The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-04-25


kissed her.
"Good night, then, my sweet sis
ter; but 60 to sleep soon, and don t
think too hard. That is all ask Just
now"
She hurried away, as if fearing to
trust herself to say anything more; and
Dolores, her eyes shining through
grateful tears, went toward the open
window, from which she could catch
glimpse Of the far-off broad river that
flowed to the sea, and overhead that
other illimitable and shoreless ocean
of ether within which forever swing
the countless millions of other worlds
that men call ''stars."
For a few minutes she remained
gazing down on the streets below, but
quickly her eyes sought the upper air,
and her thoughts soon scared above
the disquieting influences OF the lower
world, while peace and tranquility
stole in upon her soul.
"What mere atoms we are, all OF
us. in this endless universe" she
murmured, with a gentle tolerance
toward everybody, "and yet how all
important, each one of US, to ourselves
or, to some one else. But for that,
how glad I should be to lose myself
forever in the great sea of space q
What was that line that mamma used.
to say from the old Scotch song?-
nTis love, tits love that makes the
world 20 round'-thatwas the senti--.
ment anyway! Dear Maruja! She
fears that Clarence Stanley is falling
in love with me, and from the depths,
of her own passion, she thinks no
woman could fail to fall in love with
him! And why does the mans pres.
ence disquiet me? I am so Ignorant
of this great passion of which poets
sing and hovelists write-this love
that makes the world 60 round'-that
I do not even know its signs. I am
disturbed, but not joyfully; I am ex-,
cited, but not with pleasure. No, no,
this cannot be love! But whatever it
is, it is making Maruja unhappy, and
that must never be. Rather than
bring unhappiness into her life Twill
vanish out of it forever, and he will
see me no more. But is that neces-
sssary? Does my presence come be-
tween Maruja and her lover? AIN 1
not vain and foolish to suppose it?
Must I sacrifice this new and happy
life for nothing! The only peace, the
only happiness except my mothers
love that I have ever known? I wiM
not be rash. I will know the worst
before I throw away substance for
shadow. o mother dear and best
love of my life-be near me now AZ.
ever to comfort and help mel"
With bitter moan of grief Dolores
drew back from the window, and heS;
gaze dropped from the clear and gilt:
tering expanse abovelherdown toward
the street below, and in that one
swift glance she caught a glimpse of q
white and supplicating face raised
toward her own. 3
"Who is that? What does it mean?
Surely I know that face?" she
thought; and in the next moment she
was bending out of the window and
bending eagerly downward.
The face upraised to her was white
and drawn with desparing misery; for
when he had left the presence OF
Stanley, Van Tassel was conscious of
some impending horror, all the more
terrible because it was unknown and
intangible. He felt only too sure
that, while in the mesmeric trance, he
had been bound by the evil will
which now controlled him, to q prom
ise, the fulfllment of which might
lead him into crime, but which he was
now quite powerless to resist. In his
benighted mind he called on every
power in heaven or on earth to aid
him, and suddenly, like flash of
light, the face of Dolores Mendoza
seemed to rise before him. He had
been listlessly walking to and fro,
having stopped more than once or
twice to refresh himself with brandy,
and how he was being followed by
couple of very rough-looking tramps
who had caught the glitter of gold
when he had paid for his last drink
of brandy. When he stopped sud
denly, looking about him, they
thought themselves detected; and
spying the blue uniform of the police
not far distant they slouched into
dark lane and watched silently, while
Van Tassel turned into a side street
and pursued his way till, as he glanced
upward, he suddenly saw the fare of
Dolores, radiant in the starlight, and
looking to him like the face of his
good angel smiling from the heavens.
"Help! Help!" he cried, and bis
hands were raised in supplication
toward her.
"It is Mr.. Van Tassel!" exclaimed
Dolores, and in an instant she re.
membered all about him-the feeling
of pity which had so touched her on
their first meeting, and desire to pro-
tect which had then actuated her and
sensation, SO often experienced
since, but not understood, as if some
one was crying out to her for assist
ance.
."What does he say?" thought
Dolores, on beholding, from her win
dow, the pale, drawn face Of Van
Tassel. "He is surely in some great
trouble, and lie is calling on me for
help! I cannot speak to him from
here; it is too far; and yet [ cannot let
him think me deaf to his call or IN
willing to respond to it! Ah-yes"
She had drawn back into the room,
and now, as she looked about as if for
some means of conveying message,