd!' she exclaimed. 1T is
cold, dark night-do not think OF
venturing out, Ethel"
But she is SICK" answered; land
perhaps alone. I must go, Aunt Pam.
You need not wait up for me-"
Then, pray. take Hopkins with
you"
mo, indeed; do not need any COM
pany. Hopkins Is old, and will be
much better off in bed"
"Ah, you are fearless, independ-
ent creature!" sighed Aunt Pam, in
tone which implied that such charac-
teristics in her niece were a cross to
her.
It was a bitter night. 1 heard the
wind roaring in the tops Of the ever
green's, and the frozen boughs Of the
chestnuts rattling like dry bones of
Ezekiel's vision, as 1 rolled away down
the dark avenue, into the Blackport
road. The coachman drove rapidly.
1t was not long before I alighted at
the ancient tavern.
No light was visible, save in the old
keeping room. Without ceremony l
stepped into the low, dark entry, lift
ed the latch behind which the lamp
was shining, and so found myself
face to face once more with Mercy
Poole
She sat before the fire, with all her
cats snarling and rubbing around her.
An old blanket covered her shoulders,
and her bony, wasted figure, grown
weak and tremulous with disease, was
bent forward to the warmth. At the
sound of the opening door she started
up-a sharp cry escaped her lips.
DO not be alarmed, it is l." I said,
for I thought my unceremonious en-
trance had frightened her. You sent
for me, and here l am"
She staggered to her feet. / could
then see the startling change which
two years had wrought in the land
lady of Cats Tavern.
Her iron-gay hair had become as
white as snow. Her once erect body
was now bent and emaciated. In her
gray, shrunken face the hollow black
eyes burned with a devouring light
terrible eyes. they seemed to me, as
she beckoned me forward.
Come in" she cried. in harsh.
cracked voice; Il scarcely knew you
It's cold night Come up to the fire,
Miss Greylock, and warm yourself"
obeyed mechanically. Captain
Kidd shifted at my fur cloak; Ravail-
lac and Pontius PLATE mewed about
my feet. Mercy Poole looked 1t me
uriously-touched my warm gar
ments, the thick rustling silk of my
dress, with shaking fingers. So!
she said, you're Polly no longer, but
a rich woman-the richest In the
county! I've heard your whole story
twas the talk of Blackport for
days and days God only knows now