The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-02-22
CHAPTER XI.

CHAPTER xL
Iwent up to my room and sat down by the
FIRE. in dreary, unhappy mood. Mss
Armund was dead, and she had died with
out revealing the secret OF my birth, which
I felt sure she possessed She had only bab-
bled meaninglessly of people who were
nothing to me- What mattered it. l said
her talk of Philip Caledon; he was naught to
me, surely.
was awakened in the afternoon from
light sleep, into which had fallen. by some
one announcing that Miss Clayton and her
daughter had arrived. Mrs. Kent came up
to my room in some excitement
ssYou had better go down, Dorcas, and
greet them" she said; s.Mrs. Lieberg evi-
dcntly thinks you are acquainted viii them,
and has sent Up word for you to meet them "
hardly knew what to dc. l dreaded to
90 down and encounter their naughty, IN
sulting manners which l felt sure they
would exhibit. and dare not stay away lest
it look suspicious.
Accordingly, urged by Mrs. Kent, de-
scended to the parlor, where found assem-
bled the Leibergs, Oliver Dudley, Mrs.
Clayton and her daughter, beside the physi-
clan and one or two others.
It IS not to be wondered at that I felt
some trcpilation on entering. But, reso-
lutely swallowing my fears, crossed to
where Mrs. Clayton was standing with her
daughter, proud, beautiful 1rma Barrett at
her SIDE. bowed and extended my hand
to them in token of friendly greeting. But
what was my amazeIncnt and chagrln when
they only returned my salu1ation with
naughty, inquiring stare, as If we were the
most distant strangers. felt ready TO sink
with shame and modification, for saw all
eyes were fixed upon me, and my first I'M
pulse was to rush from the room and hide
myself, drown myself, any thing only that
might be spared the insults this family had
heaped upon me. But the next moment my
proud spirit asserted itself. Iwould not be
ouelled or beaten without a struggle. l
stepped back cody.
QssYou may or you may not recognize me,
Mrs. Clayton" said, ''but we are not
strangers, you and I, however much you
may wish to impress these people to that
effect"
Mrs. Clayton colored and bit her lip. Irrna
endeayored to annihilate me with glance,
but did not falter. Just at this critical
mement, when all were viewing me with
amazement, Mr.. Dudley stepped forward,
smiling and bowed in that courteous way Of
his, saying lightly, as if it were the most
natural mistake in the world, though un-
derstood it all:
"Is it possible, Mrs. Clayton, that you
have forgotten Our mutual friend, Miss
Lynn
felt rather than saw the meaning glance
he threw at her from his brown eyes. But
Mrs. Clsyton understood at once, evidently,
AF she greeted me, III e rather constrained
manner, however, and Irma followed her
mothers example. l accepted it. for could
not do otherwise with those inCUiring eyes
upon me; but my anger was rouacd and my
cheeks burned hotly while my heart beat
fast and hard with passion of rage and
grief.
Silently we visited the room where Miss
Armund was lying, slunbering so quietly.
Mrs. Clayton expressed sincere grief 1T her
friends death, but saw that it was only
assumed for there was an undcrcurrent OF
Joy running through the whole Of her af-
fected grief, and l saw she gave the orders
for the necessary arrangements attending
the interrment OF her friend with evident
satisfaction.
Mrs. Clayton had changed somewhat in
the past ten years. She ewas still handsome,
but there were dark lives about the proud
mouth, and heavy rings, that told of sleep
less nights, under the large liquid eyes.
Ir1na, too, looked Worn and haggard; but
no wonder, thought, when her twin broth
er is imprisoned on the awful charge of mur-
der
The funeral Of Miss Arnund was over;
the still, withered form had been consigned
to mother-earth, and we We're all again as
sembled in the dull, fre-lighted parlor
at Mrs. Leiberg's. A strange hush fell