The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-05-09

appearance or 1nQuStry anu PRESSURE
though I know not what they wrote.
The of1ce-it is a we'll known rule
must not be discovered doing nothing.
The boy at the door, startled out OF
sleep, lifted his head and threw open
the pages of a big folio before him,
containing I know not what old ac-
counts and entries of bygone business.
The impression of zeal and Of an over
whelming amount of work having been
started, he opened the door.
The bell had been rung by two young
ladies', neither Of whom was known to
the boy. One of them gave him her
card-"Miss Capel."
James iumped-there is no bther way
to describe the movement-when ne re-
ceived the card. He had put away his
solemn promise and sacred pledge in SO
remote a corner of his brain that ne
had almost forgotten the promise and
the name of Katharine Capel.
what the devil" he murmured,
''does she want?"
But when his visitors came in he
turned pale. and looked first at the card
and then at Lily and then at Katharine,
and then at the card again, and then
at Katharine.
"Miss Capel? he said, bowling to
Lily, and again looking at Katharine
with a kind of bewilderment.
"No; this is Miss Capel."
"Is-is your name Capel?" he asked.
Why should not her name be Capel?
"You do not know me, Mr.. Rolfe,"
said Katharine. II am-that is, I was
engaged to your cousin, Tom Addi-
SON."
"You were engaged to my cousin
you?" He kept staring at her face.
"You?" Then he tried to pull himself
together. "Were you? Excuse my sur
prise, Miss Capel; I had heard of you,
but I did not at first catch the name.
Yes-certainly-Miss Capel-oh, yes!
He always spoke of you by your Chris
tan name"
"My name is Katharine Regina"
"Katharine Regina-Regina?" he re-
peated the second name, and still con-
tinued to gaze into her face, not rudely,
but as one who recognizes an old ac-
qauintance.
ut is a family name"
Mr.. Rolfe sat down without asking
the ladies to take chairs; this they pro-
ceeded to do.
But he seemed unable to take his eyes
off Katharine's faee, and he kept wink
ing hard with both eyes at once.
katharine Regina" he repeated.
1T is a most curious name-and Capel.
oh, yes, I remember" he said, with
an effort. "Of course I remember you
now. 1t was a most disastrous en-
gagement for you, Miss Capel. Tom
told me all about it, Of course"
IT have come to you, Mr.. Rolfe," said
Katharine, because you were Toms
cousin, and he told me how you helped
him in the matter of his uncle's will,
and that you would help me too II l
were in trouble"
James bowed with dignity. He had
indeed helped his cousin in the most
unselish manner.
II am in great trouble now"
Anything that I can do, Miss Capel
-" he began.
Having now recovered somewhat
from his first surprise, James observed
first that both girls presented the ap-
pearance Of great poverty; it was
legible in their hats, in their jackets,
in their gloves, and in their boots.
"Only let me hear the circum-
stances" said James, after making
these observations. Perhaps the recol-
lection of the sacred pledge and solemn
promise was beginning to produce
some effect upon him.
II am so unfortunately situated"
Katharine explained, that l do not
know any of my relations. I want you
to advise me how I am to find them;
I am in very great straits. Mr.. Rolte,
and I think if I could find them they
might help me-"
Eyes; that ought not to be difficult"
"My father died suddenly a few
months before-before I lost Tom. He
never told me anything about my rela-
lions at ALL"
ooh! That was unusual. But you
would find something to help you
among his paper, I should say"
"He left no papers at ALL"
"That is more unusual STILL" James
kept looking at her in the same inquir-
ing way. May 1 ask what was his
profession?"
HE had none. Formerly he was in
the army. He lived upon a pension,
or an annuity, of three hundred pounds
a year, which he drew regularly once
a quarter. He left no papers behind
him, and received no letters. On the
few occasions when I ventured to
speak to him about my relations he
forbade any mention of them. l
think he had quarreled with them.
The only piece Of writing which we
were able to find after his death was
a scrap of a letter" She gave it to
James, who read it aloud: I'm case,
therefore. of my not being able to call
as usual for the money on quarter-day,
you can send it to me by check made
payable to order and not crossed, in a
registered letter. addressed to Will
loughby Capel at the following address
-" There the paper was torn, and
thcre was 10 more.
Ellis name" said James, was Will
loughby Capel-Willoughby Copeland
he had an annuity Of three hundred
pounds q year. Yes He laid the