The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-02-10

a most charming s%tepfather, pleasant
all round. What would any woman
have wished for more?
There was n period in this easy
and delightful life which brought the
change home to Beaufort with curious
force for a moment and no more. 1t
was the period just after the publica-
ton of a book which went over his
ground--the ground which it had al
ways been supposed he was going to
take. 1t forestalled him on many
points, but in some went quite against
him, contradicting his views. He
brought in the volume with some ex-
citement to his wife, and read to her
those portions with which he dis
agreed. 81 must do something about
this" he said; "you see the fellow
takes half my argument, and works
out from it quite a different conclu-
sion. I have been too supine. 1
must really get to work at once. and
not suffer myself to be forestalled
and contradicted like this"
Eyes, Edward" said Carry gently.
She smiled very sweetly upon him,
with a curious tender smile, but she
did not say any MORE.
"You speak as if you did not think
it worth my WHILE" he said. a little
annoyed by her composure.
ooh, no; I think it quite worth
your WHILE" she said. He went off
a little disturbed, vexed, half angry,
half sad, but certainly stimulated by
her. Was it Indifference? What was
it? Had she responded as Of old,
they would have talked the matter
over between them and taken away
all it's interest; but as she did not
respond Beaufort felt the fire burn.
He went off to his room, and got out
all his preparatory notes and the be-
ginning of the long interrupted man
uscript, and worked with vigor all
night, throwing his opposite views
hastily upon paper. Next day he an
nounced to his wife that he meant
ito ruin that fellows book"-as the
quickest and surest way of express
ing his dissent. eyes," she said
once more, but with a little rising
color, when, Edward?"
ooh, I'll send it to 'Bowles,' he
said, meaning 1.-THE Nineteenth Cen
fury" Of that day. Of course, "The
Nineteenth Century" itself had not
yet begun its dignifed caree And
he did an hours work that morning,
but with softened zeal; and in the
afternoon he repeated to himself that
it was scarcely worth his while. The
people who had read that fellows
book would not care to read a review;
they would be people on the other
side, quite unlikely to pay any atten-
ton to the opposite argument. And
as for the general public, the general
public did not care a straw for all the
social philosophy or political economy
in the world. So after another hours
elaboration he put all the papers
back again-what was the use?-
and went into the county club, and
brought back a very amusing story
Of the complicated metaphors and
confused reasoning Of some Of the
gentlemen there. 1t did not strike
him that Carry never asked whether
he had finished the review, Or how
he was going to treat the subject.
But he remarked her smile with a
curious sensation which he could not
explain. 1t seemed to him something
new-very sweet cher smile had al
ways been SWEET, very patient. in
dulgent, with a look of forgiving in
it, though he did not know very we'll
what there was to forgive. He for
got in a short time about the answer
he had intended to write to that
book, and about the review into
which his intended answer had so
Don slid-in intention-but he was
haunted for a very long time by
Carry's smile. What did it mean?
Tom and Janet were just as little
aware how it was that their mother
was SO much more with them than
of old, but this had come on gradual
ly, and it did not strike them except
by moments. why you're always
with mother now" Tom said, when
he came home for his holidays. He
was now at Elton, and, though he had
been in several scrapes mad managed
to keep his place and was in high
hope Of getting into the boats, which
was the only distinction he had any
chance of.
YES" said Janet. sedately, "for
I'm growing up now, and mother says
I want the most"
Isn't it awful sop?" said Tom.
which was Elton lat that time) for
London and hard work. He had the
grace to speak low, and Janet gave
him a glance upward with raised
eyelids, and they both laughed, but
softly that no one might ask why.
"She thinks of such a lot of things
that no one can be expected to know"
said Tom. 81 don't say fellows, for
she lets me alone now. 1 suppose
you have got to read books all day"
"Oh. no; oh, Tom. we oughtn't to
talk like this and laugh. for she's
mothers very kind. She is indeed.
She sees in a moment If I'm tired"
Shed need to-" said Tom; "but
I don't suppose girls mind. You
come out now and have a game. Will
she let you? If she won't, just steal
away"
ooh, Tom" said Janet again, chow