Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

LADY SLARnSPUR a b MEREDITH NICHOLSON S Copyright b Charles Boribner's Sone ty stlontinued from 1st page, this section) pF dI "I have noteil all these details, An yoine," I replied; and again I thought fhere was a telegraphic exchange be bIveen the ladies though this time a allack slipper was the means of coin tlNunlcation. T' Torrence arrived in a moment, and .othing has ever given me keener joy Sfian his shock of surprise at beholding ofrs. Bashford. I wits devoutly grate RuI that he had not been present at Rhe dinner-table, for my own efforts to Rnterest Torrence in anything but the Jnost practical matters had always 9'een highly unsuccessful, and the dis CUssion of ghosts and witches would dardly have amused him. As Mrs. flarnswortl and I took ip the recent Tpoveinents on the wvestern front I pgverheard T'orrence Jut'tinft a1ll the Lsiachinery of the trust cioimpany at Bairs. BashforI's di sposal. It seemed VtInlost a , a sphemy to he talkinag of 04ncomne :1u11i like tiutters to a woman 01ke Alice BaIftird: I They continit1 thir i'n'irnoe for ome tim1e, but I '-t totin!i #,ut of ItIrs. Farn worth ilit sh n! any ligiht ]Bgn mly aun1.1 . r b y iIw :: h GIIad todn10r:'.u1 wspe C(!Ilus little. 'Mr-. -rn w ths ak Ytvias that (:' a ': wi:l: . li r I'Voice inter, o nn*o-:-:n:ly F01he twlo-s 1;::I1l r I~ 'ni-s 1.i 1' 1.1 G liei v she lo e - l r it t "t It \"ig. Ait 11 t it (4. .NI-C'idt li .keep thle divineo spJark ofph~y alis e' ill Ier hiart." OLIThe light of (lnlt of' the ov lunp. Nifell upon Alic' k ea s- ~iil 1it.- liliib-ndI lgave hleed to Tirre1s's a-un 1 hb Wstewardship. One Itf iir ha:uils gent ly Srstroked the terrier that I.'y qiuietly i: Cia chair beside her. I was sure that Ctis painstaking deIIscriptionl of ass-ets Wand market valuies wIts bor1ing her 0Once her vokte r'ose int e.xpostulattion Torrence, I judged, was suiggestimt Lthat legal means could be found to ex R(Pel tihe old Tyrtinagh ami emploeyeeu p fropn the Bar'ton property. Ny "Oh, never in the world ! It wo: Requite like Mr'. Unshford to want t' Clcare for thes".e petople in their old1 a ge G(And-"'shle laughed anti turned towart JKime-"thiey cani't he dlitldged~ 'whilh B BJob lives ; and weO don~'t wantit to par11 wi e th him11 Just yet.'' 'I was 1 glad to have himt heari her ad Sdress me it thIts intlinate fash ion. To ry alway13s inspirted ini tie at detsire t shalock himt. O"I shall help AllIe' to break Iitem ii1 . Totrry, I saidh, linzgerintg upon i lie namie for his special edi lica tion. ''Of cotur se, Singlet on,'' he lrelliei." TA wasn't suret't you mie'anlt to s1tay on. ['at 13 dont me, but I dlidnu't-" T.'"Oht, it isn't thatt 1'ob, hasn't a right Sto stay," said Alice guickly ;"!r FA~arnsworth and I arte hoplng that ib 0will like us well enough to slarte oul extie on other't accounts." tl "I tin engaginag Mr. Siingietont to es plain American Jokes to moe," at 1) noun~cedi Mrs. F'arnswoth. "Alic jt seems to get thtem, but I'm never sure. ei It is a part of Torrence's busiunesst d counsel widows, wleh he dloes like th honorable man he .Is, but as hte rose t go presently, remarking thtat his wif Iwould motor down to call shortly, -caught a glimpse of his face that intd, cated deep perplexity. I left when h did. "wan t to talk to you," he said ners ously when we were outside. "I'll senl the ear ahtead to the gate." bwhen the shtrubbery cut us off fror Sthe htouse lie stopped abruiptly an tY seized rmy arm. "What do you manke o iit?" be detnanded. "Make of what?" I asked. t "'That girl I" lie excilamled testily. "If you insist, I must avow thlat she' adorable, nloting else." . Don't be a fool l