The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-04-08

n Dag. AS she knSf VIZ Mclc w SlccE
ut Bordeaux she had been laying down
the law as to what we were to look at
We were to see the curious high wood
en- fifteenth century houses of the old
town; tho cathedral with its fine
towers; the very old churches of St
Croix and st. Seurin, and a variety OF
other interesting objects. 1t needed
all the assurance possessed, all the in
valid's querulousness and insistance
/ could assume, to induce her to con
sent to resume our journey the first
thing in the morning. Even Philippe
pleaded for delay. and gave me to I'm.
derstand that she thought 1 was
using my mother unfairly. But l was
firm. II 1 could I would have hurried
on by the midnight train. Any way,
now that we were within a few hours
Journey of the frontier and of safety,
l would leave no more than l could
help to chance.
SO, in the early morning, 1 got my
party together and before it was light
led them to the train. l believe that
by now my mother looked upon me as
rather ont of my senses. She frankly
owned she could not see the necessity
for making such a toll out of what
might be Il pleasure. She little knew
that nothing could have made that
journey a pleasure to me; that find
ing Philippa's eyes now and again fixed
on my fac with what I almost dared to
think was tender interest-that even
the blush which crossed her cheek
when I caught those glances-was not
sufficient to reward me for my anxiety.
A slow, a painfully slow train. In
Vulnerable stoppages. A country
which under the circumstances would
have given me no interest even if we
had been in summer in stead of winter;
and then, after nearly five hours slow
travelling. Bayonne at last. Bayonne,
with it's strong Notifications. Bayou
ne, with the welcome Pyrenees tower
ing above it. In less than two hours
we should DO in Spain.
"A curious dread seized me-a pre-
sentiment so strong that ever since
then l have lost faith in presentiments.
Something seemed to tell ME that all
my efforts had been in vain; that at
the frontier there would be certain in
telligence received which would lead
to our arrest; that Philippa, with one
foot, as it were, in the land of refuge,
would BIZ seized and carried back to
face the horrors and the shame OF a
trial for murder. It was, as events
showed, an absurd fancy, and only the
increasing tension of my nerves a
account for the hold it gained upon
me.
Igrew so pale, trembled so in every
limb that my companions were thor
oughly alarmed. After a while I re-
covered, and although the fear was
still with me, sat with the stoicism of
an Indian at the stake, awaiting what
might happen at the frontier. I had
done all 1 could. If, at the last mo-
ment, disaster overlook us, I had at
least striven by every means within
my power to avert it.
We have passed Biarritz, the merry
bright watering place. We have passed
Hendayne, the french frontier sta
ton. We leave the towering Pyrenees
on our left. We are at Irun, where all
baggage must he jealousy scrutinized.
We are in Spain! Nobody has troub-
led us. No suspicious-looking stran-
ger has watched US. The Stoppage
has been long, for the custom-house
officers are annoyingly particular in
the discharge of their duty; but our
noble looking courier has saved US all
personal trouble. lie has done US yeo-
mans service. At list we are In an
other train, a tram which runs on a
line of another gauge. The very time
of day has changed. We have lost or
gained-I forget Wholesome twenty
minutes We now count by Madrid
time. We are fairly on spanish
ground, ard l have saved my love.
Saved her from others now TO save
her from herself. Never, never shall
she know the secret Of that dark night.
We will speed away to the south-to
the sun; the color; the brightness; the
flowers. AL shall he forgotten. The
dark remembrance shall be swept from
my mind. l will call it a dream. l
will win Philippa's loye.-the love
that I dare to believe is already almost
mine. We will live forever in bright,
sunny, glowing lands. Who cares for
dull dark, dismal England? Have we
not youth, wealth. and oh, blessed
word! love? Before my love and me
lie years and years Of sweetness and
Joy. Shake off black gloom and be
merry, Basil North. You have con-
quered fate!
We have passed st. Sebastian. The
sluggish train is YEARLY winding up
the valley Of the Urumca. We are in
wild and glorious scenery. The rail-
way Is carried at Il great elevation,
from which we get now and again
peeps of far-away valleys. Yes, l
could now find time to admire the Won
derful scenery which lasted until we
passed Miranda.
My mood changed with the country.
l laughed; 1 jc,ted. Each of the many
stations at which we stopped fur
nIshed materials for my newborn mer-
iment. I laughed at the solemn Look
ing Spanish railway officials, and
drew pictures of the doleful fate Of
imaginary nobly-born hidalgos whom
poverty forced to descend to such en-
ployment. Igrumbled not at the slow
ness Of the train, although an ordin-
airy traveller might we'll, when OIL a
spanish line, sigh for the comparative
ly lightning speed Of the much-malig-
ned French trains. Time WAS moth
ing to me now. Was there not a life
time stretching before me and Phil
ippa? My gayety was contagious. My
mother laughed until the tears came,
and Philippe smiled as I had not seen
her smile since W. picked up under
such sad circumstances that long
dropped thread of friendship.
Those who have travelled In Spain
vii! scarcely credit mo when l say we
had the compartment to ourselves.
We were troubled by no cloaked Span
lard who. as is the wont of his kind,
insisted upon smoking like a furnace
and keeping both windows shut. Our
noble Courier had been given his in
structions. His arguments were vcnal.
and had I troubled about money ]
should Lave found them costly. But
they carried the point, and no one In
truded on our privacy.
The hours went by. My mothci
slept, q pretended to sleep. | seated
myself near Philippa, and Whispered
words of thinly-veiled love. She an
swered them not-I expected M
answer--but her eyes were downcas
and her cheek was %blushing. Sh'
sighed. A sad smile played aroun'
her sweet mouth; a smile that spok'
of a world of regret. That smile
told me that she understood me, bu