The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-02-22
e. MRS.

Her dress, too, was almost un-
changed.
The same description of soft. white
muslin, a little more gauzy than what
she wore TT Bergfelder, only the black
ribbons were gone, and others, of a
bright but delicate blue, futtered in
their stead.
Won ~Steinhausen did not think the
sight. CT Ter would have sent So keen
a thrill IF pleasure and of pain through
his heart.
So he had found her again, only to
find her lost to him!
He fixed his eyes upon her unob-
served, and studied with intense in
terest the expression of her face
1t was more pensive than before
almost sad, but very gentle; and the
sweet, clear, truthful eyes. what a
yearning depth in their liquid blue!
She had passed, and stood with her
partner opposite Steinhausen, when
Hauptmann Gehring anne up, and,
bending close, whispered some fam
iliarly confidential communication, at
| which she looked up with a sudden
| bright smile, and nodded as though
they perfectly understood each other.
This was more than Steinhausen
! could stand, and. the tired musicians
| ceasing their, strains, he followed the
| dancers, who began to stream into the
next room, and even into the entrance
hall; but his eyes, in spite of himself,
| still singled out the attractive figure
| with u~nspeakable envy.
Had he found her free, still to be
won, he would probably have been
considerably less moved by her pres
| ence.
Other motives might have held him
back from grasping what he now so
passionately desired.
That quiet, commonplace Haupt-
mann! on him he would like to wreak
his vengeance.
1t was he who had robbed him Of a
possible heaven; fol-. with the ingenuity,
| common to such a frame of mind, he
now decided that Lies had only been
"engaged,7' and reluctantly engaged,
| when he had met her more than four
years before.
If this detestable cousin had not
! stood in the way, what might not have
happened?
Steinhausen left out Of the reckon
ing his subsequent occupation, the
not unnatural fading Of his first i'm
preston, and consequent slackness in
| following up the pursuit; but now
now that she was out Of his reach
he felt ready to break every law
| that kept her from him.
In this mood he found himself-by
| the gradual dispersion Of the dancers
! as they formed fresh engagements.
| and returned to the large salon-be-
| side a group who were talking gayly
| in the doorway leading into the dining
| room.
1t consisted of the Burgomeister,
resplendant in deep red satin and rich
| white lace; the detestable H~auptmann
| Cheering: Lies herself, and another, a
| rather pretty. dark eyed little woman,
in black velvet.
They did not at first notice Major
| Won Steinbausen, till Lies. who was
| speaking with some animation, and
playing with her fan, dropped it.
SteinhauSen restored it to her with a
7o.- Lo-, 1-hSnh ehn pof11rnn1 1nnnT-
ing his eyes fully.
A startled, eager, questioning ex-
preston came into hers. then she
looked down, the color rising in her
cheek as she twisted the silk cord of
her fan %nervously round her fingers.
Steinhausen. with q thrill Of exulta-
ton, observed that, although she did
not actually recognize him, his like
ness to his former self moved her visi-
bly,.
Major Won Steinhausen," said the
Frau Burgomeister, pray allow me
to make Herr Hauptmann Cheering.
my cousin, known to you. Frau Che
rins-Fraulein Cheering" continued
the portly, radiant dame, with a COM
p~rehensive wave Of the hand toward
both ladies'; who courtesied at the
same moment: but Lies, with a bright
smile and m%omentarily graceful hest
~tation, held out her hand.
Then you are indeed the Rittmeis-
ter Won %Steinhausen l knew in my old
home"
How Lies:' asked the husband.
ooh, mein lieber Otto! Have I not
told thee of our Prussian invaders, and
how rude ! VASE
ia. gewiss! but now we all fight
under one banner.
SO. l am .honored TO make your
acquaintance. Herr Major. and hope
you are quite recovered from the effect
Of Your wound.
The Herr Doctor has been telling
me you fell in a benevolent effort to
save q wounded Saxon officer before
Sedan
You are very good: returned Stein
nausen. Whole attention was absorbed
by a thick glance from his former an
tagonist. : glance which spoke an
amount Of recognition for the aid
given TO a Saxon which did not help 10
steady the recipients pulse.
u was not very successful in NY at
tempt
The gentlemen continued tie conrer-
sation for a few minutes, the l1aupt-
mann expressing his regret that the
loss Of his arm at honiggratz had dis
abled him for further service and CON-