The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-07-12
Agatha made no effort to detain her; !;
but, after the door closed, she said to her


self: 2e ..'... 80,
Strange! What possible pain have .
ever inflicted on Philip Thurstou? Ant
she was asked not to tell me. Well, /,
shall not tempt her to betray his conf
dence, but I will seek information at tn
fountain-head."
Though usually one of the last of th
feminine band to}appear, Miss Lorinl
broke through her habit this afternoon
and half an hour before the dinner-bel
rang she swept lightly down the broat
staircase, and paused in the wide, air!
hall below. Everything was silen
around, for the masculine as we'll as th'
feminine occupants of the house were
still struggling with their evening toilet
in the upper regions, and the cool, dusk!
drawing room was entirely deserted.
So she had thought, at least, until sht
entered and crossed half its, length
Then d man s figure rose from a couch il
bay.window, and advanced toward her
At first, in the dim obscurity, she die
not recognize him, thenAer heart gave {
leap, and she felt that Fate fought for her
."Ah, Colonel Thu1ston, you are likt
myself-frst in the field |" she said
"The heatis tropical, b it not? But yor
Shave really found cool place, / believe.
i "My experience in q tropical country
has given me q kind ofIinstinct with re-
gard to cool places" Thurston answered
1"If you viii take a seatin this bay-win
dow, Miss Loring, you will catch pleas
ant breeze"
s'Thanbs; but l won't deprive you o1
your lounging-place intact, [ am sorry
to have disturbed you, for | am on my
way to the garden. My toilet needs the
finishing touches of some roses, which ]
could not trust even m! maid to gather
for. me-" q -
She looked straight at Thurston with
those limpid, darkly-frinsed eyes, which
poor BERTHE had said were 'aN expires
sion," and to any other man that look
would have been enough. But this man
received the glance like ghnite.
"The sun has sunk low enough for you
to find the garden very peasant now,
have no doubt" he ansN Nered, standing
quite still.
Then her lips unclosed u smile, and
bright light, half amused half beguil.
ing, flashed into hereyes.i 5it'jtiiitl
NAnd do you mean to let me 60 unat.
tended? / am afraid. Col@el Thurston,
that Eastern habits have made you for
get our Western code of galantry." =
81 did notsuppose you wluld care fol-
my attendance" he replied Shut if /
can be of service, pray command me-"
"You can be. of service at pnce, if you
will be so good as to go to Mrs Jennings
sitting-room and bring me Ihsr garden
shears" y" II 81 M
Thurston went for the she.rs, and q
moment later, 70 his own surprise, he
found himself attending Agdta Loring
as she strolled slowly toward The flower
garden.
Once out in tie open air,they found
the waning afternoon more beautiful than
they had imaginei.: for what is lovelier
than the close O. royal sumner day ?
Long, golden li!;at was steaming on
rich green foliage and close horn turf;
the distant hills gere wearig a pearly
haze, soft as brid al-veil; dep shadows
stretched over, tt. land; an unnum-
bered sweet odors we're waftedo and fro
by the breeze, which came wit GOODNESS
and refreshment IN its wings.
''This is bettes than lyig behind
closed blinds, witt, a novel in }ne hand
and fan in tbs other" id;Agatha.
"But probably OUR heat seemsto you so
trihing, after Egypt, that I'm half
ashamed to complain of it."
"It does not seem very great,I Thurs
ton answered: "but even if it wee there
are many pleasant things which me does
not appreciate until one loses then. For
example, Isuppose it hardly striies you,
Miss Loring, that the greennes which
clothes the land is a marvel and ielight ?
But it would doso if for five years Iou had
never seen forest or valley lik that"
And he pointed to the emerald xpanse
below.
"If you can enjoy what appar to us
such ordinary things, you must find a
great deal of pleasure in your Fisit to
America"
81 expected to find a great detl" he
replied: "but the expectation III its
large sense has been wholly disappointed,
and am now forced to take what trlmbs
of enjoyment I can find"
She sent a swift side glance at him,
and, seeing the dark shadow which had
fallen over his face, interest and curi'sity
stirred within her breast.
"Could he have been coming oyr to
be married, and did he arrive to find Inn
self fjilted?" she thought. "Such things
often make men women-haters; bus he
does not seem to hate some kinds of
women!"y@ A.
"What a pity p she said-and the |oN
tone spoke volumes of sympathy, sec9d-
ed by the clear eyes. ''Surely, disp-
pointment is the saddest thing in lie
and how much oft we have to endure
Even I have known great deal, thoug 1
am not very old; and now [ never x
pect to grasp pleasure in its complee-
ness. l know there must be drawb9k
somewhere-a dash of bitter in all SWEET
ness"
GA drawback said Thurstq,
coldly; "but that is not complete aid
crushing disappointment, a. But hee
we are among the roses, Miss Lorin.
Shall I cut your fowers?"
"Ifyou will be so kind: for l am MT
exactly in toilet to venture among thorE
though it seems selfish to make yu
risk scratching your hands"
"My hands are not delicate, nor ar
they surrounded by lace; but you mus
tell me what roses to cut" .
i'This way, please. I want the cloth
of-gold, and yonder are several beautiful
half-opened buds.''
He cut all the buds indicated; ther
mindful of the tender white hands await
ing them, spent minute carefully re
moving every thorn from their smoot
green stems. The woman watching hlr
was a keen observer of human nature
and she saw at once that this little &C
was very characteristic.
"He dislikes lne," she thought
"Eyery word that he utters, every loo
he gives me, tells that; but he is never
theless as careful not to leave any thor
IN. wound NV hands as if-as if he love