The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-12-08
CHAPTERVIu.
Continued.


Continued.
HRS. st. George went out with ar
alacrity that betrayed her dislike tc
the boy. Doris drew the little bunch
back to her side. Her heart began te
warm toward him.
Il am Miss Doris Hatton," she
said, and l came here to amuse and
help you-if I may. 1t is for you to
say whether I shall stay or CO."
He made a grave survey of her.
You shall stay!" he said, land
give me all my medicines till papa
comes back"
Il hope your papa is not far away
said Doris, tenderly.
He shook his golden head.
u don't know"
Where is his mother, nurse?"
murmured Doris, aside. Nurse flung
up her hands.
"Oh, miss, don't mention that per-
son here"
is she dead?"
Much worse!" in a whisper. "Mr.
St. George divorced her years ago.
The child is like her, and for that rea-
son his grandmother isn't over fond
Of him."
Doris kissed the boy suddenly on
the forehead.
"Oh, you mustn't think" continued
nurse, in the same guarded tone,
A4Lo& ~ ;c~,f r,o1l oora1 Gov ppicc
His father just adores him, and he's
indnlged to a ruinous extent. In
deed, we're all his slaves, and the
whole house is at his beck and call"
Il am glad of that" said Doris,
involuntarily. Can I read to him,
nurse-is he interested in games, or
any other pastime that appeals to the
ordinary child?"
You can read" answered nurse,
'but if he doesn't like your way, or
the turn of the story, he'll fling the
book at your head. Romping hurts
his back; and at any other sort of
game you'd better see that he always
wins, miss, or he'll turn, like the
swine in Scripture, and rend you"
Wistfully Doris searched the boys
face. It's high-bred lines and marble
pallor were exQuisitely beautiful.
Basil" she pleaded, do you want
to be friends ~with.spa? THEN tell me
how I can amuse you-how make my
self useful to Mrs. st. George and
your nurse?"
He leaned his little, sharp, velvet
clad elbows on her knees.
do you know any stories?" ne
asked. solemnly; mot the kind nurse
and grandma like-not any out of
books; but such as papa tells, about
q fairy queen, who went away from
her kingdom, and could find
the path back to it,"
Il think I have heard of her," an
swered Doris, very grayely. did
she want to return, Basil?"
Yes, but the gates were all locked
behind her, and the roads were
turned in new directions. So, try as
she would, she could never, w
come back" he answered.
How sad! And you like to hear
about her lost majesty"
Basil nodded.
My papa talks Of her often. l
want you to tell me her story, too"
q. y Il .
With a light heart Doris returned
to the Wingate house. She had es-
tablished a firm friendship with the
reformed boy, and Mrs. St. George
had engaged her as his daily gov
erness, at a salary far exceeding the
girls expectations. She told Miss
Wingate all that she had seen and
aeard at the Back Bay Avenue house,
and the deaf lady listened thought
fully.
MY dear" she sighed, at last, the
shadow of Philip Trevor seems to
pursue you everywhere! When he
fed from this city the mother of that
deformed boy, a beautiful woman and
a society belle, was the companion OF
his flight"
"Oh, Miss Wingate!"
Yes, Trevor was much older than
Mrs. st. George, but he was a fas-
cinating man, and a great favorite
with women. She left husband,
child, wealth and social position, and
went with him. 1t was through the
carelessness of his beautiful mother
that little Basil received the spinal
injury which has made him what he
is. He is heir to a great fortune, and
I have always heard that his father
Is devoted to the boy"
=
Doris sympathies were enlisted
and she flung herself intellectually
into her work. Touched by the
child's white. wistful face, she in
vented new experiences for the fairy
queen who had lost her kingdom.
The roads leading back to that for
feited Eden she reconstructed; she
broke down the memorable gates, and
brought the. queen to her own again.
Basil clapped his thin hands with de-
light at the happy turn given to the
story.
But his demands upon her were
ceaseless-he taxed her invention to
the utmost. Mrs. st. George left the
child wholly to his new governess
and never appeared in the nursery.
Teddy Craven watched Doris with
anxious eyes. Jacqueline, in heI
gloricns heauty and hauohty self