Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1921-09-08

We'll, she-Miss Sheila Llyn and her
mother are going to the Salem planta-
ton, down by the Essex Valley noun
tain. 1t is her plantation now. 1t be-
longed to her uncle, Bryan Llyn. He
got it in payment of debt. He's dead
now and all his lands and wealth have
come 10 her. Her mother, Mrs. Llyn,
is with her and they start tomorrow
or the next day for Salem"
Dyck Calhoun made an impatient
gesture at this last remark.
YES, yes, Michael. Where are they
now"
They're at Charlotte BedfOrd's lodg-
| ings in Spanish town. The governor
waited on them this morning. The
governor sent 3hem flowers and"
"Flowers-Lord Mallow sent them
flowers! Helrs fiend, man, suppose
he did?"
"There are better flowers here than
any in Spanish TOwl."
"Well, lake them, Michael; but If
you do, come here again no more while
you live, for I'll have none of you.
Do you think I'm entering the lists
against the kings governor?
you've done 1t before, sir, and
there's no harm in doing 1t again. One
good turn deserves another. I've also
to tell you, sir, that Lord Mallow has
asked them to stay at Kings house"
lord Mallow has asked Americans
to stay at Kings house?"
"But they're Irish, and he knew them
in Ireland, y'r honor"
From whom do you get your infor-
mation?" asked Dyck Calhoun with an
air of suspicion.
From Darius Boland, y'r honor"
answered Michael, with smile. "Who
is Darius Boland, you're askin' in y'r
mind? Well, he's the new manager
come from the Llyn plantations in
Virginia; and right good stuff he is,
with tongue that's as dry as cut
wheat In August. l saw him this
mornin' on the quay at Kingston. He
was orderin' the pOrters about with an
air-oh, bedad, an air! l saw the
name upon the parcels-Miss Sheila
Llyn of Moira, Virginia, and so / spoke
10 him. Well said he, who might
you be? For there's queer folks in
Jamaica, I'm told So l said | was
Michael Clones, and at that he doffed
his hat and held out hand. well,
here's luck said he. Luck at the
very start! I've heard of you from
my mistress. You're servant to Mr..
Dyck Calhoun-ain't that it?' And l
nodded and he smiled again-a smile
that'd cost money anywhere else than
in Jamaica. Queer way Of talk he has,
that man, as queer as"
81 understand, Michael. But what
else? How did you come to talk about
the affairs of Mrs. and Miss Llyn? He
didn't just spit it out, did he?"
"Sure; not so quick and free as
spittin,, y'r honor, but when he'd sorted
me out, as it were. he said Miss Llyn
had come out here to take charge Of
in in such good runnin' order and her
mind bein' active. Word had come
Of the trouble with the manager here,
and one of the provost marShals depu-
ties had written accounts Of the fog
ging and ill-treatment Of slaves, and
that's why she cOme-to put things
right at Salem"
ITO put things wrong in Jamaica,
Michael, that's why she's come. To
loose the ball of confusion and free
the flood Of tragedy-that's why she's
come! Man, Michael, you know her
hiStOry-who she was and what hap
pened to her father. Well, do you think
there's no tragedy in her coming here?
/ killed her father, they say, Michael.
| was punished for it. l came here
10 be free of all those things-Iifted
out and away from them all. | longed
to forget the past, which is only shame
and torture; and here it is all spread
out at my door again like mat, which
| must see as go in and out. There
was no talk on Boland's part of their
coming here, was thele, Michael?"
None at all. sir, but there was that
in the mans eye and that in his tone.
which made me sure he thought Miss
Llyn and you would meet"
THAT would be strange, wouldn't It.
in tins immense continent Dyck re-
marked cynically. "She knew was
here before she came. wonder her
mothr: let her come here. Her mother
knew part of the truth. She hid it all
from the girl-and now they are here.
"Michacl. order my horse and will
20 To Spanish Town. This matter must
be brought To head. The truth must
he told. Order my horse"
1T is the very heat of the day. sir"
"Thpn at five o'clock, after dinner,
have my horse here"
"Am | to ride with you, Sir?"
Dyck nodded.
"Yes Michael. There's only one
thing to do-face all the facts with all
the evidence, and you are fact and
evidence, too. You know more of the
truth than any one else"
Several hours later, when the sun
was abating its force little. after
travelling the burning roads through
vans and cocoa, grenadllaS and all
kinds of herbs and roots and vagrant
trees, Dyck Calhoun and Michael
Clones came into Spanish Town.
Dyck looked around upon the ;own