You knew Ray mond Blashford much better tihan I dd and you know perfectly well hte neve jmarried a young girl of that sort Those women ar'e playIng a trick, ant I'mw surpr~sed that you don't se 'M ucle wa a man of taste rind genitleman," I answered deliberateli "there's nothing in the least improbni leo in his bging infatuated with yolng wornan of charm and wit lik this girl." -'Itell you it won't do," he insiste( Lf either of those women at tha hrons is Itiyhsond l3ashford's widow, It's the one who calls herself Farnsworth. They're playing a game of some kind. and it's no laughing matter, but It won't take long to fnd out what they're up to." "You'll hardly go the length of hav Ing tiew -arrested as inposters, Tor ren(e-aot without some data to work an I" "Certainly not. You seem to be hit tIng it off with botl of the. in, Ibu i1d. vise you to be on guard. Are you sure your uile never sent yoi hiII wife's photograph? That would have been u perfectly natural thing to do." "lf I'd got a photogrnph. I should have headed for Japan. not for Franee." I laughed, but I was tinlking deeply. Ills line of reasoning as to the incowrulty of the marringe was not so different from my own that I could sneer at his suspicions. I shrank from telling h011m that I didn't (are a hang whether the widow was a fraud or not. If the two women who had settled themselves on the Barton estate were imposters. they were extraordinarily durin: and clever. We were nearing a gateway where Ik var waIted, and I saw several of the guard linnging about at a discreet dista n ce. "Look here. Singleton," he said angrily. "you don't seem to take this business very seriously. You don't want te tuake the ialstake of letting a pretty girl pull the wool over your eyez." lie lowered his 'voice and ndded -.4 nh , .\, - .a I'. r h rd N ta - -rvo un.yo nlrs -.o ne Ofth t kid )-ut an :nor urse you knew nh::I to tell" i a5 Its i "I took it eb ne it lying t. him 5o. l told 1w1 o thit ex rept tlit the lt i~stishenmyhd ude inquir su a ntha ute:rnatoe wa dtiente ands~ us t beng. handhsl carefully. "Was~ this ing~uire~r lamiie-a smallt dark mans with a hc must achs'?" I pk~~eson has bseent hanuginig about hcee, so, thle boiys tell me' "Net at all ! I mayI~ as well tell you it nass I hiynosr-yuci proabcly renwmuii he'r hisn. lle's ai specialist in linterna~ - ialla, anid theiy tooklin intoi ltei -state dep'Iartmen'it just aifter thse Lutsi a goodes fellow-I've played goelf with ,i hi a gooder deaSl-andil~ I hated to5 lie (o Shiu, but I tho~tut I'd see this wesiinai - I confess that I was a tile dls maiyed iby this. Itaynoir I knew slight .steood( high, anzd eve'n withiout thesi ire+ 3 ii fiss cflielal p oisihes not50 ri a chp to) sneeze/A at bit I dInl't wansrt Toerrensce to k~now I had any udoubits as - to the pesrfect authent Ielty of miy un -ele's wi(Iow. 3 "l ii every t ranse'on i ncentIal pIlgrim .s probabslly scrutinIzed closely thseses J das," .s' I r-ema rked carelessly. "Mr.. B B1ashsfordi has lost a brother in tihe ]) iar, asisi I haven't heard anuyosne taI!~ B usnore bitterly aga Inst Germnitiy. Amid iher comtspan Ion certasinly lhas no0 llu -slons asbout the kaiser." S eel don't lIke the business," lhe de clared stubbornly. -"Lu't's do nothling foolIsh," I insisted. S"If Itaynor has reason to suspect eIther or both of these women, we'll Shear further from 1dm." "I've put myself in a hole," he sai, angrily. "Of course I've got to adevlsa hIm immediately that Mr-s. Biashford is lhere." "eJust wait a few (lays; I undertake to keep them under surveIllance; you etnn put the whole responsIbilIty on me. If they attempt to leave, I'll warn you and Raynor instantiy, but they have