The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-08-12
ABBEVILLE, S. C, FRIDAY AUGUST H. 1870

! terrible reality Of its threats.
| 1t was such u slender thread which,
hung between them and utter ruin
and disgrace.
The rest Of the evening was spent
in listening TO and soothing tho frctflI
complaints and humors of her moth
cr 3 qucrulous ailments and hardships;
while tho poor girls own mind was
! torn by the cvcr.prcscnt vision of the
horrors that awaited her mother, and
the cloud which would shadow tho
brightness Of her fathers honorcd
memory, should her last desperate cx.
pcdicnt prove futile, and the forlorn
hope of such trustful and generous
aid vanish in tho stern reality of q
probable rejection. Sho went to bed
hcart.sick and weary, and when she
awolc after troubled and broken
slumbcrs, she felt almost scorn of her
own bold presumption, to imagine
that such favor as she had dared to
asn could be granted by that stern
and prosaic banker.
1t was with q far moro hcart-siclI
and weary step and micn than on her
first visit, that Blanche dc Courcy
once again entered tho vast premises
Of Mcssrs. Brownlow & Co. She was
we'll nigh prepared for q polite refusal
Of any more interference in tho affair
Or, ut the best, for bare fulfiImcnt
OF the promise he had given TO invcs,
tigato the affair."
"Mr. Brownlow will be disengagctl
in few minutes, miss, if you will
please walk into tho sccrctary's
room," said kind Of halcclcrk, half
messenger. as she entered tho large
Portico; and, following her guide up
the wide staircase, she was ushcrcd
into large apartment, not far inferior
in comfort and sizc to tho private
room Of the mighty "chicf:"
a gentleman was sitting at largo
table in the ccntro Of the room, busily
engaged with formidable masses of
books and papers; and Blanche in
stlnctivcly drew back, hoping that in
his pre- occupation, he might not have
heard the noise of the opening door,
and that she might retire unpcrccivcd.
But her conductor at onco frustrated
this intention, by announcing in sono-
rous, measured tones:
"Thc lady, if you please, Mr.. Ern-
est" and the individual addressed, at
once turned round, and left her no al
tcrnativo but TO advance into tho
room.
"Miss DcCourccy, I presume" said
the young man, with a frank, yet pol
ishcd smile and bow. "My uncle will
have tho pleasure Of seeing you al
.li;cc!st directly; meanwhile allow mo
to introduce myself rs his nephew,
Earnest Pagct, and do tho hUGQrs of
our poor office in his namc."
And, with carnestncss and kindly
courtesy, that at oncc rcassurcd the
trembling girl US to her reception, at
any rate, no placed q chair for her
near tho blazing fro, and insisted on
relieving her Of the small bag, which
was swollen beyond its natural dimcn-
sions by tho bulky papers it contain
ed.
''Forgivo nc, If I seem 10 bctray
confidence" he said, as BIanchc's
timid, distrait answer to his remarks
betrayed the abstraction and anxiety
of her mind; "but l cannot help as
suring you that it is very rarely my
uncle takes up any affair he docs not
carry out to the utmost, and l know
that he has determined to investigate
thoroughly the business you have
done him the honor to confidc to him."
Certainly it was rather q danger
GUS position for n young and romantic
individual like Earnest Pagct, when
tho bright, grateful smilo Of that
beautiful and aSitatcd girl camc like
warm sunshine on his senses; though
assurcdly at that moment Blanche
was sadly unconscious whether it was
as mature q parsonage as tho middle
aged clerk, or a highbrcd young fel-
low like the bankers nephew, on
whom that smile was bestowed. And
Earnest had tho tact and delicate
sympathy to return to his occupation,
and leave her undisturbed for the
quarter of an hour before Mr.. Brown
low entered. Hc had on q great coat
and his hat was in his hand, while his
whole manner bctol1cned tho sharp
decision of q man to whom minutes
are worth hundreds.
Nhioo Do OoulSJ, Sec you nave
kept your engagement, and T will
keep mine. My nephew will 20 over
the account with you, and if you
prove that you can reduce it to tan
gible and intelligent form, I will do
my best to save you from dangcr-if
l can do so to any real or permanent
purpose. When all is ready he will
give me the result, and Gro long you
will hear from mo. Take caro- all is
accurate, or will wash my hands Of
the affair.""
And with look and smile that
redeemed tho apparent harshncss Of
the words; tho banker disappeared.
"You are given into my custody
now, Miss Do Courcy," said Ernest
smiling. "Howevcr, L hopo I shall
not be very hard task-master
When shall I begin our duties, my
aTo.day if you please that is, il
you are at LEISURE" she repliod timid
ly.
II do quite please" he said. in the
same halfjesting yet kindly tone
which inspired a strange confidence
in tho timid girl; "only, as I think il
will spare us both some trouble i
You will trust that volume to my care
and inspection, would propose We
should begin tomorrow, and, I dare
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