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

G o uwDe GWD 60
THE CAN0NS WARD ;:;:,
V.l.le OR TALE OF MONEY MADNESS 49,
NV By JAMES Pawn. msG% =
90 90 Q
CHAPTER II.
Continued.
OR 4 TALE OF MONEY MADNESS.
BY JAMES PAWN,


Continued.
There were two replies open to
Sophy. She might have said, and
with truth, You saw nothing of
which l have any reason to be
Ashamed, no matter what ideas you
may entertain to the contrary, Or
however we%ll-founded they may ap-
peal to you" But this course would
have necessitated an explanation it
was impossible to give, and which If
she had given would (she felt have
once more made an enemy OF her
companion. The other course was to
have accepted with thanks his prom
Use of silence, and this again she
dared not take. To admit a conf
dence of this kind between them was
only less dangerous than the other
alternative; it would be an encour-
agement to him of which she feared
he would take advantage. She had
already come to the conclusion not
only that Mr.. John Adair was not a
gentleman to be trusted in any deli
cate matter, but that he was not a
gentleman at all. His calling her
dear Miss Gilbert" upon sc short an
acquaintance struck her Gas indeed
1t was) as an audacious imperti-
nence; yet she vas so much in his
power that she dared not show the
least trace of indignation. An I'M
pleasant position for even a man to
be in, but for a young lady a deplor-
able one indeed.
She answered nothing.
81 suppose you are going to the
ball 'to-night?" he continued.
The question was a very simple
ione, but she connected it at once
as he intended her to do-with the
incident to which he had already al
luded. The blood rushed to her very
temples, but the tone of her reply
was studiously Indifferent.
did you not hear my guardian
say so?"
mo; I heard nothing of what he
or any one else was saying. I was
Ouly luluhluS VI you.
at is a pity that you had not some
thing better to think about" said
'Sophy pettishly.
She regretted it the next moment,
not because it was such a reply as
a maid servant might have given to
her military cousin, but from the OPP
portunity which she felt it would af-
ford him Of paying a compliment.
ut would be difficult" he said.
with a smile, "to think of anybody
better than yourself, Miss Gilbert"
Both the smile and the words made
her blood run cold; the one because
there were reasons why to have
aroused the affections of this man
was more dangerous even than to
have become his enemy; the other
because, though uttered without any
meaning in particular, they seemed
to her to convey the bitterest .Sar-
'casm.
May I hope that you will give
me a dance or two at the ball this
evening? I do not ask for the first
one" he added, hastily, perceiving
the look Of amazement and even
alarm that came into her face; 'it
is only too probable that the first
Ione may be bespoken by another. I
know too well how eagerly you are
sought after as a partner; you are
not annoyed at the request, I hope.
One dance really does not seem much
to ask"
II am not annoyed" said Sophy,
mastering a smile, 'but I am certain
ly astonished at such a request from
such a quarter. My guardian said
you were the very last man, Mr..
Adair, likely to be seen at a ball"
"1 know; 1 heard him." returned
the y man, quietly. Still I may
mean to go to this ball"
It was on Sophy's lips to say, II
do not dance round Dances" But
the consequences of her rash and
reckless conduct in another and
more serious matter were fortunately
too present with her to admit of that.
IF my aunt's headache, to which
she is a martyr" said Sophy, with a
drop in her voice, permits of her
'chaperoning me to the ball at all, I
shall be very happy to dance with
yon MI. Adair."