The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-10-03

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troubled to give vent TO her feelings In music.
Suddenly The door opened and Col. Durant
stood on the threshold. He Went up 10 her,
clasped her In his arms and exelalmea. ,,
any beautiful darling, I've come to ask you
to name the day when you'll be mine. am
tired Of life without you"
She shrank from his embrace as she would
have recoiled from serpent.
"Coi. Durant," she replied, "do not touch
me; l do not love you; twas foolish TO nave
promised to marry you can not do IT,"
"My darling child" he went on, as a snadoW
passed over his dark face, "you cannot break
your = y, promise to the dead; you would not 10
Then with penetrating look as if to read
her very soul, he asked in hard voice.
"Do you love another?"
"That is question / refuse to answer, from
the fact that it can moi concern you, as nev-
er will marry you"
"You must not be false to the dead. it was
your fathers dying prayer; can gTsd glTsed you s
sire; come to my heart Lois, for love you as
man never loved before. offer you pure,
unsullied love. 'Tis no boyish fancy that Will
soon grow cold, but q mans love, mature and
true. Will you darling?"
"Col. Durant, do not love you and I will
Lois, listen to me-" he pleaded. his face
you were a child. 1t has been the one dream
of my life to call you wife. You can not live
alone, every thing here is lawfully mine; you
have no home; marry me, and You shall ever
reign here as my adored wife. Come to me
darling, you will learn to love me, the force
Of my great love will awaken aslmilar feeling
in your breast"
NO, will never love you. I'm aware that
In O short time will be thrown upon the cold
world, but thank Heaven I am equal to the
necessity! I would not marry you for the
world. I thought had friendship for you,
but it was only dislike-bitter dislike. You
"Ah, there is some one you love! false not
only to me, but false to the dead. Who Is the
happy possessor OF your heart, 1 would lain
know?" he asked with sneer and gleam IN
his dark eyes.
His words almost unnerved her, but with
that calm dignity that is peculiar to woman,
she answered, her voice tinged with con-
tempt, s,r1 1u,,, unfold wnsn foo, d,snos.
ed, but, let me add, he Is gentleman which,
most assuredly, l do not consider you"
"More's the pity, that gentleman should
love woman who has NOT strength enough
to be true even to the dead, not firm enough
to fulfill promise"
"I admit, sir, / will not fulfill that promise.
MY father was deceived In you, and the error
OF the father r. shall not be the undoing OF the
II will marry you come what may. l nave
an iron Will, and have willed that you shall
be my bride. You have broken your word
"Col. Durant," with the hot flush Of anger
mantling her brow, she replied, "never speak
to me again. I hate you; please leave the
%You forget whose house you order me to
leave. you forget you are IN my power"
"I forget everything, sir, except that You are
the most cruel man ever saw, to thrust my
poverty at me, when you, In q measure,
brought It upon me; put am glaaa lazy you oheg otna
ruined my father; for 1t was you who induced
money. @ No, take your i1f.gotten wealth and
cast it at sha 1ee tban beupbtv
and left the room. He gave low laugh ano
$50 You love another, do you? will find
out who n1o your your lover is and then-out Will
He saunteted out Of the house, mounted his
horse ard rode away. Lois pondered long
over her future prospects; at last an idea oc
ned her riding habit, saddled her horse and
rode over to DR.. Gray's, only a mile distant
The old Ir. answered her rap at the door. :,
"What, my little girl looks sad! What is
wrong my bonny7" he asked with a sunny
"Only & little business to-day DR.. pye
come to aux your advice. You know that In
few months every thing, except a fey hun
rant. l hate him and I'll not marry him.
am so sorry I ever promised poor Papa"
"Pm glad my dear, you have 80 decided, be
TSad not make ysg hapRy p You are toe
L
with me, have enough of this worlds goods
20 give you happy home. My wife and
win make every wish OF yours our constan,
study; we will love you as our own child
minds us of our little girl who died long ago.
Her heart was touched, but after mo
ment's hesitation she knelt at his feet and
with tears In her eyes, said,
dear Mrs. Gray, but cannot llye in idleness
and depend on others. can not eat the
bread OF charity; every bite would be as bit
ter as worm-wood. desire to make my OWE
living"
"You are scarcely more than child; yor
never did any thing In your life"
''The more need that should learn. l .sa car n
teach II you would use yogr influence TOWARD
"I will on this condition; II 1t Is too hare
for you, you will come and live with u.s."
ri will promise. but I shall love it; 1t vii
suit me exactly"
| enchantment, q teachers life Is q hard one
| You will not find your path all sunshine
there must be some dark and dreary wind
ings, and may Heaven grant you strength K
hopes. Yes. will assist you. I will write tc
| friend of mine tomorrow, who Is Principa
Of large school in Sumter, and have nc
doubt that your application will be accepted,
Dr. and his amiable wife, she arose to depart
DR.. Gray asked, while he searchingly scan
| ned her face,
"Did Harold leave to-day? when does he
| expect to return?"
x shiver passed over her. but she tried tc
conceal the emotion that the very sound O.
his name produced In her, and answered
| lightly,
RHe will not return in five years, and per
haps longer; he means to be a Croesus ere
South Carolina shall behold his face again."
After she was gone, DR.. Gray turned to his
wife and said with smile.
II understand why the dear child will moi
marry Claude Durant; 1T is because she has
accepted Harold. The day Herbert asked hel
to marry Durant, Harold's white, agonized
face betrayed the secret his lips had never
spoken. Isaw he loved her; his very SOU
seemed dead within him, when she promised
her father. guess he proposed 10 her before
he left, and suspect they agreed to keep 1t
secret until he returns. / read love In her
eyes when I spoke his name"
"Then dear husband" replied Mrs. Gray
1--WE will not betray the darling childs secret
we love her too we'll for that"
They talked long over the dark prospects Oh
the lonely orphan; they had watched her
grow into womanhood and were as much
concerned in her as If she had been their
child In the early morn her application was
forwarded. In few days the answer came,
stating that she was chosen and would be re-
ouired to begin her duties the first OF Octo'
ber; IL was then July.
Lois joy was unbounded at the glad tidings.
Her Young heart was overhowing with grati-