The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-03-25
CHAPTER XIV.

road, but Monsieur Leduc conducted
Arthur by a series of paths through
the forest which were b~ewildering
enough. The paths were very rough;
the forest was dense enough to make
it difficult to see the rude track.
They walked fast and reached
Goucy before the landlady of La
Pie Blanche" had shut up her shut
tiers. They were too late for the
table d'hote, but dined together in
the general dining-room very COM
fortably.
Monsieur Leduc introduced Arthur
to his landlady as a ledger for the
night. and probably a tenant for the
apartment he was about to vacate
on the morrow. The rooms were COM
Portable and clean, their price mod
crate, and matters were speedily ar
ranged.
AS soon as that was settled Arthur
went out and asked his way to the
Poste R~estante, whence he expected
to find a home-letter. He vas not
disappointed, for he found n in
Tola's characteristic handwriting,
much to his pleasure; for his mind
had been SO absorbed in the affairs
of the strange family with whom he
had become so rapidly intimate, that
it seemed to him as if it must be
years since he had left home and all
the familiar faces and influences of
his former life.
Dearest Arthur" wrote lola,
you have been gone for such a short
time that you cannot expect any very
great news. We are much as usual,
only more so, for Janet and her.
attendant swain have gone to the
Marsdens'. Papa is not at all we'll,
and talks of seeing the doctor. l
wish he would. But | must tell you
something that will amuse you. l
fancy that Reggie has met his fate!
At all events, it looks like it. The
lady is a widow, and she has come
to stay at Grimwood for a week. She
is what would be called a fine wo-
man; broad, large, redolent of patch
ouli. She is very handsome, and, I
think, very stupid; but good-natured,
and kind, and soft. Don't you know
the sort of individual I mean? And
she has two thousand a year. She
rejoices in the name of Grimes
Maria Grimes-and she is about five
years older than Reggie. N'importe!
He thinks her the most perfect of
beings, genuinely, I do believe. He
met her at dinner, and took her in
the first day she came. The second
day they met at church, and he
walked home with her. The third
day he prowled miserably about the
house-that is to-day. Tomorrow
I hear something about ruins, and a
party to e them.
she has asked me to call her
Maria already, which is decidedly
premature; but she is a good crea-
ture, and I said I would. Aunt Betsy
has sent some charming additions to
Janet's trousseau, and she writes that
Colonel Curtis has given her some
diamonds, which enchant her, as you
may imagine. l must not write any
more, for 1 hear my everlasting name
resounding through the house, and
must go on to see which Of the in
numerables are in want Of me.
Your loving
'TOLA."
Arthur was still sitting, smiling
over ToIa's letter, when there came
a knock at the door, and without
waiting for an answer, Paul Leduc
came in.
1T is nearly eleven" he said, land
I am going to bed; but I thought l
would give you a friendly word OF
advice first. Follow my example and
lock your door. There are a great
many other gentlemen in the house,
and one of them, I am sorry to say,
sometimes comes in the worse for
drink. See, that is his door, point
ing to the one next to Arthur's on
the farther side. 1T has happened
to me more than once that he has
mistaken my door for his and walked
in most unceremoniously; so l locked
mine afterward. Knowing this, you
will not be disturbed by the sound
of moving about in the night. But
stay, perhaps you are a very sound
sleeper?"
II certainly shall be so tonight"
said Arthur. yawning. Il am sleepy
already. 1nank you for your adj
! vice"
Good night, my friend, Bonnc
mutt" said Paul, as he left the room,
shutting the door quietly behind
him.
Arthur sat up till midnight, in.
tending to write letters, but his
pen did not 60 fast. When the clock
struck twelve Arthur found that he
had hardly got beyond the date OF
his letter to lola, so he tore W. the
sheet of paper, determining to post,
pone it till the next day, and so!
into bed.
But the hours passed by and he
could not sleep.
The clock struck three. Flo lett
his uneasy bed and went to the win
dow. 1t was a bright moonlight
morning, not a living creature was to
be seen save a solitary cat noiselessly
gliding along from shadow to shad'
ow. Arthur was parched with thirst
and there was no water in his caraffe
IL thought that a refreshing draugh'
| Of cold water would enable him to &c
! 10 sleep, and with the intention Of
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