The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-04-12

terror 1ull OF LnreuIS anu TepFOhcuoss
You know how wretched he can make
the whole house."
"And when Mr.. Mowbray does como
back?, What then?"
"We shall be married"
"Your stepfather will not permit it.
He will raise no end of objections.
And until you are of age you cannot
marry without his consent"
'"I have mammals consent; that is
enough. I shall marry the man I
love, and no other"
"Have you, then, thought drumming
away to be married?"
IT do not think of running far.
Jessy and were wishing, Jamie
we were thinking that perhaps-you
might be so very good-so wonderfully
kind as to let us be married at your
housew
"Katherine!"
"You see, we could not expect
Doctor Telfair to take any part against
the laird, and I dc not like to trust
the Hislops or the Netherbys; but,
oh, Jamie, it would be like going to
brothers house to be married if you
would not mind our having the cere-
mony at Wiutoun! You would not
mind very much, would you, Jamie?"
Her proposal struck him first with
pain and amazement. He could hardly
credit it. That Katherine should
marry Mowbray from his house with
his sanction, was an outrageous parody
on the expectation Of years. He laughed
hysterically at the prospect; but as she
urged her plea and gave one reason
after another for it, he began to realize
that such O supreme resignation of all
his own claims would really be both
his noblest revenge and his clearest
justification. And when Jessy joined
them she was not long in pointing out
how effectually such move would
take the sting out of all his friends
condolences. They would be out OF
date, tame and unnecessary.
Talking over the matter, they ling
cred in the wood until the sun set, and
even then it kept presenting new views
or unforeseen difficulties. Jessy put
them all aside. She was full OF re-
sources for Katherine and comfortable
words for jamie; and he felt her kind
smiles and the touch of her sympa.
thetic hand to be great consolation.
At the garden gate they saw the laird
standing. Wintoun went frankly to
him, and said:
II am sorry we had cross words this
morning, uncle. Excuse my ill-tem'
per-"
And the laird, after q proper hesita-
ton, looked over the ofense. Rather.
inc then undertook the Precipitation,
and succeeded we'll with it. She made
no promise, and yet Brathous under
stood that she preferred marriage to
school, and he took oil else for granted.
jamie walked behind them, with
Jessy at his side. They stood mo.
ment before a bed of superb pansies,
and Jessy stopped and gathered one
and gave it to Jamie.
"Heart's- s-easew she said softly.
And Jamie looked in her cheerful,
pretty face, and felt that it would be
delightful to kiss her smiling mouth.
"I am 30 miserable, Jessy," he said'
"But you ought to be happy, JAMIE"
she answered. "You have been grand
ly unselfsh." |
katherine does not love me. She
says she never has loved me. I am
not handsome"
"Yes, you are handsome, and a
most perfect. gentleman. No old
knight ever behaved more chivalrous-
ly than you have done tho last hour
or two. And I think you deserve
more love than Katherine can give
you."
Then he looked affectionately down
at his little comforter, and pressed
her arm closer to his side, and felt
that life was not altogether blank.
So the next few weeks went onward
with o kind of dull acceptance of
events. The laird advised jamie to
have his house put in more modern
order for lis bride, and Jamie eagerly
entered into his own suggestions and
sent to Edinburgh for decorators and
fine furniture; in fact, rather overdid
his uncle's ideas. But the young man
was beginning to nurse new hope
one which Katherine had revealed to
him, aud which his heart accepted
with thrill of delightful amazement.
It became o common afternoon event
for the ladies to ride over to Wintoun
and see what the workmen were do
ing. And always Mrs. Brathous and
Katherine wandered away together,
md always Wintoun and Jessy were
left to look after their own amuse.
ment, while almost insensibly Win.
toun grew confidently happy and
rather overbearing in his opinions, and
Jessy quieter and more beautiful, yet
no one could say just when this change
began.
fro mn coET1NTrED