The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-01-29
MATS LUCK.

at is just my luck !" said Mat.
HConfound it y
He walked gloomily to the window
and 1ooBe6~ out-on the vivid green of
the croquet lawn, on white and red
roses clustering about the porch; on the
old rector, tending his favorite gerani-
ums in the distance, amid a blaze of
sunshine and glow of color. Mai longed
TO bas4ith him-the somber room SEEM
Sedsf ssive as a cage.
H5 Eopen the French windows,
drewaaong breath, and thrust his fin
gers into the pockets Of his shooting
coat, falling naturally into a careless,
lounging attitude, peculiar to him. The
fingers came in contact with a note, and
idly brought it to light. It was ad-
dressed in a woman's handwriting, to
aMatthew Curtis, Esq, NJ. D." A
grim smile played about that gentle
man s lips as he reflected how unsuited
was that formal superscription to the
loyial, reckless geod-for-naught, known
to rich and poor for miles around as
young Mat Curtis.
With q ~listless air he drew forth the
brief inclosure. His face darkened as
he perused it.
"Miss Agnes Bellue would be glad to
have a few minutes conversation with
MI. Curtis"
clover. like--very!" commented Mat,
with sarcastic emphasis.
Another glance at the delicate paper
and the firm square handwriting, the
dark look hardening the while, until the
character of the face seemed completely
altered.
"Look at it'll" quoth Mat. "Her
hand never trembled; there is not a wa
veripg stroke Why, most girls would
ory their eyes out while writing such a
note as that to their loversI"
He crushed the offending missive into
"a erumpled ball as he spoke, and ad-
dressed q few more explosives to the
fair sunshine - explosives peculiarly
%unbe6tting a clergyman's study, or the
hearing of the young lady who noise
= lessly entered in time indistinctly to
! catch them.
Young-not more than twenty, per-
'haps-but with a serene and queenly
grace OF movement, a grayely beautiful
face-an air just now of naughty dis
gust.
"Pardon me-" she says, Jelly; $50
interesting a conversation with yourself
is probably of q confidential nature"
Mat turns with a flaming face, a
quick, deprecating gesture, q courteous,
apologetic bow and speech that some
how in their confused humility stamp
him as a gentleman.
"Itrust indeed you did not hear it.
I earnestly crave forgiveness If you
Ibid !"
She contemptuously dishnisses the
matter with the slightest a Of a little
..ieweled hand. Gold, hard, proud she
looks, and her words have a clear-cut
articulation suggestive of newly-clipped
Coins.
ST sent for you"
Eyes" answers Mat, defiantly. His
penitence is dying away-the dark, hard
expression is returning. "Just my
luck" it seems to repeat. .
-"To beg an answer to two questions"
continues Miss Belize.
Mat bows, thrusts his hands into the
deep shooting-pockets once more, and
resumes the careless, lounging attitude.
"Hare you entered your name, not
withstanding my protest, IS a gentle
man-rider for the autumn steeple-
chases z"
Eyes"
els it, indeed, true, that last night
you involved yourself in a poachirg al
fray, actually knocking down q keeper
and helping the poachers to escape?"
Yes," says Mat, with o kind Of sui.
len despair.
Miss Bellue draws something from
her white fingers, anG holds It out.
Mechanically Mats hand comes out Of
the shooting-pocket and grasps it. It
is q woman's engagement ring.
They look at each other, q curious
contrast in the two faces. Hers com.
posed, calm, haughtily Indifferent. His
blapkly astonished, angry, agitated, by
turns.
"Not-not that, Agres, he pleads,
huskily.
The serene beauty, the quiet determi-
naticu of her face answer him.
SO At least, let me explain. I can do
SO To your satisfaction, I think, I
hopet !" he says, obviously. "Return it
TO your finger, ard reserve Judgment
till you hear the defense |" And he holds
the ring toward her, with a great, clum-
sy hand that trembles somewhat.
Still no audible reply. A faint shake
Of the head, q look Of polite increduhty
4bof IN oil