The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-02-01

1 SSNN
Really" exclaimed the Girl, "
think you have a very poor idea OF
plots. considering you write stories
yourself
occasionally" admitted the Author.
But I'm sure I beg your pardon if l
anticipated your climax. What did
she do. them"
why" said the Girl. "she put her
self in her school friends place!"
Great h~eavens!!". cried the Author.
do you mean in the cofin?"
"Of course not! I mean she as
sumed her dead friends name and
and personality. I think you Cali it,
and pretended she was her"
"She," suggested the Author. with
the connivance of the cousin?
"No. She told the cousin nothing
about it. She left the omnibus and
drove straight to the Mans house in
a cab. and rang the bell and walked
in. The Man was standing on the
hearth-rug alone in the room. and she
ran I'D to him-remember. she hadn't
seen him for ten years-and. with a
wild gesture. exclaimed. Save me!'
Eyes" observed the Author. you
have hit upon a strong dramatic situa.
ton there. What does the Man say,
thought"
1.-THE Man replies. 4 will proclaim
your innocence with my last breath!-
or something Of that sort-and she falls
| into his arms. After soothing her for
a few moments, he inquiries who she is.
| She tells him that she is her dead
friend. his siSter-in-law's cousin; Dut
| the Man replies that there must be
some mistake. as he has no sister-in-
law. The girl fixes her eyes upon his
| face intently for several minutes be-
fore remarking. Then you are not
James de Vere?' The Man answers.
| No: my name is Jones-and the girl
discovers that she has come to the
wrong house"
"IAh! that. too. is a fine situation"
murmured the Author-"for the girl
Eyes, I do not think it is bad. But
the strange part is that Jones n De-
We're are both members of a club where
ladies can be taken as guests, you
know-there are such clubs in London.
amt there?"
"Oh, yes. several" said the Author.
$50 Jones offers to conduct the girl
Ito this club and hand her over to De
We're. and they drove off together.
| Meantime, the girls husband has dis
| covered her flight and starts in pursuit.
| Having heard her once mention the
name of her dead school friends
cousin, he first seeks out this lady.
and from her learns that his wife and
| she met that,very morning in an omnl'
bus. This treasures him, and he goes
home to dinner. Jones and the girl
reach the club. and Jones finds De
We're taking afternoon tea with-whom
do you think"
81 am at a loss to conjecture said
the Author, permitting his eyes to
dwell dreamily on the Girls flushed
face.
"Why, with the school friend" ex.
claimed the Girl, clapping her hands.
THE school friend?'
Eyes. She wasn't dead. after all.
1t turned out to be merely a malicious
and unfounded report. On the con-
trary. she was engaged to be married
to De We're"
"Ah. Lucky De We're. And is that
all?" -.
"No. That concludes the first half Of
the story. The rest is principally ex'
plantations. I want to know how it
ought to be written?" said the Girl.
"Its too exciting for me to give an
opinion straight off," rejoined the Au-
thor. "You say the girl knew the Man
for ten years."
Eyes"
"But the Man didn't know the girl:'
"No."
sit was his loss!" murmured the Au-
thor. pray, how long have you known
me?'
"Oh, ever since I was ifteen-or
thereabout,'' answered the Girl, exam
lining the pattern of the Authors car
pet
"And it seems only within the last
half hour that I have known your
| calculated the Author, rising from his
chair.
what on earth do you mean?" de.
handed the Girl.
Il mean" said the Author. chat we
will write your story together, If you
will; but ON one condition
And what is the condition.
THAT. unlike the girl in the story.
you will promise never, never to run
away from me-not even for a lark"
"Oh!" said the Girl.
And
"Ah." said the Author. putting his
arm round the Girls waist. "but [ love
you, I love you. I love you"
And the Girl didn't run away.-Em'
eric Hulme-Beaman in the Sketch.
An Unexplained Distinction.
The present Chinese Minister, Sill
Chentung LANG Cheng, X. g. M. e..
is as witty as his we'll known prede'