The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-07-28

gayety, talking necessarily OF every
. thing but the events of the day, ant
, seeming entirely to forget the object o
| the visit, until Lawrence rather i'm
patiently interrupted him in the mids
Of the last hunting news:
| "You know very well that didn'
, come here to listen to all that bosh h
G1rald. Perhaps you will have TIL
kindness to remember that | am wait
ing for Information which to me, q
least, is Of some Importance"
The only result Of this petulance wa!
total silence, which contrasted oddly
with &c: AIDS former volubility. HI
strolled over to the window, stood there
for q moment with his back toward
his friend, and returning, seated himsel
near Lawrence, speaking very slowly
and gravely.
-: would much rather have had moth.
ing to say on this subject just now
Lawrence, for you are almost sure tc
get wrong notions about it; but you
leave me no choice. The fact of the
matter is, have had the rascally mean.
ness TO steal march on you. / have
lost my heart to your princess, and went
out counting her this afternoon decked
out in all my war-paint and feathers
| was before you, you see, and made
the best use of my time; and the lady
actually had the bad taste to find me
quite Us acceptable as yourself. In
short, she has promised to marry me
next month. Hush it is really a very
fine thing for me. She is astonishirgly
good-looking for Maori, has no end oi
money, and"
"And you think am cowardly enough
to permit such asacritice?" roared Law
renee, springing to his feet; and then
his voice broke. "Oh, Gerry, Gerry
and you would do this for me?"
Nonsense, old boy" exclaimed
Gerald, in rather husky tones. Cant
you sec that you have nothing at all to
do in this affair? You made your
choice, and turned your back on the
princess; how can anything ! may do
affect that? I knew you would take q
false view of the whole thing, when it
is really the simplest matter in the
world. Do be reasonable. You know
l am not in the least q lady's man-don't
care bit more for one woman than an
other, and am not at all likely ever to
so, why on earth shouldn't this one
suit me as well as any for a wife? Don't
be absurd, Lawrence. 1t was pure sell
fishness on my part. l thought only OF
myself, for l much prefer life with her
to life without you, old fellow. What
would it all be worth to be without my
one friend?"
And Gerald, his hand on his friends
shoulder, gazed at him with eyes filled
with depth of affection, the intensity
of which Lawrence for the first time
fully realized, as he exclaimed, in a
muf1ed, unsteady voice:
Gerry, true friend, this can never
be!"
Lawrence" came in tones of intense
feeling, "you saved my little sisters
life. Can I be otherwise than grateful
for an opportunity to do the same for
youP"
A silence more eloquent than words
fell Upon the two men, vino seemed to
have grown years older since the morn
ing.
Long after his friends departure, Ger.
a.d sat motionless in the freight, un-
finchingly looking his fate in the face
rs he gazed into the dancing shadows.
A sorry vista it seemed to open to him,
for under his careless, indifferent ex-
terror was hidden Il wonder full fund OF
romance and sentiment, unsuspected by
his nearest friends.
He, too, had his dreams Of the future,
which certainly this dark-skinr ed, un-
tidy, unattractive woman, smoking
cross-legged in hut, could not i'll but
never for an instant did it occur to him
to regret the step he had taken. 1t was
ineyitable-and it was tor Lawrence.
The next day he was sorely discom-
posed by visit from Mrs. Stanley,
Claire and Lawrence; the former with
heart almost too full for speech, while
the young lady clasped her, pretty soft
hands over Gera',is broad muscular
one, and suddeliY STOPPING, electrified
and brought om hero utterly to con-
fusion by pressing her lips almost
reverently upon it, murmuring;.
"Mr. Clitle, think you are the best,
most unselish man that ever lived
Will you forgive me for not having
known it before?"
Poor Gerald looked helplessly about
the room, until his glance fell upon
Lawrence, when he gasped, APOLOGIZE
cally:
"She doesn't mean it, you know, Law
renee"
II should disown her if she didn't"
cried Lawrence, fervently. How can
she or ever show tithe Of our graft
tude?"
You can very much please me by
getting married immediately" respond
! ed Gerald, with sigh Of frelief rs Claire
released him. "Who knows, my prin-
cess might return to her first love, and
I have no notion of being jilted, | assure
YOU"
So it was then and there arranged that
the marriage should be solemnized the
following week, which duly took place,
Gerald of course officiating as best man
and being reduced to dire discontinue
by the groom insisting that he should
be the first to kiss the bride.
Almost simultaneously with the de-
parture of Lawrence and Claire on thcil
bridal trip to the United States, cessa
tion of hostilities between the English
AID the Maoris was proclaimed, anc
Gerald had leisure and opportunity tc
20 wooing on his own account, for the
Maoris were not to break up their camp
for three weeks, and within that time
Kawara, somewhat reversing the order
of things, insisted that her marriage
should take place.
1t was dreary business, as the deer
dependency testified which seeme!c
settling upon Gerald, since Lawrence!
departure had removed all necessity for
discrimination. Harder even than NJ
had supposed he found it, and not ever
the altogether unexpected hindrancc se
in his way by the violent opposition o
Kawara's fatLer to the marriage could
lend any ardor to his suit.
The chief had given the tranquil ano
ready assent which was 2 matter o
course where every whim Of his idollz
ed and only daughter was concerned
until he heard Gerald's name, when
without any apparent reason, he per
pSorily ordered kawara to forget hel
fancy for an Engishman, for Gernlt
should certainly never become her hus
band; but the princess remained un
moved at menaces, entreatleS, threats o
disinheritance, ETC., and calmly followed
her own inclinations. rs she had done al
her life, for the chief, who was the ter
ror of his tribe. was the mere slave o
his daughter.
Gerald's visits were frequent, and des
perately he tried to become interested II
the uncongenial creature, with whom
his life was to be passed, and who, il
her stolid, Indifferent way, seemed Il
find daily more pleasure in his society
She scrupulously observed all his dlrec
tions rs to dress, department, etc.; ant
Gerald snmptimes marYeled at 4 sort G