The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-12-13

'mapnanimous-"It is easier to get over
the failings Of those who arc gone tnah
it might be, you know, if one was ac-
tually thrown with them in ones daiiy
life. When people are dead one can't
think of any Of their errors 100
h%arshly."
lanes eyes elowed through all Their
misery at this extraordinary trait Oh
generosity in Mir. Mohun.
IL am glad You have spoken SO. Gil
ford. II reminds me Of how l should
speak and how l should feel. Yes L
will try never to be ashamed OF them
again. As you say, their faiiihss
should be lightly dealt with noW-for
they are dead"
And then, distinctly and without tat
tering once she told linn. almost Nord
for word, what MI. Clithero had told
her respecting her mothers birth II
history.
A nameless French actreSs--better
nameless perhaps than if she had Deeh
more known. Well, Gifford's pride 4
to make an immense effort, but he did
culp it down. 1t was merciful that the
womanr.WaS a foreigner-stHl more so
that she was forgotten and dead. The
dreadful disclosure might have turned
out worse:.and then Jane really was
very beautiful (wlen she was looking
her best and lie was very much III
love with her. and he would have been
very sorry indeed 10 have had to dis
appoint himself.
With q great deal Of tenderness, not
unmixed with condescersion. he began
to lot her know that he could no. allow
her to break off their engagement. even
for such q cause as she had just stated.
But Jane interrupted D:m-interruFt-
ed him with passionate haste-Wlth
! looks. with words. that frnze back all
Gifford's conventional speeches. all
small yanity-yes, for the moment
ever all thought of himself OF OF what
he felt and was going to do.
IL can't believe it! Ny God, this is
too frightful!'
Clifford Mohun was selfish to the
very core-self-loying. self-seeking, SELL
approving; : t+irsting for all earthly
good to be certered in himself: and
singularly apathetic. as a rule. 10 the
sufferingsao of any'persoahwhose suffer-
ings happened to be necessary 10 his
| pleasures. But he was only a boy; ana,
however fine the raw material in other
respects, no boy ever possessed the
prime, the essential quality for q tho
OUCH man Of the world-moral callous-
hess. A man must have gone through
q good deal of life to be perfect master
of a very difficult situation in IN III
| slant; and Clifford had gore through
very little Of life. and his brain turned,
and for q moment-fOr n moment-he
| felt as though his voice was going TO
be choked with sobs, and that he would
take Jane to his breast and bid her
stay there f ,rever, because Of the very
magnitude of the horror that had fallen
| upon himself and upon her alike
But the revulsion of feeling came
quickly; and with that first irrepressi-
bic instinct died the best chance of-Git-
ford Mohun's life. Marry tine daughter
of such q man-ally his old name to one
which, since he was . schoolboy. he
had himself heard spoken If in connec-
ton with dishonor? Hot shame at the
utre thought of such q marriage
thrilled through his veins and rose IL
d~ignantly to his cheek. He felt that
he had been. sbamefully, monstrously
deceived. The guilt lay With those
who, knowing what she was, had ever
| allowed him to love Jane Grand. Now
only one course lay before him--to
break with her at once and forever, to
become the talk of all the country
round, and then to get far away anu
try to live down and forget the shame
and bitterness of all this miserable
business that had been forced upon
him.
Tbis-if emotion could, eve be truly
rendered by words-was' something ike
what now passed through Giftords
heart. He did not think THAT first boy
ish impulse over) of Jane, or OF her
grief, or Of her love. He thought OF
what he loved beSt-himseif; and now
quickest to get away from what lie
hated most-his W pain. And l
think. if Jane could have read his soul
| during these first moments, she might
Il speak with difidence, knowing, how
| rooted such women IRE in their fond
! superstitions-she might have found a
cruel but ~eficacious check to some OF
the idolatry with which, for many
years afterward, she continued to re-
gard him.
Il have been treated shamefully," he
repeated, between his closed teeth. He
had started ut the eliminating part OF
James story and was marching up. and
down the room, regardless OF the mar
BILE face and frightened. fearless eyes
that followed him as he marched.
TO be c%ontinued.l