The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-12-06

And I was so anxious they should
like each other! Well, well, per.
haps it is all for the best
and I must keep them apart as
much as possible! I hope dear Rita
didn't think me cross and, as to Norah.
I don't think I ever spoke so Grossly
to the girl since she has been in my
service!'
With light laugh, Polly Hamilton
unlocked her door, called to the per.
picked and disconsolate waiting-maid,
who was pacing up and down the hall,
and in brief time was dressed and
looking radiant, as she went into din
ner with Clarence Stanley.
That gentleman, whatever his in
ward perturbation of mind might have
been-and 10 recent scene in the
drawing-room had made a powerful
impression on him-had never seemed
to the Hamilton family more interest
ing or more engaging. He was imme'
diately conscious of a difference in
Mary. There was an inde6nable soft.
ness in her aspect, faint, roseate
glow on her. face; and when then
glances met. her look dwelt on him
with modest air of possession ex'
tremely flattering to his vanity. Later
in the evening, as they sat beside each
other at the opera, it was the same;
and Clarence unconsciously dropped
into manner of lover-like devotion
far more pronounced than had ever
been seen in his previous acquaint-
ance with Miss Hamilton.
They had been bending forward over
the front of the box, for the moment
both quite absorbed in the music; but
when the curtain fell they had both
drawn back little, and two pairs of
eyes, belonging to two young women
in the stalls, who had been earnestly
watching them, now looked at each
other and smiled. -. .
,"Of course, they are engaged?" said
Olive Gaye, interrogatively; but
although the words were spoken more
as an assertion than question, a close
observer might have detected an un-
dertone of anxiety in the manner of
the speaker.
''They certainly seem like an engaged
couple tonight" returned Bertha Sef-
ton; "but, if they are, I am sure the
engagement is of recent date, You
know am Polly Hamilton's most init
mate friend-at least I was till within
a few weeks-and I am certain that
no one was more, entirely in her con-
fidence than I used to be. You know
I had met her in San Francisco when
we were there more than a year ago;
we we're constantly thrown together.
I visited at her house for weeks at q
time, and met Mr.. Stanley there almost
everyday; and, although it was cur
rently y reported then that Clarence and
Polly were engaged, I knew from her
own lips that they were not. Since
she has come to New York, our init
macy has been renewed, and I feel
sure as can be of anything that Polly
would have told me if there had been
any change in their relations toward
each other. I always thought she was
in love with Mr.. Stanley, though she
didn't seem to understand her own
feelings; but it never seemed to me
that he was in love with her, although
he followed her everywhere and really
stood in the way Of any other man
paying attention to her. He seems to
me more like q man who was watch
ing business speculation than like a
young man in love with pretty girl.
The listener laughed slightly and
turned her gaze again toward the box
in which were seated Clarence Stanley
and Mary Hamilton. The latter were
somewhat in the shadow of the cur
tain, and still further, hidden from
view by the figure of Mrs. Hamilton,
who had come to the front of the box;
but TO those who were now watching
them with the keenness of personal in
terest it was evident that these two
young people were at that moment so
completely wrapped up in each other
as to be almost unconscious of their
surroundings.
"He looks now," said Olive, in a
low but distinct tone, "as if he had
made up his mind that the speculation
was going to be a paying one."
eyes," answered Bertha, che looks
as if he had determined to marry Polly
Hamilton.
TO BE. CONTINUED.