Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-11-07
T. T. f. + f. f. f. = f. f. f. + r + T. T. r f. f. f. f.
A DARK DEED
Bv ETA w. PIERCE
j. j. j.

| Dark days settled down upon the
villa, the darkest which the grand
house had known for many years. The
anxiety and efforts of every one were
fixed upon Ethel Greylock, struggling
now in the agonies of brain fever
Hopkins and DIR. Vandine alone had
thought for the working girl, Polly
fainting, dying in a distant chamber
from the wounds inflicted by Reg
nault's stilleto-wounds intended not
nault's stiletto-wounds intended not
The master of the Woods had set
the local authorities to work looking
for suspicious characters about the
town; he had also summoned a city
detective to Blackport; but nothing
came of either of these aggressive
measures.
Meanwhile DR.. Vandine was doing
all that medical skill could do for both
his patients His hopeless passion for
the heiress Of the Woods, his genuine
brotherly interest in Polly, stimulated
him, no doubt, to put forth his best
efforts in their behalf. Even God
frey Greylock, whose anxiety for his
granddaughter was something terri
BILE, could find no fault with the young
practitioner.
MY darling is in your hands," he
said. Il trust her entirely to you
Save her, for Gods sake, and name
your own reward"
Il will do my utmost" answered DR.,
Vandine, quietly.
The first person to hasten to the villa
when the tidings of Ethers illness flew
abroad was Mrs. Iris. AS only the
nurse and physician were allowed in
the sick girls chamber, Godfrey Grey
lock met her in his library. She look
ed pinched, haggard, greatly disturb
ed.
"Oh, this is dreadful" she broke
out, wildly. Il do not understand it
no more do you, as l see by your face.
Is it possible that traitor, that villain
- But, no! do not mind me. l am
talking at random. Tell me, will Eth
el die?"
God forbid" shuddered Godfrey
Greylock.
But brain fever is extremely dan
gerous-its victims seldom recover!"
she persisted, nervously. In case
Ethel should be taken from US, what
am l to expect of you? Will you stop
my allowance?-will you consider my
claims upon you at an end?"
Madam" he answered Indignantly,
you seem to have far more anxiety for
yourself than for your daughter.
decline to consider for a moment the
possibility of Ethers death, or any
consequences that might follow it.
She must not-shall not die!" wildly
Il am now an old mani could not
live without her. She is the only be-
ing in the wide world that I love
Adieu, madam. When you are wanted
here I promise to send for you"
Mrs. Iris went her way, baffied and
chagrined, and the next visitor to ar
rive at the villa was Mercy Poole.
She came stalking up the avenue like
hussar in petticoats, and presented
herself before Hopkins in the servants
quarters.
rs it life or death here?" she de-
manded, in her usual, crisp fashion.
"As yet we can't tell" sighed Hop
kins. Your servant will have to stay
with us for the present. She can't be
moved-it would kill her at once-of
course, DR.. Vandine has told you
that"
Yes" nodded Mercy Poole. "Heav-
en- above! What can that child Polly
have done that anybody living should
| want to murder her' And at the old
pits, too! Why, it's q deed thousand
times worse than the one that was
done in the same spot years and years
ago"
"Oh, gracious me! don't speak OF
that. Mercy PoOle!" shivered Hop
| kins.
The landlady of Cats Tavern turned
abruptly on her heel.
There was a man at the inn few
hours before this thing happened" she
said, slowly; he belonged to the sing
ing company. Long after his mates
left, he hung about the place, and hat
a good many questions to ask con.
cerning Blackport and it's people
Regnault was the name by which hi
called himself, but you may be sure II
| wasn't his right one. The night o
the assault on Miss Greylock and my
servant, he paid his score early, anC
disappeared. Did that man have any
thing to do with the stabbing of Pol
ly, and what was Ethel Greylocl
about at the old salt-pits that night p
I'VE know no more about the mat
ter than the dead in their graves!
answered Hopkins.
Mercy Poole shrugged her shoulder!
and departed as she had come.
Weary days succeeded-days wher
death seemed broodng over the grea
house, and the servants stole abou
with noiseless tread-when DR.. Van
dimes face grew grave and careworn
and Godfrey Greylock paced his libra
ry in agonies of apprehension-wher
Aunt Pam hovered on the verge o
distraction, and Ethel Greylock lay OF
her embroidered pillows, so changed
and sunken that even the eyes of
lover might have failed to recognize
her. It was Polly who first regainet
consciousness, and came drifting
slowly, but surely, back to life. I'M
girl was as tenacious of existence nov
as she had been in the days OF heI
childhood. One morning she lifted vi
a feeble voice in the silence of th'
chamber where Hopkins watched her
and, as If wrestling with an over
whelming memory, said, Was Miss
Greylock hurt?"
Her first thought was of the girl fol
whom she had twice gene down to th'
very gates of death. Hopkins flew t
her side.
NO" she answered, Miss Ethel i!