The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-05-30
CHAPTER XIV.
CONTINUED.

had meant 80 much to her mother!
Would the words there written for
ever crush her confidence in both
friend and lc7er?
This was what Dolores had written:
ITO you who have treated me as kindly,
Gs generously as il ! had been your own
child. though I came to you q stranger,
and almost o waif out Of the streets, write
these farewell words rather than to our
dear Polly, because I hope that you Will
understand them and think that what am
doing is the best and only way. Mr.. Stan
lev. Who is, as ! believe, more truly at
tached to Polly than to any one else
Darling Polly! Who could help loving
her? Even such men as Clarence Stanley
appreciate the love OF pure. good women,
such as my dearly loved Maruia- AS l
was going to say, Mr.. Stanley imagines for
moment that he loves me. Perhaps ne
does not even imagine it, but only hoped
to latter an inexperienced young woman
by pretended passion in order to obtain
fbe Mendoza treasure; but even If he was
sincere In his protestatlons of love for
me. he deludes himself and the influence
hive so unintentiopally thrown over him
will vanish as suddenly as 1t caIne when he
no longer sees me. For that reason am
going away, now, without even saying
Goodbye to any Of you, because know
that Maruja would protest against
it, and the object Of my departure would
be lost if any one could trace me. In the
happy future that will come to Maruja-
dear, sweet little sister, as love to think
of her-I will some day send her news OF
myself: and, in the meantime, let no one
be anxious about me. The generous
allowance you have insisted on paying me
for Polly's Spanish lessons provides me
with moro money than 1 shall need, and !
have made an engagement with an old
friend OF mammals happy youth. who Is
returning to California, and who needs q
governess for her two little girls. heard
OF her couple Of weeks ago, ana woula
have spoken of her then, but thought best
not to do SO, for had thought OF taking
this step some time ago HOW WISH
now that had done so! I feared, but did
not wish to believe in the nature OF Mr..
Stanley's, feelings toward me! l haa
horror Of misunderstanding tho whole
situation. and also of being misunder-
stood, for it seemed to me very silly and
vain to suppose myself the object OF atten-
tion from q man who was engaged to an
other girl, and especially one 80 good and
ovely as Polly Hamilton. Igo, now, how
ever, and can only say again how wish
had gone sooner; and again thousand
times how love and thank you all for
onely girl. DOLORES"
Mary looked up with moistened
eyes and quivering lips when she had
finished reading the letter.
Glow can you doubt Lorita, mann
ma? How can you imagine that she
has gone away with Clarence? 1t is
heart breaking letter to me. The
effort to be calm and self-possessed
when she was suffering torture! The
attempt at formal phrases, that you
might not guess how much the writing
of that letter cost her! Oh, it is the
most pathetic thing I ever read!'
"I cannot see any pathos in it at
all, Polly. It is extremely well-con-
sidered, and strikes me as the COM
position of IN experienced woman of
the world"
Polly almost laughed.
"'An experienced woman Of the
worldr" she repeated. ''My guile
less Lorita You might as we'll apply
the words 10 an angel. But the whole
manner and tone of the letter only
prove to me the constraint that Rita
had put on her feelings to make her
write like that. Oh, to have her leave
me like this! 1t is worse even than
than-the other grief! How did she
60? Where has she gone? Alone
and friendless in this cruel world;
perhaps as destitute and even more
unhappy than when she first came 10
u.s."
'Bus she has money, Polly. What
she says is true about that. Roth
your father and T gave her all the
money she would accept, under the
pretense of those Spanish lessons.
And you furnished her wardrobe; so
that she had no occasion to spend o
dollar for anything in all these
months. It is true she has taken
nothing with her, except such things
as were gifts, especially from you;
and Frances says she selected every
thing you had chosen or had admired
when she wore it. All the rest re-
main"
"Oh, mamma! And doesn't that
show!' interrupted Mary.
"But it will be easy for Lord Clar-
ence Stanley to give his wife a trous-
seau," said Mrs. Hamilton, with con-
temptuous insistence. "You don't
consider that they have gone to-
gether. Last night, your father, after
reading the news told you of, went
to the hotel to call on Clarence, and
he was gone! Gone and no news to
explain why, or where be had be-
taken himself; for when your father
made inquiries he could only ascer-
tain that orders had been given to for
ward all letters to the previous ad-
dress in Chicago, and the carriage en-
gagged to convey him and his luggage
had left him at the depot, where he
was to take the train for the West"
''But, mamma--" began Polly
Hamilton, and then paused abruptly,
unable to proceed.
Mrs. Hamilton could only wiring
her hands in misery. She dare not
soy anything further of what she still
believed TO be the heartless treachery
of Dolores; indeed, size blamed her
self that she had said so much: but,
though cruel, it was surely the truest
kindness that Polly should know the
truth. She drew the girls head to
her heart, and holding her there, she
wept with her, and said with all the
comfort she could find:
''Be a brave girl! Your mother
loves you, darling-your mother and
your father. We are still the truest
friends, and we will never betray