The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-08-24
CHAPTER II.
Continued.

4OOh vi JooI 4ltSSS SA H
antly. Il wouldn't interrupt Audre!
in one Of her really enjoyable mo
ments for the world, but if you arr
waiting for your niece" She LEI
Miss Green through the wide, modern
hall to the garden, by a side door
"Mr. Bromsgrove's coming" sh'
whispered as soon as they were alone
"The new vicar. l saw him through
the window. I can't endure the man
He gives me the creeps, and I wa!
glad to escape. Isn't this a prett!
house? Extraordinarily advanced fol
Malinder, You know we still lool
askance at Tart nouveau in Malinder
Those chests are rather fine, dom
you think? You'd never guess tina
they were not really as old as the!
look. And that spinning chair.
Audrey would love to spin, she says
I wonder" There was something
a little bitter and malicious in hel
voice, and yet, looking at her little
dark, lovely face, GREENE could mo-
bring herself to believe that it wa!
a mean or spiteful one. The CIR
looked soured, disappointed, bored
but certainly not mean.
At the end of a long pergola, W
whose bare wires the Crimson Ram
bier rambled, slowly it seemed, ane
most unwillingly, they met the two
girls; Audrey sparkling and excited
Tormentilla flushed and bright-eyed
GREENE, as she shot a glance at her
was glad to see how pleased and in
terested she looked.
do you know, Greenie," she said
as they walked down together after
wards, that this kind Of thing is ar
absolute revelation to me?"
what kind Of thing?" Miss Greer
asked sharply. She obviously dis
trusted Tormentilla's thoughtful
moods.
"All these people living their lives
in Malinder with nice little at-homes
and garden parties and dinners and
all the rest of it. I eve realized
that there could be anything between
the deserving poor and us. 1t was
horribly narrow Of me. OF course in
books-and one must have see2 them
walking about. But one never real
lied that they existed. Mother"
They don't exist to her." GREENE
said. II am sure she would prefer
that they didn't exist to you. MY
conscience pricks me, Sandy, when
l remember how strongly she viii
disapprove of the intimacy"
They're rather NICE" Tormentilla
said softly. and my happiness is
much more important to you than
her disapproval, isn't it? Besides, al
men are brothers-you've often told
me that. Ind Mrs. Cogwheel's house
is charming. The tea-table silver
was Queen Anne, wasn't it? And
much prettier than Aunt Rasping'
tons, and the old oak was quite as
beautiful"
"Only a good deal of it was hum.
bug" said Miss Green drily, land the
Raspington oak has always been at
RaspipGton since the house was built,
There's four or five hundred years
wear between them, that's ALL"
But doesn't it seem queer to you?
Pm awfully glad to find that Malinde1
is full of interesting people and in
teresting lives, besides the shops and
the suffering poor. And I might
never have known"
Miss Green looked as If she de-
voutly wished that she never had
known.
Already" Tormentilla said, tact
fully changing the subject, 81 have
found n way Of being useful,
Audrey Cogwheel told me the secret
sorrow of her life yesterday, and 1 am
going to cure it if I can. l assure you
l have strong hopes"
Crossed in love?" Miss Green
asked sarcastically.
Poor Tormentilla's face famed
Her eyes filed with smarting tears
put she SAID nothing.
Il mean" said Miss Green hastily
shat she looks such a pretty, happy
spoilt girl, and her troubles are al
most sure to be purely imaginary
Sandy dear, you know I wasn't think.
ing Of"
Il know" said the girl, trying tc
smile. GREENE, life won't Away:
be such a desert, will it? You Away!
say that clouds will be sunshine to-
morrow, and I've known yor
to say anything that wasn't true, so
must believe you, mustn't 1? That!
the best of never lying; you do gc'
believed at important moments. Ant
poor Audrey-well, it was a conf
dence. you see, and I promised to b.
as secret as the grave. She's yer!
lovely, isn't she? And terribly likt
Dolly when she's happy"
Shes not at all the kind CT cir
I admire" Miss Green's voice wa;
cold. Now, that lovely dark crea
ture with the little hat full of rose
buds"
Mrs. Jack Standring? I didn'
see much Of her. Audrey says she i
rather 4 dear, but dreadfully quar-
relsoma. She doesn't get on with he
husband"
Here Miss Green laid down her EN-
broidery with some agitation.
Sand, l must beg of you not t.
allow yourself to be dragged int
these unsuitable discussions"