The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-07-13

! rubbed my eyes and stared again.
| The figure hesitated, locked uncer-
| tainly at me, then advanced with both
hands extended.
''Billy-o-oh, Billy,'
Then I too looked uncertainty a
moment, doubling my own eyes, for
it was Nancy's voice that spoke my
name, and Nancy's face that looked
at me across the threshold Of Stars
room.
Only a moment l hesitated, then
my arms were around her, holding
her close, as my eyes looked down
| into hers and through them to her
heart. All, Nancy Welles! How
small and trivial appeared my doubts
of a moment past, and how could l
ever have permitted them to exist?
Being a woman, she spoke first.
"Oh, my dear, my DEAR" she be-
gan, holding on to the lapel of my
! coat With her little white hands,
where have you been?. How could
you leave me? Oh, Billy! And I
thought you we're dead, or married
to another girl"
mo, you didn't" I interrupted.
"You knew there was only n girl
for me--you knew it,
Yes. l did know it. in my heart,
but then you didn't come, and-oh,
Billy"
l drew her gently toward the old
armchair. 1t was quite big enough
for two. and seemed to welcome us
| cordially.
Tell me all about it, Nancy" >
So Nancy told me, but I will not
attempt to give her words, for her
story was often interrupted by irrele-
want remarks on my part.
She said that she had gone out
that stormy night, according to agree
ment, and had found, as she had ex-
pected, a man and a cab waiting on
the street corner. The man had
fastened toward her and said some
thing beginning Light OF my life,
are you waiting there?" She did not
remember the rest, but had won
! dered at the time that I should be so
silly. She was SO. preoccupied and
| frightened al what she was doing
that she did not notice the voice was
not mine. The cabman was told to
drive to the Little Church Around the
| Corner and the cab door slammed.
And" said Nancy Welles, when
heard that door slam I realized how
awful it would be to find out after
we were married that I did not really
love you"
This cheerful idea having occurred
to her, she had become so absorbed
that she forgot her companion entire
y until she heard him entreating her
not to he frightened. He had called
her Julie dearest" which surprised
her so that she had raised her vel
and looked at him. Just at that in
teresting point the cab stopped be-
fore the church.
I will omit Nancy's account of en-
suing explanations, although it was
we'll worth recording. Enough to
say that they returned with all posi-
BILE speed to the starting point, only
to find the corner empty.
But how did you come here?" I
inquired.
WELL" said Nancy, II couldn't
and wouldn't go back to Aunt jose
! phine, and 1 said so. Then Mr.. Fer
| guesson, who was in an awful hurry
to. get rid of me, suggested my COM
ing here. He said you would be sure
to drift in here finally, and mean
while ! could stay with Mrs. Stubbs."
"Why"-Nancy's voice was trou-
bled-"I don't know. AS soon as we
got here Mr.. Start don't know
him, but that's who it was-rushed
downstairs and caught Mr.. Fergues-
son by the arm. He vas very ex-
cited and seemed to be urging Mr..
Ferguesson to do something he didn't
want to-"
Gould you hear what he said?"'
mo. You see. it took some time
10 win Mrs. Stubs yer to our side,
and 1 was busy trying to convince
her I was respectable, so I didn't
hear. But'-Nancy's voice dropped
to a frightened whisper-"after Mrs.
Stubs let me into her parlor, I sat
by the window, and l saw Mr.. Fer
guesson and Mr.. Starr leave this
house with a fat old lady between
them. And, oh, Billy, I'm afraid it
was Miss Harriet Schuyler"
Nancy paused, and 1 knew she was
waiting for me to reassure her. I
could not do so, however, for l too
feared it might be Miss Schuyler. So
after a moment she resumed her own
story:
To be Continued.