The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-04-20
CHAPTER Xiv.
JENNY's MARRIAGE-AND AFTER.

JENNY 5 MAkRlAGE-ASND Ar IG;h.
It was seven o'clock. Tie hour al
which Jenny had promised 20 send the
carriage for the intended bridegroom
Hamilton Degraw, who had spent tie
last half-hour of waiting in eager con.
temptation Of the picture in which he
had perpetuated her beauty at its
sweetest and most unconscious mo-
ment, rose joyfully as he heard the
clock strike, and with lovers alacrity
prepared to go below.
When he found himself in the car.
riage and riding swiftly uptown, be
was too busy calculating how he would
arrange the dainty home with which
he intended to surprise his bride some
day, to spare one moment for a less
pleasing occupation; nor did be pote
for several minutes that the carriage.
instead Of taking a direct route for
Miss Aspinwali's house, was coursing
rapidly through an avenue leading
in quite a different direction.
But when he did awake to this fact
he was certainly startled. Leaning
out of The window be hailed the man
on the box.
"Benjaminr' he called, "how's this?
Here we are in Lexington avenue when
we ought to be driving straight 10 Miss
Aspinwall,s."
But Benjamin paid no heed, rather
drove faster, and before Mr.. Degraw
could subdue his surprise sufficiently
to hail him again they had turned a
corner and entered upon q street SO as
sociated with the memories in which
he had just been indulging that he felt
dazed by a coincidence that had the eff.
feet of throwing him again into dream
lard.
But in another moment he managed
to shout once more to the unheeding
coachman:
Where are you going?"
But he did not expect any reply. He
knew himself whittier they were bound
and when a minute later the horses
slackened their pace and the carriage
came to a standstill he did not need to
look up at the row Of brown houses be.
fore him, with their quaint fronts and
pillared balconies, to know they were
before the strange and dilapidated
structure in which be had first seen the
signorina, and where she had wakened
to life and love.
Miss Rogers is here, sir waiting for
you," announced the coacuman as lie
opened the door.
Mr.. Dcgraw nodded ard fastened to
alight. It was doubtless one OF her
whims TO make the explanation which
she had promised him in this place OF
their first meeting. 1t was strange
almost uIcanny notion, but it was like
her to conceive it, and he knew nc
other course for himself than to accept
the situation with good grace.
Telling Benjamin that he would soon
return with Miss Rogers he ran up the
steps. Eut before he could ring the
bell the door opened, just as it had on
a previous occasion. and he perceived
before him in the dismal hall the deaf
and dumb girl, standing in her old at
titude, and pointing silently up the
stairs.
1t was not an agreeable sight to him,
but he laughed off the unpleasant sen.
sation it caused, and followed, without
demur, the guidance Of her finger. Ar.
rived at the second story he found it
as dim and as dark as of old. No one
stirring, TO sound to break the chilling
silence. But he cared not for this. Ii
another moment he would see Lis bride
and all would be brightness and cheer
again. Passing straight on to the room
which had welcomed him before he
went in without knocking. 1t was
empty and unfurnished, but he knew
by the light which shone around the
door-jamb communicating with the
back room that lie should not find tEis
equally barren Oh unoccupicd.
Yet, when he stood before it. he eG-
pericnced moments hesitation, fan.
cying that he heard voice speaking
somewhere. But another lock behind
him assured him that he was alone,
and conquering whatever agitation this
IMAGINED utterance of his name had
caused him he thrust out his hand with
the quick appeal of Jenny" and vic.
1ently pulled open the door.