The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-09-17
BLOOMFIELD


believed that she had thought hidden
from her father than l would at this
moment believe such q thing Of you"
At this remark I WINGED, yet fool
ishly held my peace as to what bad
so lately read. and which now en-
crossed all my thoughts. To be wise
after the event Is the quality Of mod
erD prophets-of dispensers Of gener-
alities and copy-book wisdom. whom
I have no desire to initiate. know
not how 1t was. suppose ! am by
nature secretiye. or that at the time
some ill-defned idea suggested itself
to my mind that l should best serve
my interest by carefully reserving
to myself the information I had &C
quired; though l have never at any
time regarded my fathers interest as
other than identical with my own, nor
did / conceal my information ms part
Of n determined policy. That my reti-
cence was q grave error / now know.
Had at once impaired my discovery
10 him who by nature and statute law
had the greatest right TO know OF 1t,
! had spared myself much misery and
the British public had not been af-
fiicted with these memoirs.
Even II you cannot suggest any
thing for US to do In the matter" said
my father, continuing. 1T Is well that
you have returned home. When two
persons discuss a case some practica-
bic notion will often occur to one Of
them which solitary contemplation
fails to produce. You have read your
grandfather's letter"
Yes; have read grandfather's let
ter" ] replied.
well. and what is your opinion"
Il think he has acted unwisely In
making such long journeys to find his
daughter. more especially with such
slender means rs his. II he did not
know at all what had become Of her.
l could better understand his doing
80; but according to Annie's own let
tiers, as grandfather describes them.
she has gone OF Of her own free will,
and repents her act only 80 far as her
present position prevents her seeing
her father. Suppose Annie's address
Is discovered. and grandfather visits
her and learns all her circumstances.
depend upon 1t his qualification will
end there; having been heartless
enough to voluntarily abandon her
father, she would hardly be likely to
give up whoever she Is with and return
to Holdenhurst. or to some employ
ment In London. That You may
gather from her protest that she is
kindly treated. ! do not think SO well
Of her as you and grandfather do"
why, Ernest. my boy, you begin
to reason like your uncle. and are
rather uncharitable; but fear you
are right"
Il am not In the least uncharitable."
retorted warmly. "On the contrary.
l regret what has happened rs much
perhaps as you do; but my sympathy
Is more with grandfather than with
Annie. Although see but little use
In the inquiry he has asked you to
make. l was In the act Of starting
for Richmond to investigate the clue
he gave when the Rev. Evan Price
brought me your message. and at
once came here instead. Don't think
I'm Indifferent to what concerns you
so much"
MY dear boy. why asure me Of what
I know so well?' asked tnis best Of
fathers. "Your prompt return is suf-
ficient proof Of that" As this parental
commendation was uttered we passed
through my fathers gates. and the
next minute alighted at the porch Of
Holdenhurst Hall. where old John
stood at the open door to receive rs.
had been absent from my birth
place only one week. but the changes,
which had been made In that brief
period astonished me. The entire Hall
was encorpassed with an intricate
network Of scaffolding. and our beauti-
full lawn. disfigured by planks. ladders,
and piles Of slate and white hewn
stone laid about in confusion. Many
Of the upper windows had been taken
out. the vacant spaces presenting a
grim. inhospitable aspect. Thoughts Of
the enhanced grandeur Of the place
q few months hence failed to dispel
the chilling depression that came over
me as I noticed these changes. and l
entered my old home with sadder and
stranger feelings than I had ever be-
fore experienced.
My discomfort was increased when
saw the interior. All the pictures
and armos had been removed from
the hall and staircase. and while part
OF the oak walls remained darkened
by the centuries part had been scraped
and polished and looked like the library
walls Of q Kensington mansion built
yesterday. In nearly all the rooms
the furniture was displaced and much
Of 1t covered up.
How do you like the look OF the
place." asked my father with faint
smile.
The disconsolate expression Of my
face which prompted this query was
q sufficient answer to 1t. do not re.
member having ever before having
been so profoundly miserable rs when
We wandered together from room to
room and along the gloomy corridors
surveying the confusion which every
where prevailed.
Come. don't he so melancholy about
It," urged my father: "in seven or eigh,