The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-01-09
Just word I will be very much obliged
Yours,
GM.u q nrIy,

Ihere were more suspicious OI eIuS
tons in Rowland Coleman's eyes thar
had been there for many a long year az
he folded up the letter, and put it in hit
pocket.
There was no thought Of the projected
improvement in the huge silk mills nov
no thought of the details his very
soul loved to struggle with.
He walked up and down the library
his eyes on the floor, his head dropped
his hands clasped behind him, thinking
of the strange revelation the letter held
trying to imagine the hushes that hac
tinged Mays fair cheeks when she
wrote it, and being slarmingly con
scious that his heart was at last un
sealed, and that May Deans little hano
had been the instrument to accomplish
that magical feat.
He knew that, although all the love ot
his mature manhood went out to this
little blue-eyed girl who had pleaded
her cause 80 well, unless she had plead
ed it, he never would have dared pre-
sumo to think she loved him.
He did not permit an hour to pass II
inaction.
"She will be in no enviable state OF
suspense until I answer her note.
will 20 to her at once and tell her how
love her-how far from refusing her
am"
Twenty minutes later his carriage
stopped in front of the house where
Mrs. Dean occupied rooms, and mo-
ment later he stood in the plain little
parlor, where May stood, her sweet face
all alight with glad surprise and CON
scious hushes.
cit is very Of good of you to take the
trouble to come, Mr.. Coleman" she ex'
claimed, in low, soft tone.
His heart fairly thrilled under hel
sweetness and shy graciousness.
"You mean it is more than good in
you to allow me to come. Little girl,
you have made me very, very happy.
Let me kiss you, May ?" he cried.
But she shrank away, surprise In every
feature of her face.
'.Mr. Coleman !"
He was pleased with her shy reserve
more than with her little letter.
With smile on his face he again
advanced and tried to take her hand.
"You must never call me Mr.. Cole
man again, dear. But now let me heal
how it sounds to have you say How
land"
ooh, sir, I never could do that
Please, Mr.. Cole"
"Yes. you can, well enough, you shy
little girl Why not now, as we'll al
after we are married? Tell me, May,
when shall it be2 I am an impatient
lover. now that the ice 80 dreaded is
broken"
She looked at him in perfect bewilder.
ment, her face alternately paling and
flushing.
81 am afraid something is wrong. ]
don't know what you mean"
"Don't you? May, you little rogue,
what does this mean, then ?"
He held her letter to him towards her.
"Isn't that the dearest letter that ever
man received ? Surely you know there
could be but one answer to it, and I've
come to tell you what I should have
done long before had I not been in such
fear of refusal from you. You have
asked me, so enchantingly, in this letter,
for"
She interrupted him eagerly.
eyes, sir; for place in one of your
silk mills. Please say yes!"
Mr.. Rowland Coleman stood and
Looked at her, all the ridiculous con
struct;on he had put upon her letter oc'
curing to him forcibly.
A place in the mills!
His very soul sunk with the reaction
from happiness to despair.
Then he looked at her, and
"May, you cannothave place in any
of my mills, although there are always
vacancies. But I must tell you what you
can have, if you will take lt-me, and
all the mills in the bargain. May, you
vii! be my wife?"
Whenever Mrs. May Coleman's hus
band wishes to tease her, he declares