The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-10-02


Mr.. Olney, angrily. "She's madcap!'
Miss Perry was gazing up at them il
comical defiance, her white hand waving
"I'm not hurt. suppose you're sorr!
I'm not hurt, Marmaduke9" she cried.
"You see the foot path just below yor
Miss Perry2" Mary called to her, coldly
eff you will take that it will bring yor
gradually to lower grade in the walk
where you can climb up easily"
"We will walk down and meet yor
there" said Phil. "Shan't we, Mary2"
every WE'LL" said Mary, frigidly.
Miss Perry, with last defiant word Of
two, was off.
Mary led the way down the walk stifhy
Phil was laughing.
"Miss Perry is irrepressible!" he OBJ
served, admiringly.
ooh, she's q madcap," Mr.. Olney re-
peated, strolling leisurely in the rear.
Mary accomplished the five minutes
walk in silence.
A slender figure, in draggled black
silk, looked up at them drolly from down
the slope.
Phil and Mr.. Olhey sprang down and
pulled her up. Mary was positive she
had stopped there purposely.
Her heart burned within her. What
fool she would have looked in such a
position!
But Miss Perry was flushed and laugh
ing and lovely.
"What are you giggling at, you
wretches2" she cried, tipping her bent
bonnet recklessly over her nose, and
spreading her lace skirt-which hung in
tags. ''stop this minute, Marmaduke
I'VE had delightful little excursion. I've
enioyed it-there now! didn't get my
violets, but"
Miss Perry was turning white. She
clasped her round arm with shiver oi
pain. Blood was trickling on the fair
skin.
ssIt was a stone-it cut it as I fell!''
she murmured.
Now she would have pity and concern
as we'll as admiration. 1t was cut-and-
dried scheme, Mary reflected, irefully.
Phil would have to help her home.
She turned away, her lip between her
teeth, hot and futile tears in her eyes.
She would not look on at it!
But it was Miss Perry's ambiguous re-
lative who offered his arm. :
eff you've had enough Of an escapade,
Mag" he remarked, drily, ''perhaps
You'll let me take you home2"
She took his arm without word, that
warm red rising in her soft face; and
Phil joined Mary.
Mary looked fxedly at the river. She
felt Phil's big, blue eyes upon her, but
she did not meet them.
She had no patience with him-a sim
pleton who would let shallow hirt make
an idiot of him!
"What's the matter, Mary2" he STAN
mered, at last. "I-I-you don't seem
to like Miss Perry much, Mary"
That was too much.
ssNo, I DON'T" said Mary grimly.
'I think she's jolly, you know" said
Phil timidly. "And I'm sorry for her
awfuly sorry!"
'sIt is only scratch, said Mary, with
forced calmness.
~ don't mean that" said Phil. He
took Mary's elbow to help her up the
grade, but she pulled it away. "Not
that, you know. You see, she Won
der if she'd mind my telling you-just
you?"
ssI don't want to hear it," said Mary,
in agony.
ssShe wouldn't mind" Phil insisted.
eff she told me, she'd tell anybody. It's
about her Marmaduke-he isn't hers,
that is, but she'd like him to be. They've
been going on together for years, I gath
cred, without it's ever coming to any
thing; and she doesn't know whether
Olney wants it to come to anything. He's
so careless and lazy, she doesn't know
whether he likes her OF not. But she
likes him. She told me that right out,
Mary, as innocent as baby; seemed tc
want somebody to tell it to. And she
cried when she said it-just cried. That
was why she went on like that when we
came up with you-made all that fuss
about the flowers, and went down the
bank to take his attention off her red
ewes. She says she can't marry anybody
else; and then not to be sure he cares fol
her-well, it is tough. If he don't want
her, don't know what he does want,
said Phil, Indignantly.
Mary Lane was looking down at the
grass.
"Was that what she was saying2
she murmured. "He-he said she was
flirting with you!"
"He did2" said Phil, warmly. "He
wants throttling. I've mind to do ii
for him. He doesn't deserve her, the
puppy" E'P .;,,,.,+ - -, y u.rr f.,+.rsd on
II thought she was. And was SC
angry with her for doing it'll"
Phil laughed.
"And did you think was flirting with
her, Marys" he demanded.
eyes," she owned.
"Then you need throttling" But he
contented himself with soft shake OF
her shoulder. s'Mary, did you think
could firt with anybody but you! Don't
you know I like you, and always have
and mean to marry you-you, nobody
else9 Mary, for shame! Didn't you
know it2"
The grass seemed to swim before
Mary's eyes.
Ell had hoped so, Phil" she whis.
pered. ooh, Phil, it was thatl