The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-05-05

You are false, Of course, the young
sculptor muttered, and proceeded in a
louder but hoarser tone: "A beautiful
girl who does not use her power fears to
make herself very commonplace wo-
man. Do not know, through you, how
all that isP"
"Mr. Grenfell," interposed Prescott.
II am willing to have another madcap
wrestle with you, but we had better
leave my wife's presence for that, and
you had better hold your tongue"
Il shall be the one to say the last
word you will hear" Grenfell coolly re-
piled.
"Oh, no, you won't" Nina said. She
started up and took one OF Grenfells
hands in both Of hers, and commanded:
BE decent and kind.
II she. had not been sincere herself
she could have done nothing with him.
His unleashed animal nature was held
in check by her spiritual nature, so
vastly superior. Grenfell was surprised
that he did not clasp her in his arms,
but he could not have done it. A
woman knows how to disenchant fer
vor she does not wish to excite. By
her eyes he could see that she was not
thinking wholly Of him. He dreaded
their calm, and he hated it, for it was
not OF to-day. He seated himself at
the table.
The door opened, and Mifin came
in, behind a plate of hoe-cake. She
was evidently galvanized at the unex-
pected sight Of the stranger, and went
through various feats of motion without
dropping any of the contents Of the
plate; and not sound escaped her
mammoth lips, it seemed as If her eyes
would do the shouting. But she came
of ancestors who had not murmured un-
der the lash. She made grotesque
long reach for the table with her
shining black stick of ar arm, and
showed the plate onto it, staring at
Grenfell. He was quite worth a pro-
tracted inspection. Her young mistress
directed her to fetch cup for the
guest, and then Miftin let her gaze
glide toward Nina. All at once the
whites OF her eyes dazzled about her
like lightning and she was gone.
"A1iffin is one Of our amusements,
Nina said. Tom is giving you some Of
our Southern dish Of chicken. Tom is
a Southerner, although we are living
Just now in a mimic Iceland"
Yes, an Iceland" Grenfell echoed,
leaning back in his chair as lightly as if
he might spring to the window in the
next breath.
Still, Nina's face wore the look Of one
who has become convinced Of some.
thing higher and better and stronger
than humanity. This look was detesta-
BILE to his animal selfshness. If it
would cnly melt into the enthralling,
sirlish subtlety again! 1t let the cold
air of endless reaches Of sucrifice in
upon his tender desires II he had
kissed her hand, or even her lips, she
would have been uninterested. But she
looked profoundly content. He was so
entirely outside her needs that she re.
garded his love as disease Of the soull
Above all, the girl whom he had adored
he was beginning to venerate. He
loathed the cold wave that was curling
over him. the change that was being
wrought in him. Let him stay, he
silently begged OF her spirit, in the
warmer lights OF lower horizon, where
the colors were the ruby of hope and
the gold Of gain.
He found that she was handing him a
cup Of fragrant coffee and smiling, both
gently and commandingly, into his eyes.
He reused himself, took the cup in an
unsteady hand and set it down at ran
dom. Revolt touched flaming sl ark
to his brain and he was lost.
1T must seem unaccountable to you,
he said, that am not ablc to find suf-
ficient delight in my art to enable me to
bear the loss of u woman OF mere per-
ishable flesh. know how it usually is
with great artist; and l do love my
art as l love myself, as love this right
hand Of genius. And have l not that
perfect marble portrait Of you, which
made when you thought OF me as
friend, Nina" he went on, smiling
gently into her face, which is bit or
art enough to take the love OF any man.
1t is constantly before my eyes, but l
am not satisfied" He drew q revolver
from his pocket and held it on one knee.
Nina sprang up, her husband rose calm
ly. Grenfell remained sitting, study
| ing first one and then the other of these
young people who were SO good TO the
| sight "A dozen times in my wander
ings have spared the lives of thieves
and cut -throats, at some risk OF my own
safety. Surely may kill man at my
choice who has stolen all / cared for.
Nina looked at Prescott wondering
! that he did not pull out his pistol, which
he was in the habit Of carrying about
him. He answered the message Of her
ewes by directing his glance to the man.
tel shelf behind her, and she realized
that he must have laid his pistol there