Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-10-20
CHAPTER XVII.-Continued.

waves and rings of her yellow hair
With an absorbed air, she urged Sui
tana along the principal street of the
town and stopped at the door Of the
Blackport postoffice.
This was an old building opposite
Cats Tavern. A drowsy youth was
taking down the shutters as the girl
rode up. She held out to him piece
of silver.
There is-there must be a letter
here for Miss Ethel Greylock," she
stammered-even this boys dull eyes,
it seemed to her, could read her Sc
cret-"be so good as to bring it to
me-"
The drowsy youth plunged into the
old door, and reappeared directly with
something white in his hand-yes,
letter! Ethel snatched it eagerly, and
dropped it in a hidden pocket. Then
she turned her horses head, and, as
she did so, she discovered pair OF
keen eyes watching her from the inn
opposite. Boldly she rode up to the
open window.
You are early abroad, Miss Grey
lock-" said Mercy Poole, dryly.
Ethel bent to stroke Pontius PLATE,
who was washing his black paws on
the sill.
YES" she answered; smiling sweet
ly; "I like to ride best when have the
road to myself"
where's your groom?" demanded
Mercy Poole, as sharply as if the safe
ty of Robert Greylock's daughter was
a thing near to her heart. Does your
grandfather let you go out unattended
like this?"
Grandpa is taking his morning
nap" answered Ethel, in some embar-
rassment. He always permits me to
come and go according to my own WILL
Miss Poole"
And not caring to prolong the con-
versation, she turned from the win
dow and rode away, past the smart
new shops, past the cottages and no.
tells, out upon a long, lonely, forsaken
beach.
Here she dropped the rein on Sui
3
broke the seal of her letter.
Remember your VOW in the garden
when they talk to you of the Englsh
baronet," wrote Regnault, after pas
sionate assertions of love and deVo-
tion Remember that you are pledg-
ed TO me. for ever and for ever-that
Won have solemnly sworn to be mine
whenever 1 shall come for you. be
ready now to fulfill your vow. My
connection with the school is at an
end. NV life here has become unbear-
able since your departure. You VIII
see me at an early date. I am coming
my promised one, to claim you.
sudden trembling, seized Ethel
She caught her breath, half in fear,
half in rapture. He was coming! She
was to see him again, to look into the
dark. dreamy eyes which made her
heaven.
He called her, thus soon, to keep the
oath which she had taken in the schooi
garden. Was she prepared to do 1t?
to tell Godfrey Greylock her secret
to give up everything-as, alas! she
must, for Regnault's sake-to renounce
her own bright, beautiful world her
grandfather and Aunt Pam, to share
her lovers poverty, and follow MIN
wherever he might go?
Yes, yes" she said to herself WIN
the heroism of seventeen untrled
wears, "I will confess everything 10
grandpa at the first opportunity. Is
not all sacrifice sweet for loves sake!
And l love Arthur more than wealth.
more than ease more than anything on
earth. I am his, and come want or
plenty, come joy or sorrow, come lie
or death, l will keep my oath
She kissed her lovers letter, ana
thrust it back into her pocket, but py
a slip of her gloved hand it fell un-
perceived, to the ground.
Unconscious of her loss, Ethel rode
on for a half mile or more, ABSORBED III
thoughts of her lover, till suddenly
crash of thunder made Sultana leap
and brought the young rider specify
to her senses.
Overhead the sky had become as
black as ink. Against the rough oeach
the sea boiled and thundered. ter
rife blast of wind tore across the
foaming expanse, and struck Ethel as
if it would hurl her from the saddle.
"Oh, here is a tempest close upon
me!" she thought. II must hasten
home, or grandpa will be frantic"
She put her hand into her pocket TO
touch once more Regnault's fond writ
ten words.
Horror! the letter was not there!
Her heart seemed to stop beating. In
stantly the truth flashed upon her. NO
matter now about the tempest. The
loss of that letter meant ruin to her
self and her lover. Somebody would
find it, somebody would deliver it to
her grandfather, and then-oh, heaV-
Ell, what then?"
Like lightning she turned Sultanas
head. and flew back over the beach,
looking everywhere along the gray
sands as she went Perhaps the wind
had blown Der treasure into the sea
how careless of her to let it fall! Sud
CenfN SIZE ulSCONSItu d llcill ''i iNi''p
along. several rods in advance of her.
his pace apparently set toward place
of shelter, his long legs measuring off
the ground in a way that threatened
to distance Sultana herself.
stop! stop" cried Ethel. at the top
of her voice. clap of thunder
drowned the cry.
The man did not turn or look.
stop. say" shouted the girl, near
" beside herself with fear: she urged
Sultana to extra speed. stupid! do
YOU not hear? Stop, wish to speak
to you"
Yes, he heard, particularly the fiat
tering name by which he was address
ed. He paused. and looked hard from
the black mare 10 the girl in the sad