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

Next morning Hamilton Degraw read
these words in the social column of
one of New York's leading dailies:
"Miss Rogers has returned from
Newport (there is but one Miss Rogers
In New York these days., and is now
to be seen by her friends at her own
house at - Fifth avenue"
1t was a happy moment for him, for
the three months allotted to their sep.
aration had passed, and by this return
to the city she at least showed that
she did not seek to avoid meeting.
In his joy he tore the veil from her
picture, and surveyed her loveliness
with burning eyes, then realizing that
this was a poor preparation for the
hours of waiting which lay before him
he covered it up again and set himself
to work, only to drop palette and brush
in his impatience and take up his hat
and go out.
He walked in the direction Of her
house. 1t was no new walk for him.
Though she had been absent from its
walls all summer he had passed It by
many times during these months Of
waiting, and though it was not pre-
tentious dwelling, and was only hers
while she leased it, he had conceived
an affection for its every stone, and
could have given you each detail Of
its exterior as well as if it had been a
house Of his own.
Now it's hitherto empty body had
soul, and he found himself intimi-
dated as he approached it, and really
went no further than the corner. But
q sight Of the pavement her feet had
90 lately crossed was a comfort to him,
and he went back to his studio in q
hopeful mood to await with more or
less patience suitable hour in which
to call upon her.
He chose the afternoon, first, be-
cause he had not the endurance to wait
till evening, and secondly because he
felt that evening would bring other
lovers to her side, whose presence
would be unbearanble to him in his
present uncertain position. At five
o'clock he stood at her door, and did
not know whether to resign his pre-
tensions or not when he found that
before his ring at the BELL had been
answered two carriages beside his
own had been driven up in front, and
that two ladies and one gentleman
were awaiting with him the somewhat
tardy response to his eager summons.
The opening Of the door decided the
question. He handed in his card to the
neat maid who confronted him, and
saw or thought he saw on her bright
and clever face certain look that as
sured him that his visit was particu-
1arly welcome, though she merely
waved him toward the same parlor
into which the ladies had already
stepped.
The other gentleman merely left a
note and a bouquet, both Of which
Mr.. Degraw would like to have ami
hilated.
The room into which he passed was
q surprise to him. Somehow he had
expected to find this new-made heiress
shrined in great splendor Though the
outside Of the house was plain, almost
10 baroness, he had looked for a gor-
geous interior suitable to her wealth
md the glowing character of her
beauty. But instead of this the walls
were almost bare and the furniture
was plain and inexpensive. There
were not even any ornaments to be
seen. and the carpet, though new, was
one of the simplest Brussels.
Were her tastes, then, humble? Or
did she consider that a sudden leap
into show and splendor was undigni-
fed in the unsuccessful prima donna?
He awaited her appearance to deter
mine, and was prepared to behold a
richly adorned woman enter this bald
apartment. and by her gay silks and
brilliant jewels illumine the dreary
DIainness Of a room which had Lot