The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-01-20

The opening and quick shutting of the
door behind me startled both. George
pushed me from her. .n
1T was Edna. How annoying!" she
.ried. 1She saw-Im sure she saw.
Jack, if you aver dare do such a thing
again I will not marry you. She'll tell
al over the place what she Las just
seen."
"she will, I say. Servants always tall
I'm sure she won't. She is the very
soul of honor" I asserted warmly.
ANY one would suppose you knew her
better than I do to hearyou speak so COZ.
idently. I will not have our engagement
known in q place like this, where people
! watch and pry and chatter. I'd rather
ieny ia thousand times! But come,
ct Us forget this" she added, lightly,
md seating herself OF the piano she
poured out such q food Of melody that
Tor the time all remembrance of the I'M
fortunate contretemSs wcs banished from
my mind.
At a late hour Cat night I went to
Or. Gascoigne's room. He had returned.
It was more than o week since we had met,
and we settled down for q comfortable
smoke.
He placed the whisky bottle before me,
md willing to forget for one night, at
:east, the future abnegation to which I
lad unconsciously bound myself, Ipoured
,ut probably rather more than my usual
moderate allowance. We had had a very
rood dinner in No. %, but, as may be sup
posed, there wal nothing in the shape of
wine. The Doctor and I had not been
sitting together long when out of the full
hess Of my heart I spoke. =.
@Gascoigne," I said suddenly, 7 ~ant
vou to be the first to congratulate me. 1t
8 q profound secret at present. I am
sure YOU will keep it so, but I am engaged
10 marry the handsomest and most charm
ng girl in England. Wish me JOY" .
HAS it already come to this? Haven't
you been rather precipitate, my friend?'"
ae asked, taking his pipe from his mouth
and shaking out some of the ashes on q
ray beside him.
.There's an old Scotch proverb, Hap
py's the wooing this. q short time a.
aoing.' We're very neal Scotland, here,
Doctor" T answered, laughing. But
.ome, YOU have not congratulated me-"
a46 HOu bu1O - oS~P ~ 0
NV dear fellow, It seems to me I never
knew the meaning Of the word: Happi.
lust the most adorable, bewitching, love-
provoking piece of womankind I ever en-.
:ountered. I wish to God I could marry
her tomorrow. I shall not have long to
wait, though" I added confidently.
r1--- M II moe uafU irrI .
Eating to me when I looked across to
Gascoigne, to see min still trltlng with
| The ashes fallen from his pipe, and ap.
parently absorbed in contemplation OF
hem.
Il wish you'd speak, I exclaimed, I'M
patiently. g,
zraver, paler, too, than usual. Il con-
S~ratulate no one on such occasions" he
Said. letting his words fall slowly. In
INV mind, marriage, which has more than
one attribute in common with death, re-
sembles it especially in this, that no hu.
man being can venture to predict what
manner of life is likely to succeed it." .
Where was the old frank h%eartiness OF
look and manner-the geniality that first
attracted me to him? I saw before me a
cold, stern face, from which all human
feeling seemed to have departed. Sud.
denly he started, shivered, then all at
once appearing to rouse himself, ne
smiled.
I'm turning cynical" he said; for.
give me. And, don't misunderstood me-,
Dudley, with all my heart I hope you
may be happy"
Even then + did not like his tone.
by the way, I have not yet thanked
you for your share in bringing it about"
+ said.
Thanked mep"
sYes.I Mrs. Hargreave asked what you
knew of me. She told me SO. And the
information you gave her led"
Shed better have left that unsaid,"
he muttered; then with a short, forced
laugh, remarked aloud: But there's nc
trusting woman, Dudley. Above all, the
the professedly religious" 49,.
Il never trusted Mrs. Hargreave-'
I said. and paused.
MOP"
well, I'm getting over my first i'm.
pressions, which were decidedly unfavor-
able"
isn't there a saying about first i'm.
pressions being truest?" he asked, mus.
ingly: u;,, u.,c,e.,.-
Georgia. began.
4Oh, it's no use talking to a man in
love-" he interrupted. You can't ssy
I've encouraged you in your hasty leap
into matrimony, Jack; whatever comes OF
it, you can't Ieproach me-that's some
comfort! May you be happy, my boy.
Let's change the subject"
Here, thought I, was a disappointed
man, who could not bear to look on hap
piness through another mans eyes. I re.
sented both his words and manner e.
felt that I should quarrel with him, or al
least say something afterwards regretta.
ole, If I remained; so, finging my half
smoked cigar into the CRATE, I got up,
said goodnight CURLY, and left the
room.
CHAPTER VIII.
WAIT"
Next day I attended to my duties at
the bank. went to my lodging. packed NJ
ali my effects and returned to Wexham BY
= late afternoon train. The bus was
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