The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-06-19
CHAPTER XIV.
An Unexpected Visitor.

AS places of business are closed to
clients after Office hours, so in pri-
vate houses, unless they belong to
persons who can afford to keep many
servants, there are no arrangements
for the reception of visitors until the
usual time for callers. Thus it hap
pened that the canon, issuing, bag il
hand, from his damp cab, was adj
mitted by the amazed Jeanette.
"Lor, sir" she said, with a warm:h
of welcome to her old master that
thawed all the proprieties, and brisk
ly wiping her right hand with her
apron, for she knew that he would
shake it, who would have thought
that it was you?"
"Well I suppose no one; it's out
of canonical hours, I know. Still, I
suppose I shall be admitted"
Dear heart, how glad my poor
mistress will be to see you," was
Jeannette's reply.
A drawing-room well furnished but
without a fire in it in winter time is
like a dandy without brains; two
minutes of it is more than enough; if
ones mission is melancholy, its effect
is particularly. depressing. There
was warmth enough. however, in So
phys reception for him, for she came
flying into the -oom with her arms
extended. my dear, dear GUARDIAN"
she exclaimed, you are more well
come than words a say" and she
remained lockedgin his embrace for
more than the usual time allowed for
such transports. The canon did not
dare release himself, for he felt that
she vas weeping passionately on his
breast, and the sight of a woman's
tears, as we know, was terrible to
him. He patted her little head en-
couragingly, but that seemed only to
make heEc worse; the very 1oodgates
of her heart seemed to have been set
wide.
"It. is so foolish of me-" she pres
emily sobbed, land SO wicked of me;
but I cannot, cannot help 1T. 1t
seems so long since I have seen you,
guardian; and you were always so
good to me-"
Pooh, pooh! Good to you, little
woman? Why, of course I was good
to you, as you call it. And I hope
everybody else is good to you"
She answered nothing, but her
sobbing ceased at once; her thoughts
seemed to have been turned into an
other channel.
Il have come up all of a sudden
upon a little business matter to see
your husband" he continued; per
haps you will give me a bit of dinner
and a bed"
The canon and Sophy sat talking
over old times SO late, expecting
every moment Adair's arrival, that
when he did come, his visitor had
perforce retired to his own room to
prepare for dinner. 1t was the habit
of the master Of the house to come in
at the last moment, though the cir
cumstance did not mitigate his in
dignation in case the meat was over
done. Adair looked worn and irri-
tated, which, however, was by no
means unusual with him.
What is it now!" he exclaimed
fretfully, when Sophy came into his
room. 1t was plain, by the surprise
in his tone, that she did not often
intrude upon his privacy!s
"The canon arrived this morning."
she answered, sententiously. He
dimes, and is going tc sleep here to-
night"
"Confound the luck" was the hos
pital rejoinder. What ON earth
brings him up to towr?"
II don't know. Some little mat
ter of business, he said"
Tut! What does he know OF
business? He had much better stop
in college, with his musty old Mil
ton"
What do YOU mean, John? Sure
ly you would not let him see, of all
men, that he was not welcome"
To be Continued.