The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-12-30

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GRAUS ARK
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GEORGE BARR M~GCUTCHEON
i Copyright. 1901, bv Herbert S. Stone
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GEORGE BARR McCUTCHEON
Copyright, 1901, bv Herbert s. Stone /.

my regret, that L have offended when
1 intended to please. You will pardon
my temerity."
There was no mistaking the resent
ment in his voice or the glitter I'm his
eyes. Impulsively her little hand was
stretched forth, falling % his arm,
while into her eyes came again the soft
glow and to her lips the most pathetic,
appealing smile, the forerunner of q
pretty plea for forgiveness. The change
startled aud puzzled him more than
ever. In one moment she was unreal
sonably rude and imperious, I'm the
next gracious and imploring.
"Forgivo me- she cried, the blue
eyes battling bravely against the steel
in the gray ones above. II was so
uncivil! Perhaps 1 cannot make you
understand why L spoke as 1 did, but,
let me say, l richly deserved the re-
buke. Pray forgive me and forget that
1 have been disagreeable. Do not ask
me to tell o why 1 was SO rude to
| you just now, but overlook my unkind
treatment of your invitation. Please,
Mr.. Lorry, l beg of you'll beg for the
first time in my life. You have been
SO good to me, be good to me still"
LIS WEutn IlclleQ AWAY Ike SuOW Dc-
fore the sunshine. How could he resist
such an appeal? 81 beg for the first
time in my lifc," whirled in his brain.
What did she mean by that?
81 absolve the pcnitcnt," he said
gravely.
81 thank you. You are still my ideal
neutrality-suspicious., bold and gentle.
1 do not wonder that Americans can be
masterful men. And now l thank you
for your invitation n ask you to let
me withdraw my implied refusal. If
you will take me for the drive I shall
be delighted and more than grateful"
"You make me happy again." he said
softly, as they drew neal the elder
members of the party, who had paused
to wait for them. 81 shall ask your I'M
Gle and aunt to accompany u.s."
"Uncle Caspar will be busy all day,
but 1 am sure my aunt will be charmed.
Aunt Yvonne, Mr.. Lorry has asked us
to drive with him over the city, and 1
have accepted for you. When are we
to start, Mr.. Lorry?"
Mr.. and Mrs. Guggenslocker stared
in q bowildcred sort of manner at their
niece. Then Aunt Yvonne turned Ques.
tioning eyes toward her husband, who
promptly bowed low before the tall
American and said:
"Your kind offices shall never be for
gotten, sir. When are the ladies to be
ready?'
Lorry was weighing in his mind the
ACCESSIBILITY Of asking them to dine In
the evening with his mother, but two
objections presented themselves read
ily-first, he was afraid of this per-
| verse maid; second, he had not seen his
mother. In fact, he did not know that
she was in town.
"At 2 o'clock, 1 fancy. That will give
us the afternoon. You leave at o to-
night, do YOU notr"
Eyes. And will you dine with us this
EVENING"" Her invitation was so I'M
expected in view Of all that had hap
pened that he looked askance. Zach,
o must not treat my invitation as /
did yours!" she cried merrily, although
he could detect the blush tl&t returns
with the recollection of q reprimand.
"You should profit by what 1 have
been taught" The girl abruptly threw
her arm about her aunt and cried as
she drew away III the direction OF her
room: "At 2, then, and at dinner this
evening. 1 bid you good morning, Mr..
Lorry."
The young man, delighted with the
turn OF affairs, but dismayed by what
seemed q summary dismissal, bowed
low. He waited unit, the strange trio
entered the elevator and then
tered downstairs, his hands in his
pockets, his heart as light as air.
In an hour lie was at home and re-
lating to his mother the story of his
wanderings, ncglecting for reasons best
known to himself the events which oc-
cured after Denver had been left be-
hind, except for n casual allusion to "a
party of foreigners" At / o'clock,
faultlessly attired, he descended to the
brougham, telling Mrs. Lorry that he
had invited some strangers to see the
city. On the way downtown he re-
| memDcred that he was in business
the law busincss-and that 1t would be
well to drop in and let his uncle know
he was In the city. On second thought,
however, he concluded it was too near
2 o'clock to waste any time on business,
SO the office did not know that he was
in town until the next day, and then to
no great extent.
For several hours he reveled in her
society, sitting beside her in that roomy
brougham, Aunt Yvonne opposite, ex-
planning to her the many places Of in
terest as they passed.
Their dinner was but one more phase
of this fascinating dream. More than
once he feared that he was about to
awake to find bleak unhappiness where
exquisite JOY had reigned so gloriously.
AS it drew to IN end a sense Of depres-
sion came over him. An hour at most
was all that he could have with her.
Nine o'clock was drawing nigh with Its
regrets, its longings, Its desolation. He
determined to retain the pleasures of
the present until, amid the changing Of
bells N the roll of car wheels, the dis
NAL future began. His intention to ac-
company them to the station was ex-
pressed as they were leaving the table.
She had begun to say goodby to him
when he interrupted, self consciousness
forcing the words hurriedly and dis
jointedly from his lips:
you will let me go to the station
with o I shall-er-deem 1t a pleas
ure."
/ She raised her eyebrows slightly, but
thanked him N said she would con-
slider 1t an honor. His face grew hot
and his heart cold with the fancy that