The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-04-28

womanly sadness, but resignation with
al, put aside her girlishness. Prescott
thought he hated her. But rare to re-
late) he treated her in the midst Of this
trying indignation with entire respect.
What do you know Of him." he ask
ed, his voice trembling.
She sighed, giving q little melancholy
motion Of the head, and looking away,
and then back at him.
He loved meas he called 1t" she
said.
Not once had this wife thus far hurt
her young husband with q pang Of dis
enchantment; and like flood Of light
the sense Of her sweetness swept upon
him. He went up to her and took her
hand and kissed it.
1T is as it always is, Tom" she said
in tone Of deep delight. "You are
true; you are beloved When you wish
it, can tell you about my acquaintance
with this Grenfell.
Nat present he seems to be insane!"
Prescott answered, glancing at the
windows. to be certain that the cur
tains were we'll drawn. If am ever
10 hear further about him, here is the
best time. hope shall not have to
shoot him, in the end!"
And I hope this fierce wind will car
ry him away" she replied, preoccupied
and careless Of her words. She sank
into chair, in half-expectant way. Il
will explain with as few digressions as
possible. Before my fathers death,
and when it was supposed that I was
quite an heiress, Grenfell was one OF
my satellites. Why, have you not
heard OF Grenfell, the young sculptor,
who had made such stir with his
.Artemis' that his name became an en-
bellishment, no longer requiring any
title?"
Certainly; I was writing verses to
Venus, in England. His 'Artemis' sent
him TO Greece, they said"
Yes; he disappeared into that region.
Do you hear q sound as If some one
were moving deep grass?".
Il hear the wind blow the dead leaves
over the door replied Prescott,
smiling to reassure her.
He was poor; young sculptor OF
genius; in short, intoxicated, as you
know ST ong artists so often are, with
the mixed wine of life and inspiration.
Although he made love to me like a
bacchant. he said he should wait till he
had won name and a fortune before
he formally asked me to marry him.
But he threw out many threats OF what
he would do if did not wait, also, until
he reached his goal; that is, II became
engaged to any one else. He used to
picture the Nemesis he would be to me
and to the man I had dared to choose.
I laughed at. these imaginings then; but
since then I have remembered them.
You offered yourself to me, Tom, when
had become poor orphan. with just
few friends. You loved me. Now,
at the time you and met I had not
heard from Grenfellfor several months
He had been writing to me from Greece
and Rome, but without answers on my
part. Still I did not return his letters.
1 made up my mind that he had found
another girl to love, who was perhaps
less discouraging; or that he had heard
Of my fathers death and the collapse OF
our fortunes, and had dropped my
precious friendship as SO many people
did. Yet the fear Of this man has grown
upon me. Ever since our marriage
have dreaded the vengeance he used to
flash before my eyes, as an outlaw
playfully lifts the livid tusk OF his dag
ger from its sheath.
You liked him much better than you
did other young men who were in love
with you, did you not?" Prescott dryly
asked.
Yes. He was charming enough, and
1 was much impressed by his manly at
titude about my money. There were
Frenchmen and Italians bothering my
father over what he would give me as a
dot. And all the veteran artists were
talking about Grenfells work in way
to turn beginners head; yet he never
seemed to lose his head, except when
telling me how we would travel across
the earth like two freed spirits still IN
the flesh the Greeks loved so compre-
hensively. Something in him always
repelled me; but at that time l supposed
it was his legitimate masterfulness.
realize that it was the brutality Of SELF
love, because you have proved to me
that man can be strong and yet per-
fectly refined"
Il half think I killed him when l
knocked him down, suggested Prescott.
That door-stoIe is broad and rough. L
must look out, and see where the fellow
is"
"Oh, mol" Nina exclaimed, frightened
into dark eyed scowling.
"Yes, say. Although don't imagine
he could have had the face to summon
me again, still, this silence and ac-
uuiescence on the part Of such tyrant
Is ominous Of l know not what. He
proceeded to the door, as he proposed,
and stood upon the quiet Threshold
stone. The wind tore about, but there