The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-12-14

for the Darley house.
The broker, Mr.. Harry Stone, was a
young man Of high social standing e
Atlanta, and he had formed q strong
friendship for George and extended the
hospitality Of the best club in the place
to him and offered to introduce him
to bis friends, but George refrained
from accepting. he was too fine a
man to feel at ease in general society
so early after his fathers disgrace, and
Stone understood this and did not press
those things upon him.
81 see you've got some stunning girls
up your way" Stone remarked as
George sat at a desk IN the corner Of
the room checking up the books.
'Tt's reported down here that our gov
ernor runs up that way every chance
he gets"
Eyes, they are all right" Buckley an
swered briefly.
"she's a Miss CranstoD, I under
stand" ran on Stone. "I've heard my
grandmother speak about the family
in Virginia. She's visiting the Dun
leighs, and I guess I'll meet her while
she's here You know her, Of course"
"Yes, we are friends" George said
simply.
"I've never seen her." said the
broker, "but, judging from her picture,
she must be good looking. However,
one can't tell about that. The pictures
in the newspapers are always bad"
"In the newspapers" said George, in
surprise.
"Why, yes; it's in both the papers
today, along with an account Of the
reception the governor is giving to her
and her party at the mansion tonight.
It's to be awfully swell. I'm not go
ing. In fact, he and I don't get on.
The truth is I belong to little club Of
young Americans that tried to snow
him under in the last election, but we
got left. He had too big pull with
the ring. He used to be civil to me,
but he snarls like possum when we
meet now. He can't forget an injury.
Did you ever see hlm?"
"Oh, yes," said George. Hes been
up our way often"
"Oh, Of course; I'd forgotten. They
say he's not been having exactly
smooth sailing up at Darley either, but
It looks a little Nike he's making more
headway now"
''How is that?" asked Buckley, his
blood running cold, his heart sinking.
"Why, the reception, you know. That
looks a little like she's giving in, don't
you think? But may be dead wrong.
She may want to make that friend Of
hers, that Miss Cosby, have a good
time, and the general run Of girls
would consider 1t sheer madness to
lose q chance like that. Why, it's to
be the chief event Of the reunion. Well,
he's welcome to his glory; it won't
last long; be will never get in again"
"You think not?" said George tense
".
"No; he'll never be able to pay the
expense Of another campaign. He ruin
ed what little law practice be had
when he went into politics, and now
he's bankrupt"
"a bankrupt" George exclaimed.
"Why, I thought he had unlimited
means"
"In a pigs valise," laughed Stone.
IT am intimate with the cashier Of
certain bank in this town and had
it straight that Telfare's got up the last
bit Of collateral he can raise for money
he can't repay. Why, he had to beg
the bank for little raise to give this
reception. Do you know, I suspected
he was trying to marry for money.
May I ask if this Miss Cranston is an
heiress"
"She's an only child" said Buckley,
reluctant to continue the conversation
further, land her father is fairly we'll
off,
Perhaps" said Stone, "he's really
daft about her."
'"That must be it." George replied,
and he closed the conversation by 60
ing to work.
By nigktfall his task was finished,
and he could have caught train for
Darley. but he felt strange, half
morbid disinclfnation to leave. He re-
paired to his hotel, changed his cloth
ing and went down to the crowded
dining room, but the very gayety on
every hand irritated him. He had no
appetite for what was before him. All
around him, at private tables, were gay
parties Of young people in evening
dress. The music Of fine orchestra
came in from the rotunda. The air was
filed with the perfume Of flowers.
Never had the burden OF his birth felt
so heavy, never had he SO keenly long
ed for the unattainablc. He was in
the lowest dregs Of despair; he had be-
gun to pity himself. Everybody else
was having a holiday; no holiday
could come to him while his own fa-
ther was bearing the scourge Of the
law, while the only things he craTed
were eluding his grasp.
4 little warmth came to his cold
heart over the thought that Lydia
Cranston cared for him, but it was
swept away by the Icy fear that, de-
spite her regard for him, she was even
then striving philosophically to put him
out Of her life That striving had be-
gun with the acceptance Of the recep-
ton in her honor The next step would
be the formal announcement Of her en-
gagement to the governor, and then
she would begin to look upon Telfare
as her future husband. George stihed
groan and rose and left the room.
The thought was like the pangs Of
death. he went out into the streets
and walked on and on, going he cared
not whittier, trying to kill the despair
within him. Dark thoughts pursued
him, but he threw them aside. He was
soldier fighting black adversely, and
be would fght-fght to the end. He