Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-12-01
A D A r K p E E D
BY ETA w. PIERCE.
CHAPTER XXXII.
Polly Speaks.

Polly Speaks.
At the end of two years I left schoo
and returned to Greylock Woods.
had been at the villa but a few week.
when Nan came back to me, one black
autumn midnight, by the late express
She was expected. Some hours be.
fore Sir Gervase had telegraphed the
glad news of her discovery, and Aunt
Pam and I were waiting with oper
arms to receive our wanderer.
by what name are we to call her
Ethel?" sighed Aunt Pam.
Her own" answered, "Nannette
Harkness. Oh, I wonder how the bar
onet chanced to find her? OF course
he could not explain that in his tele-
gram. Aunt Pam, something tells me
that he loves her still-that he has
never ceased to love herl Has he not
spent two long years searching fol
her everywhere, and wandering from
America to England and from Eng
land back to America, seeking rest
and finding none?'
Aunt Pam shook her head.
MY dear, you forget the immense
social gulf betwixt the two. English
baronets do not marry the daughters
of clog dancers"
Nan has no living relatives to dis
grace her." replied; she is kinless
and alone in the world, with the edu-
cation, the accomplishments, the in
stincts of a duchess"
Aunt Pam sighed, but answered
nothing. l had sent the carriage to
the station. 1t came back through the
Nan. No surprises awaited her al
the villa, for the baronet had told her
everything. Very gravely he led her
into the great hall. How worn and
pale she looked, and yet how radiant!
I opened my arms, and the next mo-
ment the beggar children Of Harmony
Alley were folded in long and close
embrace.
| welcome back to Greylock
Woods!" 1 sobbed; ito your home,
Nan; for it is, and shall always be
your home! have nothing here that
does not belong to you, also"
And forgive me-pray do, my
dear" entreated poor Aunt Pam
for turning away from you that
dreadful morning at the church.
Fairy! I was quite distracted with
the trouble which had overwhelmed us
all. You cannot imagine how bitterly
I have, since then, reproached myself
for my heartlessness."
Dear Aunt PAM" replied Man.
smiling through her tears, there is
nothing for me to forgive. You never
did heartless thing in your life. It
was perfectly natural for you to turn
away from me that day. My only
wonder" very sadly, 'is that you have
tried so hard to find and bring me
back to home and happiness"
There were shadows under her
large eyes, and she had lost flesh and
color, but she was my beautiful, peer
less Nan still! Late as the hour was,
grand dinner waited fov my guests,
and when it was over, and we sat to-
gether in the drawing-room-for no
body thought Of sleeping this night
Aunt Pam and I heard Mans story.
You shall never leave us again!"
said to the wanderer; "Sir Gervase
knows my plans. 1 am going to d.
vide Godfrey Greylock's fortune equal
ly-one-half shall be yours, one-half
mine-even then, we will be rich wo-
men, Mani"
The tears rushed anew into her
lovely eyes.
You will do nothing of the kind,
Polly!" she protested. "Oh, you no.
BILE, generous creature, what will you
propose next? I will never, never
touch one dollar Of your fortune"
quite right" cried Sir Gervase,
warmly, and then he turned to me
with a laugh in his gray eyes. You
have had many doubts concerning
me, Polly"-everybody, even to Aunt
Pam, liked to call me by my old name
| L
Nan cannot accept a home at Grey
lock Woods, because she is going with
me across the sea. Our engagement
has never been broken. At an early
day she will be my wife, and 1 shall
take her from you, but not one cent
of the Greylock money with her. Her
beauty and worth are ample dowry.
ask for no other-I will accept no
other!"
It was useless to argue the point
with him-he was stubborn. My JOY
in his constancy was so great that
could not be angry with him. I put
my hand upon his arm, looked up in
to his grand, glad, triumphant eyes,
and cried out involuntarily: Cousin
am proud of you!" He raised the
hand to his lips, and answered, laugh
ingly, Permit me to express a like
sentiment in regard to yourself, Miss
Greylock."
Very WELL" broke in Aunt Pam;
my dear Sir Gervase, you may brow
beat Polly, but not me. l have a for
tune in my own right-Polly will new
er want it-she has enough of her
own Consequently, it is going to
Nan-half upon the day of her mar
riage, half at my decease."
All! Nan already possessed a rich
er fortune than lands and money!
mean her lovers priceless love. How
rejoiced in the glad end of all her
trials! 1t was like some pretty fairy
tale-the prince had remained faith
full and for him and his lovely beg
gar-maid there could be nothing but
happiness in the future.
Just one month from the date OF
her return to the villa, Nan, for the
second time, stood in bridal fieeces
with Sir Gervase, at the chancel-rai
of the little Blackport church, and
became Lady Greylock. Only the few
that she loved were present at the
ceremony, but there were plenty OF
| loonoro+ulo t;opS opd poOd wishes