The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-25

j
remember?"
eyes"
"What do you remem3er?"
"That your name is-Katherine-
Katherine!"
She paled divinely and drew little
away. But his eyes were upon her
eyes full of piercing light, yet Ian
gushing and lengthening like the eyes
of love. Virgin passion burns tc
whiteness, and the Frightening pallol
of Katherine's cheeks was that "com
plete steel Of sanity chastity" that
CANCELS lacky." Mowbray bowed be-
fore it. She passed onward and he
felt that an atmosphere had fallen be-
tween them that he could not, even by
thought, invade. Yet he was strangely
happy. He had been permitted tc
take this great step forward and he
had not been sent back. That was
much. And Katherine Janfarie could
never forget him. As for himself, he
knew that Katherine was his lost
Pleiade found again; the star of oil his
future life.
A few steps brought them out of the
warm perfumed air into the cool fresh
ness of the mountain breeze. Jessy
was waiting at the door of the hot
house.
"I dare not enter it," she said, "the
heat and scent always give me head
ache. I am not from the tropics, that
is evident"
She was astonished to find Kath.
crime and Mowbray so quiet. She
wondered if anything had been said. J."
Being herself yet of the uninitiated,
she did no understand that silence is
the first speech of hearts invaded by
the melancholy and mystery of love.
The mirth of the evening was dis
cord. The laird was in that riotously
happy mood which was the next dis
agreeable thing to his unreasonably
ill-tempered mood. He made jokes
with the minister and snubbed Kath.
crime and scoldcd his servants, anc
imagined himself to be very imposing
because every one remembered he was
their host and tolerated him. During
the evening jamie Wintoun, as Mrs
Brathous had predicted, "found him
self present." and then she carried out
the rest of her plan and played some
merry reels which Katherine taugh,
Mowbray how to dance. It was S
charming lesson, for Wintoun was one
of those fair, tall, long-necked yonths,
who are always glad to be ac"ommo
dating and happy to make others happy,
Also he had more influence over his
uncle than any other mortal, and he
succeeded in partially subduing the
offensive prominence of that gentle
man. For he had not, as yet, the least
jealousy of Mowbray. He had known
Katherine nearly all his life. He had
no more fear of losing her than he had
fear of his estate slipping away from
him. When Katherine was twelve
years old and he was eighteen they
had been told they were destined to
marry each other at the proper time;
Katherine had made no objection then
and no active one since. Therefore
Wintoun looked forward to his mar
riage with the Flower of Gala Water
very much as he had anticipated the
coming of his majority. Both events
were the ordained blessings of the heir
of Wintoun-Lands and Lawers-Moss.
About ten o'clock the minister said,
"There is light now of moon and
stars, laird, and I will be moving home
with my daughter and my guest"
Then the laird was specially effusivei
he wanted all to remain; he wanted
Mr.. Mowbray to stay few days, few
weeks if he liked. 1t was hard fol
Wintoun to make him see the impro'
priety of asking the minister's CUES,
to remove to his house. But Now
bray's serenity threw an air OF pro.
priety over all mistakes and enabled
him in his short adieu to give Kath.
crime, at once, both tho assurance and
the hope he desired. The laird and
Wintoun conveyed the party to the
gates, and Katherine took the oppor'
Iuulty w sllp away W Iva 1ooH'
stood in the dark and watched the
three figures like three shadows dis.
appear. Then Mrs. Brathous spoke
to her and Katherine turned and saw
her mother at the open door,
'The laird bids you come down
stairs, Katherine.
II cannot come down tonight,
mamma"
"The laird willbe angry"
"He is neither king nor kaiser.
Who cares?"
"Katherine!"
"Indeed, mamma, darling, I am ir
revolt. And if you would dare him
only once he would creep into 6
mouse-hole. I am not going to an
swer his summons this night, nor any
night again unless I wish to do SO. J
will follow the Janfarie motto, and dc
my will and fear not"
TO BE CONTINUED.