The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1917-10-25

| 1rlenQ, VINO kept Lue VllldSe grocery
Fancy a,stylish a young lady with an
invalid mother moving into that
leaky, crumbling old house, though
no one has seen the mother yet, far
as l can find out"
81 ought not to mention this"
said the other, "but it's been trou-
bling me a great deal. The girl
came down to the store a few days
ago, and when l made out the little
bill they've been owing she looked
it over carelessly, then drew off one
of her diamond rings and laid i
upon the counter and asked me to
take, it as security"
The hotel keepers wife leaned
forward. 81 believe they are stolen
goods" she said excitedly.
A soft, rustling sound at the far
ther end of the veranda caused the
women to start suddenly and pee1
through a screen of vines where the
brightly lighted end Of q cigar glow.
ed in the darkness.
"Who is it?" Mrs. Briggs asked in
q whisper.
"It's a young man from the city"
her friend answered; "came just be-
fore supper. forgot he was
there"
The person referred to came lei
surely toward them.
Pardon me-" he said in pleas
ing voice. Gould you direct me to
the home OF Robert Reynolds? ]
have been told he moved here
lately"
"Never heard of the name," the
hotel keepers wife said thoughtful.
ly, while Mrs. Briggs volunteered
the information that the only new
arrivals in the village were the resi-
dents of the dilapidated old house
upon the hill, who were known as
Mrs. May and her daughter, Miss
Miriam.
The stranger thanked them and
proceeded down the roadway.
It was difficult to distinguish the
old house through the dense growth
of trees which surrounded it, while
the wooden gate at the entrance to
the grounds was bridged across with
shrubs and overhanging branches
The man, reaching over to examine
the interior Of the garden, was met
by a low, threatening growl.
"What is it, Don?'' called clear
young voice, and a girls face ap,
peared above the brambles. 1t was
rather disconcerting to be thus look
ing directly into a pair Of question
ing blue eyes, but he managed to
stammer out his desire to locate q
certain Robert Reynolds.
eve are strangers here" the girl
told him. T am afraid I cannot
help you"
"My name is Madden" he said
confdentially. 81 am the bearer OF
an important message for a Mr..
Robert Reynolds"
The girl looked steadily into his
face. Her own had grown very
white. 81 repeat" she said en-
phatically, 'that I cannot help you." !"
Then down through the sleepy gar
den there came a querulous cry,
growing more imperative as she
waited with sudden terror in her
eyes.
"Miriamw walled the voice.
"Miriamp
"Go, please" she whispered
breathlessly, then ran swiftly to-
ward the house.
As Madden fastened the gate be-
hind him he closed his mouth de-
terminedly. 1t Robert Reynolds vas
concealed there, as he had reason to
suppose, he must not again allow a
sense of chivalry to deter him from
seeking him out, forcibly if it need
be. One could not openly doubt a
lady's word, but when another op-
portunity presented itself he would
be resolute.
The opportunity arrived when he
met the owner of the much discuss
ed house one day at the hotel. "lf
it's for sale," Madden remarked cas-
ually, 81 might go up with you and
look it over"
The girl whose face haunted him
continually, whose blue eyes moved
him so quickly from bafled anger to
pity, looked up, startled, from the
flowers she was clipping as they ap-
preached.
"This gentleman wants to 60 over
the house, Miss May. He is think
ing Of buying" the landlord ex-