The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-11-25
CHAPTER XVII.

1T leave" said he to the hostess,
"with many thanks for my kindly re-
ception here. Though I had been told
much Of the charms Of Great Barring
ton had not heard that its advantages
of natural scenery were more than
equaled by it's opportunities for the
highest social intercourse"
And such was the grace and seeming
candor Of his words that Miss Aspin-
wall forgot for the moment her doubts
and gave him one of those lovely smiles
which were seldom accorded but to the
most welcome guest.
IT shall do myself the honor of call
ing again." he thereupon remarked,
and before she had time to recover
from the embarrassment which these
words called forth he had made his
bow and left, but not without casting
one more look at the signorina.
The instant his departing step was
heard on the gravel walk without a
murmur of voices broke forth.
How pecu]iarn
"What q gentleman"
81 wonder if it can be case Of love
at first sight?
1.-TWO Degraws in the field"
AT which last ejaculation the hostess
turned pale, though she tried to keep
up her spirits OIL this, perhaps, the
most trying evening Of her life.
In the window recess another hur-
ried and passionate colloquy was
going on.
"Oh, my love-" the artist was say
ing, II tried to save you from this man.
He Is the wretch who has made so
many Jenny Rogerses unhappy. Per-
haps you have not read the paper, and
perhaps you did not know that persons
of your name are at present under a
sort of ban, but knew it and knew
that from the very similarity between
his name and mine that he was the
person most to be dreaded by you.
Yet you would not take the hint l gave
you, but insisted upon owning to your
real name, and not content with that,
allowed him to address you and even
to engage you in conversation"
"And has any harm come from 1t, or
will any harm come? have heard OF
some Of the stories you speak Of, but
there was nobody to tell me that there
was anything in this gentleman to fear.
Nor can believe there is. You are Ia
boring under q mistake, or look with
prejudiced eyes upon one who seems
to infringe upon your rights of bearing
the same name"
do you plead for him, signorina?
Has he imposed on you, too, by his
devilish urbanity and hypocritical
smiles? I will not believe it. He may
turn the head Of school misses and fac
tory girls, but surely not yours. Why,
he is murderer, possibly"
"Oh, no." she exclaimed hotly, and
would have said more, but just then
Miss Aspinwall approached them, and
pressed the artist to finish the revela-
tions which he had been interrupted
in making to her earlier in the evening.
But he had lost the desire to speak.
Something in the signorina's manner
betrayed such unbounded trust in the
stranger that he felt it would be but
waste of breath to reiterate his suspi-
ciors, while to brand the stranger as
an adventurer and criminal in the
presence Of a company who had al
ready received him as an equal, was, in
the absence Of other proof than that
which had been urged against himself,
a manifest risk and possible shame.
His reply, therefore, was less uncom-
promising than Miss Aspinwall had
anticipated. .,>,
"I was about to warn you" said he,
against this Mr.. Degraw, not because
know him, but because gentleman
of his name and mine has earned a
very doubtful reputation in New York.
Thugh it is hard to believe that this
person is the one who has engagtd the
attention Of the police, still my fears
are such that could not refrain from
giving you hint Of them. That is. all,
Miss Aspinwall. 1 now consider my
duty in this regard at an end"
She took out of her pocket the note
which the stranger had brought her.
This seems entirely en- regle," she
remarked. "I know the writer well,
and I know his signature. He recon-
mends Mr.. Degraw to me as gentle
man Of family and distinction. To
doubt that this is true is to doubt the
knowledge or judgment Of my friend.
This cannot do; so I must still con-
tinue to receive Mr.. Degraw."
The artist bowed and waived the
subject. He felt himself in false po-
sition, and hated his own precipitancy,
while at the same time he found it i'm
possible to dismiss l. doubts. He was
also troubled by. the smiles and BEAM
ing aspect Of the signorina. If she
loved him could she or would she hail
this manifest triumph of his rival?
But did she love him? Had the tide
he believed to be turning in his favor
received q check, and would he be
obliged to add to the list of the posi-
bic wrongs committed by this inter-
loper the sudden nipping in its bud Of
the purest passion flower that ever
blossomed from a poets heart OF
evolved itself from poets dream?
CHAPTER XVIII.