The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-11-15
CHAPTER Y.

Two or three sleepy-looking old gen
tlemen, already Wearied Of the ball
! were assembled in the card room: SO
Clifford found no difficulty in getting
the vicar and Miss Lynch launched
into their evenings occupation.
! Mohun and Miss Grand felt mutually
sensible of relief when, having watched
| the deal into Miss Lynch's hands, they
| were free at last to leave the card
| room, and to think solely of themselves
| and of their own interests.
For a minute or two they were silent;
| then, as is not unfrequently the case
| when two persons are equally embar'
raised, each began to speak at pre-
cisely the same moment.
"How very pretty Aggie Tenant
looks tonight! was James remark.
81 felt so angry with you for break
ing your promise" was Mohun's.
Which irrelevant observations went
to prove that their thoughts were, in
reality, occupied with the same sub
ject-Mr. Gifford's little Irritation.
"Sweetly pretty" repeated Jane, pur,
suing her own subject pertinaciously'
"Now that I see her of an evening /
don't wonder at all the admiration she
receives. And how we'll she dances,
Mr.. Mohun"
"Does she, Miss Grand?"
GAS if you did not know it! Now,
do you really mean to say that you
don't think Aggie Tenant dances
! wellT"
II mean to say that I never did, and
| never shall, admire either Of the Ten
nants" (Oh, Clifford, what were you
telling that poor little Aggie. not half
an hour ago?), "and at this moment,
especially, I prefer not thinking OF
them at ALL"
Miss Grand had immediate recourse
to the further despoiling of her bou'
quet.
as that for me?" said Clifford, taking
a minute piece Of myrtle from her
hand; "thank you. it is very sweet, in
deed" and in his botanical feryor he
bowed down his head till his lips
touched James little wrist as it lay
upon his arm.
She felt her breath coming sinSu-
larly thick, and stammered out some
thing about returning to the ballroom.
Eyes: you are going to dance this
| time with me-" answered Clifford; it
was significant that he was beginning
! to grow calmly superior, Jane shy and
embarrassed-reversing the order OF
| the earlier stages Of their intimacy
at is q waltz. Do. you hear? They
are just beginning the first note. Your
waltz, of course, Jane-I mean-Miss
Grand?"
Jane did waltz-if performing the
step in time, with persons Of ones
| own sex, can be called waltzing. She
had learned as a little girl from the
itinerant dancing master Of the neigh
borhood, and had since kept up the
| accomplishment with the Miss Gillets,
the miller's daughters, when, two or
three times a year, she went to take
tea with them.
But on the polished floor of the Vat
ton ballroom, and in an atmosphere
brilliant with light and laden with the
scent of flowers, and with excellent
music, ~and-ought I to have put it
first or last-with Clifford for her part.
ner it seemed to Miss Grand that she
was Waiting now for the first time in
her life.
She forgot all her former mortified
tons; she forgot the little triumph that
she had pictured to herself she would
feel il Mohun danced with her; she
only knew that she was with him
! claspcd by him-her hand in his-his
breath down upon her forehead! She,
Jane Grand, who. till the last three
weeks, had scarce yer spoke to any
| younger man than Mr.. Follett in her
life.
When they paused at last. Gifford's
First words gave her quite a chill.