The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-12-02

had arrived, and had just at that mo-
ment gone up to see the cathedral.
They had arrived early and been on
the island all day, and they lad or
dered dinner, too, and were going to
| stay the night. Their rooms were
even then being got ready.
This, then, was the goal gained at
last; and here, Gertrude thought,
with. a great sigh of relief, must end
the most cruel part Of her trouble,
the separation, with all the uncertain
ty and suspense it entailed. Her hus-
band would not recognize her-for
that she was quite prepared. She had
not, therefore, mentioned the rela-
tionship when she asked for him
here, for fear of betraying his state
of mind to the people of the house, or
of leading them to thinl; her some
impostor, which was just as probable
a contingency. What she intended
was to sit next him at dinner and
scrape acquaintance with him, make
him fall in love with her over again,
and induce him to let her accom-
pany him. 81 r...
"Mr. soames is the friend Of some
friends Of mine," she explained to
the landlady. "He is also a connec-
ton by marriage. He knew me when
I was a child, but he probably won't
recognize me. You might put me
next to him at dinner, though, and I
will recall myself to his recollection.
He will doubtless help me to over
take my own party when he knows
who I am. 1t is not pleasant for a
lady to travel alone in a strange
country"
"Ah," the landlady said, madame
await raison, and without doubt her
relative would be charmed to be her
escort till she should overtake the
friends she had so unfortunately
missed. Such an arrangement was
quite %convenable for the English"
: This conversation had taken place
in the great raftered kitchen, the
landlady's attention being unequally
divided at the moment between Ger
trude and some fowls which were
roasting in front of the fire for din
ner, the fowls receiving a larger
share of it,, probably, as being less
able to help themselves. But Ger
trude's driver, with his SLOUGH hat
under one arm, his whip under the
other, and his long blue blouse
tucked up at the sides so as to admit
of his putting his hands in his pock-
cts, was standing close by, and had
not lost a word Of what she was say
ing. When the landlady turned away,
he remarked in a discreet undertone,
fixing his large melancholy eyes on
Gertrude 70 reproachfully: when
madame hired my carriage, she said
it was her husband whom she sought
to overtake, and prayed me to urge
my horse and spare him not. And to
case the mind of madame, who is too
young and fair to be allowed to suf-
fer, I drove like the wind. But,
alas! there is no truth anywhere"
with a shrug Of despair at the ap-
palling duplicity of this weary world.
Gertrude looked at him with trou-
bled face. IT did tell you so," she
said, "and, moreover, it is the blessed
truth, But what would you have?
My unhappy husband is mad. He
thinks himself another person. He.
will not know me. Would you have
me tell all the world he is my hus-
band, when he will say he is not? or
he is mad, when to those who do not
know him he seems quite sane? They
would not believe it, and would think
me mad" ~" .
"Ah!" the driver exclaimed, withS
drawing his hands from his pockets
and dropping his whip and hat as he
held them out toward her clasped,
with a quick gesture of sympathy. II
understand we'll. Madame is right.
Madame did well to confide in me. I
am discreet and will be at the service
of madame whatever happens. She Is
too young and fair to be allowed to
suffer. 7 am her humble servant.
She may depend upon me-" and ne
tapped his chest earnestly with the
fingers of both hands. His face had
cleared wonderfully. Gertrude stood
even higher in his esteem than at
first, and he had placed her, to begin
with, next Our Lady, and treated. her
with the same a~ffectionate respect.
The landlady now interposed with
an omelette for Gertrude, which the
latter ate standing at the kitchen
table, the landlady pressing her hos
pitality the while to finish 1t all. Then
she ordered a substantial meal for
her devoted driver, and went to lie
down till dinner time.
To be Continued.