Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-03-28
CHAPTER xXxvI.
Happiness at Last.


It went on its way across the sea
shire, late upon a hunting morning
when Sir Valentine was away at 6
neighboring meet" Miss Affry Blacl
opened the post-bag, turned the Amer.
lean missive in her hand, eyed 1t sus.
piciously, and finally conveyed 1t tc
the library, with the rest Of the baro-
nets mail, and there left 1t lying or
Sir Valentines baize- covered table.
Five o'clock brought the lord OF
Deepmoor back to the Hall again, fag-
ged and somewhat out Of humor. He
took his tea with Miss Black, then
flung himself down In q great chair
Of a man glad to return to his own
Ihabitation after a dull and wearisome
day.
glasses, you met Lord Loftus's
daughters at lunch, I suppose?"
Having failed in her matrimonial
project concerning the Scotch heiress
she was now bent upon another, even
more desirable. =,
"Yes," answered the baronet, dryly
Florence, the younger, is as pretty
as a pink-a genuine high-bred Eng
lish girl You might go through seven ven
counties, and never find her equal, SIR
Valentine" a,..
He ran his fingers through his red
hair till it stood up like porcupine
quflls, but answered not a word.
Then Helen, the elder-she Is pure
blonde, and you admire blondes. And
she can ride beautifully. To see her
gallop over hedge and ditch, across
meadow and moor, down lane and up
high road, Is enough to take the breath
You have your eyes in your head. VAL
entine-how can you resist these two
charming girls?"
Give 1t up-do!" said the baronet,
YEARLY; LAY the subject on the shelf
for awhile, Aunt Affry, for. you see
am incorrigible. Have / not told you
scores Of times that do not wish to
marry?" o. .g..t.L.
Very WE'LL" answered Miss Black,
in huff, you are as obstinate as a
mule. I will say no more, for If his
Ilordship's daughters cannot please you
know Of no living woman who can.
There's your mail on the table-you
have not looked at 1t yet" ,.g
Sir Valentine picked up his letters.
He broke the seal Of the American one
first Something dropped from 1t, and
rolled across the tiled hearth, stopping
at last, upon a rug Of Canadian wolf
skin. He picked 1t up-his face grew
white as death. It was his mothers
wedding ring-the ring which he had
placed on the hand of Mercy Dill years
ago in the old lodging-house at Seedy
Court. :
Miss Black recognized It, also, and
cried out in sore amaze. ....s
"ValentineI Good Heaven! your
mothers ring. Who sent it?"
He read Ethe's letter, with few
ambiguous words relating to the re-
covered token, then passed 1t on to
Miss Black. ..f.' ....rai a.. -....
TN heavens name, what can II
mean?" he said. .4.
The old woman looked, read and
answered, feebly, II haven't an idea
Cullen Sardiss daughter! How on
earth did she get possession OF your
He held the shining band upon his
palm. His face looked harsh and for
bidding. ..-..
you will see no more Of me, Aunt
Affry, till that question is answered to
my satisfaction" he said, decisively
She laid her hand on his strong
shoulder.
what are you going to do? Bless
me! you are shaking like woman!
Write to Miss Sardis, or the Countess
Stahl-whichever name she Is called
by-and she will explain it all, dare
say" ......... ...... ....
miss Sardis has forgotten to men
/ tion her New York address," said the
baronet, with a strange smile; more
over, I could scarcely be content to at
tack this mystery in any roundabout
way. ! shall start for Liverpool in the
morning, and take passage in the, first
steamer which leaves that port for the
United States"
| Miss Black bristled with Indignation
| wal! Are you mad? Pushing of
to America to find some clue to thai
Italians wife-that creature, who Is
tramping the streets, dare say, witt
a hurdy- gurdy and monkey, while
Lord LOTUS daughters wait in vair
for you to propose! I'm amazed at yor
I'm ashamed Of you. I never heard
Of such q ridiculous thing in my life!
It's enough to make all the Arbuck1e!
in the vaults Of Deepmoor church turr
in their graves"
Miss Blacks wrath fell on unheedint
ears. His determination was made
and no argument under heaven coult
shake 1t.
I am going only to find Miss Sar'
dis" he said, calmly. Il want little
private conversation with her."
/ And he went. Three days later, thi!
lheadstrong, half-Yankee nobleman wa.
on the Atlantic, speeding away to tn
New World.
He landed in New York one COLDER
afternoon in early spring, determined
to rest not, neither to know peace, un
til he had found Count Stahls fair wild
ow.
(To be continued.)