The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-09-27

u Struggle. 1nlS HlSHI suouIu uoeiu0 WV
uncertainty; leave her to happiness or II
despair.
The interview lasted half an hour
and what passed between them was neve
known. Probably, in her desperation
Annabella Lawrence let him gather uu
mistakably that her love was his-ant
she did love him with all the terrible
passion of her fierce nature; and ne OF
his side may have allowed her to see tina
he could not accept it. He may ever
have hinted to her that his true affections
were given to Miss Stevens, the poor girl
governess, 80 unjustifably despised BY
the great heiress. Anyway, when. Dear
Hastings Quilted the rich merchant
house that night, Bella knew that be-
hopes of happiness were over, that de
spair had set in. She resolved to LIVE
henceforth only for revenge.
Annabella had seen good deal of Mr.
Hastings. 1t cannot be denied that HI
paid her some attention that he met hel
advances, if not half way, at least o par
of it. But he never cast thought t.
anything serious; that great beiress, hi
masters daughter, was not for him to as
pire to; and it was only lately, when ht
began to detect somewhat of her true
feelings for him, that he had drawn il
and become cold to her with purpose
Between that time and this, be had lnet
Dorothy Stevens; and learnt to love her
And now, in her bitter heart, Miss Law
renee was striving to hate him as much
as she had loved him. She believed he
had deliberately played her false; and
assShakspeare tells us, He'll has no. fury
like woman scorned.
But she did him injustice there. Mr.
Hastings had never felt love for her, OF
sought to make her think he did. OF an
extremely modest, unself-asserting ma.
ture, good looking though he was, he had
deemed that Miss Lawrence had but
flirted with him, amused herself with him,
just as she did with host of other young
men; and so the misapprehension had
gone, and was bringing trouble in its
train.
Her hair pushed back, her heart beat
ing with all its tumultuous and varied
passions, Bella sat on after Mr. Hastings
left. The loud opening and closing Of
the street door, and swift footstep on
the stairs aroused her. 1t was her cousin
who entered, one Richard Lawrence, q
young man of Internationally, who
lived with them. He had small share
in the business, aud he hoped, by dint of
playing his cards we'll, to succeed to it
after Mr.. Lawrence.
Mr.. Richard also hoped to succeed to
something else-Miss Lawrence. He
did not love her; but he did love her
money, for the ruling passion of his heart
was avarice. If he loved one person
more than another, it was pretty Dora
Stevens; her golden hair and sweet blue
eyes were wont. to haunt him as he sat in
the counting-house over his account
books. But he said nothing to her, and
meant nothing; a poor governess could
never be the wife for him; he wanted
one endowed with the mines of Golconda.
He and his cousin Bella understood
one another. THAT is she understood him.
She saw that ne wanted her for his wife
on account of her money; she knew how
abject with this aim in view slave he
was to her, how he bent before all her
whims and caprices, and that she could
turn him round her little finger. On his
part, he suspected her fancy for Dean
Hastings; fancy, he thought it, nothing
more but he was outrageously jealous
of that, and there were moments when
he wished he could see that gentleman
hanging on the nearest tree; aye, and
could have helped to hang him.
Richard Lawrence did not love Mr..
Hastings on his own score. He was a
little West India fellow, with dark face
and ungenial manner; whereas Hastings
was one of the best looking of men, and
charmed everybody; the result being
that while the one was courted in society,
the other often found the cold shoulder
turned upon him. And thus Richard
Lawrence was prime for any little bit of
by-play against Hastings that might be
proposed to him. Not that he expected
any such proposal; nothing could be
farther from his thoughts. r came,
nevertheless.
"Why-what is the matter, Anna
bella?" 4
1t was the face Of his cousin that call
ed forth the exclamation. Bella passed
her soft cambric handkerchief across her
brow.
"It's that wretched Hastings. He has
been here insulting me-"
"What!" cried Richard, angrily rising.
And Miss Bella Lawrence entered upon
a graphic tale. Some little truth there
was in it, but'the greater portion was the
concoction of her own fertile brain.
Hastings had dared to7talk of love to her,
she hinted, while he had unconsciously
betrayed that he was playing fast and
loose with Dora Stevens william that he
was. And there was nothing for it but
his being sent instantly out of Rich
borough.
Instantly" exclaimed Richard, lift
ing his head. "But; Bella, don't think
he can be spared"
"As you please, Dick. do care for
him little-and perhaps you know that
I do. Let him. remain here, and wont
answer for what may happen. Some fine
morning you and papa may find that he
mas run away Wltn me. he IL auuaclOus
enough1 for that, or anything else; and
women like audacity in men, you know"
Richard Lawrence knitted his brows.
GAS to that governess girl, he no doubt
fully intends to kidnap her, whether or
not; she's nobody; provided he can
keep the knowledge of it from me.
Wives don't care to hear of these things,
you see. / have sometimes thought you
liked the girl little bit, yourself, Rich
ard" ;,
"she's a nice, pleasant little girl
enough" said Richard. "Honest as the
day, and worthy"
"And friendless," added Bella, with
quite display of benevolent feeling:
"Well, Richard, for her sake you should
Danish him."
"Let me think it out" said Richard
"I hardly see how it is to be done. Your
father leaves q great deal ofcontrol to
me, but he does not leave it all. And
how long is he to 60 for?"
"For. good" answered Bella, passion:
ILL., ga, r oo1not hova b;po che obo II