The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-10-26

starts. and forced halts, and unexpect-
ed avalanches of sand, the descent Il
accomplished.
Miss Hardcastle quits Felix BrouGh-
toms arm.
The lovers. divided during the lapse
of three cruel years, stand face to face,
They shake hands, Cousin Felix look
ing on with the p~leasantest-I had al
most said the most fraternal-e1pres-
sion in the world. They don't lind n
syllable to say.
Is this the beginning Of the end?
"Clementina forgets to introduce me-
remarks Mr.. Broughton, coming for
ward with his little air of genial suav.
ity, a hand outstretched. COR perhaps
she thinks it is a case in which intro
duction is superhuous. How are you,
Severne? Welcome back from India.
Warm, is it not?"
every warm" repeats Sir John, Ia
conically, and submitting to, rather
than accepting, the proffered hand
shake. "You arrived in Jersey this
morning, 1 conclude, Clem-Miss Hard
castle?
He had thought of her as Clementina
during their three years of betrothal;
as Clementina has written her love
letters, hopeful, despairing, ardent,
gradually cooling, by the score. Yet
now that hope is so near fruition, now
that they are to be married in August.
and stand under this June u looking
into each others eyes, the familiar
Christian name refuses to leave his
lips. (And during the last day or two
he has scarce been able to restrain
himself from calling Mrs. Chester
Daphne"
eyes" answers Cousin Felix, upon
whom all the onerous burden Of talk
ing seems to fall, but with grace, 1--WE
ran over from the other island,
Jersey-no, Guernsey-help me, Glenn
entipa, you know I can never remem'
Der which is which. At all events, we
ran over from the other place this
morning. birmingham found out from
some culpably interested pilot, no
doubt, that the tides would suit for
longer, and hurried us off in the very
middle Of our breakfast. Capital fel.
low, birmingham; you know him, Sew
erne?"
81 remember hearing Lady Lydia
birmingham had 4 husband"
"Precisely, the very man, and an e1-
cellent fellow, too, in his quiet, unob-
trusive way, but crazed on the score
Of fish. Ahw a sudden animation
Frightening his bored voice as the face
of a pretty woman, the face Of Daphne,
comes within range of his eyeglass,
what have we here-sketching"
Sir John Severne's color-boX, over
turned. his pencils and sketch book,
lie on the wet sand. Daphne. with
senses ostensibly fixed On the distant
sea, sits, half in light, half in shade
beneath the rock; her yellow hair glis'
tening in the sun. her girlish figure
looking more girlish than its wont In
the plain cotton gown that forms so
strong a contrast to the silk attire, the
drawn back skirts, the fan-shaped train
Of Miss Hardcastle. Little Paul, rosy
still from sleep, stands b~arefooted,
finger on lip. intently watching the new.
corners at his side.
"We were j~ust-that is, I was sketch.
ing in the foreground" says Severne'
betrayed in his turn into the weakness
of an excuse. zone sees such wonder
full effects among these Jersey rocks"
"Charming effects, in truth" re.
turns Cousin Felix, with an expressive
glance in the direction Of Daphne Ches-
ter.
And then there was q full stop.
Daphne, country taught Daphne, il the
first to break the silence.
She rises, hesitates for an instant.
then comes forward. a smile Of genuine
welcome round her lips, to Clementina.
Every one around Fief-de-la-Reinc
will be glad to see you, Miss Hard
castle. Sir John Severne has told you
no!-what makes us look upon him as
q n old and valued friend? Ah, then,
YOU must hear our version Of the story.
Paul, come here. This is my little son,
who but"
"For a certain high spring tide would
never have taught me the mystery of
cabot fishing" interrupts Severne,
Quickly. do your best, Mrs. Chester.
1 know the excellence Of your inten.
tons, but tits work thrown away. You
will not succeed in getting Miss Hard.
castle to look upon me in the light of q
hero."'
To be Continued.