The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-05-01

ludl SOu wei
Perry, which will be worse than any,
thing"
81 am not at all afraid of meeting
Mr.. Perry" said Sophy, quietly but
1 had rather not"
But so many people will be ex-
pecting us, my dear! What excuse
can you possibly make?"
None at ALL" said Sophy, muster
ing up, a little smile. 1T is you who
must be the excuse, Aunt Maria.
You said you had a headache, you
know, when you left my guardians
rooms"
But it's gone now exclaimed
Aunt Maria,' simply.
81 can bring it back in half a min
ute," cried Sophy; and sprinsing
from the sofa she sat down at the
piano and Numbered the march from
"Athalie," which made Aunt Maria,
who detested loud music of any kind,
put her hands to her ears, and very
literally sue for peace.
"You have really given me a head
ache, now" she cried, you naughty
girl"
THAT is because you are so dread
fully conscientious, dear Aunt Maria;
it is the reward of truth. Nor is 1t
a mere selfish advantage; for now l.
who have no headache, can honestly
say that you have got one" Then,
dropping her light tone, she flew to
the Others side, and murmured, ca
ressingly, II am so sorry, darling
auntie; but 1t will soon be of, and
we will both stay at home together,
and have a ozy evening, won't We?'
The Town Hall, in which the Pro-
cession Ball was held, was crammed
with guests. About ten o'clock it had
come on to rain heavily; but that
circumstance had no effect upon the
attendance of the ladies. 1t was one
of the few entertainments of the like
kind where every girl, no matter how
plain, was sure of plenty of partners,
and of young partners. The a
sex was considerably in excess OF b
female, and they were almost with
out exception dancing men.
There was, however, one young
man who scarcely came under that
category, and who, though he meant
to dance that night, for the present
seemed content to stand by the ball
room door, and to scan with unob-
trusive glance whosoever entered 1t.
His anxiety was not easily to be &C
counted for since he appeared to
know nobody. At last, however, ap-
peared one who seemed no stranger
to him, though Adair made no sign
of recognition; on the contrary, he
drew himself up in the corner he had
selected, and watched him furtively,
but with great attention.
The newcomer was a magnificent
ly-handsome young man, very tall
and broad shouldered, with curly
light-brown hair; and but for a soft
brown beard, and a look in his eyes
that suggested imperiousness Of dis
position, might have sat-or stood
for Antinous. Except for his frame,
however, there was little of Greek
about him, and certainly none in his
head. His complexion was not only
fresh, but flushed; and as he care
lessly nodded to his male acquaint-
ances, who were numerous enough,
they now and then nudged n an
other and shrugged their shoulders.
None of them ventured, however, to
tell him what was in their thoughts;
for Herbert Perry was not a man to
whom even the most intimate friend
could with prudence have limited that
after a boating supper it is inju-
dicious for some people to come to a
bail. His glance roved with bold in
curry from one young lady. to an
other; and as they ~revolyed in the
may dance before him, his disap-
pointed expectations seemed to give
way to anger. He stood at the OPP
posite corner of the room to that in
which Adair (his watcher) had taken
his stand, stroking his beard and
frowning heavily. Adair, though he
was disappointed too, seemed to de-
rive great pleasure from his discom-
future.
She is not coming, my young
friend" he scornfully murmured to
himself; land even if she does come,
it 1s a wet night and there will be
no wandering with her in the Round
about"
Once only their eyes met. On
Perry's part recognition was not i'm
mediate; his perceptions, never very
quick, were dulled' with his recent
potations; but under the others con
,tinued gaze memory awoke within
him. His face blazed with wrath,
and he stepped forward as if about
to cross the room; then, as Adair
withdrew his glance with a pretense
Of Indifference, and fixed it upon
come other object, his anger seemed
20 give. place to contempt; he NUT
tered to himself: THE man Is a cur;
it will be time to throttle him if he
ventures to give tongue"
If he thought that Adair was a
coward, Mr.. Perry's judgment was
even less acute than usual. The
former had actually had it in his
mind by that long-continued stare at
his rival to goad him on to quarrel.
If he could have induced Perry to
disgrace himself in public he would
have cheerfully run the personal risk
to which it would have undoubtedly
exposed him. AS the night wore on,
the other grew more impatient; once
or twice he passed into the refresh
ment room, from which he emerged