The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-02-07

frocks and reddish hair, running WHO
| about the Baden streets; and was pre-
| pared for a plainish, shabby genteel
| young woman, who should be clad IN
rusty black, and express her gratitude
| and good principles through her nose.
1t is, therefore, no exaggeration to
| state that they were both Of them liter
| ally startled by the vision that now ap-
peared before them, radiant, blooming,
composed, in the rudy light Of the fire.
Mohun sprung to his feet and stepped
| back from the hearth, just as he might
have done had the new arrival been his
own Lady Sophia Of six years ago, not
Mrs. Fergusson's daughter; Jane TOOK
in at a glance every point Of beauty In
the beautiful woman. before her, and
felt that she herself was old, faded,
dowdy; that this girl was lovelier than
| she had been in the fairest hour OF her
youth; also-instinct added to this
| that she had committed a horrible and
irretrievable error in bringing such a
person to her house, and to the &C.
q%aintance of Clifford Mohun.
Miss Ferguson was tall and stout;
with a head splendidly set on the shoul-
ders, a step light and firm as a PARIS
ian market woman's, and a foot and
hand that, for a person upon so large
a scale, were certainly models of beau
~. Mohun. Of course, could not see
every small detail as quickly as poor
| Jane; but lie saw a brilliantly rose and
white face of eighteen, dazzling teeth,
a profusion of undulating red-broWn
hair. great dark eyes looking full into
his, and the queenly stature and light,
elastic step aforesaid. He came for
ward. and for him made quite a well
turned speech about the pleasure ne
felt in renewing his acquaintance with
his poor old friend Warren FerSussons
daughter.
"Ah, poor papa! I remember you so
well. sir. You gave me five francs once
in the Litchtenthal-yes, indeed you
did"-and all the time Jane sees sne
holds Mohun's hand fast-"and told
ME to buy flowers with it for my little
sister who was sick. All, now l see
every feature for Grace, still aWed
out of her breath by the width and
stiffness of Miss Fergusson's skirts,
had at this ju%ncture brought in the
lamp)-"I see every feature I remem-
Der SO we'll. Oh, Mr.. Mohun! I hope
YOU will forgive me for writing. l
couldn't help it, sir, when I found my
self so near, and thought-thought OF
all my poor. papa used to say about
your great generosity"
Something that did duty for emotion
here shook Miss Fergusson's voice. Gif-
ford held her hand rather closer, and
Jane-feeling singularly cold and IN
impressed at the whole touching scene
gave token of her existence by a lit
tie deprecatory cough.
LET me introduce you to MISS
Grand" said Clifford, dropping the
GIRLS hand in q moment, and turning
10 Jane; "my kind friend, Miss Grand,
who was good enough tony wishes
-" and then, seeing he could say moth.
ing agreeable, without positively tell
ing an untruth to Jane, he broke down
altogether; and the women were left 10
press each others hands, nj make
speeches of amiability, as even the
most simple and ingenious of the sex
know how to do on occasion. Jane
feared that Miss Ferguson must have
felt it cold. Miss Ferguson had found
it impossible to be cold in that Charm
ing, delightfully."- warm wrap which
Miss Grand had so kindly sent in the
carriage. Miss Grand: supposed Miss
FERGUSON had never been in this part
of the country before? Oh, dear, no,
never: but it looked such lovely seem
ery-this is, if it had'been light enough
to see anything of it! And would Miss
Ferguson like to come at once and
take off her wrap before tea? And
Miss FERGUSON. with a look at Gift
ford. would like it very much indeed
And then they went away upstairs,
smiling and chattering as if they mad
been friends for years; and CLIFFORD
was left alone to think over his sur.
prise and his rather pleasant prospect
of having Mrs. Fergusson's daughter
to hirt with for the ensuing eight
days. 49,.
Miss Ferguson was delighted with
The staircase, and delighted with the
bedroom; in none of which places was
there standing room for about one-half
of her silks and flounces at a time; and
when she had laid aside her rich grace
full mantle, and her tiny hat, and was
duly smoothing the braids of her
wealth of tawny hair before the glass,
she thanked Jane, in the best possible
terms. and really in a very pretty
manner indeed, for her kindness in in.
viting her; and Jane felt she must be
q very wicked woman for not opening
her heart more freely to this father
less girl.
ITO be Continued.)