The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-08-05
CHAPTER XIII.
Continued.

IF il is bosh it cannot affect you.
See now, I direct my will against
yours. I wish you to give me your
admission ticket"
"Nonsense!" said BaDcock, in a
thick, sleepy tone. Are you mad?
Give you that? Well, don't make a
fuss; I don't mind letting you have
it to look at; not to keep, mind. I'm
acting of my own free will-of my
own free There, take the ticket"
And, now" said Nebelsen, as he
took the card, and stood looking
steadfastly at the uneasy Babcock,
ago and sit down in that chair"
See you - first" spluttered
.Babcock. well, why shouldn't I sit
DOWN." he added, Is he obeyed, "it
happens to be a favorite chair of
mine. I was going there before you
spoke. Confound you, Nebelsen,
what are you doing to me? Take
those eyes of yours off; take them OFF,
I say!"
You will not stir till it is twelf
o'clock"
And he sat motionless, his promi-
nent eyes fixed in a cataleptic stare;
however Nebelsen's power may have
been assisted by the fact that his
subject had been recently dining, the
weaker will of the two just then was
certainly Babcock's.
"a thousand thanks for your so
kind gift Of a ticket" said the Chela,
;benignantly. Il tell Mees ElsVort
you are sleepy, and not able to come
yourself. Goot night"
Babcock probably heard and un-
derstood, but he made no answer,
and Nebelsen shut the door with a
;gutteral laugh at the success of his
experiment.
That evening the rows Of guests
who line each side of the vestibule at
Academy soirees and lend such sug-
gestions of landing at Folkestone to
the ceremony of reception were much
entertained by the demeanor Of a
specialized foreigner, with a short and
spiky beard, whose appearance, as
he bowed to the president, provoked
discreet but hearty merriment be-
hind the shrubs.
1t is never very easy to find the
right person in a crush, o are the
Academy rooms adapted to the pur-
suit. Nebelsen made his way, pain
fully from room to room, with a tor
menting conviction that his object
was always a room ahead of him, and
then, just when he had given up in
despair, he saw her behind a marble
group in the Sculpture Gallery.
Sybil, too, had been scanning faces
with slowly waning hopes. Why did
not Ronald come? Surely nothing
would have kept him away that night,
IL all were well.
So her face lighted up at the sight
of that queer-looking friend Of his,
and he welcomed the greeting as a
favorable sign. you have something
to say to me, haven't you?" she said,
taking advantage Of the fact that her
aunt was too far away to hear. II
think I should like an ice or some
thing, if you can take me out of this
crush. Mr.. Perceval, will you tell my
aunt that I shall be back almost di-
rectly?" And before Mrs. Stanisland,
who, on her side, was impatiently
expecting the twice ~defaulting Bah
cock, could notice what was happen
ing, Nebelsen, with no very clear idea
where he was going, was mounting a
staircase by SYPHILIS side.
Sybil seemed to him O enchant-
ing than yer that evening, and he
was. beginning to expand with tri-
umph at the idea Of having outwitted
Babcock, when her first words some
what dashed his confidence,
you do come from him, don't
you?" she said. "Ah! I knew it. No
no ice, thank you" (they were pass
ing a buffet at the head of the stairs).
"See, this library looks quiet. Now
tell newly isn't he here?"
He was a leedle schleepy after his
dinner" he said; "he ask me to make
his Apology"
Herr Nebelsen!" cried Sybil, 81
can't believe that-you are d~eceiving
me! something-some misfortune has
happened to him-pIease tell me ALL"
No, no, he is quite well-there has
noding happen, and ach! Mees Els
wort, beleaf me, he is not worthy for
you so moch to care!"
You r against him, too! I
thought you were his friend"
Mot any longer-he has done it
himself. And I am afrait I shall
make you angry, and yet-if you only
could tell me it is not lof you felt for
MI. Babcock?"
Had any n else asked such a
question she would have been an
grier, but Nebelsen had a child's
naive Inconsistencies of offending.
you've no right to any answer when
you put such questions as that" she
said, still, just this once I will sat-
isfy your curiosity. Mr.. Babcock is
nothing to me-do you understand
nothing!"
"Achi how you make me glad" he
exclaimed, with a deep sigh of relief,
which Sybil imagined was IN Cam
pion's account.
Then ROM. Campion has not
told you?" she said. II thought you
came from him. You know we we're
once engaged, and then it was broken
Off: and l shall always be very, very
grateful to YOU because you first made
me suspect that there might be an ex-
cuse for him l could never have