The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-05-24

He amt bad. He's done me many.
a good turn. If that's what yer come
to say to me yer might have saved
yerself the trouble" .
Its not what l come to say"
And then he paused; something
seemed to stick in his throat.
"Out with it, then" said Little Make
Believe, IF yer not ashamed of it. I've
got a lot to do. and 1 can't stop talk
ing here all night" ,
Yer know that promise yer got out
of me-" he said, with the mighty enorI
What promise?
about me getting a honest living"
"Oh, yes, I remember. Have yer
kept it?" ~..
II have, NJ ke-Believe."
"There, now, Foxey, you've made me
downright glad. Forgit anythink IN
kind / said to yer. Here's my hand"
He took it and did not let it 60"
81 made the promise for your sake,
Make-Believe."
II know; you're better than I thought
you was, Foxey."
It's you as has made me better
and you can make me better still. You
understand me, don't YER?
"Oh, yes, I understand yer, Fo1ey."
1t was a great pleasure to her to
know that she had a good influence
over him, and she gave him q kind
look.
"well, then,' he said, when shall
it be"
Her kind look changed to n of
bewilderment.
when shall what be"
"The wedding. I've got a room, and
some bits of furniture; I'll get more
afore another months over my head,
and I promise to be good to yer. Yer
know how / can keep a promise, and
I'll keep this one. When shall it be,
Make-Believe?
"Whym she cried. "Do yer mean to
say yer want to marry me?
That's it, exactly, Make-Believe;
there amt a gal in Clare Market that
can hold a candle to yer, and that's
why 1 have been follering yer about
this blessed day. What are yer shak-
ing yer head for? Why can't yer
speak"
"'Cause yer've taken away my
breath. I never heerd such a thing in
all my born days! You're never in
earnest, Foxey"
II am, Make-Believe Strike me
down dead if I amt"
1t need not this to convince her.
Mastering sufficient courage to look
him straight in the face, as he stood
before her blocking the way, she saw
that he was, indeed, terribly in earn
est.
Come" he said, somewhat roughly,
"say I'll have yer, Foxey,' and make
an end of it,
81 can't make an end of it that way"
"Why" ,
Because l don't care for yer"
He took her two hands and held them
Us in a wise.
"Say that again." he demanded.
She steadied her voice and repeated:
II don't care for yer"
"And yer wont have me?"
mo, l won't"
what! Arter fooling me in the way
you've done?"
who's been fooling yer" she asked
Indignantly. Eyer telling lies, yer
know yer are! Here-jest let so my
hands, or III scream for help"
you've got no call to-" he said in a
gloomy voice, releasing her hands.
Yer don't think I'd hurt yer, do yer?
But I wouldn't give much for the man
as'd stand atween you and me. All,
but yer playing with me, Make-Be.
lieve! you've only been speaking in
fun. Yer want me to wait a bit. All
right; I'll wait, I will, if it's six
months"
cts no use of yer going on like
that" said Little Make-Believe, recog-
nizing the necessity of irmness; 'if yer
waited for six years, or sixty, or six
hundred, I wouldn't have yer"
On his part, now, he recognized that
she was as much in earnest as he.
rs that yer last word?"
at is"
He laid his two hands on her shoul.
ders with a violent grasp, and the pain
he caused her forced a scream from
her lips.
Then he left her suddenly, and as
| suddenly returned.
That night yer found M bleeding
in the road. Yer don't forgit it."
NO"
Yer knelt alongside me, and brought
me to life again. Yes, I might have
died if yer hadn't come. Yer don't for.
git that"
NO"