The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-07-07
He suc,eads in his effort. however

and to such an admirable extent tha
even Alicia Percival, in the ready flow
of society small talk and easy, careles:
manner. can detect no sign of the turbu
lent, angry current seething below.
Miss Percival has always been ar
aggressive element to Philip Courtland
AN element that, had he been con
suited in the planning Of the universe
would have been dispensed with alto
gether. Her snowy, coarse style ol
beauty escaping the vulgar; her load
bold manner, together with the Open
uneauivocal, gossip provoking prefer.
ence she had always evinced for him.
had done their work toward disgusting
Philip Courtland. But Philip Court
land is not everybody; and Miss Per
cival, possessing that magic sesame, an
ample ortune, society's gates fly open
at Ler approach and society itself, daz-
zled by the glamour of her gold, fai Is to
detect or forgets to condemn her lack
of culture, her ill-breeding and innate
coarseness.
Tonight she is effusively present, and
smile of warmest welcome breaks over
her face rs she makes room for Philip
CORTLAND at her side. she can afford
to smile, for she is ut peace with all tEc
world-at least, the small radius that
constitutes her world. Her toilet, 4
costly one, prepared for the occasion,
though trifle bizarre in Philip Court
lands artistic eye, meets her views eX-
actly. The onerival she fears-for with
all her stupidity she has been astute
enough for that is absent from the
field; and, best of all, she is in posses
sion of something detrimental to that
rivel-a little something that she has
rolled like 4 sweet morsel under her
tongue and means to make good use Of
at the earliest opportunity. And the OPP
portunity is not long in presenting iC-
self. Philip is only to impatient to gain
some clew to tie cause of Cecil's nom
appearance. and so unintentionally falls
| into the intentional trap set for him.
"No," alluding to lady at the piano,
"she cannot sing equal to Miss Adair.
But then, who canp By the way, what
have YOU done with Miss Adair this
evening? She is not present, | believe
"Oh, Cecil, you mean. No, she s
not here. It's too funny, l declare; it
makes me laugh now only to think OF
it; and yet it was anything but funny
for her"
"What do you mean? I do not un-
derstand," he asks, with an eager, puz'
zled air.
"No, poor fellow, suppose you do
not understand, or you would never
have committed the egregious blunder
you have" :,
Miss Percival "
"Oh, it was all about that unfortunate
trunk affair. 1t seems that a certain
Young gentleman sent post haste for
Cecil's trunk because-deceitful little
imp! who would have imagined her
CAPABLE of such q thing?-she induced
him to believe that she could not attend
the reception because she had not
brought her evening dresses" glancine
complacently down at her own magnl-
ficent attire. 81 don't suppose she
ever possessed such thing. Well, it
never occurred to her that he would
send for the trunk, and you never saw
any one as chagri1ed as she was when
it came, for it had nothing in it-noth-
ing at all. You can fancy her dismay-
or shame, if such creature can feel
shame-at being caught in an actual
lie. I suppose it is best to give things
their proper names, if it does sound
little harsh; and it was, you know, an
out-and-out leland Cecil Adair, of all
people, with her high-hown airs and
graces! Do you remember that first
evening you met her at Mrs. Brans-
combe's, you said that you had never
seen such eyes in any women-so clear
and truthful, as if you could look
through them into her very soul'"
did say it to you?" replies Philip
in a low tone. Il don't remember
that, but know thought it."
And Cecil has determined to be her
usual brave self, and crush out of her
heart this agonizing, unbeara5le pain
more unbearable yet since it followed so
closely in the train of the tumultuous
new joy that had of late taken up its
abode with her.
But the task she has set is more diff
cult than she feared, and it is the vainest
pretense-iust shallow little sham
to cheat herself that she holds an open
book on her lap. Unread, it slips from
her fingers, and she surrenuers herself
10 a sort of numb despair, needing moth
ing whatever, not even a firm, quick
step outside. light leap over the low
balcony, and an unceremonlous en-
trance through the open window; not
so much as looking up until Philip
Courtland's clear voice rouses her to-
consciousness, and even then a cor
sciousness too startled and abrupt to ex-
press itself in anything but an amazed.
wondering stare.
"It is only this" he says, quietly, in
answer to the mute questioning. 1.-THE
mountain would not come to Mahorn-
med -Mahommed has come to the
mountain"
cit would have been wiser, per-
haps," she replies quickly and averting
her head, cit Mahommed had not
come"
"I cannot--I will not believe it," he
answers, eagerly bending low, yet in
vain, for a glimpse of the face so effect
ually shielded, ''unless, indeed, you are
really the atrocious dissembler, the
arrant deceiver Miss Percival would
make OUT" and if it is a diplomatic
stroke to gain his point, il proves Won
derfully successful, for instantly the
! head is raised with motion almost
regal, and the angry, indignant eyes
flash full into his.
"She told you, then, the whole hu-
initiating truth? I knew she would )
"Yes," he interrupted, gravely, rather
enjoying this outraged young queen that
he longs to take in his arms, "she told
me all about it, the whole disreputable
story-just what thoroughly wicked
thing you had been guilty Of. And do
you know, Cecil, 1 coulC have kissed
her for every word as it fell from hel
lips, unconsciously disabusing my mind
as it did of the horrible fear that you
had not come because-because-oh
Cecil, you precious little liar, do you
think will ever forgive you tor ali
have suffered this night, or accept but
one reparatiun?"
And perhaps he does not clasp her ir
his arms, and perhaps there is not
rain of kisses and rain of tears, too
for that matter but forget; do w
not overstep the privileges CT mer
lookers-onp
Nicely Caught.