The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-09-28
VIII.
Continued.

y S--
bear it"
His ruddy. beaming face dicarm2d
her; his jolly, pleased, boyish voice
sare her confidence and raised her
splits to a sever:sh ditch.
That Young man was a perfect
stranger 80 me ten minutes before
you came" she said ~obscurelE. and
I am interested in a scheme-a
scheme that concerns him. / wonder
if You could help him? He wants
hep badly"
How" His face showed his deep
distrust OF anything connected with
q young NAL.
ole has never had 4 chance. He
wants some one to take him Up
Cant he set Il policeman to do
l.: Why doesn't he break a shop
window or smash a lamp?'
She gigeled With a quick access
OF ch%eerfulnGss.
You're as witty as ever!!" she said.
She looked at him doubtfully. IF
thought you would be useful, it might
perhaps be justifiable to go with
you"
I'm sure to be useful. Try me-"
ARThe end sometimes justiies the
means" she murmured with a last
effort to deaden that stupid little
voice and stop it throwing cold water
on this enhancing suggestion.
Ee laughed triumphantly.
Jump in, Sandy. I've got a coat
of Dolly's that she left in the car yes
terday. You'll be as warm as toast.
Don't waste the shining hours
T%ormentilla sprang in with a de-
fant air, and scrambled into the
white coat. She found a veil in the
pocket, and tied it over her hat.
Lets see how fast she'll co." she
cried. She's a Rosinante, isn't she,
this one? AS soon as we're out OF
the town we'll give her her head,
won't we? You'll be pulled up, but
you can always pay afterwards
"Oh, yes, Il can always pay af-
terwards," said he cheerfully. BY
Joye. it is good to be alive to-day
When Lise had once made up her
mind to help Tormentilla with her
daring plot for the happiness of the
two lovers, she felt it rather a relief
than otherwise. Michael was a kind,
affectionate boy. She had found him
useful and companionable, and since
he had given up wailing over his lost
love, he hadn't bored her at all. But
she could not conceal from herself
that the aspect of the case was now
changing rapidly, and her experience
led her to foresee discomfort for her
self, and displeasre for Jack. Her
sympathy and patience for the love-
lorn youth were going to be Hire
warded if she wasn't very careful,
and she didn't want to annoy Jack.
So she set her wits to work as to
wayfAand means Of helping the en-
thusiastic Tormentilla, and came to
the conclusion that the best thing
she could do was to speak kindly and
firmly to the young man Michael. SO
she wrote a little note in her scrawl-
ing, untidy hand asking him to come
and see her at home when both
Nigel and Jack had a committee
meeting which they were bound to at
tend, and spent the half hour before
he was due leoparding, as slack called
it, up and down her pretty drawing
room. Against the deep, soft, messy
green Of the carpets and curtains,
Lise looked, as Michael told her when
he came in, exactly like a nyrlph or a
dryad or something in a wood.
II am rather like something in a
wood" she admitted with a laugh,
as she held out her hand. "I'm a
young woman in a dilemma, and
want to talk to you, Michael, very
seriously indeed"
Michael's face fell.
al do wish you wouldn't" said he,
"not to-day, anyhow"
To-day" said Lise firmly, clasping
her hands round her knee and watch
ing him intently.
He set his teeth.
Look here, Mrs. Standring," he
said desperately, I'D rather you'd
talk about something else, I would
really. 1t is-well-painful, you see,
horribly painful, to have the past
raked up just now. I want TO try
to forget what I have suffered. l
can sometimes, especially when I'm
with YOU, lay it aside and be almost
almost cheerful"
81 see; Audrey, then, is the dread
full memory" she asked maliciously.
You are laughing at me. 1 meant
that last terrible interview with her
fa:her, of course, and the way he
insulted me; but it isn't like YOU to
laugh at me, Mrs. Standring.'
81 sometimes think it would have
been better if Id always laughed at
you," Lise remarked coolly. 1T
might have spurred you on"
But I don't understand YOU" In
deed he didn't, and the look of panied
surprise on his face deepened.
Il might have encouraged you to
behave like a man"
Her tone, cold. cutting, Indifferent,
stung him. The contrast between
this new cruelty and her old kindness
and sympathy seemed almost more
than he could hear He didn't creak