The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-09-18

stately grace, and paused before Marx
Alleyne with dropping, downcast eyes
Eyes uplifted at length to his eager,
impassioned face.
adele! The time has come. What
is your answer?"
She turned aside, swift thoughts
burning in her brain.
"He is dead" she was thinking, sad.
ly; II shall never see him again! And
1 fear this man at my side."
She went on in swift, eager specula-
tion: II fear him, hate him, yet I must
promise to be his wife!"
"Is it yes, Adele?" the low, eager
voice went on, the magnetic dark eyes
burning into hers with impassioned
fire. "Is it yes?" he painted once more.
"Oh. Adele-my love-my love!"
She bowed her head, her cheek
flushing hotly.
EYES," she said, slowly; "the answe,
is yesA But, Mark, you know that I do
not love you?"
He started.
"No matter" he cried, wildly; "you
do not hate me" (she shuddered), "and
you will love me in time, my darling
You will learn to love me with all your
heart! I can wait, my darling, wait
patiently for that day to come!"
She turned away from his out.
stretched arms with convulsive shud-
der. But she was a perfect actress,
and moment later all trace of emo
tion had vanished from her face and
manner, and she was in his arms, her
head upon his breast, while he covered
the lovely face with passionate kisses.
And so it was all over; and Adele st.
Cyr had promised to marry Mark Al
leyne.
"But I shall never be his wife!" she
Kissed, siblantly, as she stood at the
drawing-room window and watched his
tall form go down the long walk to the
entrance gates. Il shall never be his
wife," she repeated, bleakly, her eyes
flashing with wicked light; II will
die first!"
Mark hastened away from the house,
his heart in tumult, his brain on fire.
There was turn in the walk, and from
the shrubbery at his side slender form
emerged, and he was confronted by O
stern face and angry dark eyes, while
less wrathful voice painted, hoarsely:
cat last! began to think that you
would never come! Mark Alleyne, I
demand few moments of your time! I
will teach you that I am not q person
to be trihed With"
He came to halt and gazed full into
the sallow face of Maggie Willett, the
housemaid.
Only servant girl, yet there was
real CONSERVATION in Mark Alleyne's
ewes as they met her own.
"Mark, Mark She caught his
hand, with sudden revulsion of feel
ing: Listen, and pity me, for the love
of Heaven! This mad love is killing
me by inches! I am wearing out my
mind and body by the constant anxi-
ETY.! You said you loved me, Mark,
and would make mo your wife, if I-if
I-if-I-he!ped you in certain mat
ter! Tell me, have you repented yoCr
words? Are you tired of me, and want
to cast me off? Mark, I must know,
though it kills mol"
He twisted his hands from her pas.
sionate grasp, his dusky eyes shifty
and uneasy; his face paler than before.
"Do not speak Of it now, he was be-
ginning, family; but she interrupted
him fercely:
"Why not? All, I see! You have
been with Miss st. Cyr-Miss Law
renee, of Lawrence Park; Mark AL
leyne, are you not afraid?"
He glanced into her face with eyes
full of anger. But before word had
passed his lips, there was o rustling
in the shrubbery near, and straight
into the path strobe a stranger. An
old man, with a pcddler's pack upon
his back; bent, gray-haired, wrinked
old fellow, who gazed into their aston
ishel faces from behind tho big, round
glasses that he wore.
"Who are you?" demanded Mark
Alleyne sternly, "and what are you
doing here? These are private grounds;
be off, or I'll have you arrested for
tresspass"
The old man placed his pack upon
the ground, and executed low bow.
II begs your pardon, young shentle-
man," he began, in decided Teutonic
accent. II comes in at dc gate when ]
sees it open. I dinks, parhaps, de led.
dies here might want to look at some
pretty dings!" with swift glance in
the direction of the pack).
"Go around to the servants quarters,
then," commanded Mark, desirous Of
getting rid of the intruder as soon as
possible.
As the old peddler moved slowly
away, with his pack once more upon
his back, neither Mark Alleyne nor his
companion could see the look Of tri.
umph in the eyes concealed by the huge
spectacles, nor hear the muttered
words which fell from the peddlers
lips.
1T works so far, for neither of them
knew me. But what does this mean?
Mark Alleyne in confidential converse
tion with Maggie Willett, the house.
maid at Lawrence Park, and the CHIEF
witness against poor little Ruby 7
Humph! begin to see-to, suspect q
mystery!"
fro BE CONTINUED
Just Like the Dear Prince.