The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-12-01
CONTINUED.
Copyright by Robert Bonner's SONS
CHAPTER XIX.


! Rhoda was inclined to resent hls
Door excuse, for it indicated that ne
Thought any explanation would satls1J
her. And, then, she had begun N
have some doubts about him. saman
thy had exerted an influence agalns'
him. and when Samanthy "didn't like
a body, she didn't, an that was al
there was to it," according to her OWL
statement, and she had left no stone
untnrned in her effort to make poln'
against Wayne. She had been lntiu,
anced by two motives: She did not
like Wsyne, and she did like Rhoda.
eyes, YOU look somewhat incredu'
lous," he said. els it necessary 1o1
me to tell you all I have been doing to
prove to you that I have been busy!
"Oh, you needn't put yourself to
that trouble" said Rhoda, with a sim. n,
ulation of indifference. She WASN'T
going to let him Astter himself that
she cared very much if he did not
come to see her.
Just then some one called him away
for q moment.
It was Bill Green.
When their consultation was ended
thew stood and chatted together for q
moment. Then Rhoda heard Bill say;
"Hain't ben havin' tiff with
Rhody, hev ye? Seem s ef she looked
kin O. riled up about suthln.. or
ruther."
"I think she doesn't like it very
we'll because I haven't been to see her
lately" answered Wayne, with a laugh
that brought the angry color to
Rhoda's face. IT did 60 there quite
often, as perhaps you know; but L saw
the girl was inclined to take everything
in dead earnest, and I've rather fought
shy of her since. A nice sort of girl
to help one pass away time when 1T
hangs heavy. Iwonder you don't lay
siege to her heart, Green. Shed make
You q charming wife. -,
Wayne had no idea that Ri. ia could
hear what he was saying. But she
heard every word of it, and her eyes
fairly blazed with anger under cover OF
her sun-bonnet.
"Oh, you miserable wretch!" she
said under breath. 'I despise you! 1
hate you! I wish could make you
feel how much contempt 1 have Tor
you! To talk like that about me to
such thing as Bill Green! Oh, you
puppy" .
the intensity of wrath that was con-
centrated in Rhoda's tone. Girls with
q nature like hers can hate quite as
thoroughly as they can do anything
else. In much less time than it has
taken to tell it her liking for Wayne
had changed to hatred andrepugnance:
She saw now that what Dick had told
her was true. There could be no mis-
take, no doubt, for she had the truth
from Wayne's own lips. Hehad made
her his dupe. He had made o play
thing, fool, of her.
eff I ever get chance to pay you
back, I'll do i'll" she said, with flash
ing glance of scorn at him. And she
meant it.
The chance was nearer at hand than
she dreamed of.
when Wayne came back to the seat
he had vacated, from his interview
with Bill Green, she turned her back
upon him squarely, and ignored every
attempt of his at conversation with
lofty but silent contempt, much to his
vexation and consequently to her de-
light.
Some new arrivals necessitated q
change of seat. This brought Rhoda
next to Samanthy and Mamie.
"You don't like Mr.. Wayne as well
as you used to, doyou?" she whispered
to Mamie.
Rhoda was never given to beating
about the bush. .
ST don't like him very WE'LL" an
swered Mamie, cautiously.
OF late she and Rhoda had not beer
very intimate rather cool to eact
other, in fact-and she was at loss
to understand what Rhoda's tactics
were; therefore she thought it best tt
be rather reserved III ke- aommunica
tions until her object in starting sucl
q conversation became clear.
"I just hate him!" said Rhoda. g.
never saw anybody who looked meane'
to me than he does"
"I'm glad of it," said Mamie, sud
denly waxing cordial. "I don't be
lieve you hate him any worse than
dop'
Thus it was that hatred-a feeling
that should not have been tolerated a
camp-meeting-m made better friends O
these two girls than they had been TO.
some time before.