The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-02-13

| oakley, ana LynQnurSI uau CeIeleoe'
ly drawn up his outstretched legs, as he
sat lazily on the veranda steps, to let
them pass down, without other notice OF
their presence. He had, she decided,
fairly i'll treated her. a lady, and she would
not tolerate rudeness. She would
teach him what was due to her.
But days passed. A week wore on.
She found no possible chance to visit
her anger on him. He never joined
her. He was always civil and we'll
bred, but that was all. She was down
right perplexed, q
She scarcely ever met him, even at
table, much less of an evening. He
went fishing by sunrise, rode on horse
back half the day, and at night asked
the gentlemen up to his chamber; the
ladies, sitting lonely in the parlor, heard
throug gh the open windows, laughter
ring out and gay songs being sung. It
was getting maddening.
One evening Madge curled herself up
on a sofa and looked at the matter
seriously. She must outgeneral him.
But how? She had tried hauteur, and
it had signally failed. Now she would
try dash of "giving in," even though
it hurt her so to do. She would plant
herself on the old footing.
Just then Lyndhurst stepped into the
room, cautiously at first, as if fearing
her presence. She Immediately rose to
meet him. He did not start, but looked
her over from head to foot without a
word. She gayly said:
"Don't you think your highness is
OVERRIDING things a trife?" Then she
lost control of herself, and showed her
ve1ation. "Sing to me-" she cried,
"walk with me, talk to me, de anything
to obliterate this doeful week."
"Well, Miss Barron" he answered
coolly, "suppose we talk and walk, I'll
say, under the stars, what I said under
the oaks; and you shall give me true
answer"
She looked at him a moment, then
fairly hlazed. "I never saw such per-
sistence. Thank Heaven! I 60 home
tomorrow, where gentlemen know what
is due to lady, and take no. for mo ,
without getting sullen. Good night, Mr..
Barrington: and good-by. If you ever
consent to be less boorish, persistent, I
shall be pleased to see you in town."
He watched her out of the room and
then sat down to the piano.
Miss Barron's first impulse was to seek
out the party on the lawn but, some
how, every face on earth, but one, SEEM
ed tame. Then she resolved to 60 into
the library and read but books were
so wearying.
"I would play" she said pettishly,
"if that pig-headed masculine was not
monopolizing the piano.
Just at this point she burst into tears.
Crying, usually, to Miss Barron, con-
sisted of a couple of tears mopped up by
bit of lace. She had never before
thrown herself down, in such limp shape
and got into such thorough tempest of
weeping, as now. She was an hour at
it. Gradually she got calmer she sat
up, and began to consider what was next
best to do.
She tried to think of going home as
pleasure soon at hand. Home! What
had she there? Only an old aunt, who
dozed in lace cap, with cup of choco-
late at her elbow half the timo. The
memory of the pleasant days spent here
would drive her wild, in that gloomy
house. Then she acknowledged that it
would be terrible anywhere without
without
She jumped to her feet.
"Hc will drive me wild, she said,
"banging in that way on the piano"
"She passed into the hall and looked
into the drawing-room, where he sat plac-
idly playing.
"Poor fellow!" she thought, chow
can call it obstinacy; it looks like
misery written all over his features.
And isn't he superb-looking? Why, no
one else has ever approached him; and
he will be mine if I say it,"
Suddenly-can you comprehend it?-
she walked straight into the parlor and
stole up behind him, put her arms about
his neck and pressed her cheeks against
his.
Not word was said for some mo-
ments; but his fingers fell from the
keys, his arms dropped listlessly at his
sides, his head sunk lower and lower on
his breast, and Madge felt mist gath
ering in her eyes, mist of happy tears
"Come out under the stars" she
whispered. II want to say yes to
you"
"I am answered. Madge," he said,
drawing one of her hands over his
shoulder and talking with it against his
lips. "Let us not mar this moment of
surprise and Joy by single word"
"Lyndhurst, you are provoking as
ever. When I would not, I must; now
I will, Ishall not. shall have to prac-
tice humility, I see, and study my lords
moods. You've played the high hand
long enough, and insist on saying yes
in my own way. There, now, if you
don't want to speak again in an hour 1
will rest my face here and dream"
"I don't think you will find me a
tyrant, he said, kissing her. "But come
out, Madge, and let's compare our mu-
tuai miseries during the past week"
He led her through the open win
dow, holding back the swaying vines
for her to pass. There, arm and arm,
under the stars. let Us leave them.