The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-09-29

think he has particular friendship for
you?" .
"I've told you what he comes for, "
said Rhoda, with IN air of petulance.
''He said that have naturally very
good voice, and with proper cultivation
of it can become a very fine singer.
And he kindly offered to give me extra
lessons, and think it would have been
very foolish in me to have let such a
chance slip"
''Be careful, Rhoda," said Dick,
soberly. "He isn't the kind of man
I'd like to have sister of mine very
intimate with. You haven't any
| MOTHER
"I know I haven't, but I think I'm
able to take care of myself" burst out
Rhoda, Indignantly. ''You don't like
him, I know that, and I know why.
You blame him because Mamie has
given you the cold shoulder. Now I
know that he doesn't care feather for
her, but she does for him. Boarding
at her uncle's, as he does, he has to be
agreeable to her, of course"
"I suppose he told you this?"
cit doesn't matter WHO told it to
me-" answered Rhoda. IT know it to
be the truth. I think Mamie Boone
ought to be ashamed of herself"
'He has told you this story to make
you think he is attentive to Mamie un-
der compulsion," said Dick. "Now
she may have been to blame in the
matter-indeed, I know she has been
but I know, too, that he is not obliged
to be as attentive to her as he is. He
is deceiving both of you. That's the
long and short of it. So long as he
talks sweet to Mamie he is sure of
keeping her blind to the truth. He
tells you what you have told me to
throw the responsibility of his going
with Mamie upon her, and I presume
he gives you to understand that he
would greatly prefer your society to
hers, but circumstances oblige him to
be more or less attentive to her, and
in that way he thinks he throws dust
in your eyes about his attentions to
her. Am not right about this,
Rhoda?"
IT won't be questioned in this way"
cried Rhoda. 'Mr. Wayne is my
friend, and if I like him it's nobody's
business but my own. I know that
you don't like him, but I never sup
posed you would try to work against
him in this way. He is too much of a
gentleman to talk about you behind
your back"
IT am very sorry that you are SO
blind" said Dick, earnestly. 81 don't
say word against Wayne because I
don't happen to be on friendly terms
with him, but for your sake, Rhoda.
It's out of friendship for you"
"You are quite sure about that?"
asked Rhoda, with an incredulous
smile.
eyes, quite sure" answered Dick.
eff Mamie sees fit to throw me by and
take Wayne, that is her privilege. She
was bound to me by no verbal promise.
I don't blame him for what she has
done. I blame him for his own actions;
and am honest when I tell you that
if there had been no ill-feeling between
him and myself, I should feel that 1
was doing no more than my duty to
tell you what have, and advising you
to be careful of the influence you allow
him to gain over YOU"
"Dick Brayton, won't listen to any
thing more of that kind of talk from
you!'' cried Rhoda, angrily. ''I am
not such bad creature as one would
take me to be, from what you are say
ing"
IT beg your pardon if I have said
anything that leads you to infer that
1 think there is anything bad in your
conduct" responded Dick. "What I
meant by what I said about his infu-
ence over you was simply this: He
does not care farthing for you. If
he tells you t. hat he does, he lies. He
is amusing hi mself at your expense,
and Mamie Bo ones, for he really cares
no more for her than he does for you,
and before either of you know it, your
hearts will become entangled in the
web of deceit he weaves to snare them
in; and in proportion to the conf
dence you put in him, and the infu-
ence he gains over you, will be the
pain which will surely come when you
find out that he has fooled you. Be
careful, Rhoda. I am talking to you
as would if you were my sister-as I
would talk to you if Wayne had never
laid straw in my way"
"Perhaps you are," responded
Rhoda, "but it looks very much to
me as if you were doing it out of
spite"
"Well, if you think that, there's no
use in saying anything more about it, "
said Dick. "Time will prove that I
am right. T can afford to wait till that
time comes"
He watched Rhoda closely when
they had reached the schoolhouse and
she was in Wayne's presence. And
he was satisfied from what he saw,
viewed in the light of what she had
admitted in the conversation which
had taken place during their walk to
the schoolhouse, that she was fascin-
ated by Wayne. His influence over
her was already sufficient to make her
blind to the real condition of affairs
Whatever he might tell her she would
believe implicitly. To others it was
quite evident that he was more inter
ested in his Irritation with Mamie; but
to Rhoda, who believed what he had
told her, Mamie was the aggressive
party, and he suffered her to monop'
| nl;un q chnra nf hie attentions silnnll