The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-03-30
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
JEANNETTE AND VIRGINIA.

Jenny Rogers realized all that she
had jeopardized by her sudden engage
ment. but was not disposed to submit
to the consequences OF her folly with
out struggle. Since the artist still
loved her. she would meet that love
and hail the return, whatever it might
might cost the man who had taken ad-
vantage of her momentary weakness
to bind her to himself. To break away
from the man who held her trotb, that
she might fly to the man who held her
heart, was all her hope, all her prr-
pose. To insure fulfillment to this
hops and to make certainty of this pur-
pose, she sat down after breakfast to
write her betrcthed letter.
.Buf when she came to take the pen
In her band, she trembled. All, this
was not so easy task after all! If she
had recoiled at times from giving up
the million that had come to her in so
wonderful way, how much more rea-
son had she for recoiling from an act
that not only meant the sacrifice of her
fortune, but the betrayal Of a secret
that inv0 ed her honor and every
claim to happiness which she pos
sessed. l do not think she could have
proceeded with her confessions if
Clairette had not brought her at this
critical moment a letter, which gave
her the impetus necessary to carry
through her project 1t was from the
artist and ran thus:
= "My Best Beloved-You have refused
to see me. Is this because l have
come too late? Darling, I had my ex-
cuses. will explain them to. you if
you will give me the opportunity. Do
not judge me without knowing the
facts, for whatever Indifference I may
have shown you, here avow that my
heart has been beating with yours
throb for throh, ever since the mo-
ment you drew my eyes to yours, and
made me see that you We're willing
to give up all the world for the devotion
of your artist lover.
HAMILTON DEGRAW."
Such words, coming at this moment,
made her path plain before her, or so
the desperate child thought. A fiery
ardor of devotion awoke within her,
and though her trembling was not les
sened and her cheeks took on the hue
of fear, she seized the empty sheets
before her, and transcribed the burn
ing words which she knew would eff
fectually sever all connection between
herself and her true-hearted benefac-
tor. It was noon when her letter was
completed, and her feverish eyes and
pallid lips evinced what the task had
been to her. But she gave no evi-
dences of flinching, and folded up the
letter and addressed it to Hamilton
Degraw. Esq. with unyielding deter
mination. Only when it came to her
taking from certain secret drawer the
deed and various papers upon which
her fortune depended, did she show
any signs of weakening. And then,
not because of any secret longings
toward the wealth represented by these
various documents, but because she did
not feel quite assured that she had
said all that was necessary, in her
long but not exhaustive letter. She
had told her secret and repudiated the
Delaney legacy, hut she had not named
her successor. Should she? Had she
tie right? No; but it would be so
pleasant to think that the dear little
school teacher who had every virtue
and every charm save that of an un-
halting gait, should reap the benefits
that were no longer hers. As She
thought of it, she took resolution.
She would visit this lady and see for
herself if she was worthy o this good
fortune.
This resolve once taken. she locked
up the letter and the deed together,
snd donned her simplest street gar
ments. Her first move was to consult
a directory. 1t was successful one.
for almost at first view she lighted
upon the address she sought under the
name of "'Rogers. Jeanette; teacher" :"
and, elated with her anticipations. she
betook herself to the street and num-
ber named. like 4 female Haroun al
Raschid.
She was fortunate in finding the
young schoolteaeher at home. She was