The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-03-09

or assure-you that there are depths Ia
true passion beyond the sounding of en-
ordinary plummet"
She covered her face with her hands.
"Oh, to what tests am I nut.' was
her cry. You do not love me or you
would not annihilate me by placing
before me such fearful alternative"
II do love you," he answered solemn
ly. land I want you to love me, that is,
If you marry me. i do not wish to feel
that there Is anything in the world
dearer to you than myself; that any
riches and distinction THAT you may
'owe to another mans love can vie
with the single affectionAwhich prof
fer. you. Any less devotion on your
part will not satisfy%me. I must have
all or none. I must marry the woman
I saw wake from the sleep of death,
and not the woman whom a happy
namesake of mine has wreathed with
golden blossoms she will not cast aside
for my sake. Do you'not see that am
right? Do you not see that we could
never be happy with the ghost of an
other love forever gliding between us
at the indulging Of any new fancy or
the purchase of any new gewgaw? !
may not succeed in making you see it
as I do, but this is the question as it
appears to me. Either love is worth
this sacrifice or it is not. II it is not,
you will frankly tell me so, and will
bear my disappointment; and make
mistress Of fame as did before saw
and loved you"
Her hands had fallen from her face
now, but she was not looking at him.
She had, on the contrary, turned slight
" away. and stood with only her
cheek and the delicate outline Of her
brow visible to his searching gaze. 1t
was bitter moment for him. Had he
been right in subjectlng her leVe to
such a test?
"Miss Rogers" said he. before left
home I received an invitation from
Miss Aspinwall to a day reception to
be given at her house here in the city.
Are you going to that receptions?
Her gesture seemed to say she was.
1T is set for a week from now, is it
not:"
"WeN. I will give you this week in
which to weigh:the question and to
consult Hilary. If then you feel that
your happiness. not mine-you must
not consider my happiness in this cues
tion-will be best secured by a life
spent at my side, with it's love and Its
hazards and its possible lack of splen-
dor, then wear to this reception this
same meek dress Of brown, and be my
blooming rose forever. But if, on the
contrary, you have tasted OF the Vlnt-
age Of adulatien and feel that it is
henceforth a necessary. beverage for
you. and that you move in your proper
atmosphere when you bear about with
you the henors and distinctions OF
wealth, then wrap this lovely form in
velvet, and put in these dear ears the
diamonds that belong there, and let
me see how worthy you are to wear
such splendors and how little had
the right to ask you to forego them.
You will be saved all embarrassment
by this, of course. One glimpse will
tell me what sort of future I may
expect. and while ! do not promise to
leave the room any too soon If ! see
again before me the maiden of today,
1 certainly shall not remain long
enough in your presence to utter re-
proach if 1 encounter velvet instead
of cloth, and jewels instead of bushes"
He was going, but she held out a
hand, and though she did not raise her
eyes or turn her head he paused While
she said: ...,:
There is one thing you have not ex-
planned. What is to be done with this
money if I decide to give it up"
1T must be returned to Mr. Degraw,
who will give it to a certain little
schoolteacher, who, we must hope, Will
have no jealous lover who will refuse
lU lCl uSr tdhS IL.
Another Jenny Rogers?"
eyes, and a noble one
''That is all. I will not detain you
any longer, Mr.. Degraw.'
He looked, he moved away; be came
back with an almost breaking heart.
After all, he might never see her
again as she was now rosy and trem-
bling and innocently grieved." Had he
been less exacting, 'hadshe not puzzled
himself with jealousies, had he been
content to ignore everything but her
winning womanhood, he might now be
clasping her to his heart in. ecstacy, in
stead of standing there with a barrier
of ice between them and the prospect
Of what? Lifelong separation and a
desolate hearth; for at that moment he
did not believe that she would ever
give up all that he asked for his love.
II cannot leave you" said he. with.
out one proof Of my devotion" And
fiinging himself at her feet he clasped
her knees and kissed with heartfelt
fervo- the tip of her little slipper. II
love your he cried; # love you" and
was gone, just as she Sank half faint.
ing upon chair.
To be continued.
Eventful History of an Island.
Bass rock, which the commissioners