The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-10-30

cumvented. and he would still be hold.
ing his own In the world. And the God
of Israel, whom he believed in, and who
was hard but conscientious Providence.
something like himself, would assist him,
perhaps, some day to the understanding
of this same vague injustice which He
was, for some strange reason, permitting.
But never more unrelenting and un-
sparing Of others than when under con-
viction Of sin himself. and never more
harsh and unforgiving than when fresh
from the contemplation OF the divine
mercy, he still sat there grimly holding
his hands to warmth that never
seemed to get nearer his heart than that.
until his daughter re-entered the room
with his carpet bag.
To rise, put on his coat and overcoat,
secure fur COP on his head by a woolen
comforter, covering his ears and twined
round his throat, and to rigidly offer a
square and Gather beaten cheek to his
daughters dusty kiss, did not, appar-
emily, suggest any lingering or hesita-
ton. The sled was at the door, which,
for a tumultuons moment, opened on
the storm and the white vision Of a
horse knee-deep in a drift, and then
closed b. hiud him. ZulGika shot the
bolt, brushed some flakes OF the invad :
ing sncw from the mat and, after fru-
gally raking down the fire on the hearth
her father had just quilted, retired
through the long passage to the kitchen
and her domestic supervision.
It was few hours later; supper had
long passed.; the hands" had one by
Zone returned to their quarters under the
roof or in adjacent lofts, and Zuleika
and the two maids had atlast abandoned
the kitchen for their bedrooms beyond.
Zuleika herself, by the light Of soli-
tary candle, had entered the Office and
had dropped meditatively into a chair,
as she slowly raked the warm ashes
over the still smoldering fire. The
barking Of dogs had momentarily at
tracted her attention, but 1t had sud-
denly ceased. 1t was followed, how.
ever, by q more startling incidental
slight movement outside, and an attempt
to raise the window! ',
She was not frightened; perhaps,
there was little for her to fear; 1t was
known that Hays kept no money in the
house, the safe was only used for
securities and contracts, and there were
half -a-dozen men within call. It was,
therefore, only her usual active, burn
ing curiosity for novel incident that
made her run to the window and peer
out; but it was with q spontaneous cry
of astonishment that she turned and
darted to the front door and opened 1t
to the muffied figure Of young man.
-Jackl Saints alive! Why, Of all
things!" she gasped, incoherently.
He stopped her with an impatient
gesture, and hand that prevented her
from closing the door again.
Dad amt here?" he asked, quickly,
no"
'When'll he be back?"
Not tonight.
Good" he said, turning to the door
again. She could see motionless
horse and sleigh in the road, with q
woman holding the reins.
He beckoned to the woman, who
drove to the door and jumped out. Tall,
handsome, and audacious, she looked at
zu1e1ka WIN QUICK laugh OF commence
as over some recognized absurdity.
. Go in there" said the young man,
opening the door to the office; "I'll come
back in minute.
AS she entered, still smiling, as II
taking part in some humorous but risky
situation, he turned quickly to Zuleika
and said, in low voice: Where can
we TALK"
The girl held out her hand and glided
hurrledly through the passage until she
reached door, which she opened. By
the light Of dying flre he could see It,
was her bedroom. Lighting a candle :,
on the mantel she looked eagerly !
in his face as he threw aside his muff1er
and opened his coat. 1t disclosed a
spare, youthful figure, and thin, weak
face that a budding mustache only
seemed to make still more immature.
For an instant brother and sister gazed
at each other. Astonishment on her
part, nervous impatlenee on his, sp-
parently repressed any demonstration
Of family affection. Yet when she was
about to speak he stopped her roughly:
There, now; don't talk. know what
you're going to say-cQuld say 1t mYsep
If wanted to-and it's no use. Well,
then, here I am. You saw her. Well,
she's my wife-we've been married three
mOulllS. LTD, illJ "AAS, aA|AA~SN
months ago. I'm here because l ran
away from school-that is, I haven't
been there for the last three months.
I came out with her last steamer; we
went up to the Summit Hotel last night
where they didn't know me-until we
could see how the land lay, before pop
ping down on dad. happened to learn
that he was ont tonight, and I brought
her down here to have talk. We can
80 back again before he comes, you
know, unless
But, interrupted the girl, with sud-
den practically, you say you amt been
at Doctor Dawson's for three months!
Why, only last week he drew on dad for
S25U for your extras!"
He glanced around him and then ar
ranged his necktie in the glass above
the mantel with a nervous laugh.
"Oh, that! I fixed that up mys eli ana
got the money for it in New York to
pay our passage with. It's all right
you know"
CHAPTER IL.
The girl stood looking at the ingenu'
GUS forger with an odd, breathless smile.
1t was difficult to determine, however,