The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-02-14

Arthur. under the continual necessity
of behaving not only to Eva Charles
worth. but to all women, with unnat'
ural formality, and Of demonstrating
with his angry betrothed, Estelle
honestly stroVe to crush the unworthy
feeling down, but their deep roots iu
her temperament and education put
forth fresh shoots as soon as the old
ones We're killed off. At last a crisis
Eva Charlesworth had long ago
promised to marry Hal Armitage as
soon he should be able to keep a wife
but her parents would allow no othel
engagement, as Hal was harum.
scarun fellow, with a great distastt
for hard work, and correspondingly
little prospects of making sufficient
income. The poor girl was beginning
to suffer from the effects OF long wait
ing, and to feel, though she never
doubted her lovers affection, that he
was not doing all he might to forward
their marriage, when it was mentioned
before her one day that Arthur Rivers
had a voice in the appointment OF
manager for some engineering Yorks
in New Zealand. Eva resolved to
make an appeal to him on behalf o.
the man she was ready to follow to
the end of the world, and an oppor.
presented itself shortly at the Cotter.
ellis where she was spending the
evening. 49,.
II want to speak to you in private
presently, Arthur" she said in a low
voice, almost as soon as they had
shaken hands.
Arthur bowed with the stiffness 70,
quired of him by Estelle, but BIZ
words we're cordial. "Wheneyer and
wherever you like, Eva" ~
"In the conservatory, then; while
Estel.e is singing" she replied,
indicating by a nervous little laugh
her comprehension of possible Difficult
ties.
Soon Estelle was called to the piano.
At the end of the first song she missed
Rivers, but it was not till she had
finished second that she discovered
that Eva had also absented herself.
In moment her indignant jealousy
surged up, and, trembling all over
with suppressed fear end anger, she
went to the head Of the steps which
led down into the conservatory. The
two figures were standing below, half
hidden by q tall palm.
"You know will do all I can for
you, Eva" said the man.
II know you have always been bet
ter to me than I Deserve" said the
woman, her voice hardly under con-
troll. you'll keep my secret now
Arthur ?" '@
II will keep your secret and serve
you," said Rivers, with just that
strong gentleness in his voice which
Estelle thought he had no right to use
to any but her. The miserable girl
clinched her hands and teeth in the
effort to restrain herself, conscious OF
the unfitness of making a scene, but
self control was not to be learned In 9
moment, and passion asserted itself.
"Arthur" she said, in a low, chok.
ing voice and stepping down toward
him "you are traitor-you have de-
ceived me-you-" she could hardly
speak, and now she put up one hand
to her head. while the other, extended
forbade his approach. So she stood
for a moment, then her figure swayed
she missed her footing, and he only
caught the words, "Ah, you have
killed me ~ before she fell at his feet
sobbing. crying, raving, f1inging her
self about in violent Mysteries, like
one possessed.
Eva, shocked beyond measure, call
ed Mary Cotterell to her aid, and, with
as little fuss as possible, they got Es-
telle upstairs, where she continued al
night In q state of half-delirious misery
and rage. The only thing she was
distinct and persistent about was thai
she would never see or speak to Ar
thur again. He left the house in
despair, pinning his. only hope on
Mary, who promised to bring the pool
girl to reason. "Leave her to me 8
few days." she said, and Rivers
obeyed, devoting all his energies to
getting Hal Armitage the colonial po'
sition desired for him by Eva.
Estelle, sorely ashamed of herself by
now, heard the news Of bis success
from Mary, who added an explanation
of the part played by Arthur.
"Are you satisfied now ?" asked the
latter, with the sterness she found
more sslutary than gentleness.
"Why hasn't Arthur been. to see
me ?" asked Estelle, looking down.
"You went too far this time; you
forgot that he has his PRIDE"
Estelle sprang up and dropped on
her knees beside Mary's chair. "Let
me 20 to him! Not to his house,
don't mean that, but somewhere
where I shall meet him Oh, my
dear Mary, do this one thing more for
me, I implore you ~
II don't think you deserve anything
of the sort" said Mary, sharply, and
nothing like promise could be extort'
ed from her.
1t was, therefore, only singular
coincidence that the Following day
Arthur should be walking through
Coppepham Wood just as Mary and
Estelle happened to be nutting there
or, rather, Mary was nutting, while
Estelle stood by in her Frenchified
dress, and never 80 much as took of
her gloves. It was lucky, too, that
Just when Arthur came upon them
Mary should be high up from the
ground in a THICK bush, and quite out
ofsight and hearing behind the leafy
screen which compassed her about. q
Where were Estelle's low spirits
now?" She had meant to be very
humble and penitent, but 1t was never
any use for her to decide beforehand
how she would behave, and now,
when she saw the dreaded red-haired
man" approaching her, the pleasure of
it was 80 great theat everything else
went out of her head. There was q
stile between them, and hastily gather.
ing a field daisy, she went and stood
her side Of it, with face full of child
ish gaiety. n.
"He loves me a little, much, more,
MT Of oil Ohio haoan ra nidlv oountipo