The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-05-07

tell me you were glad. You dear. sweet
Thing! And so just told Lane how I
felt, and when I came to you. he said
that be was willing to wait for that az
well as I. So you see We do truly love
You. Mrs. Graham. ! could not help
loving you. you know" 6utter along
the tender words. flicker OF intense
light in the sweet. wide lifted eyes.
"after your kind words to just little
me the day you went away. when you
ought not to even hare thought OF me
ic your own terrible trouble. But you
don't know how love you for 1t. dear
Mrs. Graham-you don't know"'
IF I helped you at all, Bess. dear"
said Alecia, gently. the light In her
eyes that her friends cared to see. ut
makes me happy TO know 1t. The
warm heart under your naughty
words made me fear heartache later
unless 1t were allowed to come to the
sunlight. Sunshine as well as tears.
dear. And you are sure now that you
do love Lane, and will not keep him
from loving some one else, BY and
byy
The wide. black eyes searching the
tender face found only love In the
questioning. and gave frank answer.
as Bess Catherwood must always give
Alecia Graham.
81 am SO sure" she said. simply and
sweetly, a new note In the pretty
voice, as there was a new touch upon
her face. that Z would 60 right on
loving him always. Mrs. Graham.
though l should never see him again
In all the world"
4 fash as Of pain struck across Ale
cia's face. but It was gone SO swiftly
that the tender eyes uplifted dared
not think that 1t had been there as ST.
lence fell between them.
And Lane Leland. laughing and chat
ting with the rest of the party-for
the old summer party was there. with
the addition Of the Fields-saw this
vanishing fash on the beautiful wom'
ans face. and for an instant the
laughter died upon his lips at the In
tensity Of Its pain.
Are all our old friends at the Surf,
Mr.. Leland" Althea was questioning.
with great assumed indifference. She
knew that George Priestly was there.
but why should she betray her heart?
"An of the old party" Lane an.
swered. smiling, a CLEAN Of laughter
deepening In his eyes. excepting Miss
Armitage. Miss Armitage that was. !
mean, Of course, for she is married.
you know. She was married the day
that Graham died. Strange. wasn't
It? Oh. yes; and the Grants are not
out, either! Little Miss Grant Is an.
other that's gone of into matrimony!
She married Palmer Earle's nephew.
Harry Earle. A good. solid fellow.
too! Got plenty Of spot cash be-
sides, which makes him irresistible.
Miss Anita was a nice little thing,
though. They are happy the story
says-regular home bodies. you know.
and entertain only their friends. But
Miss Bradley and her sister are there,
of course. Evidently. Miss Clara de-
cided to brave the thunder rather
than Uncle Hallett's wrath! We've
had some pretty tough showers. too.
by the way. but nothing as bad rs
that one three years ago. That was
horrible, wasn't it? And you ought
to hear them talk about Graham!
They say that he acted the perfect
hero down on the shore
THAT was like Harold" said Fran.
ces, softly. He could not teve helped
being brave"
You know I wasn't with them"
added Lane. a slight smile chasing the
shadow from his face. remembering
wicked Miss Catherwood's cutting
speech upon the stairs. But you
ought to hear the fellows tell about 1t.
It's Us good as q play. Palmer Eal.'
came mighty near going under. too'
tndI tune. ne Cdu thohh MO 'eSHJ
star for getting or with a whole skin.
I wouldn't care to run SO near the
Black River"
Did Harold save him. too" asked
Beatrice. bitterly. 1T would have
been his way to do even that. I
haven't forgiven that hateful man " I.
Mr.. Leland"
Il think we all feel rather squeam'
ish toward him. Miss Beatrice" said
Lane. gravely. "Of course. he fol-
lowed a perfectly justihable code Of
action, but We all expected him to
yield little for the sake Of the man
with whom be was dealing. He was
the only one SO hard. But he brags
Of having NO soft spot In his heart.
and perhaps that Is the cause"
And Harold didn't save him. then"
persisted Beatrice. with strange per.
tinaclty.
Il have always half believed that he
I'D. 1t would be so like him.!
TO be conti- uedJ