The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-10-26
Ev DorofEea Deakin,


NSA vow
of breath, and the beautiful Rosinate
made him almost speechleSs with
envy.
"Kenworthy sent me to say"
"Oh, WHAT" cried Tormentilla in
agonized tones.
Osgocd stared.
ITO say he couldn't come"
"Hallo!" John Edward looked
sharply at the surprised youth. But
| that won't do at all. We can't stand
any nonsense of that sort. He's jolly
we'll got to come, don't you know"
Tormentilia realized with a thrill
ing heart that she had expected this
from the beginning.
Osgood gazed blankly from one ex-
cited face to the other. The only
| perfect chauffeur in the British Isles
appeared also to awake from his
| apathy at that moment and take an
interest in the conversation.
Where is he?" Tormentilla de-
manded with blazing eyes.
Osgood felt sorry for Michael.
Hes round the corner, sitting on
his bag. It's deuced heavy, you see,
| and he doesn't feel very fit this morn
ing. Logged me out of bed to help
him, and now he's resting on it till
you come. He forgot to make ar
rangements for his luggage he said.
Is this the car he's going touring in?
He's a lucky beggar, 1 must say"
He walked round the Rosinate and
examined it above and below, with
| his hands on his knees and his heart
in his eyes. John Edward warmed to
him for his intelligent interest, but
the chauffeur looked as if he thought
it was like his cheek. T~ormentilla
found herself hoping that the ire
proachable one wouldn't regard Mich
ael with an equally suspicious or un-
friendly eye, or it might run a good
chance of casting a blight upon this
promising honeymoon.
They found Michael sitting on his
bag round the corner with a cheerful
smile on his Acknowledging"
John Edwards said afterwards. And
here young Osgood left them with ILL
concealed envy. He had no idea Of
the real truth, OF course, bat any kind
of a tour in such a car-in this
weather-was too good to be true.
Michael, however, had, it seemed,
a few words to say before they start
ed. And he told John Edward how
decent it was Of him to give a chap
such a helping hand.
1.-THE fact is" said he, "that I've
felt doubtful about the thing all
along. I've been torn by all kinds of
horrible doubts and perplexities. I've
written half-a-dozen notes saying I've
left the country for ever, and shall
never be dragged back to it again
alive"
Every one feels like that re-
marked John Edward with scant SYM
pathy. Get in, man, or We shall be
late"
Il want to tell you," said Michael,
firmly pressing down his cap and
enveloping himself in an enormous
leather coat, why I feel so utterly
different to-day"
Its the kind of day to make
everybody feel different about every
thing" said John Edward sharply.
The airs fine. kenworthy, we really
must get off"
There's no hurry" said the BRIDE
groom-elect cheerfully. Audrey will
be late, too. She always is. And she
always expects me to be, so that's all
right. Before we start I must tell
you how the whole world changed
for me on Monday night"
John Edward helplessly gazed at
~Tormentilla, but she had no explana-
ton to offer.
"You see," said Michael, leisurely
changing his handkerchief from one
pocket to another, this was how 1t
came about. l was sitting in my
room, literally in the DEEPEST depths
of gloomy despair. l could see no
light anywhere. l didn't want to be
taken off in q motor and married;
l felt sure that Audrey didn't want
it either. The whole world revolved
round us in hideous mockery; we
we're being driven to the edge Of a
precipice; we were ioundering in a
morass; we we're"
You'll be precious late into the
bargain il you've got much more to
say" John Edward remarked with
some heat.
And then" said Michael, with a
delightful smile, 'in a moment the
whole universe changed. Jack Stand
ring came to see me-"
Tormentilla made a little gasping
sound, and stared at him.
"Yes," said Michael; Jack Stand
ring came to give me a piece of his
mind. He gave it-freely, l may
say"
VIVA did he say?" Tormentilla
cried. They were standing at the
moment out of. the chauffeur's hear
ing.
He said a lot Of things" Michael
replied calmly. He said l was going
to cast a blight over a bright young
life. And that's the sort of thing
that bucks a man up"
WHAT" Tormentilla and John
Edward again exchanged Mortified
! chances. Their mutual fears for his