The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-12-14
CHAPTER Nv.
CODtiDUel.

''How should you? No announce
ment was put il the newspapers, and.
fer reasons that you a understand, !
did not care about writing to my
friends, although to you, perhaps, q
letter would have been easier than 10
most people. Alb. Mrs. Chester" she
runs on, with the frank self-absorption,
the unaffected egotism that renders the
society Of newly married persons so
dismal to the rest OF human kind, do
you recollect q conversation we had in
your own room-all roses, and white
dimity, and full Of the smell Of sea-
weed, that last evening / was at Fief-
ie-la-Reine|'
Yes, Daphne remembers the CONVEX
sation accurately, word for word:
Il don't mind confessing that I felt
the least, just the very least, degree
bitter against you that evening"
,"Bitter-against me"
You seemed so contented with the
world and the world with you, and my
own spirit so heavy. ~and-well, if the
truth be told, it did appear to me,
weighing our lots, one against the 9th
or, that l had some mall reason to
feel jealous
So Aunt Hosie was right. Human ma
fure remains the same always. Clem-
entina's love for Severnc, lukewarm
though it may have been, contained
Just sufficient vitality to admit of that
old-fashioned sentiment, jealousy.
II recollect one thing with great
c~learness: that I prophesied your hap
piness," says Daphne, a little CON
science stricken.
And how you extolled Sir John.
Well. looking at his character now with
unprejudiced eyes, I can say, honestly
and dispassionately, that I think be
deserved every word Of your eulogies;
! can, indeed, poor elbow"
Up springs the blood into Daphne
Chester's face. Something in Clemen-
tina's Multiplying tone wounds her to
the quick. AS though she had a right
to feel wounded, TO take any lingering
interest whatsoever, either in Sir John
Seyerne or in his wIfe's estimate Of
him!
"Only his merits were not made for
me. There was the pity Of it. The fact
was, we became engaged much too
young. ! felt it instinctiVely that first
moment when we met again, Cont
YOU remember, Mrs. Chester, how Felix
and broke in upon a little sketching
lesson Sir John was giving you under
the rocks? And every hour we spent
together afterward convinced me more
and more of our mistake"
Daphne Chester's cheeks burn like
fire. She has heard rumors, even at
Fief-de-la-Reine. of the rapid pace,
The emancipated doctrine, Of youthful
matrons of the day. Condolences like
these, condolences from the lips CT a
wife not two months married, posi-
lively stagger her.
You must have guessed, I am sure.
seeing so much Of US as you did" And
now it is Clementina's turn to show
embarrassment; she casts down her
eyes, she turns her>bright new wedding
ring round and round upon her finger.
"You must have g~uesse6-that l cared
for my Cousin Felix"
Your Cousin Felix" repeats Daphne
Chester, by this time too thoroughly
mystifed to do more than REUTER- the
brides own words.
.lHo 20 rot hrs11iont 90 for &C hpnEc
20; it may be good judges would say
lie has not got Sir John Severne's SOL
id qualities, and he is certainly poor,
while Sir John Severne, as certainly,
has plenty of this worlds goods. But
you see one cannot reason about caring
for people! II think 1 have cared
for Felix always" says C%lementina, the
sweetest flush Of womanly feeling
staining all her face, land I know that
to be with him. poor, abroad, anyhow,
will be the only possible happiness Of
my life"
Daphne had turned first red, then
pale, then red again, during Mrs.
Br~oughton's confession-for it is time
10 call the bride by the name she wears
so joyously. No word of congratula-
tion can she speak. Bewilderment,
scarcely yet enlightened, the dawning
of a new wild personal hope, combine
together to render her dumb.
Your Cousin Felix, IL mean Mr..
Broughton, is with you?" she asks, at
length, stammeripg as guiltily as
though her heart owned a secret pas
sion for Clementina's husband.
Yes, he is at the hotel, and later on
in the day you will see him-that is, if
you will let US invite ourselves 10 a
Fief-de-la-Reine high tea. Felix re-
quires a good many hours for break
fast and rest, after the horrors Of q
Channel steamer, and, as Sir John was
ready to escort me, l thought I had
better drive on first and give you
warning of II advent"
"Sir John Severne isis travelling
with you, then?"
Surely, were ~Clementina's lips alb
Solutely engrossed in herself and her
Felix, she must decipher the meaning
of Daphne Chester's trembling voice
and rapidly changing color!
Travelling with us? Well, that is a
comical idea. Do you think we could
endure to have any other society than
our own? No; or crossing over to-
gether last night was Lurely accidental.
] never knew Sir John was on board
until we got past the Needles, and
A. " -1..1 LonoD IN rn11 md