The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-11-15
rE@aH?a-- CHAPTER ".
Continued

clifford had said something to her
that morning, in his tender, indefinite
way, about the first dance; but, owing
to some mistake of the village fyman's.
they had missed not only the first, but
the commencement Of the second
dance; and so the first thing she hap-
pened to see of Mr.. Mohun was his
handsome, smiling face, bending low
over Miss Agnes Tenant, as they
whirled round and round the room to-
gether in the pleasant eyolutions Of a
very fast and spirited waltz.
At which sight Jane Grand's heart
turned quite sick. She knew nothing
whatever about the laws that govern
society. She was ignorant that men
even when seriously in love-felt it in
cumbent upon them, sometimes, to re-
spond to the smiles of other pretty
faces besides the n they have
pledged themselves to adore. She took
everything earnestly-as children and
very single-hearted people will do.
Clifford could not look so happy and
unconcerned with Aggie Tenant if he
really cared for her. She had been
mistaken-foolishly, madly mistaken
and there was an end of it! Only She
wished she was in the little parlor at
home, not standing here among this
crowd of people she did not know, and
with the prospect of watching Mr..
Mohun making himself charming to
d:o .,,no4, oe how cn1o q r,,,cnnnnt for
the evening.
The waltz seemed interminable, but
at length its eternally lively refrain
came to q welcome sudden stop, n
Miss Lynch and Jane managed to
thread their way through the crowd
to On unpretending looking ottoman
near the door.
Mrs. Tenant, a very stout and very
vulgar woman, in a regal brocaded
silk, CHANGED to be sitting-with other
dowagers Of importance-on a sofa ex-
actly opposite them; and, at their ap-
proach, gave the very faintest indi-
cation Of a bow in the direction of
Miss Lynch. Jane felt quite a thrill
of indignation against the honest crea-
ture for returning this bow with such
compound interest Of mods and smiles.
and grateful humility, and uncalled
for empressment. Would she have to
submit to a similar condescension at
the hands of Miss Agnes Tenant,
when Mr.. Mohun should bring her
back to her mothers side after this
walking up and down the room. which
he seemed so thoroughly to enjoy.
was over?
Almost the bitterest feelings she had
ever know burned in James heart at
this moment. After expecting so
much-after lying awake for so many
nights in a state of excited anticipa-
tion-to be, in reality, only a unit, and
a very plain, unnoticed unit, among
the crowd of Gifford's guests. Above
all. and when he had said so much
about the Tenants, to see him now.
dancing and talking to Aggie, just
with the same manner, and, no doubt,
the same meaning. with which for
well-nigh. these three past weeks he
had been talking to herself!
The utter vanity and n~othingness OF
all human desires was borne with such
force upon Miss Grand's mind, that it
was with great difficulty she could
force back her tears; and when, at
last the vicar made his way through
the crowd and began some of his little
kind stately speeches upon her appear
ance and dress, the smile was a very
forced one with which she strove to
answer him.
81 came here exclusively to see you,
Jane. I have not been in a ballroom
for nearly twenty years; but I was de-
termined to see you at your first ap-
pearance as a grande dame, and 1 am
very we'll rewarded for my pains"
And the vicar gazed with genuine
admiration at the waxe1, oval face.
crowned with its fagile wreath of nat
ural flowers, and set off in such pure
relief by the commonplace crowd Of
every day, fashionably set up young
women who surrounded them.
. II doubt if 1 feel rewarded, Mr..
Follett." she said, rather trembling.
81 don't think a great ball is at all the
same thing that 1 expected it to be-"
Have you seen Mr.. Mohun yet?'
1--WE have seen him, but not spoken
to him. He was dancing when we
came in. and he has not passed this
way since we have been sitting here.
/ dare say he has a great deal upon his
hands," she added, in a tone that she
meant to sound extremely cheerful.
Miss Lynch, ana I meant to amuse our
selves all night by looking on!'
Miss Lynch and I are going to play
whist in the card-room and you arc
going to dance in every set this even
ing" cried the vicar, with decision.
"Why, Mohun was fretting himself to
death about your non-arrival not ten
minutes ago I should like to hear
what Mohun would say if you were to
talk to him about looking on"
1t was good to watch Mrs. Tenants
face when she caught the wears con-
GLIDING words; it was better still to
watch it when, q minute later. Clifford
himself came up, and after RENTING
Miss Aggie very hastily to the parental
side, rushed away, in a manner about
whose eagerness there could be no
mistake, to Jane Grand.
Utterly Indifferent to the way in
which Mrs. Tenant or any other per
son in the room might interpret his con-