The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-04-21

pride Of the peasant and the nouVeau
richie, the millionaire and the
(Scotch) clown. He had meant, after
he had "had his fun" to have settled
down when his time came. and to
have married a lady like his mother.
without imagination, OF sense, or
principle, or restraint of honor, he
had pursued the reckless career of his
mind, too precipitate and eager in
pursuit of pleasure to leave time to
think, even if he had been able to
think. The abominable treachery of
which he had intended to be guilty
had not touched his conscience, not
having appeared to his obtuse under
standing as anything worse than
many lodges" which other fellows
adopted to get what they want~.
And it was with a rage and humilia-
ton unspeakable that he found him.
self-he, the son Of the nan who had
married Lady Caroline Lindons, mar
ried in his turn to a girl from a little
Oxford shop, a little shop girl, a COM
mon little flirt, less than nobody, not
so good by yer so many grades as
his mothers maid. To find that he
had married her when he meant only
to deceive her, and made her mistress
of the Towers, which was as Windsor
Castle to Tom, and put her in the
place of Lady Car, was gall and Bit
terness to him. His conscience had
given him little trouble, but his
wounded pride, his modification, his
humiliation were torture to him. He
had come out raging with these fur
ious pangs, eager to find something,
anything, with which he could fight
and assuage his burning wrath. To
pitch Charlie Blackmore over the
cliffs, even to be pitched over them
himself, and roll down the sharp
rocks and plunge in the cold sea be-
meath felt as though it would be a
relief from the gnawing and the rage
within.
Come on, them" he cried, furious;
"Ill take no hiding from any man If
he were Goliath. Come on!" .
~Mr. Charlie" cried Janet, putting
out her hand, "if it's true, you may
do one thing for me. One thing I ask
you to do as If you were the best
gentleman in the world, and I will
think you so if you will do it.; leave
me to him and him to me. And good
by; and neither say you like US nor
hate us, but Just gc-oh, go! Do you
hear me?" she said, stamping her
foot. Il ask you as a gentleman"
She had caught her brother by the
arm and held him while she waved
the other away. .
THAT'S a strong argument" said
Blackmore. He was moved by what
she said, and also by common sense,
which told his suit was folly. IF
we're fools, you're now, Miss Janet
Torrance" he said, with a laugh,
which is more than I thought. What!
am I to turn my back upon a man
that's clenching his neives at me?
Well, maybe you're right. There's
none in the county will think Charlie
Blackmore stands in fear of Tom Tor
rance. Yes, Missile, you shall have
your will. I'm going-good-by to
both him and you" :'.- .
do you think I'll let the fellow go
like that?" cried Tom, making a step
after him; but perhaps his fury fell
at, the sight of the might and strength
of the retiring champion-perhaps it
was only the wretchedness in his mind
that fell from the burning to the
freezing point. He sat down gloom
lily, after having watched him disap-
pear, on the bench from which Charlie
Blackmore had riser.
II don't care what becomes of me,
JAM" he said. "I'm done. Nothing
that ever happens will be any good
to me now. I've choked that fellow
off, that's one thing, and he'll never
dare to speak to you again. But as
for me, I'm done, and I'll never lift
my head any more"
ooh, Toni" Janet cried. She was
too much excited by her own affairs
to turn in a moment with this new
evolution of his-but that painting cry
bore any meaning according to the
hearers apprehension, and he was too
deep in his own thoughts to need
more.