Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1873-08-14
A DEBT OF HONOR.
TCoNCLUDED.7

The following day I went up to The
Mere to see if Miss Maryon was de-
sirous of renewing her skating lesson.
found the party in the billiard-room,
Agnes marking for her father and
the Colonel. Mr.. Maryon, whom |
knew to be an exceptionally good
player, seemed incapable of making
a decent stroke; the Colonel, on the
other hand, could evidently give a
professional fifteen and beat him east
ly. We all went down to the lake
together. 1 had no chance Of any
quiet conversation with Agnes; the
Colonel was perpetually beside US.
I returned home disguised. For
two whole days did not go near The
Mere. On the third day I went up,
hoping that the horrid Colonel would
be gone. 1t was beginning to snow
when left The Shadows, at about .
o'clock in the afternoon, and Mrs.
Balk foretold heavy storm, and babe
me not be late in returning.
The black winter darkness in the
sky deepened as / approached The
Mere. | was ushered again into the
billiard-room. Agnes was marking.
as upon the previous occasion, bar
two days had worked a sad difference
in he, face. Mr.. Maryon hardly no.
ticed my entrance; he was flushed,
and playing eagerly; the Colonel was
boisterous, declaring that John had
never played better twenty years ago
l relieved Agnes of the duty o.!
marking. The SNOW fell in q thick
layer upon the sky-light, and the
Colonel became seriously anxious
about my return home. As I did not
think he was the proper person to
give me hints, l resolutely remained
where ! was, encouraged in my be-
havior by the few words | gained
f,on Agnes, and by the looks of ell
treaty she gave me. l had always
considered Mr. Maryon an abstemi-
GUS man. bnt he drank u gool deal o.
brandy and soda during tie long
game Of seven hundred up, andwlrn
he succeeded in beating the Colonel
by lorty-lhrce he Was in "oaring sp!r.
its, and insisted upon :. staying Il"
dinner. Need | say that accepted
the invitation?
I made such toilette as I could
in a most unattainable chamber that
was allotted to me, and hurried back
to the drawing-room in the hope that
/ might get u lew private words with
Agnes. 1 was not disappointed. She,
too, had hurried down, andin few
words learned that THIS abominable
Bludyer Was paying her his coarse at
tentions, and with, apparently, the
full consent of Mr.. Maryon. My In
dignatiou was unbounded. Was it
. possible that Mr.. Maryon intended to
sacrifice this fair creature to that re-
pulsive man?
Mr.. Maryon appeared in excellent
spirits when dinner began, and the
first glass or two Of champagne made
him merrier than l thought it posi-
Bile for him to be. But by the time
the dessert was on the table he had
grown silent and thoughtful nor did
be respond to the warm eulogiums
the Colonel passed upon the magnum
of claret which was set before us.
After dinner we sat in the library.
The Colonel left the room to fetch
some cigars he had been loudly ex:
tolling. Then Agnes had an oppor-
tunity of whispering to me.
"Look at papa-see how strangely
he sits-his hands clenching the arms
of the chair, his eyes fixed upon the
blazing Goals His terrible fits are
coming on-he is always like this to-
ward the end of january The Col
onel's return put an end to any fur
ther confidential talk.
When we separated for the night I
felt that my going to bed would be
purposeless. felt most painfully
wide awake. 1 threw myself down
upon my. bed, and worried myself by