The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-09-05
4 CHAPTER VIII.
CONTINUED.

CONTINUED.
But Mrs. vernon's arm clasped her
daughters waist and gave caress for
caress with genuine creole Vehe-
mence.
They walked from room to room
in a final round of review, hand in
hand. and commenting vivaciously on
the beauty of the decorations. .
"But I wonder why papa doesn't t
Gomez" said Pauline; che promised
to be in by eight" =,
"Some affair or other has detained
him." answered the mother; you
know he has had much to look after
since we returned. We have scarce
" had an hour with him for month
and more"
81 think he might lay aside affairs
for this evening at least, when II IL
would be so very nice to have him. "
"Oh. but he will be here in good
time; he likes sucn thing as this;
he's never so light and bright and en-
gaging as when in the midst OF a
company" ,,.
"And YOU are so beautiful this even
ing, mamma. He will be very proud
of you" ,.
might say that; but I'm not going to
fiatter you. Do you know, Pauline.
that it is positively dangerous Tor a
young woman to think herself beautl-
ful?" ;.
"Why, mol If she really is beauti-
full. why should she not be perfectly
frank in acknowledging her good for-
tune?"
They we're passing before grand
mirror set in a bronze frame; they
both looked in and stood for mo-
ment contemplating themselves as re-
flected there. =,
A momentary pensiveness passed
over Mrs. Vernon's face; but Pauline
blushed just little and smiled with
an expression of sincere delight as
she glanced over the reflection OF a
slender, graceful girl dressed in a
gown of clinging, dull-white brocaded
silk with fluff of delicate lace OF tho
upper line of the modestly designed
corsage. 1t was radiant face that
threw back her smile, and the white
arms and throat with their curious
bracelets AMI slender pearl necklace
shimmered softly.
At this moment Mr.. Vernon came
in, accompanied by tall. swart man.
The two went directly upstairs to the
room prepared for the gentlemen's s
dressing room, but returned almost
Immediately, when Mr.. Vernon pre-
sented his guest to the ladies as Col
onel Philip Loring. ..
The gentleman's bearing was mill
tary, soldierly in the extreme, and his
form and facp suited we'll the air OF
studied dignity he wore. While not
strictly handsome, his features were
strong aud well-formed, and his eyes
had singular power, as if OF concen-
tration and steadiness. He was
bronzed by exposure to wind and sun
until his face was olive-brown, al
though it could be seen that it was
not naturally dark, and there was
white scar, saber.cut it appeared,
running in o slender line across part
of his left cheek and ear. His neck
was corded with muscles and his
hands were shapely, large and sinewy.
"You have q lovely home here, Mrs.
Vernon" he said, speaking French
with curious accent. 81 have been
telling your husband that he lives like
grand duke"
Mrs. Vernon had often heard her
husband speak of Colonel Loring as
one of his most trusted friends; but
she had never before seen him.
His smile, as he looked down into
her face, was peculiarly attractive, al
belt there was in it something remote
and inexplicably unsatisfactory.
'And you, mademoiselle,"' he con-
tinued, turning with bow to Pauline,
''must be as happy as you look, in
such o place of enchantment. You
will not charge rough old saber like
me with fattery if I tell you that you
look like an especially dangerous fairy
In a most alluring bower"
Pauline's cheeks showed the slight
est access of pink under his bold yet
not unpleasant glance.
"Your father and l." he added,
shave long been great friends, and I
account it one of my far-apart pieces
of good fortune to be here, even by
mere chance, tonight"
my fathers friend is my friend, "
Pauline said; and she could not have
accounted for the embarrassment she
felt in delivering this bit of formality.
"And mine," joined Mrs. Vernon.
''We are glad to welcome you as q
chance guest this time, and we shall
be proud to greet you as privileged
one hereafter at oil times"
The conversation could 90 no further
than these stiff comnlonplaces charac-
ter;stic of the period and the place.
Guests were arriving, and Mrs. Yer
non and Paulire had duties to meet
ut once. They both turned away,
leaving Colonel Loring standing. tall,
straight, grimly attractive, beside a
magnificent Towering cactus as tall
and strange as he. Somehow they
took his face with them, clearly set in
their minds, and the scar on the cheek
and ear was rs white and the features
as dark and magnetic as in the orig
inal. 81.
Among the early guests was Lieu.
tenant Ballanche. He shook hands
with Mrs. Vernon, and, after few