The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-12-18
this" ( said, mixing a stimu-


land you had the right to be alarmed,
even if you were familiar with sickness.
But the danger is over now.'
1T was well you were so near, Dr.
Hall said, joining us. 'Bless me, 1t IS
Harry Bell
l had already recognized one of the
professors of the university where 1 had
taken my diploma, and we shook hands
cordially. A little professional chat fol-
lowed, as 1 escorted him to the door,
and on returning to Mrs. Carters room l
undertook to be ready to respond to any
further call upon my services during the
night.
DR.. Hall must have spoken in.my favor
to Mrs. Carter, for the barriers between
us were suddenly thrown down, and l
found myself admitted to a friendship l
had quite dispaircd of gaining. Every
thing favored me, and in the intimacy
that followed my whole heart passed into
Elsie's keeping. She filled my ideal of
womanly sweetness, bearing the caprices
and bad temper of her cousin with gen.
tic patience that had not one atom of
servility in it; showing in her quiet con-
versation a cultivated, intellectual and
refined taste; using her accomplishments
to amusc Mrs. Carter, never for display
of her own power. Toward me she was
always courteous, pleasant, even friendly
no more. Never seeing her alone, l
could not plead my love, and feared to
startlc her by writing, having no thread
of encouragement to build hope upon.
Three happy months, happy in spite
of my doubts and fears, passed away,
and then l was hastily summoned away
to the death bed of a near relative. After
a weeks absence Ireturncd to MIR. Sam
sons to find Mrs. Carter alone and mys.
teriously reticent about her cousins alb
sencc.
1t is not pleasant recollection to me,
the months that followed. In answer to
a plain question, Mrs. Carter fatty re-
fused to tell me where Elsie had gone,
and I fully, miserably realized that my
whole life's happiness had been bound up
in the hope of winning her. 1 Travelled
about, always returning to Mrs. Samson's
in the vain hope that Elsie might have
come there also. was Lot fond of my
profession, which I had studied to please
my uncle. I had tried to like it while he
lived, but when he died, and there was
no one to please, I found my disgust for
sores and sickness, my shrinking from
the sight of pain, were stronger than my
desire to heal or cure. know this IS a
humiliating confession, but it is true.
So moped about, read great deal,
hovered on the brink of many a pitfall,
and drew back. and year had passed,
when one morning Mrs. Carter sent fo1
me.
"Why did you deceive me?" she asked,
abruptly.
stared at her in honest amazcment.
II thought you were poor man" she
said, "poking up in that little, miserable
third story room. I had no idea that
you were Harvey Bells son, and worth
hundreds of thousands. 1t was only
yesterday heard WI you are. lam a
worldly old womaI, you will tell me.
Well, I am; and being worldly and mer-
cenary, and all That, sent Elsie Lennox
out Of your wgE, when-was I a blind
old idiot as well, or were you in love
with herr"
sI love her with all my heart!" an
swered.
"Humph why didn't you tell me you
had sufficient money to support wife!
l sent her off to be governess in friends
family. How could 1 know her misera-
BILE scamp of father would send for her?
Gracious me! There's pretty mess
now John-that is, Mr.. Lennox,
Elsie's fathcr-is down in Texas, dying,
and writes to me for money. Whatever
he did with all he muddled away, he
didn't take any with him; and there's
that child alone with him I can't so.
You can see I'm not fit for such journey
in midwintcr. John may be dead now.
Bless me! I'm half distracted. Do you
want to 60 to them2 She is the child of
a bankrupt, who made disgraceful fail
ure. 1 don't choose to tell any lies about
them. She has not a cent, and she will
not have my money, because it all goes
to my husbands nephew, whether will
it so or not. You sha'n't say deceived
you about her. I suppose she would
want to choke me if I tell you she is fond
of you. I knew it, reserved as she was.
You need not imagine she put on love-
sick airs about you, and gushed to me !;
but eyes and cheeks are tell-tales some
times. Well, are you gong, or are you
disgustcd with the whole business"
81 am going as soon as you arc kind
enough to give me the address"
"Here is Johns letter. Likely enough
he is more scared than hurt, and not so
ill as he thinks. There! Goodbye. Give
my love to Elsie, and if I am mistaken,
and she doesn't care for you, will you
bring her back to met"
81 will. I'll start to-day"
John Lennox was not mistaken. ]
found my darling in wretched hut near
Galveston, with servant trying to con-
sole her as she sobbcd over her father
corpse. had stopped in st. Louis on
my journey, and persuaded cousin of
my own-a gentle widow, past middle
age-to accompany me to Texas, and to
her tenderness and care left the dcsolate
girl until after the funeral. 1t was then
decided she should accept my cousin S
hospitality, and we went to St. Louis, a
mourning party, but with one heart full
of eager hope.
did not win my darling easy, for she
ucns cr1shnd hr tho lcnnwlndnn fhat hnf