settled themselves as thoug~h they expected to spend the rest,. of their lives here." I told hhn of Mrs. Blashford's adlven tures in reaching tho house without convincing him that there was any thing funny in her experIences, and het left on myi) promise to report to hhn dlaily at a given hour and instantly If anytilng unusual occurred. I was su: miy waye boek th' rough the grouusi when AntoIne arrested mec. you thinh ot ft. ilrr" be asked boau'se Ly, falling into step. "It you mean what do I think of Mrs. Bnshford." I replied sharply, "I think she's quite charming and de lightfiu and all any one could ask in every way." "It's t.er manner of speaking of spookish things. Mr. Singleton. It doesn't iteem fitting In a widow and her so lately bereaved. And the older lady's iite'as bad, sir. The micts tell ie they keep talking all day about fairies and pretending they're queens and such like, and talking poetry to each other. The late master never in dulged in such things, sir." "le would have lived longer If he had! It was probably the poetry and fairies that attracted him to Mrs. Bashford." "Yes, sir," he acquiesced with a gulp. "1 suppose you're right, sir." "You should be grateful to Mrs. Bashford for not bouncing you all for the row you made last night. It could be done; in fact, Mr. Torrence has suggested that legal neans could be found for getting rid of you." "That would be very sad, sir," he said humbly. "Isn't Mrs. Bashford kind to you? iIasn't she taken pains to make you all feel at home?" "Well, yes, sit'. But she's taken 141 sie back into the house, and there's no work for her, there being two women in the laundry already ; and she's told me Dutch mtust be given his old place in charge of the poultry; and both be ing Germitans, you will recall." "it's just her kind heart, you idioti Yolt're aill been spoiled ; that's what's the inatter with you." "It causes feeling ; that's all, sit'." "It needn't Cause it if You brace lip tu act like a ian," I retorted. The-n, sor.y I had been so harish, I added: "We m9ust take good care! of Mrs. laslisford, Antoine. It would be yoir oll mai:ister's wish. It. wutild be m ise to keep a gtiardi at the lise for tile prsllit it Case y(ur11 iMysterious stran '1er 1,1rn1S up1 againl." li- iouitiilii't li ve laihcd to tiote illy 4-1m;g! 1 -4 )ft' to1t!e abt it I!th ll u Nklitown v i ior, bitt he idiiie 11) c:nliulieiit. "TI II glIla l's set. si 1; f r It antd :- :I r.t t "\'iI h r's no d n:r w aee pill 1o:e, tell thlli t n t belw i I rl t i :- ED: hlit Il-ly- 'I CHAPTER Ill. A F.1n. ill- .noi'nig rol ii li' u ilt a lett r froto 8ei o iki''i'Illiiy eonI giati l i'tis oil his :ibt . hild lily ah dasnt htv r Lim l a daig Wiown th.I' Shat i ti lwlria , se i l i ee l ore dis :; the tiatt ait frihtaked tobbi. T o he ri tmil g. roittght aii letter go rrat ti.ns hind hi t pl'y. \\'ii e InyI ' entuiate proite iib:ao ie himk,. het (lee1t1 ig evlte ioe etprle se lthan w'rk. d aLa arksur''nwv btet' ssu t of~s me. ieutti 'm d e ited, cla ouet ofl thed rnbg Thiee'sonly ~thi thi repot. Itut toad ae froetn~ bi~ttn saIn that some3i ~vtim ag th ait se at M~eingVi'l ha enIti eae orwarding ad-e' gbeienI calliid fori byi toe'egtjt wose ienltitwa snit disltosed Ofi, lus e t hse in' muchito fhang a~ trtope onabt if tha-'. tlay its it'lif Itink li iscuand theli i 'ien Ih iii hesiig the t oet Iig have nto thins for. rerning iat Snthe fitkr at Ion Keet tic Io as k 1i pla so. m'I'a r i'iel i to ie weelu Ingse oft lo'uy I gh opekour'' eletlbe-I totigo iun still litgerl traish in compar iisoii wilbth the story of Alice Ihush fuid, in which, mu tel agaI ist miy will, 1 hatd become it mintol chairitcter. I had nit(her' pr~ded