The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-02-24

GU loSC, AoN Vol SNAAS HehSNS
into the hall-almost running-in
evident anxiety and concern. She
stopped suddenly as Janet turned
round, casting a half-frightened,
s%huddering look from the picture to
the girl before it. There was some
thing like an apology in her nervous
pause.
"I-thought Tom was here" she.
said.
HE has gone out riding-with
Beau"
With Beau" Lady Car breathed
something that sounded like, Thank
Cod"
rs there anything wrong-with
Tom" said Janet, gazing round upon
her mother with defiance in her eyes.
Wrong? hope not. They say
not. Oh, God Forbid" Lady Car put
her hands together. She was very
pale, with a little redness under her
eyes.
Then, mother, if there's nothing
wrong, why do you look like that?"
Like that?" Lady Car attempted
a little laugh. Like what, my dear?"
She added, with a long-drawn breath,
1T is my foolish anxiety; everybody
says it is foolish. 1t is plus forte
que moi"
Il wish you would not speak
French. Tom" said Janet, lis we'll
enough, though he doesn't look we'll.
He ate no breakfast; and he looked
as if he would like to take my head
off. Isn't Tom-very like father?"
she added in a low voice.
They were standing at the foot of
the picture, a %full-length, which over
bore them as much in reality as i'm
agination, and made the woman and
the girl look like pigmies at his feet.
Carry gave a slight shiyer in spite of
herself.
YES" she said family; land, ny
dear-so are you, too"
Janet met her mothers look with a
stolid steadiness. She saw Lady Cars
eyes turn from the picture to her own
form and back again, half sorry, half
pleased. She had very little under
standing of her mother, but a great
deal of curiosity. She thought to her
self that most mothers were pleased
with such a resemblance-so at least
Janet had read in books. She sup
posed her own mother did not care
for it-perhaps disliked it because
she had married again.
You lever told u anything about
father" she said, ~but nurse does a
great deal. She told me how he-was
killed. Was that the horse?"
YES" said Lady Car, with a trem-
bling which she could not conceal.
1T is because you are sorry that
you are SO nervous?" said Janet, with
those dull, Light eyes fixed upon her,
which were T~orrance's eyes.
Janet" cried her mother, "do not
ask me about it." She said in a low,
hurried voice, rs it not enough that
it was the most terrible thing that
ever happened? I cannot go back
upon it,"
But afterward," said the girl, i'm
PEELED by she knew not what-some
influence of vague evaporation,
which was half opposition to her
mother and half disappointment to
find the dead father, the tutelary di-
vinity Of this house to which she had
been so eager to come, sc different
from her Observation-Disclosures
you married Beau"
Janet" Lady Car cried again, but
this time the shock brought back her
dignity and self-control. Il don't
know what has got possession of you,
my dear, to-day. You forget yourself
and me. You are not the Judge of my
actions, nor can ] justify myself be-
fore you" She added, after a time,
Both Tom and you are very like your
father. After a while he will be mas
ter here, and you perhaps mistress till
he marries. Your father-might
have been living now" (poor Carry
grew pale and shuddered even while
she pointed her moral)-"if he had
not been such a hard rider, $3.50
careless, thinking he could go any
where. Do you wonder lam anxious
about Tom? You will have to learn
to do what you can to restrain him,
TO keep him from those wild rides, to
keep him. Lady Cars voice fall
tered, the tears came to her eyes. Il
believe it is common" she said, that
4 young man, such as he is growing
to be, should not mind his mother
much. Sometimes, people tell me,
they mind their sisters more"
Tom does not mind me a bit" said
Janet, oh, not a bit-and he will
never marry. He does not like girls"
perhaps he will change his mind"
said Carry, with a faint smile. Boys
often do. Will you remember what I
have said, dear, if you should ever be
mistress here"
But how can I be mistress? Where
will you be? Why should there be
any CHANGE
The house is Toms. not mine.
And ] shall be at my own house al
EaStor-if | am living"
oh" said Janet. Carry, though a
little reused in her own defense, al
most quailed before the look IN the
girls eyes. You will be happier
then she said, with the air of an
assailant hurting d stone at his vic
tim; for you will be all by yourself
with Beau"
Go uDstairs Janeti"