The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-11-23

W AhAShA &hNS
who was at the piano. The girl was
uncommonly attractive and that's a
fact, in a sort of hand-painted, NINA
ture kind of way. She were a most
becoming gown Of cream color, and
her fine profile showed to advantage
against the black of Terhune's coat as
lie stood beside her.
Nevertheless | couldn't help letting
my eyes wander to my wife who sat
across the room from me, delicate as
a flower, supple as a young tree and
wholly sweet. Her hair, which curled
to distraction about her long white
neck. made a gorgeous halo about he1
head.
1t was a pleasant moment, that
after dinner 1nterlude, as / looked
around me at my wife and my guests,
the fine old room with its golden-toned
piano and the soft glow of man5
lamps. But as / looked and sighed
with content, I suddenly missed the
fifth member of our party-Agatha
First She was not IN the room. In
a case of odd numbers it is easy moi
to notice the absence of the odd one
Poor Agatha First was undoubtedly
that unlucky individual, having nc
man to pair off with, though Dearest
and had tried our best not to let he1
feel this deficiency.
However, gone she was from our
midst, that was certain enough, and
| was just about to wonder aloud as
to her disappearance when the door
from the hall opened and in she
walked.
Don't let's stay Indoors" she en-
treated in her breezy American voice.
"it's so lovely outside! The moons
just coming up" And she strobe Wig:
orously across the Don toward the
glass doors that opened upon the
lawn. AS she paused at the threshold
with a little commanding gesture to-
ward the terrace I couldn't help think.
ing that my wife's friends were both
of them uncommonly handsome girls.
She was so superbly healthy, with
such a color in her cheeks, such a
snap to her eyes. ~.
! caught Terhune glancing irreso-
iutely from the girl at the piano to the
girl at the door.
|. Let me open it for you" he offered
at last, going to her and throwing
wide the long windows. And the rest
of us, Agatha Sixth after him and
Dearest and myself last, followed
them out, my wife and l exchanging
looks Of more or less significance as
we did so. AS we'll as I could read
it, her look expressed a slight appre'
hension. Mine I meant to indicate
amusement. Terhune is such a con.
ceited old chap, a wink or a nod from
one of the other sex Is enough to up
set him, and he changes his allegi'
ance as easily as he changes his coat.
It would be just like him, after all
our pains. But, as l said later when
we had gone upstairs, p~rophesying
about Terhune in connection with
the fair sex, Is about AS much worth
while as guessing which way the wind
will blow.
1t was on an afternoon a day or so
later. when Dearest and l were dis
cussing Terhune's chances of win
ming Agatha Sixth before the expira'
ton of the ten important days stipu.
lated upon by his Aunt Georgy, that'1
learned an aspect Of the case which
seemed to me to simplify matters ever
while it made them more interesting.
81 can't think he would be foolish
enough not to stick to n or the 9TH
err" said my wife. Surely he sees
that it's impossible to waste any time
flirting when he has only ten days
eight days now--in which to win q
wife"
We were upstairs and she had come
into my room to chat before we
dressed for dinner, and had. incident
ally. wrapped herself in my blue
striped lounging robe in lieu of an
evening frock, a costume that
thought quite as becoming as more
conventional attire. The turquoise
blue of the stripes set Or her sparkling
hair to the queen's taste, and the
rough folds. of the hood about her
throat made her head and face smaller
and more delicate by comparison.
"a week to win a wife," l laughed.
Sounds like the title Of a penny.
dreadful! And, by Jove! This affair
of Terhune's is eating to have as
much of a thrill about it! It's the
shortress of the time, with what ne
has at stake, that makes it exciting!
Fancy picking a wife in ten days
time!"
Yes, but Of course he has the ad.
vantage Of having a girl he knows
as well as he does Agatha Sixth, to
Ray court to! 1t makes a lot of differ
ence. you know, where the girl in the
case happens to care for the man in
the case"
| had been stro,lirg about the room
as we talked, hunting up a favorite
waistcoat | wanted to wear that night,
but at this last remark Of my wife's
| halted in my stride.
What did you say. Dearest?" !
asked in establishment. For it was
news to me that Agatha Sixth actual
" cared for Arch. I had only dared