The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-07-14

many hours must necessarily elapSe De
fore she would be sitting once more il
her luxurious bo'ldoir at home, recount
ng to her syn ,athizing parent tut
orrors from whl I she had escaped.
But when school was dismissed anC
Adele prepared to return to her new
quarters, escorted by two or three o
the little Johnsors as pilots, the rattle
of wheels greeted her ears, and Mr.
Harvey appeared, driving rapidly to-
ward the schoolhouse. Only q farm
! wagon, but the sight was a welcome
one. He drew I'D before the door.
Come, Miss Somers," he cried, pleas
antly, "let me have the pleasure o.
driving you back to your palatial board
ing-house."
She saw the fun twinkling in his
merry eyes, and felt intuitively that he
understood the situation.
Seated beside him, as they drove long
she forgot all about the intended resigna'
ton; and before she was scarcely
aware of it, she had told him her whole
story.
What hearty laugh they enjoyed
and the ice thus broken they were as
firm friends as though they had met
under the brightest auspices. And
Adele, thinking it all over that night,
decided to postpone her return to New
Orleans until the end of the week, ut
least.
The following evening brought Mr..
Harney again as escort home; and each
succeeding evening, also.
He took to calling at the johnson
house too after school hours, and Adele
confessed to herself that she had never
met more entertaining gentleman.
And 80 the week ended, and still that
resignation had not yet seen the light;
then followed q second week, similar to
the first. At length, toward the close
of the week, Mrs. johnson announced
to Adele, that the Monday following she
would be expected to ''go to Harney' s
to board" two weeks at esch house be-
ing The stipulation Of the boarding
around arrangement, and volunteered
the information that Madam Har-
ney was lowed to be the best house
keeper in the parish,
"Madame Harvey" exclaimed Adele,
involuntarily. why, I did not know
that there was Madam Harney?"
"You didn't? Wal, l declar now
and Mr.. Will never told you?"
Certainly not" began Adele,
haughtily, "or l should never have per-
mitted-"
There her anger and righteous in
dignation overcame her, and she
fastened from the woman's presence.
Will Harney married man! What
right had he to intrude his attentions
and courtesies, then, only to make her
about9 Adele's wrath was kindled ;
she forgot the pain that would pierce
her heart like q knife. and determined
to put stop to this ridiculous mas
querade as soon as possible.
But to her surprise, Mr.. Harney
troubled her no more.
He came no more to the johnson
house, and dropped from her life as
completely as though he never had
been.
But somehow she could not forget
him. Yes, it was true-the fashionable
belle, who had mingled in the best So
ciety of the land. had come to the
lonely pine woods to give her heart away
to plain farmer-only to be told that
he was married man!
How she despised herself! How weak
she was, she said.
And having dismissed the school, on
Friday afternoon, she seated herself at
the little desk and wrote brief resigna-
ton of her situation. When she had
signed her name and laid the pen
down she breathed sigh of relief.
~ cho cold RI har.
self, before they expect me at MIR.
nowm
Putting the letter in her pocket she
closed the door of the schoolhouse, and
started on her long walk home to the
johnson house.
Confident of finding her way, she had
sent the children on, and now was quite
alone. Glancing up at the sky she
quickened her steps involuntarily. 1t
was overcast with clouds-dark, gloomy
threateniug-a dreadful storm was fast
coming up.
The thunder began to roll in the dis
tance; occasional sharp lances Of light
ming cleft their way through the inky
clouds. Adele had natural terror ol
thunder-storms, besides it was really
dangerous out there in the thick woods,
where trees are liable to be stricken
down, crushing the unwary pedestrian
before escape would be possible.
Wit, an exclamation of terror, Adele
FASTENED onward, guiding her footsteps
by the "blazes" on the trees, which
she had told, were placed there to indi'
cate the road. And now the storm
burst forth in ungovernable fury
Wind, thunder, lightning and rain
which fell in great drops at first, anc
anon in binding sheets, drenching the
girls slim form, and binding her eyes
SO that she could no longer trace hel
path. Stumbling about wildly, she a
last sank down exhausted at the foot o
a huge pine tree-she had lost her way
There was no use in trying to deceive
herself; she was lost, there in the path
less forest, and night was coming down
Was ever situation more appa ling
For a few moments she crouchet
there, trembling with terror; then
with a sudden determir alton, ,sh
sprang to her feet again and dashed OF
wildly. On-on. The storm increased
in fury every moment-it was posltlVel.
frightful.
Just then there fell upon her ears
away to the right, above the roar OF tn
tempest, the sound of horses feet. A
!, that very instant there came a blindln!
flash ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of
awful-a roar of thunder, like the ex
;, plosion of mighty artillery, and grea
-tpine tree in her path-cracked-shoo
its green arms wildly, and fell. Adel
N ). as too thoroughly horror-stricken t
!, lpeve, and she knew not which way t
II tASn. In an instant more the tire
wot,ld have crushed the slender form t
the gfound-a bleeding, mangled, life
less mass; but a strong hand seized he
I quickly and dragged her from Il, the jaw
: If death: The boughs of the falling trt
t lust grazing hsr garments. Adele los
+ Sbe onened b9h eyes to find her hea
. pillowed on VIII fHarney's breast; /
W.,