The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-01-02
CHAPTER yrf
Brotbers kfgsH.

The following evening Charles
Mistley arrived This evening, un-
important though it may appear, hal
been awaited with. some dread by.
Mrs Wright; indeed; perhaps Mrs.
Mistley herself may have had some
misgivings on the matter, though
she betrayed nozsfgns Of such. 2% Z
Mrs. Wright shregdly suspected
that the intruder, Ambition, was in
possession of VINEYARD Mistley's
heart; but w~oman-like she promptly
thought it possible that the sad dog,
Love, might be providing around in
search Of his own rights; and her in
stinct told her that the plan Of as
sault, most to be feared al the
Adonis-like attack, sudden and dar-
ing.
During the last two years Lena's
mother had thought a good deal upon
the subject of young men in general
and Charles Mistley in particular.
The more she saw of that grave
young sailor, the stronger grew her
liking, for. him.. She soon. learned
that his gravity by no means denoted
a dizziness of intellect, and discov-
cred each day some new proof of his
thoughtfulness for others and for
getfulness of self-qualities which
find greater favor with elderly than
young ladies, Gradually she dropped
into the habit Of encouraging the
friendship which had sprung up be-
tween him and Lena, rejecting that
if it grew into something stronger
than friendship, Charles Mistley was
worthy Of any woman's love. There
was, however, that: grim fact of his
being a sailor, which was forever
forcing itself upon her notice, and
would not be permanently quelled
by the detection that there are many
appointments on shore within reach
of sailors who, like Charles Mistley.
have a moderate income and a GER
tain influence at headquarters.
The you. ger brother, VINEYARD. had
never entered into Mrs. Wright's
thoughts in the matter, and 10! here
he was, barely a fortnight at home,
complicating things most terribly by
calmly establishing a friendship re-
markably like that which had caused
so much uncasiness already. What
ever the result might be, this shrewd
little woman of the world knew that
no coed would come Of it; she held
the opinion that the influence. of a
young woman over a young man can
be of no earthly use to him. Alto
gether, Mrs. Wright had no desire to
witness the experiment between her
daughter and either CT the Mistleys.
1t is a dangerous experiment AID a
desperately unprohtably one, oh,
youthful inqufrer-an experiment
best left --one, as the writer of these
poor lines can testify, having burned
his fingers over it!
In the meantime, VINEYARD and
Lena seemed to be cheerfully pro-
crossing down that iowery path
which is SO lovely at first sight, SO
disappointing on nearer inspection,
and so exceedingly thorny as one
penetrates into its depths.
They drove into Walso together to
meet Charlie, and all three arrived
in the highest good humor with
themselves and everyone else, as the
first dinrer-bell pealed through the
house.
Despite her ch~eerfulness, however,
Lena was a little thoughtful at inter-
walls that evening, and during the
mystic arrangement of her hair she
was so absorbed that she not only
forgot to tum a ditty to herself, but
displayed c most Unusual awkward
ness in the insertion of sundry pins,
more or less calculated to keep her
head in order, and consequently the
entiro erection presented even m ore
than was customary, IN appearance
of approaching collapse.
A second attempt, however, Y
eminently satisfactory, and she
tripped downstairs, a demure and
fairy form, long before the second
bell rang. With maidenly dignity