The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-02-19
pie, if this horrible barrier Of past

you ever nave learneQ 10 lOEc me
If you can tell me that, Margaret, i
seems to me that I can face ever
the desolate future with a brave
heart if 1 know that" ...
But she did not answer him
Her pale lips did not move; he,
downcast eyes did not lift; sht
only suddenly drew her hand from
the clasp Of his, and darted towart
the door.
He folio we'd, and assisted. he
into the carriage; then, to heI
surprise, entered also, and closed
the door.
care you coming with me?" she
asked. :.....
eff YOU do not object" he an
swered, II will certainly assure my
self that you reach home safely"
She could not demur at this
but she winged a tervent prayer te
heaven that Hugh might be safely
gone to his morning work. If he
should still chance to be at home
what would he say, what would he
think, to see her drive up with Ro
land Hill! OF course She meant
to tell him where and how she had
spent the night; but, all the same
it must be done with caution, moi
with such abrupt force.
She might have spared her fears
however, for Roland Tyrrell was
never a dull man, nor one likely tc
fall into such a blunder as this
When they were once safely in &
street which led straight to the
Churchill cottage, he stopped the
carriage and got out.
ssI will bid you goodbye here .
he said to Margaret, and extended
his hand. . T.,
She placed her own within it, but
what she said she did not know;
she could not afterward remember,
though she vainly tried to-. think
that it had been something kind.
1t was much more likely to have
been something wholly common
place and unmeaning, for what
else do any of us ever say at those
decisive moments of meeting and
parting which stamp themselves
for good or ill upon the keart
Then she drove on, and left him
standing alone. ......, .....
It has been already said that the
neighborhood in which the Church
ills lived was principally inhabited
by the class who found employ yment
in the large mines and their ada
cent works, not far distant. This
part of the town had not suffered in
the least from that destructive
flood which had almost swept away
the lowerportiou; yet, as Margaret
drove towards the cottage, she
could not but observe signs Of an
unusual commotion in the streets
and about the doors Of houses.
Knots Of people were gathered,
talking excitedly; women ran past
with terror and dismay on their
faces; even the children looked
wild and horror-stricken.
"What can possibly have occur
red !" thought Miss Churchill; and
she was not sorry that, as she stop
ped the carriage at her own gate, a
man whom she knew well as con-
nected with the mines came hurry
ing past. .,
3'One minute, Mr.. Wayland !"
she cried, for he did not seem to
notice her. "Pray tell me what is
the matter? Something has hap
pcned, Surely ...&....
"Nothing much is the matter,
Miss Churchill" he said, turning
round with a face that belied his
words. "Only there's been an acci-
dent at the mines. It's come all
right, I dare say. You-you had
better 60 in p
he hurried on, but Margaret
stood still, panic-sticken. She knew
we'll what those fatal words, "acci-
dent at the mines," meant. She
had not lived for years at the very
verge without knowing far more
than the outer world Of the perils
which beset the workers in earth's
mysterious depths. 1t never occur
red to her for a moment that Hugh
might be connected with the acci:
dent, but yet her heart stood still al
thought Of the horrible possibilities
Of suffering SO pear her: She
realized the agony with which ev
cry woman around her was asking
s'ls it nay husband, or is it my son?
She even realized, or thought she
did, the awful despair of those who
were buried alive far beneath the
green surface Of the world. "Got
help them" she said to herself
and then, as she was turning to en-
ter the gate, she Heard two mel
speaking as they passed at q raEPll' El
pace;
: ;sI thought as much! !" one o
them said. 'It;s all Churchill
fault: lie insisted on pressing tn
work in that direction-and it wa
only yesterday be volunteered t
direct the men himself He was
headstrong fellow, but one can