tiysell on toy ability to see thtrought a plot li the (ist chapter or the mo(st corijiil cated( tmy3stery story. but there were poitnts in tis unwritten tatle tha baffled me. I kept away frotn the house untl dininer-timtte, w~hien I was re'celiv.ed quIte s tin 01(d frienid by Alice and Mira Farntsworth. The table tatlk wats o: Cel tie poetry, and provedi less (listutrb ing to Anatoi no than th(le iirevioui night's discusslin of ghosts. Thir dity had been silent, they ci plainied, in a furtheri examlimationi ( my uncle's Jatpanese 1(oot, and1 they hai takeni a long walk beyotnd (lie estate' boltndarnies and were ent huslasti< about the landscitpe. "It's so beatifully peaceful al about here," Alice tmur'mured. "I fee that I never watnt to move again." "That's a real tribute to Ameriea, airt. Farnsworth remarked ; "for Allec dearly lovesi new scen'res. She inhet Ied a taste for travel fromt hter fatheer who put somie new places ott the mapi you know." I didn't know and I wanted to asi qutestlions .about Alice's fathter, but a though anxtiousR to frustrate such irl quirles my hunt asked hiowu close w were to the place maide fiamous by i --nel I'Utnamii's Ppneetnelulr enenrii(' frnt the Britlrs. Bfielhad"reaid th story and would motor to the scene, she do clared. It was quite clear that there were chapters in her life that were not to be opened for my perusal. No sooner had I crt.ugrht a glimpse of a promising page than the book was po litely cleaed. A curtain hung between the luuediate present at 'larton-ou the-Sound and other scenes and inci dents of the girl's life; and Riv. Farnsworth was equally detached frot any tangible background. It seemed that I inight :ueet them daily for the rest of my life in this same friendly fashion without adding a barticle to my knowledge of them. I became alert immediately when, as we rose frot the table, Alice said, with the air of asking an unimportant fa vor: "We were speaking last night of a man who has been asking for us here. ills visits have alarmed the servants, but there is nothing to fear from him. You know"-she smiled at Mrs. Farns worth-"it's rather he who seems to fear us; that, at least, is our Impres sion, though we have no idea why lie should do so. Still, it's rather good fun to find yourself an qbject of spe cial attention and to be followed, even pursued. We've even led him oi a lit tie, haven't we, Constance?" Mrs. Farnsworth laughingly admit ted that they had led the gentlenan on a trifle, "but with all circuispec tion," site protested. "We inet hin here and there in Tokyo, and later were surprised to find hiti crossing onl our stentner. We threw ilin olT In the Canadlaii tockies, where we stopped for i day, and elud ed hilln inl Chicago, where he was evi dently lyIng in wait for us." "lDelightful !" I exclaimed. "But please don't get thie idea that the inat anniiioys us," Interposed Mrs. Farnswi'th. "Far froin it!" cried AlIce. "You've seenl enough of Its perhilp9 'to understand that we enjoy little all veniitur." saId Mrs. LFirisworth. "Tlt iniant pretentis to be Iiterested In .l r. Bhushford's art treasures. Ant o int's story ahoit tle dilsgu ise is ratiu- r agaliust that; but ve will gIve hin the bviltui of tilie (olht. \\hat we aru hl inll"lg Is that soiniething really alutli: ing anuy cuoie of hils jer:istelit loll' siit. \'ilth you told the : iinzy ot s r'v :111. l wre we feel ilorfectly safe werefor giv ing: hin ivr chanmie to ,how his hvI d." "I!h Ioy-try lv ' It i y tiot1h ranml whby hie his h1aunted11A the pwnvf." e Yt-Z ite o y. ( ' u:a : nil is very anxiOuS Ill tht-m p.r lin . "I wan' referrin-I.t the jottery; "tll ise you o tn;; . r n' w\Ai hiy 1111l' 1'qo fus