The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-11-15
CHAPTER I.

4 CHANCE MEETING.
On damp, unpleasant day, late in
the month of February, two young
women were fastening through crowd
for the street was full of people,
notwithstanding the dismal weather.
The place was the upper part of Broad.
way, above Madison Square, and both
these girls were going in the same di.
rection, toward the north, both walk
ing at the same pace, and keeping the
same distance between them, so that
an observer might we'll have fancied
that one was in pursuit of the other.
This was partly true, although neither
was aware Of it. The TO, emost of the
girls was handsome, richly and ele,
gantly attired, bright and happy; the
other was pale, sad, plainly dressed
and, though her face was of the kind
that might under exceptional circum-
stances become beautiful, it was not
now pretty enough to attract even a
passing glance.
Any casual passer would have de-
scribed these two as a fashionable
young woman and poor girl. The
first paused as she reached the corner
of Thirty-fourth street; the other girl
also paused, few feet distant. The
street was crowded, as it usually is at
that time of day, and several surface
cars were passing rapidly in various
directions. The snow of two days
past made a deep, slushy mire, rs
slippery and dangerous to walk through
as it was unpleasant to see. The
young lady, who was not accustomed
to walking, and had no sense of the
danger of that particular crossing,
suddenly tossed her little head and,
with slight laugh, plunged forward
into the chaos of moving vehicles and
horses. The movement was so unex-
pected that a policeman, who had
been coming to her assistance, stood
still and gave utterance to few vehe-
ment remarks; explosive e1clamations,
apparently from every point of the
compass, were blown about through
the air; all sorts of vehicles backed
hurriedly and their wheels became in
terlocked. Several horses performed
impromptu circus-feats of standing on
their hind-legs, and all the drivers
swore loudly, heartily and with much
apparent relish. Out of this wild
commotion the young lady presently
emerged on the other side of the
street, her arm closely held in the
firm grasp of the poor girl, and both
young women were now equally pale.
IT must have been crazy to attempt
to cross the street just then," said the
former. ct don't know what pos
sessed me to do it. You see, am not
accustomed to being out alone. I left
my carriage somewhere here, to go
into store; then I walked down few
blocks to another store; and James
must have missed me. Of course, I
ought to have waited till he came up; he
would have found me again in min
ute. But for you, Z should have been
killed-horribly killed!-crushed and
mangled! Oh, how frightened I was
Yes, yes, you have saved my life! And
how can I thank you? Surely there is
something I can do for you, too"
She suddenly left off talking about
herself and, turning towards the girl,
who still held her arm in the same
firm clasp, she looked at her over from
head to foot with one swift, all-com-
prehensive feminine glance; and when
she spoke again, it was in q softened
and gentle voice.
"What can I do for you?" she said.
''You have certainly saved my life, and
you needn't be afraid to ask something
worth while, for my life is precious to
many people, and I value it very much
myself"
The pale girl spoke for the first time,
slowly and, as it seemed, with diff
Guilty; but her voice was distinct,
though low.
81 don't know that I value mine as
/ ought to-" she said in answer to her
companions last words; indeed, I
have been trying to think, all day,
how I could get rid of it. Perhaps
that is why came to do as I did. But
suppose I were to ask you now to say -
my life?"
"Why, I would do it, of course, "
was the quick reply; Eyes, indeed, at
the risk of my own. What's your
name?"
DOLORES Mendoza.
"What pretty name! Mine is just
plain Polly Hamilton. And were you
really going to-But no matter. You
look heart-broken and sick and sorry.
Where can that James be? All, there
he is! You may let 60 of me now,
though do tremble even yet. James,
how stupid of you to 60 and lose me!
I was nearly killed and would have
been--ah, SO horribly!-but for this
lady"
81 saw it oil, miss, said the alarmed
and contrite James, who, by this time,
was holding open the carriage door.
'There was such a jam I couldn't
get the horses through one instant
sooner, miss. Hope I may die, miss,
if my heart wasn't in my mouth when
Iseed you in under them wheels, miss
The sight fairly left my eyes, an when
I could see again, the young lady had
yoa safe over!'
"That she had, James, and no
thanks to you OF any other of those
bowling, frightened, swearing men.
Come, Dolores" she added, as she
stepped quickly into the carriage, "get
\ in here alongside of me; I'm going to
take you home"
Dolores moved towards the carriage: