The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-05-02
: CHAPTER Xxx.
PLAYING WITH FIRE.

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never was on sea or land," and she
had quite forgotten, for the moment,
their conversation of the night before
and the cause of it. When Clarence
Stanley called, later in the day, he,
700, observed that light, and quite mis-
understood it. It was like q halo
about her head and face, and when her
ewes met his and seemed to bathe him
in their shining loveliness, he did not
suspect that she had looked through
him without so much rs seeing him; !;
and as his heart bounded to meet that
look, he thought:
"T The girl loves me! T have seen
that look before in women's eyes;
nothing but love ever calls it there!
but let me beware, as old Van says; 1t
is better she should do all the loving,
since I can master Ter better that way.
Confound Mary Hamilton! If she
would only leave us alone for half an
hour together! Let me once throw
Dolores into the mesmeric trance now,
ank she is mine forever"
And Dolores, all unconscious OF his
presence, smiled at her own thoughts
and passed on.
The triumph which Stanley now
felt in his power over Van Tassel,
increased by what he mistook for
open encouragement on the part OF
Dolores, made him comparatively in
different to the effect of the .unlucky
contretemps between himself and
Mrs. Helmholtz and the now evident
jealousy of Mary Hamilton. He felt
his position strong in every respect.
lat "old Hamilton" as ne now
thought of him, suspect what ne
pleased; let Polly be jealous either OF
Celestine or Dolores OF both. There
was but one person living who could
disprove his present identity, and
poor old Van was as harmless now as
toothless dog whose bark was
silenced also. Had it not been that
he had no other chance of seeing
Dolores, he would not any longer go
through the form of keeping up his,
intimacy with the Hamiltons. But
until he had quite won Dolores it
would be necessary to continue his
visits to Polly; and, in order to be
ready for any contingency, it would
be safer to remain Oh good terms with
her parents. But nothing could e1-
ceed his self-confdence and placid in
difference, and this manner Of his,
which was so genuine it did not seem
to he assumed, was powerful In its
effect on Mr.. Hamilton aud his wife.
1t was, indeed, rather toopowerful in
its effect on Mrs. Hamilton.
eve have done wrong to show the
least doubt of Clarence" said the
anxious mother. "I fear 1t has
offended him, and it may be the
means of estranging him from Polly;
and now that you have convinced
yourself that there can be no doubt of
his succeeding to the title, what will
become of us if anything should part
him from Polly? She has grown to
almost worship him, and separation
between them, from any cause, would
kill the dear child"
"What should separate them?" ex-
claimed Mr.. Hamilton. Nonsense!
Hasn't father right to be particu-
lar? My mistake was in not looking
into his affairs sooner; and it still
bothers me that I can meet no one
p who ever knew him in England. But,
of course, that is all right. He is
Clarence Stanley, and like enough to
be Earl of Windermere by what I
hear; but don't say anything to him
on that subject. If he were fifty
earls rolled into one, he would not be
TOO good for my daughter, and wish
you and Polly would remember that.
She lets him see how fond she is of
!. him far too much. You women
ought to know enough to keep that
more to yourselves. Tell Polly so.
It would do the fellow good if she
held him off bit. And, bye the
bye, since we are talking business,
the Windermere estates are heavily
mortgaged, and Clarence hasn't money
enough to clear them. He knows that
Polly's bank account will be seven
figures on her wedding day, and he is
by no means Indifferent to that cir
eumstance."
The result of this confidence be-
sween husband and wife was a half
playful, half-contidential conversation
between mother and daughter, with
in the next twenty-four hours.
"And don't be so ready to throw
Yourself into his arms, Polly, dear" {"
said Mrs. Hamilton in conclusion /;
"for, really, men are so queer, and
the best of them prefer the love that
is the hardest to win"
''Oh, mamma" exclaimed Polly,
between laughing and crying, don't
ever try to shine as a worldly-wlse,
maneuvering mother, for indeed the
son-iu-law that would be deceived
by your artful wiles would not be
worth the haying!"
''And that's not Clarence re-
eponded Mrs. Hamilton, ''for he's
worth the having. But remember
what 1 say, Polly, dear, ali the
same"
Il will try to, mamma, dear; but I
am afraid it is rather late in the day."
sighed Polly.
And that is how it chanced. when
ON the next day that Stanley called
and asked for Miss Hamilton, he was
told to wait in the drawingroom, if he
was able to spare time, because Miss
Polly was very much engaged.
"Poor Polly Hamilton!,'
L IL
of The one thing above all others that