The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-04-24
CHAPTER V.
Continued.

iaSt evening hIe I'LL
mensely. l hope you really had a
bad headache mean that it was
bona fide and not a ruse. (MT. Perrys
education had been classical, and did
not include spelling, or the modern
languages.) The truth is, l have had
enough of this sort of thing, and am
getting tired of it. For all that l
see of you, we might as we'll be like
your friend next door and her fas-
cinating young lawyer in town. More
over, something has occurred that
makes it necessary to hurry matters,
and about what l must talk to you
at once. l shall drop in at the usual
time to-day, unless I see or hear any
thing to the contrary; but it will be
much better if I can have a word
with you elsewhere say, at the old
mill. If l don't lei you shall wait
for a line in Green street up to 4
O'Clock. That young dried-herring,
Adair, was at the ball last night, by
the bye, looking, l thought, deuced
nasty. That he suspects something,
I'm pretty certain; but he didn't sus-
pect how very nearly I was wringing
his neck. Only a small matter, you
will say, but still, another reason why
the present state of things must be
put an end to-. Au revoir. Yours,
H. P"
1t is scarcely in nature that a
young lady should regard with dis
pleasure the i~mpatience Of her lover,
even though the inconvenience of its
display should be ever so obvious;
but Sophy's little brow had such a
frown on it as suggested a paddock
on a miniature, or a grenadier keep
ing guard v e a jewel-boX. Her
blue eyes were wide and fearless; her
delicate features were haggard with
anger and fear. "A selfish, heart
less letter." she said to herself; "a
cruel letter. Then, looking up in
her trouble and p~erplexity, she
caught sight of her own face in the
glass. You fool" she exclaimed,
apostrophizing it with sullen bitter
ness. You mad and wicked fool"
There was a knock at the door,
and she trust the letter hastily into
her bosom, as Miss Aldred entered
the room.
Come, my dear, l am glad to see
you have a little color in your
cheeks" said Aunt Maria, kindly.
81 hope that means you feel better"
Il never thought there was much
the matter with me-" said Sophy,
with a little historical laugh. But,
of course, the doctor had to find out
something. 1 suppose he said the
heart they always say the heart
because nobody a get at it and
prove them to be in the wrong"
Il hope it's not so bad as that
returned Aunt Maria, with some sig
nificance. IF you are really better
and can bear it, l have a word or two
to say to you, Sophia"
Here Sophy hid her face, which
had suddenly grown scarlet.
Il do not wish,' continued Aunt
Maria, looking at her very fixedly, Ito
reproach you for what is past and
gone, Sophy; but your proceedings
during that period were not what
they should have been, l fear. Even
so far as they came under my OBJ
s~eryation, they dissatisfied me, and l
felt called upon, as you remember,
to say something concerning them
though | did not say ALTO my
brother. 1t would have been better
perhaps if ! had been more frank.
Still it vas partly, at all events, to
shield you from what ! then thought
to be his uncalled-for d%ispleasure,
and l have some right perhaps to
look for a little gratitude from you
in consequence. l shall find it, you
say?' (Sophy's lips had murmured
something to that effect Very
good. All l ask of you, then, is to
pay the debt you owe into your own
account. No return for anything l
have done for you can, l assure you,
be more agreeable to me than that
you should act wisely and for your
oNu SOOu III lulS ludllSl. II 10 q
more serious affair than you yourself
have any idea of, and l tremble to
think of the consequences that may
follow a contrary course Of conduct.
You have hitherto only seen one side
Of your guardians character; it is in
deed good all around, but though so
tender and lenient to the erring, it is
not so to-forgive me, but l only use
his W expression-scamps and
Scourlrels He is as suspicious of
e~vil-doNrs as he is charitable and
trustful to the rest of his fellow-crea-
lures. And it is certain that Mr.. Her.
bert Perry has found his way into his
black books. 1t is not without rea-
son that he has got there, be assured
of that, Sophy, though l do not wish
to distress you with the disgraceful
details; but the point is that there he
is. Your guardians prejudices, espe-
cially when they are we'll founded:
are as fixed as his attachments; and
in this case l am very certain nothing
will move him. l am to say from
him that MI. Herbert Perry is never
to cross the threshold of this house
again. If you NEE! him elsewhere,
or hold any communication with him,
it will be in direct d~isobedience to
your guardians wishes-are you lis
tening to what l say, Sophy?"
II have heard every word" an
swered the girl, in a half-choked
whisper, though, as her companion
noticed, with some surprise, she was
not in tears. Il will do my best, my
very best, I promise you"