The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-02-06

the cause OF their enmity; and II no one
else knew that secret Of the past he be-
leved that he could have his will In Sal
ford.
. "You have seen the silly, bewitched
moth futtering round the lame," said
he, softly, and Mrs. Dellamere caught
his inslnuating side glance; during my
weary absence from old England, Sal
ford was my fame, for there I had left
: my treasures of friendship and hope. I
have dared to be true to the past; have
come back to my fame"
Mrs Crecy was silent, for the first
time in her gentle life sneer curled her
lips.
Mrs Dellamere forced herself to speak
with bland Indifference.
"How absence from bull dog Eng and
polishes onel Or Is It your dip omatic life
that has lent such French sentiment and
fervor to your style?"
Accrington revenged the mockery by
bending and looking her in the eyes with
q lurking devil In his own. A small
burning tiame leaped up in her ivory
cheek, she Quailed and turned from him
fercely.
The amiable Mrs Crecy observed this
by-play with sickening apprehension;
she was recalling the scene she had wit.
messed that last day FIVE years ago, when
Richard Accrington and Laura Della
nero had parted To think that he
could touch her heart strings! Oh, proud
Laura where is your naughty spirit
now? .... .,..... g..
But he was her lover once, her first
love, before her spendthrift father sold
her to old Miles Dellamere, the cotton
millionaire; Laura and Richard we're
once what Loveday and Auberon are
now, playmates, companions-fitted by
Nature herself to be each others mates
Just now the play was done, the cur
tain down; friends clustered round
them; Squire Crecy discovered the Colo
mel with shout Of welcome, and Arch
erfeld stumped over to him with grim
triumph and red fist extended. In the
confusion the two ladies retired arm in
arm from thu theater, and sought the
bijou green-room, where the sYIphides
and their queen were merrily chatting
over their late efforts. ..:'.
Why did Laura Dellamere draw her
beautiful child to her bosom with such
unwonted fervor. and mold her thaF
against her neavily throbbing heart,
while she dropped soft, silent kisses
upon her silken hair and wondering,
sweet eyes? .. ...'e
Why did Mrs. Crecy, watching them,
utter the swift, eager prayer in her
heart, "Oh, God, protect the incocent?s
Thew were remembering the rapt gaze
Of Richard Accrington-the passionate
admiration, the stifed sigh with which
be had watched lutte Loveday through
her fairy dance.
Richard Accrington was the son Of q
decayed gentleman Of good birth; he
had made his own way in the world, en-
tered the army as ensign in the days OF
his homage, poverty and love; was Tilted
by Laura Paget daughted Of ruined
baronet and vowed to climb fortunes
ladder, and wiring her heart some day,
served abroad with brilliant gallantry,
and come home colonel and lion,
The first time they met after her per
fdy, he chose day, they say, when
there was grand muster OF London's
proudest in madam's splendid drawing
rooms tthey had parted with passionate
kisses in the parlors Of her fathers tum.
ble-down mansion) and he strobe through
the throng, his uniform and glittering
medals opening path for him wherever
he would go, and buzz Of admiration
following his internal beauty and dis
tineuished celebrity.
So he stood before her, who had VOW
ed by her maiden l6ve to be true to him
forever, and he answered her stricken
gaze with smile as cruel as the grave.
TTo BE coNTNURD.1