The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-03-04
ul feeling toward any one VIII,

You have other victims in plenty. VIII.
not spare him. There is another reason
which should appeal to your generosity
He is engaged to young girl, cousin
of his. She is very sweet, very lovel.
and she loves him dearly. If she knew
his fancy had been unfaithful to her i
would break her heart.
Curious changes had been sweeping
over Mrs. Percival's face as she spoke
She held her fan before her eyes and h
could not see her. AS he finished b.
stood up and locked down on her. Th
fan dropped and countenance so rigit
and white that it startled him was upheld
to meet his glance.
"You despise mem she said with low
vibrant intensity. "You despise MT
and your coming to me on such an errano
proves it'll"
"Laura!" The old name, the name he
had called her by lefore she became thu
wife of the man now dead, sprang to hi:
lips before he knew what he was doing
She had risen likewise. She seemed
to waver. She leaned back, still covered
with this new pallor, against dainty
cabinet laden with pretty baubles that
clinkcd together at the impact.
"You think me fippant, heartless,
soulless, vilc!" she said.
The mans slower nature was bewild'
cred, oyerpowcred by this sudden out
break. She had been to him seven years
before all that she said. She had trifed
with him for a richer wooer. Her
trcachery had taken the color and the
SAVIOR out of his life. He had forgiven
her but the hurt she had done him would
never heal. And yet at that moment,
though he believed her to have been
drawing poor Ramon Suarcz on for the
heartless qualification of her vanity,
though his cause was righteous and JUS
tice with him, he felt all at once bereft
of support from truth or reason before
that new strange ring in her voice.
He stood there stupidity, unable to
frame a connected sentence. And as ne
thus continued. she, with an inarticulatc
murmur, swept from the room.
"Iy mother has arrived from South
America, and-Mercedes."
Ramon Suarcz spoke abruptly, stand
ing in Hugh Thatcher's bachelor apart
ment. He was very pale. Thatcher
looked up swiftly.
"Ah! We'll, 1 am glad to hear it.
Ramon"
The younger man gave a sort OF snarl-
ing laugh.
II don't doubt i'll"
He suddenly flung himself down before
q table and caught his head in his hands.
"But it won't make any difference, If
that's what you mean" he said hoarsely
with white lips. "I'm past helping
now. Nercedes-my mother-may
know or not know. I won't change
t:Great heaven, mani" cried Thatcher
sharply. shave you lost all decency!
Remember what you owe to that child.
Do you wish to kill herr"
stMercedes won't die Of my incon-
stancy, Ramon said sullenly. "She may
grievc awhile. But she will say to her
self that I am base wretch, and she will
forget me-"
"And do you fancy" asked Thatcher
slowly, after moment. "that Mrs. Per
c:val will marry you once you have
broken your engagement"
The young man looked up.
"Thatcherl What do you mean by
taking that tone with me?"
II am asking you plain question.
Ramon started up and walked the
length of the room. When he came
back there was a look in his eyes, look
of being driven to bay, of stolid, hunted
desperation, that gave his companion for
the first time an insight into the full
depth of his passion. Before he had
thought it largely o boyish fancy,
II don't know whether she will marry
me or not. But-she would better-she
would better! She has treated me
shamefully for the past few weeks
But she must not try to
play with me. Thatcher, there are times
when almost hate her! Yet would die
for her night-this very
hour!"
=
Hugh Thatcher went about for the
next few days with haunting sense of
some impending catastrophe hanging
over him. He had kept out of the way
of Ramon's mother, fearing lest he might
be questioned with regard to the change
that had come over the young man. As
for Laura Percival. he had not seen her
since that visit three weeks before, and
he had been in a dreamy bewilderment
concerning it ever since. He had under
stood nothing of it all. He had never at
any time understood her when it came
to that. He only knew that dull ache
be had thought stilled at last had formed
part of his consciousness from that after
noon on. His going to her did Ramon
no good; he had not fattered himself
that the growing GOODNESS she had evi-
IDENTIFY eyinced toward the young man Of
late had been the fruit of his expostula-
tious, and as for himself-wcll, it had
been easier for him before he had seen her.
If 1t could be helped he would never see
her again.
He came homo heavily from his club
one night with these thoughts in his
mind. On the landing in front of his
door stood telegraph boy witha yellow
envelope. Thatcher caught it out of his
hand.