The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-05-08
and I know how to make my tender

She checked his 1mpaSsloned speech
by gesture Of hot repulsion.
"You sneer at Auberon Crecy's youth
and genius" said she, impetuously,
while her eyes flashed wrath and scorn
upon the offender; "but how will your
past life compare with his2 Is it a.
crystal purep Have you as little need Of
concealments? Thanks, no, prefer to
marry a man whose life has been as open
and honorable as my own to marrying
Richard Accrington with his memories.
Accrington was CHASTITY: the stroke
had gone home to the one vulnerable
spot in his indurated heart The woman
he madly loved knew all-knew and de.
spised him! but what could she knowi
perhaps nothing but vague report
"Who has dared to sully your innocent
mind with ISLANDERS of my paste" de-
manded he with show OF righteous
wrath. "Who could have had the bad
heart to do it?"
aCan you disprove these slandersp"
said Loveday scornfully.
He believed that she had learned moth.
ing definite, and said mournfully:
"Alas! Miss Dellamere, what mans
past life is fit for a maiden's scanningf
We look to womanhood to redeem Us
from our errors, and true love gives US
the future in which to make due repara
tion?"
~ will have no lover whose record Is
too shameful for me to read!" cried
Loveday ferily; then she fastened hel
indignant gaze upon him and added
"Why do you speak of reparation? have
you ever repaired the wrong you did
Lord Inchcape? and you ask me to love
q man like that"
Accrington started back with q NUT
tered curse, utterly overwhelmed.
She did know all-she had learned hit
most shameful secret
He was liar in her sight basest crime
in the calendar; he had lied away mans
honor, and then built his prosperity upor
his victims downfall.
Oh. if Loveday knew the blackest Of
all his secrets he might we'll despair OF
winning her, even by force-she would
die before she would marry liar.
And so he has lost her, this fairest
dearest love of his life, the one thing Or
the earth he coveted most
And the boy will marry her, they will
adore each other. Are they not well
matched in purity?
No! death, destruction rather
What! is he to see her wrested from
his strong hands, in spite of all the fierce
passion which is urging him up Il
desperation? is he to be robbed OF the
being who is more precious to him thai
the political prize he was straining for
more precious even than revenge or
Lord Inchcape?
Ah, if she were his they would fly fal
from scorning England to iovelier lands,
where he would drink sweeter happiness
than he had yet tasted.
If! maddening word! what will induce
her
At this point in his half deliriou.
thoughts, Accrington started from his
rigid attitude with new hope In his eyes
there was one chance for him yet
She had taken the opportunity OF hii
stupefaction to hurry away, only toe
happy to escape him before worse befelli
but thoughts glance swift as light
through the brain, and Accringtont
reverie had not been long enough to
cover a retreat Of more than q score OF
steps. He caught her and barred the
way before she was out Of the sheltered
walk; she saw wonderful change on
his face; such grief and humility arrest
ed her in spite of herself.
at l should repair this wrong you
reproach me with, what then?" he
asked.
Loveday felt her heart stand still.
Oh, if be only would do that! The
vision of Lord Inchcape, worn with
mysterious grief, desolate in his grand
eur and solitary in his prime, passed be.
fore her. Did this man hold the key OF
that locked life? And was it possible
that he might be induced to restore the
happiness which had been lost so longf
@Oh, Colonel Accrington, if you will
do that, how I shall thank and honor
you!" she said, with deep emotion.
"But what if it cost me name and fame
and drove me forever from my native
land?"
@The greater the sacrifice, the moro
worthy the reparaton. Oh, sir! can yor
hesitate one moment?"
"Miss Dellamere, you can win the
sacrifice from me, ana you alone"
She recoiled in wild dismay.
"No-oh, in pity, mol" she moaned.
3Do not thrust the responsibility upon
me. What have to do with it?"
Sweetest love, you already have my
heart; take my life, too, and mold 1t al
you will. Is it home and honor or exile
and the worlds reprobation?"
"Do right, Colonel Accrington, though
the heavens should fall"
@And you will award me this little
hand which strips me Of the best prizes
of busy life?"
"Ah. cruel! You surely could never
exact the sacrifice. Shame!" she sud
denly cried in her anguish. "Can youI
reparation only be bought? Oh, shame,
that soldier should stoop to such 9
craven thought" And she moved away,
weeping bitterly, her hopes completely
crushed.
Accrington could only gnaw his lip in
sickening abasement. How could be
have hoped that he could build claim
on that act Of common honesty? She
only despsed him the more for the
odious suggestion.
He thought the end had come, but no
To his surprise, she came to him pres
emily, and began to plead with her whole
soul for Lord Inchcape. Would not
Colonel Accrington perform this just act,
and be worthy Of her lifelong gratitude
and prayers?
He stood mute and irowning, and let
her pour forth her sweet beseeching: he
was weaving his web Of thought busily.
When he had formed his purpose.
peculiar fash !it his gloomy eye-a faint
smile played about his mouth for mo-
ment; but he subdued all such signs Of
Lze. II