The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-03-16
CHAPTER VII.
Continued.

poor ola Jog, well lTdlneu tOpplA
discreetly three or four PAGES away
from Miss Eurke's threshold-then
vanishes out Of sight beneath an over
changing stone portecochere or arch
way, whittier Mr.. Jones, his dapper
feet tortured by the stones, his yellow
kidded hands extended to save his
nose from collision with the wall, fol-
lows her.
The dark, winding staircase seems
trebly dark after the intense moon
Tight Of the streets, and Mr.. Jones, a
careful man not only as regards moral
but bodily risks, pauses at the bottom.
Come along, if you are coming"
rings out Belinda's voice from airy
heights overhead. There is plenty
of light when once you get up here,
only look out after your shins mean
while"
The plenty of light" proceeds from
a solitary oil lamp, which sheds its
dim religious rays before the figure
OF q saint on the landing of the second
floor.
I'VE live one story higher still, "
says Belinda. and unless Juanita
happens to have left a candle, I shall
have to entertain you in the dark.
However, there is the moon"
; t"And the brightness Of your eyes,
Belinda!" says Jones, cropping his way
up the steep staircase after her.
"And WHAT" shouts the girl sharp
ly, through the darkness. There is
such an echo, Mr.. Jones-no hearing
a word, unless you speak more dis
tinctly. What did you say would light
us?"
But something, either in the tone
Fof her voice or in the distance that
separates them, restraints Mr.. Jones
from again launching into the haz-
ardous region of compliment.
Under the lawful regime of Miss
Burke the outer door Of the apart
ment is always kept yirtuously locked
after dark, but this, like other pre-
cautionary rules Of life, is set at
paught when Belinda, as at present,
holds the rudder of government. Half
ajar stands a huge oaken door, black
ened with time, crusted with dirt, a
door as old, probably, a. the solid
masonry Of the house. On a vigorous
push from the girls hand, it creaks
slowly back upon its hinges, and Mr.:
Jones Is introduced to "Burke's den"
q DON bigger than an Isle Of Wight
church, the roof joisted and innocent
OF all modern refinement of lath and
plaster, the walls of the indescrib-
able smoky gray Of ages.
Mr.. Jones looks round him open
mouthed, Belinda having been fortu-
nate enough to find a candle whose
solitary light pierces from end to end
OF the sombre, shadowy room.
"And you-you live here?" he ex-
claims with unaffected amazement.
What a place-what pictures! 1t
gives one the horrors to look at
them"
"Well, yes-the Maison Lohobiague
is not furnished according to Clap
ham taste," retorts Belinda, with her
frank impertinence. But it suits me
better"
And now Augustus feels is the time
for him to, crash down on this poor
pauper child with the magniicence of
his offer. Miss O'Shea-Belinda, "
he says, coming up beside her very
close, "there is no necessity for your
to spend your days in these miserable
foreign places any longer. Since I
saw you this afternoon I-ahem-I
have been talking with your mamma"
"Stepmamma. If you are not &C
2curate, you are nothing"
And I have made my mind up, I
have made my mind up fully" says
Zones, with m~agnanimity, las to my
line of conduct. There may seem,
there are disparities." He glances
with an air of condescension at the
girls dress, at the appointments of
the meagre room. Still. as Mrs.
p'Shea says, six months of the first
educational advantages in England
would work wonders, and, at our age,
we a afford to wait, can we mott"
II should answer better if I had a
klimmering notion of what you mean
y We Are you going to school
gain, Mr.. Jones? Mind your his,
GU know, if you do"
Belinda" his voice shakes, his
olor rises. (How hideous he is,
ommunes Belinda within herself!
ow the mosquito bites glow and ra-
late from out that purple blush.)
Dc you think you ever-I mean.
now I never"-confound it all, why
Ill the girl fix those hard eyes OF
PRS upon his face!-"never saw any
Pc so likely to make me happy. Oh,
me, you mustn't take your hand
yay-" which she does, with unmis-
kable energy, the moment she feels
5 touch. II will not let you go till
u answer me. Belinda, could you
er care for me enough to be my
fe?"
He has stumbled through it as
II, perhaps, as the majority of men
1mble through the most momentous
estion of their lives. Belinda, who
v before heard a declaration
hgined a declaration, thinks the
libition pitiable, and tells him so.
You are a more complete fool thar
ook you for, Mr.. Jones. If you
lily want me, me, to marry you
not say so like a rational being