The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-12-07
CHAPTER XIV.
Continued.

Continued.
81 NAV have said many things ten
years ago that would be misplaced
now" she nIurmurs.
"Misplaced-yes. And untrue also"
Naturally"
He carries her across the water, sets
her down in safety upon the frmer
sands, and they proceed along their
way in silence. Miss Hardcastle
breaks it first.
"Mrs. Chester is undoubtedly a most
amiable and meritorious person. She
reminds me always of n Of Thack-
eray's good women, poor thing, and
there can be no manner of. doubt that
she has a pretty face. That kind Of
red-and-white complexion is so pleas
ing, before time renders it coarse,
and, though not n of the features
would bear criticizing, the white teeth
and general animation give you the i'm
preston of beauty. Never were good
looks more Of the beauti di diable or
der; still"
"Ah, that still brings US to text!
The rest is marginal"
ITO think of Felix Broughton, the
most difficult of Spoilt human crea-
lures, passing the remainder of his
days with her-Feli1 Broughton, in
reality unamusable, yet who constant
~ expects that every woman he ap-
proaches shall be a nineteenth CEN
fury Nine. de Maintenon and amuse
him! Tell me, Felix, for you have had
q good many hours experiences, does
Daphne ever originate al Ineligible
remark on any subject whatever"
II have not the slightest recollec.
tion," answers Felix promptly. THAT
Mrs. Chester has under all circum-
stances looked charming, I am posi-
tive"
"And you think the art Of looking
charming, even in a woman who had
no friend Of the soul, and who could
remember the dinner hour, would rem
der a lifelong tete-a-tete endurable."
81 think nothing would render a life
long t%ete-a-tete e~ndurable," is Mr..
Broughton's reply. "a tete-a-tete OF
any kind is the very last thing I look
forward to in marriage"
mot when you live upon mutton
chops in the farm house, give up ices
and Monte Carlo, and grow your own
roses%
"Ah, that farm house-is in Spain!
Abandoning metaphor, let us talk,
Glenn, of the one thing that really con-
Germs ourselves, and ourselves alone
of your marriage"
She winces under the word as under
a blow. Felix Broughton goes on calm.
. ~, and with de%liberation.~
your intended husband is undenia-
bly, a young man Of ability. AS time
goes on, it strikes me that he has a
very fair prospect Of r'aking a name in
politics"
"Politicsw! echoes C%lementina, drear-
lily.
Eyes, Sir John and I have had one
or two serious talks Of late, and I am
convinced Tor he is convinced) that he
has a future before him. You know
Glen, the nothing-new, nothing-true
creed of idle fellows like me. Severne
holds the picturesque belief, not only
that life should be the verb to do but
that he, Severne, will infallibly leave
human affairs in general straighter
than he found them. He also believes
TN getting into Parliament and work
ing out reforms there for a grateful
country! Depend upon it, when he
leaves the army he will go in for school
boards or the British workman; in
time, perhaps, write pamphlets. There
you could help him."
II hate pamphlets" eXclaims the
poor little Questioning. Il have been
stifed with books and writer's, and
cleverness Of all kinds, ever since I
could run alone. 1t is not generous Of
sou to tease me like this"
"You spoke with frankness concern
ing the object of my choice, Clemen-
tina"
your choice! Do you mean to tell
me that Mrs. Chester"
Il mean," says Felix Broughton, with
summary change Of tone, and once
more making himself master of her
hand, II mean to talk no more either
of Mrs. Chester or Sir John Severne,
but of you and Of me. Glen, my darl-
ing, how many years is it, I wonder,
since first we fell in love with each
other"
I'm love" she stammers, shrinking
timidly away from him, and with q
pathos in her voice to which Felix
sBroughton is not insensible. We've
have been affectionate cousins all our
lives, I hope"
. 1--WE have been nothing Of the kind"
says Cousin Felix, decisively. do you
remember a children's ball you went
TO one in Eaton Place-oh, half q CEN
tury ago, and when I still wore a sword
in Her Majesty's service?"
"a fancy dress ball, half juvenile,
half grown up. My invitation came
through you. Any pleasure that ever
entered my life, when I was a child,
came through you! Yes, I remember it
all as though it were yesterday"
You were dressed as Minerva, poor,
small over learned Minerva that you
were, and I-appeared in my natural
~character-a young simpleton Of the
nineteenth century in his scarlet jacket
and gold trimmings"
You wrote your name down for
every one Of my dances, giving me
leave to throw you over-me throw
you over!-if I got a chance of better
nartnnrSN