a Iom lijilhew tO 21n1 111ut1 ! i have 11h4 i l nu bout ail I kiIow itf this Itaila i.etieu h anaul. I 1u i: l tusk at favor. Ie telepIhoned fromn Samford this afternoon to know whletlir we hall arrived, aind I hale hilm) cil tonight. I sholul he glad if piu wumll retiit utintil he leaves. I should like to know whiat you make .t Mitul." "Certninly," I assented, leItastd that she had taik eli me into her confidence andui-ily curIous as to the Italhan t'ratnkly andl piltausibly dId not, how ever, touch uipon the matter' of the in ter'est shown by the Amnericani state lle lptrtmen'iit in imy aun t's arrival itt Hat' ton, wvhich troubledl mn much moire thani the antles of the Italiani who had followr ii lie womena aCross the l'aclle. Coiiit Miontanliiarrivedh shot tly and wias r'eceived in the drawIng room. Th'le iadIes greetd hIm withi the greatest cordIalIty. As lie crossed the roomi I verifiedI the limp and other polits of Antoine's dlesciptiont. Ills bena'!ing was that of a gentleman; and in bhi very corr'ect eventing dresst lie hardly loouked like i. man who would disguIse himself itnul attemplt to rohi a house. ie supoke EI gli nil hut per'fect ly anil Iprt~oeded alt once to talk a gr-eat deali . "'I was sad when~ I found I had so narrowly missed you at Scattle, anid agaIn at Ciciago. You travel fair too rapidly for one of my age!I" (To bo continued.) Insu We Insur, Do not Bai Lan TATION FOR LEIVRS ADMINIS ~AIN TRATION rhe State of South Carolina, County of 'Laurens Jy 0. G. Thompsin, Probate Judge Whereas C. B. Mobo'iade suit to me o grant him Letters of Administration )f the Estate and effects of Sallie 3urns Osborne. Thebe are, TherefOre, to cite and ad nonish all and singular the Kindred tnd Creditors of the said Sallie Burns )sborne, deceased, that they be and uppear before me, in the Court of Pro Mate. to be held at Laurens Court House, Laurens, S. C., on ,16th day 9f November, 1920 next, after publication hereof, at 11 o'clock tin the fotonoon, to show cause, if any they have, why the said Administration should not be granted. Given under my band thin 1st day or November Anno IDonini 1920. 0. 0 Thompson (Seal) J. P. L. C. Colds Cause Grip and Influenza LAXA'NVE BROMO QUNINETblet removo tho, cause., There Is only one "bom Quinlfe.' E. W.GROVE'S signatue on bo, 30. - -LAND SURVEYING EXAMPLE Farmer A.-" I have sold my lower place and must have it surveyed; who should-.I get to do'the work?" Farmer B.-" B. R. Todd, of course. Farmer 'A.-"Yes, I w1ould pr1efer him, but his charges seei a little high." Parmer B.-'"Seeis high, only. I Sold my old home lplave and felt just as you do, So I got aniother surveyor. It took this other nian four days to do tle job and lie iiimdte a imistalike of twelve acres. I finally had to get Todd to do the whole job over 111d it took him only two days to do it right, saving ime $1.200.00 MORA'LU-I YOU IIAVE T'DVE-YlN( TO j)O ILAWE IT DONE ICHlT AT PIlRST ANl) AVOID) PI'lPTHllR ENXPENSE. AND DSAIFCIN B. R. T. TODD, Engr. PHIONE :3.-1.6 EN. S. C. FE D u h o Wu iho ks s dyi work.for you? Did you earn Lhat'money? Well you worked for it, didn't you? Why can't you put some little piece of it in the bank each pay day, so that some day it can work for you? Vou wont always be able to work. even if you are well. Then it will be a fine feeling to have the money you banked, while you could work, whioh is now. Bank it. We add 4 per cent. interest. Make OUR bank YOUR bank. The Enterprise National Bank N. B. DIAL, President C. H. ROPER, Cashier LE US r -our) Cotton a Cotton Anywhere in the County, Either in the Seed or in the Bales. Lake the chance of losing your crop. rksdale & Roper irons, S. C. Phone 409