The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-03-11

white.
WHY. Tom. what Is the matter:'
she questioned a~nxiously. noting his
pallor.
Hugh Thurston stepped aside. wish
ing devoutly that Tom had not APP
peared quite so or course. he
was glad that the sisters anxiety was
relieved. but he very much wanted to
know who she was.
why, I had a sort Of s!ddy. faint
spell, little girl."Tom explained hastily.
MY head has bothered ME all day.
Awfully sorry-hope sou have not been
frightened"
81 was rather, but it's no matter. l
am SO sorry you are ILL: why didn't
you say so. and We could have gone
home sooner? This gentleman"-nod.
ding towards Thurston-"had just Of
fered to 60 in search Of you"
Tom turned to ThurstOn and thanked
him briefly. explaining his own delay.
LYDIA bowed a slight acknowledgment
rs they passed. but something In bis
eyes rs they met hers made her heart
give a sudden bound and brought a
deeper flush to her cheeks.
who on earth a she be-" Thurston
wondered. Evidently they had not
come In a carriage. for she wore n hat,
and n dark ulster hid her ball gown.
and he knew from her accent that she
was English.
Looking down, he saw a little gold
pin lying In the corner where n had
stood while waiting for her brother.
Picking 1t up. he hurried downstairs
and searched the corridor for her. DIT
she was nOwheres to be sc2nn
Thurstorl started to take the pin to
the desk. hut he changed his mind and
tucked It away In his card case. Then
he went back to the ballroom and tried
To find out who she was. But no n
seemed to recognize his description.
In such a crowd. In fact there were
many who might have answered to It,
so Thurston was forced to leave with.
out obtaining any clew to her identity.
He marveled at the depth Of the I'm.
preston that this girls face had made
upon him. His wealth and good looks
won him SO much favor among women
that he had come to regard them with
great indifference.
He inserted an advertisement con-
cernlng the pin. but no answer ever
came, and he strove to forget the
owner, but many times the blue eyes
seemed to look at him through the
smoke rings. or come unbidden BE-
tween him and u printed page.
The day after the ball. poor Tom
yras in a raging fever. and the weeks
which followed were anxious ones In.
deed In the Stuarts' little home. for
Tom had q bad case OF typhoid.
Their small savings dwindled rapid
~. and LYDIA worked necessarily to re-
new resources. Mrs. Stuart became
50 worn by her vigil at the sick boys
side, that the doctor feared that she.
too, would be attacked by the disease.
LYDIA. worrying about her mother.
grieving because she thought that she
had aggravated Toms illness by tax
ing him to the ball. and working even
harder than usual. had grown thin
and pale. and there were heavy circles
under the blue eyes.
One afternoon, as she was doggedly
putting the finishing touches to some
dinner cards that were o he called for
that day, the bell rang.
Come in" LYDIA called softly,
thinking 1t was the doctor. Go right
in, DOCTOR" she added. without turning
her head. She was not willing that he
should see the traces of tears that
would brlm over occasionally and i'm.
pede her progress.
II beg pardon. but my sister sent
me for the cards." said a voice that
was certainly not the doctors. She
rose quickly.
"Oh. pardon me-" she exclaimed. then
stopped short as she recognized her
ball man." rs she had mentally termed
him.
Hugh Thurston started eagerly for.
ward.
You" he cried. with a glad ring In
his voice. you'll have SO often tried
to find you since the ball. But. child"
taking her hand gently in his as he
saw her pale checks and tired eyes.
what have they done to you?"
The cheeks became so crimson and
the eyes SO wide with establishment
that he came suddenly to himself and
dropped her hand.
"Of course. you don't understand" he
explained rather lamely. You've prob.
ably given me a thought" The
blue eyes were suddenly yelled. "You
didn't leave any slipper behind that I
might know Of butt found your pin
after you had gone. and I wanted to
find the owner" He had pulled ont
his card case while he was speaking
and now he handed the pima lovers
knot with n diamond centre-to her.
But 1t Is not mine." she said. looking
up with n demure little smile.
Isn't IT," he asked supposedly. 1T
doesn't matter. though"-somewhat ir.
relevantly-"for I've done better than
find the 'owner'-I've found the
princess" and as their Dyes met. the
princess knew that the prince had
come.-New York News.
Oldest Megaphone.