The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-06-16

pXDySeQ dlteT Iue. ulSCOScIf VI heoSICl D
/Gefalcation, she shuddered at the thought
of her brave, unsuspecting father appear
ing among them now, when failure had
really come.
Failure! She could not believe it.
Why! her father was reputed wealthy.
the bank dividends were large. Was
some sinister hand involving them in all
this trouble? Only the week previous,
she had sat in Mr.. Mcrwyn's office while
be endorsed a draft for thousands.
Besides that invested in the city, was
her own splendid fortune left he- by her
mother.
That she had begged her father to
take charge OF personally only a week
since. Failure!-the bank broken!-
with all those resources at hand!
Still, the fact confronted her-.a howl
ing, ravenous mob without threatened
destruction. Her father bad looked pale
and anxious when, the night previous,
he had ordered his horse, and an nounced
that he was going to the city, twenty
FIVE miles distant. on important business.
He will return by the regular road.
! will saddle Beauty and meet him ard
warn him. before be reaches Ridyefeld,"
refd-ted Flora.
MS. Grey wrung her hands as Flora
appeared below, clad il her riding habit.
and announced her intention. The
lovely lips curled scornfully as the house
keeper recalled Mr.. Dacre's promise Of
providing a place of refuge for them un-
til the storm was past.
Once moanted on Beauty, once turn
ing the corner Flora Merwyn paled a
shade deeper. One glance at the mob,
scutfling, shouting, burIlng missiles, told
that the appearance of the supposed
cause of it all, Abel Merwyn, would be
the signal for a numerous assault
As Flora passed a. cottage, a woman
%iiaranguing a throng Of %neighbors d.
rected a curse at that thief Merwyn's
daughter, with her tnery!" and some
~workingmen passing from the mill,
scowled darkly at her. Enmi;Y
was abroad. With o wildlY-beat-
ing heart, Flora directed the
trim little steed across the bridge
and, keeping to the road that ran along,
the river, peered anxiously ahead, eX-
pecting to meet her father every mo.
ment.
He will certainly come this way.
There is a road leading to the town on
the opposite bank, but it is in bad repair.
He always returns from the city this
SIDE" she reflected. ION! on! Beauty,
once beyond the thicket ahead. and we
shall have a clear view down the road
for over a mile, and may see him coming.
Mercy!!'
The exclamation marked a catastro-
phe. Urging or the pony at his ~tleetest,
his forefeet struck a burrow. lie stag
gered and stumbled. A Practical horse.
woman Flora leaped Inhurtto the ground,
but when she tried to lead Beauty from
his difficulties. she found that one fore
leg was abrased, and he limped badly.
81 shall have to proceed on foot" she
m1tmured, a trife dismayed. What is
tha:?"
pit, whatever II was, or whoever 1t
was, that rustled through the wood near
at hand, the disturbing presence passed
from view and mind, as she secured
Beauty to a tree and buried on.
.Jca peered eagerly ahead down the
road, as she neared a spot where it
branched sharply from the river with
a sigh of disappointment, she discerned
only a load of hay toiling along the dusty
country throughfare.
II will rest here awhile. and wait"
she decided. What matters, so I in
tercept him finally. Father! father"
Just sinking to a fallen tree, Flora
sprang to her feet with a wild, joyful
cry.
Her hands pressed across her tumultu-
ously-beating heart, she cried out with
all her might, and strained her vision
across the stream.
Just visible at a break in the bushes,
on horseback, was her father. To save
time by a shorter although a roughcr
road, .he banker had taken the opposite
shore in his return to Ridgefield.
There was no bridge nearer than the
town. and the broad, rushing river sepa-
rated them, but Flora relied on her voice
to reach and halt him, till she could ex-
plain and warn him.
Father! father!" she cried again as 1T
a second break in the bushes, tho forp
Of the hUrseman was disclosed.
[To BE CONTINUED.