The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-06-05
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For a few minutes after jean
nette's departure her young mistress
sat sick at heart and already tremu-
lous with expectation of hex return;
then suddenly she rose anG went to
her desk. 1t had for the FIRST time
occurred to her that therein also lay
proof of her clandestine relations
with the dead man; which, though
indeed they did not hint of marriage,
were significant enough of the afec-
ton that had once existed between
them.
She had never been so reckless as
to write to him, either before OF
since their marriage. The witnesses
Of that ceremony, mere officials in
one of the city churches and jean
nAtte herself, were now the only re-
positories of her secret. If Herbert
had not put his threat of writing to
| his father into effect, or if that letter
could be secured, she would be safe.
But would it be secured? 1t was ten
o'clock when Jeanette had departed
on her errand, and the sudden sound
of the quarter, brought upon the
wings of the north wind from some
college clock, had just died away.
How terrible was this time of wait
ing!
The letters of the dead man were
in her hand, and she was about to
put them into the empty crate, previ-
Gus to setting fire to them, when a
sudden impulse-or the attraction of
repulsion-prompted her to read
them. She sat down and took them
out one by one from the india-rubber
band that held them together, and,
as it happened, in their inverse or
ders as to date. There was n or
two written after their marriage, ap-
pointing time and place for their
clandestine meetings.; but even these
were not free from reproaches and
expressions of disappointment as we'll
as impatience-even threats.
For the moment, as she read, the
past returned to her. Once more she
was a young girl, without experience
of the world, full of tender dreams;
the man of her choice had declared
himself; he was the handsomest of
created beings, and n of the best,
though las is always the case) there
was a want Of appreciation of him
in some quarters. 1t was only, how
ever, necessary to know him las she
did to love him. What a future had
| seemed to lie before her!
At the remembrance of all those
things Sophy's heart melted within
her, and she burst into tears-not
because the man we knew was dead,
but another man, whom, to say the
truth, NO n but herself had known,
and because all the hopes and joys
of her life had persisted with him.
AS she sat with bowed head over the
gray, ghostly ashes of some letters,
Jeanette came softly into the room.
Her face was deadly pale, and Ter
head moved from side to side, but
not in negation; it was only that
trembling motion which, when their
nerve are highly wrought, some wo-
men, other wise self-posessed, are un-
able to repress.
You have found it," cried Sophy,
starting to her feet.
Eyes, I have found it. And when
you have done thanking Heaven, Miss
Sophy (for her mistress had broken
out into a most passionate expression
of devotional gratitude), you may
consider a little what I have gone
through to get it. There it is. 1t
was terrible to have to hold it in my
hand; but it is what you wanted, l
hope"
Yes, yes" murmured Sophy, gaz-
ing at the letter, the envelope of
which was unfastened, with eager,
heated eyes. This is his fathers ad-
dress. / have no doubt it is what I
wanted; but would you mind max
ing sure, Jeannette? IL hardly
like to read it,"
1t was not the notion of infring-
ing a private right (since she had,
indeed, become possessed Of the
thing by SO doing) that caused her
to feel this scruple, but a certain
tenderness for the dead nan himself,
which, now that all danger was over,
began for the first time to stir with
in her. She did not wish to have
any new cause of dislike or dread
against him, such as the contents, Of
this missive were almost sure to
prove.
Read it," exclaimed Jeanette.
II wouldn't read it if you gave me
fifty pound. Is it not enough. that
you made me steal it, with him lying
dead and cold-there, there, I didn't
mean to cast it up against you, Miss
Sophy," put in the girl, frightened
at her mistress look of horror; "it
was not quite so bad as you are
thinking, after ALL
There was silence between the
two women for a moment or two.
would you mind telling me all
that happened?" said Sophy, gently.
Did she mind! AS if the one real
guerdon of such an enterprise had
not been the right and privilege of
n%arrating it. AS if the sole thought
which had lately buoyed her up in a
sea of superstitious terror had not
been the reflection that she would
hereafter pose before an audience
(limited though it must needs be to
one person. as the heroine of a mel
odrama,
She told her story WITH a solemn
face and in a gruesome tone which,
as she hattered herself, enhanced its
horror.