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

lmpatlence.
Supper was over, and not a chance
had offered itself for cross-examining,
as he had intended with condescending
~gaIantry, the fair girl. or woman, who
had so excited his fancy.
How was he to open up his advances
if another opportunity offered, when
| she had so severely rebuked him?
Of course an abject apology might
| serve to open the trenches; but he was
too seriously vexed with her, with him.
self-everything, to<like admitting he
was in the wrong.
He feared he had outraged the po-
| likeness due to hosts, even On com
pulsion.
He tried to tell himself that the
whole affair was not worth a thought,
that tomorrow the whim would have
passed away. and even while he rea-
| soned thus sagely he watched with
| almost fierce eagerness for her return.
But only the lively little Gerichtsamt-
mann re:entered after escorting his
visitors TO their carnage.
Even enemies in the shape Of guests
were almost welcome to the kindly,
hospitable Herr Cheering.
He advanced, rubbing his hands
| cheerfully. and performing one or two
bows, while he struggled to maintain
the grave and cold aspect he thought
| suited to the circumstances, but under
which rippled the bright, kindly smile
he could not quite suppress.
HE trusted the Herrschaft had been
duly provided with all they required.
| He saw that already they had supper
| ended. He would not detain, the Herrn.
At a disordered table to sit is not agree
able. Pray go into the salon, my wife
will lead you there" at which. hint the
| silent hostess rose and preceded her
guests to the adjoining room.
There was something of quiet sad
ness in the lady's bearing which i'm
pressed the Prussian officers with kind
~ respect, and Burchardt suggested
in a quick aside to the Rittmeister that
it, might be as well if they retired to
their own apartments.
mo; certainly not. 1t is more agree
| able here" he replied, sharply.
Eyes, much more agreeable. 'echoed
the others. f"-'
Fahnrich and the three officers
grouped themselves near the quiet
lady of the house, who had already
| taken refuge in her knitting. CONVEX
sation proving somewhat difficult, Won
Pianitz and Burchardt wandered away
to smoke in the veranda; for though
in the salon the lamp was necessary, a
| splendid harvest moo made the gar
den and surroundings silvery clear.
'Steinhausen, however. stood his
ground, and tried every possible sub.
ject with his communicative COM.
.panion.
He praised the villa and the scenery,
the richness Of the crops he had noticed
in passing through the country. the
fine flock of geese he had seen making
their way across the yard; but neither
scenery, crops, nor geese ELECTED any
thing like a Hearty response.
At last Steinhausen took up the fam
lily photograph album, thinking he had
sufficiently paved the way to the SUBJ
ject upper most in his thoughts.
"These family books are very inter-
esting," he said, opening. II like to
trace the same type Of face through
varying forms. You have some very
charming portraits here. May I lbe
permitted to guess, from the likendss
to yourself, that this young gentleman
is your son?' showing the cadet be-
| fore mentioned.
HE u.s." returned Frau Cheering,
with q sigh. ~
land here, no doubt, is your Frau
lein daughter" returned Steinhausen,
proceeding triumphantly, as he
thought, to acquire all the information
he so much coveted, and pointing to
the unsatisfactory portrait of Lies
above described.
ut is-it is-my eldest daughter"
said the lady, with a tremor in her
voice. '. e.,
"Bitte, bitte,'' she added, with 4 dep
recatory motion Of the hand.
TASK me no more about these pho.
| tographs; there are memories which
prevent my speaking Of them with the
| calmness I ought to show before a
| stranger" and she knitted a little more
rapidly than before.
Steinhausen had nothing for it but
with 9 politely expressed apology on
his lips, and wrath in his heart-to
shut the book, and fall back on the
crops and the geese.
His unusual patience. however, did
not so unrewarded.
In q few minutes Clarchen entered
the room.
"Go, dear" said Frau Cheering, "cail
Lies hither; I am but poor company
and, gathering up her knitting, she
left the room.
Lilies is coming" said Clarchen.
standing irresolutely by the veranda
door, strongly tempted to join the
agreeable Won Planitz withoutI but q
dim sense of what was due to pa
triotism and propriety held her back.
S~teinhauSen rose.
Young ladies Of the "Backfsclci!en'
period were not to his taste. but for
the moment she was of Importance.
"And what do you do with yourself.
my Fraulein," he asked. good-humor-
eddy, "all day long in tIi= quiet place;
no concerts. no theater, nc classes?"