The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-02-21
CHAPTER XVII.
Continued.

dead youth is, in .Eeality,-a pleasant
one. Miss Grand assured herself that
Matty's advent had been to her 4 mer-
ciful event, as tending to set right the
error which had so long made her own
. Got a miserable one; but none the less
did Matty's fair face Cypress her eyes,
and Matty herself grow day by day a
more intolerable invader of the peace
and stiffness Of her home.
1.-THE week is over, Clifford, and Miss
ferguson has said nothing as yet
: about her plans. I wish you would find
out from her whether she wishes to
haye inquiries made among the ladies
of the neighborhood or not. I am not
very strong, and a visitor weighs upon
me-"
Mr.. Mohun turned away toward the
window, thrust his hands rather help
lessly into his pockets, and attempted
that noiseless description of whistle in
(which so many men are prone to seek
for refuge under a direct feminine at
tack. He had just arrived on his daily
visit to the cottage, and, Miss Fergus
son not having made her appearance,
Jane was ~summoning up courage to
breach the subject which had been so
constantly in her thoughts during the
last few days.
eyes, she weighs upon me. l may as
well say it out. We have nothing in
common; and as I don't see any way
in which I can help her, I really think
it is time she should begin to think OF
going home"
Clifford turned around with some
thing family like spirit.
what do you mean by having moth
ing in common, Jane? What is there
against the girl? She isn't very much
trouble to you, I should think. I don't
know what you NEAR by weighing on
you, and-all that"
II mean" said Miss Grand, in a tone
whose calmness, contrasted strangely
with GiffOrd's LACK of self-possession,
"I mean that Miss Ferguson comes up
exactly to the account of her that you
gave me, Clifford. / can well imagine
her the daughter of such a mother as
you described Mrs. Ferguson to be. I
can distinctly see in her the effects of
such a bringing up-running wild upon
the streets of foreign towns, as she her
self tells me of. Her ways and her
thoughts are not mine; and however
gladly I might have helped her II her
first story had been true, I do not feel
myself called upon to have my little,
plain, quiet household disturbed any
more by such a very fine young lady
as Miss Matty Fergusson"
: "If her first story had been true! You
make out that Matty's an impostor,
then, You don't believe in the poor
girls poverty. end her wish TO help
herself!!'
Clifford looked really indignant, and
Jane felt her heart become more n
more calm and still, her words more
chosen and icy and to the point.
mo, Clifford, I do not believe her first
story. When Miss Ferguson is off her
guard l hear of balls and picnics and
riding parties at Cheltenham; and do
not believe her mother has ever-as the
deter stated-been in want of the nee
essaries of life. From things Miss Fer
gusson has told me, l rather believe
they live from hand to mouth upon
what they can get out of Mrs. Fergus
sons old friends, and from their own
scanty capital, but CXtravagantly, Il
denying themselves nothing. think
very cold and slow came this final
stroke-"that they are adyenturesses.
I think that the plan Of the girls COM
ing to Haughton, in the first instance,
was a scheme-a p~reconcerted scheme
Jane did not know enough of modern
English to say, as Matty would have
done, "a plant''-"and l believe that
the very last intention Miss Ferguson
has in her mind is that of becoming q
g%oyerness-a situation, truly, for which
her birth, her bringing up ard herself
most utterly unfit her!"
There was q look in James eyes. 4
strength shining through their calm
ness, which Clifford Mohun had never
seer there before, and it eXasperated
him horribly. When a very patient and
lOnG-suffering brute creature does at
length resist, its former patience Will,
you know, incense 4 cruel master but
the more against its present resistance.
He broke out fiercely, and speaking too
quickly to notice the immediate efec
his works took upon Miss Grand.
81 think you are very unjust in your
suspicious of poor Matty! l think her a
very nice girl, indeed; and shes always
most amiable-most amiable, by Jo7e!
in the way she speaks of you; and II
you don't like to keep her any longer
you had better say so, and, by!
I'll just ride over to Draycot this after
noon and get Mrs. Tenant 10 ask her
there. Her birth-her bringing up"
and James unfiinching eyes, and the
sound of his OWN angry voice, had now
worked Clifford up to a white heat.
"By the Lord! I think this is the last
house in the country where birth should
be spoken Of! If Matty knew al, per
haps she'd be no more anxious to stay
here than you are to keep her"
And with this noble speech upon his
lips, Mr.. Mohun dashed out in a rage
through the open French window to
the garden, where he vas very speedily
Joined by Miss Matty herself. Stand
ing on tiptoe at the door of her own
apartment, this young creature had al
ready guessed at, if she had not &C
tually overheard the greater part OF the
conversation between Jane aud Mohun;