The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-11-01

the very idea Is too delightful-Jane
Grand at Yatton!"
Ii was a week now since the first
meeting in the woods, but Mohun and
Jane felt as If they had seen each other
daily for years past; as if no break in
time had existed between the days OF
valentines and this delicious rose-col-
ored present. AsJaneprotested against
the honor of meeting all the county on
terms of equality at Yatton she was
standing-not in a romantic position,
reader--but picking raspberries in her
own little cottage garden, with that fine
gentleman, Mr. Clifford Mohun, humbly
holding a basin of very ordinary yellow
ware by her side.
1--WE shall see what the Tenants
think and do" she went on, in that
happy voice into which no ring Of sor-
row had ever as yet entered. but l
can hardly picture to my imagination
what 1 shall feel when 1 find myself
actually in the presence of them all.
OF course, you know, Mr.. Mohun, that
I am not, and never have been, visited
by any of the country people"
II suppose Miss Lynch has not
thought you old enough to go out yet?'
said Mr.. Mohun, hotly.'
This fact of James not being visited
was Just the one thing about her that
he liked the least. The woman he adj
mired ought to be at the head OF So
c~iety-courted, looked up to, popular
as he himself meant to be.
1T is simply absurd to think OF sucn
people as the Tenants not wishing 10
visit you. 1 should be very sorry IN
deed to think of your being intimate
with them"
why, Mr.. Mohun"
II think I told you once before why
I disliked them. Old Tenant made
his money dishonesty. 1t is a disgrace
to all the people in this neighborhood
that they let his past life be buried Tor
the sake of his present money"
But there are other people in the
county beside the Tenants, and they
none Of them know me. No, Mr.. Mo-
hun, the fact can neither be denied nor
explained away. / I'm quite old enough
to get out; Miss Lynch would have let
me 20 to parties for the last three years
if I had been in%vited-but l have
been: and the 'strangest thing is" she
added rather m%ournfully, that l have
no idea why 1 I'm communicated. 1
am sure Miss Lynch is as nice and
we'll educated as any lady in the
neighborhood, and 1 have been brought
up by her, and I have never done any
| thing that 1 know of to prejudice peo-
pie against me. But still the prejudice
exists. Yes, Mr.. Mohun, I am not WIS.,
tied, and however kindly you mean. it,
you are taking a bold step in inviting
me to Yatton."
If she had known all the hidden
weaknesses Of Gifford's heart, Jane
| could not have played upon them with
greater success than she did by the
Wistful earnestness of this little simple
speech. 1t was disgusting, no doubt,
that q girl he meant to love-(he had
actually progressed thus far in the last
ten minutes)-should have been, hith-
erto. in a subordinate position to such
people as the Tenants. But was he
not Mohun of Yatton? the possessor OF
the oldest name, of the best blood, in
half the country? Would not his wife
be a member Of his family? Would it
not be DELIGHTFUL to see the homage
| with which all the neighborhood would
receive her as soon as they perceived
her to be, as it were, hallowed and en-
nobled by her presence?
The idea did not present itself under
the aspect of vanity or intense selfish
ness to Clifford. He thought he should
be performing a singularly honorable
| action in putting public opinion on n
| side for the sake of Miss Grand's
pretty face; and his voice shook with
genuine emotion as, bending over her,
low-and This time taking her. hand,
without %subterfuge Or concealment,
in his-he began to whisper about the
Importance Of what they thought OF
each other, not of what the world
thought; and how he would not give a
ball or any other festivity unless Jane
| promised to be there; and
"And I hope, Miss Grand, that that
will not be the last time you will come
to Yatton!"
Ito be continued.)