The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-10-03

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you could have done what you, did.
When that dark, little man sprang al
your throat with the knife I thought
he had stabbed you !; but you struck
him with your band and he fell
quite as if he had been shot. Oh, it
was dreadful, and you did not appear
to care for it at ALL"
|. Loring's narrow, fascinating eyes
gazed steadily into her face as he
said:
p ,"I have been accustomed to dangers
so much greater than that little affair
could possibly bring, that I hardly
count myself hero, Miss Vernon,
for having piloted you out of trifing
annoyance. Pray do not think OF it
as matter of any Importance what.
ever. I deem it bit of good fortune
for me that I can be at Chateau dor
once more before I take my leave Of
New Orleans for o time"
"And you are going away?" Mrs.
Vernon inquired with quick interest,
that shaded sharply into regret. "Go-
ing away from us?"
"Yes-the war. Icannot rest idle
while the country needs soldiers"
Pauline thought he looked the very
model of what soldier ought to be.
"And where shall you join the army?"
she asked.
IT do not know yet; my place has
not yet been assigned to me; but that
matters little. A soldiers business is
to obey orders and have no prefer
ences."
"Lieutenant Ballanche is gone al.
ready, 7 believe; at least he bade us
goodbye, and was expecting to go to
the interior the next day."
eyes. the Government sent him to
look after some outlaws over on the
Mississippi border, I believe; he's
likely to have some amusement before
he accomplishes his errand, I should
think"
"You gentlemen have strange ideas
of amusement. What entertainment
do you see in fighting robbers?" inter-
posed Mrs. Vernon in deprecatory
tone, that yet had an admiration point
in it. SIS it such great sport to kill
and be kIlled?" 49,, -...-s, .,
"Iy don't call it sport" he said,
turning his gaze slowly from Pauline
to her mother, 'but the excitement
is q mighty tonic. When a man is
hunting man, or is hunted by one,
he feels, to the limit of possibility, the
true meaning of self-reliance."
."But it is terrible!" exclaimed
Pauline. 'sIt makes men worse than
beasts of prey" = -.
Loring laughed slow, heavy laugh,
his strong, mysterious face lighting up
strangely. -.
Mrs. Vernon and Pauline were sit
ting side by side upon dark.tspes-
tried sofa. Pauline was toying with
her mothers hand. .l.. Z
ssIsn't the whole OF life terrible?"
Loring demanded. "What, after all,
is there to relieve it of it's dark sig
nifcance?" ....' ... ..
The ladies looked disturbed. What
hs had said was depressing enough
under the circumstances, but his
voice, his manner and his inscrutayle
face made an impression singularly
startling. It was one of those mo-
ments that come to all of. f.us, when
hidden things Of strange import are
half revealed to what, for want of o
better name, we call our inner con.
sciousness. ~ -
Pauline was aware Of a sudden SYM
pathy for this dark, weather-stained,
Scared veteran who seemed to take
such jaundiced view of life. Her
girls heart went ont to him as it
might have done to o beautiful wound
ed animal. She felt the weight of his
vast experience with evil pressing
upon her with the effect Of infinite
pathos. She recalled what he had
said to her OH the evening of the par.
ty, and new, as she looked at him sit.
ting there upright, muscular, sun
tanned, the picture of resolute, de-
fiant health and vigor, she recognized
in some way the romance. that must
lie behind him along the way he had
come. - ~, >H- >H7S- ~ ~
'sThe business of q soldier must be
sad and saddening," she1said, t'and I
| do not wonder at your view OF Life;
only you might promise yourself rest
and happiness when the war is ended" "
Mrs. Vernon was called away just
then to meet some friends whom o ser.
want announced. .-
As she arose to go, che made an
apologetic gesture. ,
Excuse me, but pray do not go till
I return" she said. -
Why she had spoken thus she could
not have explained, save by admitting
that he was fascinating man to whom
she felt that she owed her life and her
daughters. =
Pauline inyoluntarily made move.
ment to clutch her mothers hand and
detain her. -
| -. (To BE coNT1NUED.l