Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-10-17

rubbish heap-by Jove, you did"
Her sombre black eyes dwelt keenl.
on him for a moment-then were with
drawn. He had been her guest TO
weeks, and in this time had won he
favor to an amazing degree.
"a hawk with broken WINGS" sh
echoed, laughing strangely; that's no
a bad idea. Years ago." striking he
breast, with unconscious tragedy, 4
friend of mine came to his death ol
this spot. The stupid Blackport folk
talk of meeting ghosts about the place
My God! If they only knew Of th'
things 1 see here! say he came t.
his death, by which I mean that h,
was cruelty murdered-shot down
without mercy, without a word o.
warning, at midnight, on the very spo
where your feet now stand!"
So strange and impressive was hel
manner that DIR. Dick stepped involun.
tarily aside, as If he had touched the
dead.
VIC ihll ~ "oo G
case of suicide" he said.
"Of course" answered Miss Poole
derisively; who but me ever called II
anything else? Mind you, DR.. Van
dine, I know of what I speak. Well
twas a long time ago-seventeen year.
and the world cares little about such
old affairs-you couldn't awaken ar
interest in the subject now If you tried
All the same, justice is only waiting
sooner or later, she will overtake the
one who murdered him."
Then her manner suddenly changed
She moved off from the uncanny spot
and Vandine, nothing loath, followed
her.
Have you been to Greylock Woods?'
she asked, over her shoulder.
"Yes,"'he answered.
Did you see the young heiress?"
Yes"
Il hear she is comely, like all her
race?"
shes the loveliest creature the sur
ever shone upon." She gave him q
penetrating backward glance.
"Ha! I like you, DR.. Vandine, which
Is more than I can say for most folks
Jet me give you word Of advice:
Don't lose your heart to the handsome
heiress Of the Woods. It's bad luck
under any circumstances, to love q
Greylock-nothing but woe can ever
come out of 1t. I loved one of the
name in my youth, and God only knows
what the folly cost me! The father OF
your handsome Ethel was most miser-
able in his married life. and the old
man up there" waving one arm scorn-
fully toward the villa, "the aristocrat
who is made of better clay than his
kind-Tve heard a hundred times that
his young wife, who died when her
son was born, went gladly, thankfully
out of the world. Yes, it's evil luck to
love a Greylock-it's madness, misery
ruin! There was never happy man
or woman of the race-be warned In
time"
Without another word she went
striding off along the path like gren-
adler. DR.. Dick followed her in ST.
lence to the inn.
In these later years few guests
sought entertainment at the old house;
the new hotel absorbed the majority
of visitors; but this fact did not dis
turb Mercy Poole. Old Ike, who had
long been gathered to his fathers, had
left behind him a fair share of this
worlds goods. In New England par
lance, Mercy was well-to-do; so 1t was
a matter of small anxiety to her
whether her house was filled or emp
ty.
AS boarder and landlady entered the
living-room together, they found them
selves in darkness-the kitchen maid
had not yet brought in the lights.
Where can that jade be-" cried
Mercy Poole. stop, doctor. You will
be sure to tread on Pontius PLATE OF
Robespierre There! 1 heard a new
Stand, say, while strike match
She was too late to save the tail OF
Pontius PLATE. Close on her words
followed the splitting and growing OF
some angry feline, two eyes, like phos-
phorescent lights, glared in the dark
and then the lamp flashed out, and 10!
Mercy Pooles keeping-room seemed
alive with cats-yellow, white, black
and gray-old and young, big and lit
tle-on the chairs, in the window
seats-here, there and everywhere-a
whole bakers dozen, even as Vandine
had told Ethel Greylock.
Mercy Poole flung herself into an old
settle, dashed off the mans hat from
her gray head, and cried. "Pontius Pi-
late!"
At that call, out from a chest OF
drawers under which he had taken
refuge, emerged an immense cat, black
as a coal, sleek as a seal-all these an
imals bore evidence of good food and
care. He sprang upon Mercy Poolc's
knee. She gave him stroke or two
of her sinewy hand.
"Robespierre!"
Another feline sprang into her lap
Each of the bakers dozen knew Its
own name and answered to it prompt
ly. Robespierre had lost the end OF
his tail and one ear, in some midnight
fray, and, though round as a ball, like
his fellows, he had a ruffianly look.
Did the great, blundering doctor
crush you?" said Merry Poole, smooth
ing his remaining ear, at which atten-
ton he began to purr loudly. Where's
Charlotte Corday and Ravaillac and
Queen Jezebel? All, l see them yon-
der in the basket Look out how you
sit down in that chair, DR.. Vandine-
Captain Kidd is curled up there, and
he has the sharpest claws of the lot
by Jove!" said Vandine, your pets
have queer names, Miss Poole! you
must have ransacked history for ev-
erything reeking and sangunary."
Exactly" she answered. There
are more of them under the table. The
lo n