The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-06-08

| looking at me before I determined
whether her eyes were blue or gray.
1 found out later that they were hazel
and changed with her moods. But
this is a depression.
The chocolate finished, Miss Welles
rested her elbows on the table and
stared thoughtfully at me, her hin
in her hands.
I'm wondering" she said, "wheth-
er the cold gray dawn of the morning
after will find us wandering about the
streets together. Perhaps Aunt Jo-
sephine win advertise in the morning
papers; or + might put in a. personal
myself. She could say, Come home;
all is forgiven; I might say-but
what could I say?"
But I had arrived at a conclusion.
7 should take her home with me and
cast myself upon the merc-- of Mrs.
Stubs. 1 shuddered to think of my
interview with that eminently respec-
table matron reused from her virtu-
Gus slumbers and confronted with
the world, the flesh, and the devil as
typifed by Miss Welles, myself, and
our predicament. Nevertheless, l
should do it, because there was oo-
viously nothing else to be done.
I explained my plan and she at
once agreed, remarking that she had
thought of suggesting a hotel, but she
doubted if she would be received any
where. AS I had not the price of ad-
mission, I encouraged the doubt and
we again sailed forth.
Just as we turned the corner I no.
ticed a brougham moving slowly
down the street, and as the full
strength of the arc lamp fell upon
it Miss Nancy Welles gave a hurried
exclamation and pushed me forward.
Hurry" she exclaimed. Run!
Catch it. It's William and the car
rage. Don't let it get away. Will
l-i-a-a-m! Oh, please rum"
| I did run, and collided violently
with a female rushing in the oppo-
site direction.
miss Nancy" she gasped. "Oh,
Miss Nancy! What a turn youV
give us, miss! Thank Heaven you're
safe!"
"Of course I'm safe, Perkins. Don't
be ridiculous. And l must say l
think you have been a very long time
coming to look for me. I don't un-
derstand it at all. What did you
mean by leaving me alone all this
time? I might have been killed If it
hadn't been for this gentleman. I
certainly think I'm entitled to some
consideration; here I've been waiting
and simply freezing to death"
Thus did Miss Welles carry war
into the enemy's country and avoid
inconvenient questions. She paid
scant attention to the maids protests
that she and William had been pa
trolling the streets in n direction
while Mr.. Robinson went in another,
including the station house, the hos
pitfalls, and the morgue, and that they
had returned often and without avail
to the theatre; also that Mrs. Robin
son was at home in Mysteries.
"'Well all I know is that you must
have been very careless not to see
me-" she said severely. II had to
scream myself hoarse to attract your
attention at last. And so I shall tell
| Mrs. Robinson. You might as we'll
get on the box with William, Perkins;
this gentleman will come inside with
me. He takes much better care Of
me than you do"
And Perkins, disappearing but
helpless, obeyed.
Our drive was very silent, but as
we drew up before a large stone
house Miss Welles spoke suddenly.
I'm not the kind of girl that likes
to talk to strange men, you know"
"I understand" I said. "To-night
shall be forgotten as far as I am con-
cerned. I will not presume"
Don't" she spoke quickly; don't
spoil it. 1t has been so nice-I mean
the last part. And I'm going to know
you quite properly. l will tell Aunt
Josephine that you rescued ME most
heroically from the flames, and she
will send you a card to her at-home.
She'll love to do it, because you're
literary, and literature is her latest
fad. Mostly the women are frumps
and the men have queer-looking hair.
so I escape when I can. But next
week I'll be on hand, and-youll
come, won't you?"
said I would. Perkins had opened
the carriage door and now stood be-
side it in an attitude of long suffer-
ing, but still Nancy fingered. Sud-
denly the corners Of her mouth
curved mutinously, and she dimpled
adorably.
ITO be Continued.
There Was No Answer.
Al an important State function in