The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-06-05
CHAPTER VIII.

of the river where boats are for
hidden, and was caught by the chain
across the stream. I must go and see
the poor lad, l suppose" said the tu-
tor, with melancholy apprehension,
for his organization was delicate, or
rather his mode of life had made it
so, and then telegraph to his faith
err"
"a terrible task" observed the
canon. Good heavens! if it had been
my boy!"
"You would have less to regret,
my friend, in many ways said the
tutor, rising.
The instant that Sophy found her
self alone she flew to the bell which
summoned her waiting-maid.
Jeanette, come here, I want
youl" she cried, in a hoarse whisper.
You know what has. happened, Of
course"
Yes, indeed, miss; it's an awful
thing to have CHANGED to anybody. l
cant say I'm so sorry as l would wish
to be; but I dare say, notwithstand-
ing all that's come and gone, you feel
it; ones husband is ones husband"
Hush, hush! I am not safe yet,
Jenny"
Good h~eavens!" the waiting-maid
turned pale as ashes; n would have
thought she anticipated what her
mistress was going to say.
mo, not safe yet. When poor Her
bert left me at the mill, this after
noon, he informed me it was his fixed
intention to write to his father and
tell him ALL"
"Oh, indeed" Jeanette strove to
throw some interest into her tone,
but the words fell fat. 1t would have
been plain to any n not wrapt in
other matters that the girl had ex-
pected a much more serious COM
munication.
do you see," continued Sophy,
impatiently, that such a letter would
be as ruinous to me as though he
had told the canon?"
1T would have been if it had been
written; but the poor young gentle
man never got home to write it."
HE did, he did," answered Sophy,
with intense excitement. He went
out on the water a second time, and
in the meanwhile that letter may
have been written"
Let us hope for the best, miss;
perhaps it was not written"
Il have had enough of hope and
fear" replied siophy, wildly. "Oh,
Jeanette, help me now, and I shall
never forget it,"
II will do anything in the world
for you, dear mistress. But what can
] do? If the letters gone"
But it has not gone" put in
Sophy, eagerly. "It may have been
written, but it could not have been
in time for the post. If it had been
written at all, it will still be lying in
poor Herbert's room. Jeanette, you
must get that letter.
"Oh, Miss Sophy, but I cannot, I
dare not"
A picture had presented itself to
her coarse but Ready imagination,
from which she shrank with horror,
albeit she was a bold girl.
yet, Jeanette, you have done
more than this for me-" pleaded her
mistress, ."and with a willing mind.
You have done wrong for my sake,
even though you disapproved of it,
and you cannot disapprove of this.
If the letter gets to its destination
my secret is out. 1t will be almost
as bad for me as it seemed to have
been yesterday"
NAY, it will not be SO bad as that,
miss
1T will not be where you think it
is" said Sophy, CHASTITY pale, and
speaking in a hushed tone; sit will
be in his sitting room, on his writing
table, near the window. You know
his landlady, Mrs. Aylett."
Eyes, l know her; to be sure, We
can get at it through her. Perhaps
for a ten-pound note she may be in
duced to let us have the letter, and
to hold her tongue"
mo, no. What! another one to
share my secret, and to keep me un-
der her thumb for life! You must be
mad to think # it. We must give
her money, of course, but not as a
bribe. Now listen to me: 1t is a
shocking thing, but it must be done.
You must take these fowers-you
may say they came from my aunt
Maria, or even from myself; there
vii be no harm in that"
What, to put them on him! No.
miss, I couldn't do it, not to save my
life. I always feared him, but I
fear him now ten thousand times as
much. Not if you gave me a hundred
pounds I couldn't do it,"
NO one wants you to do it," said
Sophy, earnestly. Give them to
Mrs. Aylett. she will do it; and while
she is about it you will be left alone
in the sitting room. While you have
the chance, lose not a moment; the
letter will be in the desk or in the
blotting-pad, if it has been written
at all"
Very good, miss; for your sake I
will do my best. 1 will go to Green
street the very first thing tomorrow
morning.
Tonight! tonight" exclaimed
her mistress, wringing her little
hands. Tomorrow it will be too
late. To-day nothing will be touched;
inquest"
Sopby's reading Of sensational nov
els had not been labor lost in this