The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-09-07

eyeglass?' she remarked. "In speak.
ing Of a nne gentleman OF the present
day these things are understood"
Sir John had no drawl. no eye
glass, and, I am quite sure, no aeinira.
tion," says Daphne.
But again she bushes. IL lives self.
:,olored, unhurriel as hers, people can
afford themselves the luxury Of a con-
science. Daphne Chester owns one,
and it pricks h%er-young Severne's
last glance returning before her Wis
ion and conyicting her sharply Of
| falsehood.
mo drawl, no eyeglass, no admira-
ton. I wish you joy, my dear. You
have seen a paragon at last. Unfortu-
! nately, / never in my. best days had
| much belief in paragons, and I am too
old and too prejudiced to subscribe to
new creeds now"
And as Sir John Severne will
doubtless go away by tomorrow
mornings boat, I shall have no means
of converting you" says Daphne,
lightly. "See, who is that coming out
to meet us?" For they are now withsn
a stones throw Of the entrance to the
farm. "Margot, as I live. She must
have run home quickly by the Ma
| rails"
"And, wringing her hands, holding
up her apron to her face! What in the
name of heaven ails the ~daft-headed
creature now? If scenes and hyster-
les are to be the first effects Of court
ship, what may we hope for later on?"
There is something wrong" ex-
| claims Daphne, her cheeks and lips,
blood-forsaken, turning to a HVld
whiteness. "Something has happened
to the child. Paul, Paul, where are
your"
And, scarcely conscious that her feet
touch solid earth, she rushes wildly
down the road, across the garden,
where Margot, ordinarily the most sto-
lid Of mortal beings, stands laughing,
| crying, talking, all in a breath, and
with utterly incohereDt %volubility.
"Eh, mon Dou, mon Dou! LIE pauvre
pitt babouin-la grande marie-le
Mussieu AnglaZ"
These. or words like these, fall
vaguely on Daphne's senses.
She heeds them not. She pauses to
ask no questions. Her heart prophe-
sizes, answers all.
Onward toward the sea she hurries,
down the path where an hour before
Paulie, safe and happy, was chasing
butterflies in the sunshine, past the
lettering, fear stricken figure Of Miss
Theodore onward toward the sea-to
succor-oh. heaven, if succor be. vain
to perish with the child!
Rosy, unhurt, Paul at this moment
is being lifted by strong, familiar arms
from the wesley" to dry land. Not
in vain did Severne give his last halloa
before starting to the boys rescue.
From a cottage outside the garden OF
Fief-de-la-R RENE the shout was heard
by the nurse tender of a sick fishers
wife, and help quickly summoned from
the nearest hay field, help that did not
arrive one minute too soon. To reach
little Paul by alternate wading and
swimming, was no easy feat; but Sew
erne, hardy, resolute and a practical
swimmer, accomplished it. To return,
with deepening tide, and with the add
ed burden Of a helpless, clinging child,
was a matter Of wholly different COM
plexion. Long before his rescuer
reached him, Paul's danger had become
imminent, every deepening wave wash
in, over the slippery, ~weed-coVered
rocks, and rendering the child's slight
footing more insecure. At the distance
Of fifteen or twenty yards nearer shore,
however, lay another ridge, still well
above water, and thus far upon the
way to safety Severne with difficulty
bore his charge. Then came recosni-
ton Of the truth, then came a clearer
look into the face Of death than Sir
John SeVerne, during his fve-and-
twenty years of vigorous youth had
ever gained before. To swim back
with the child across such a sea as
this was, he knew, the next thing to
impossible; to swim back alone-nay,
I will do the young fellow no inJus-
tice, that temptation never even for q
passing moment assailed him!
what were you doing, small boy,
alone. and at such a distance" he
asked, as Paul's bright, undaunted
face looked up at his.
"J'pequious," answered Paul, not
without some sportsman's pride. "Vla
man cabot"
And, upon that, unclasped the fin
fers Of his left hand and exhibited
his prize-a fish, two-thirds Of an inch
in length, which, not even with the
waters closing fast around him, that
resolute little brown fist had rehn-
pushed.
TO be Continued.