The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-12-18
CHAPTER IX.=(Contlnued.)

CHAPTER Ix.-(contlnued.) D.,
"Ten years ago." ~abstracteoly
what a lot of things may happen IN
ten years! Deaths, births, marriages.
he went on; "the snufing out OF king
doms and republics; wars, panics.
famine; honor to some and dishonor
to others. 1t kind Of makes a fellow
grind his teeth, little girl; 1t kind OF
makes him shut his fists n long 10
run amuck."
why should a strong, intelligent
man, such as you are, think Xix that!
You are resourceful and unafraid.
Why should you talk like that? You
are young, too. Why?"
He stopped and looked full into her
eyes. do you really wish to know"
Had l better?" with a wisdom be-
Sond her years.
mo, you had better not. I'm not a
good man, Fortune, as criterions go.
I've slipped here and there; I've gam
bled and drunk and squandered my
time. Why, in my youth l was as
model a boy as ever was Percival.
Where the divarication took place I
can't say. There's always two forks
IN the road, Fortune, and many Of US
take the wrong one. It's easier going.
Fine excuse; Ell? Some persons would
call me a scoundrel, a black-leg; In
some ways, yes. But In the days to
come l want you always to remember
the two untarnished spots upon my
shield Of honor: I have cheat
ed a man at cards nor run away with
his wife. The devil must give me
these merits, however painful 1t may
be to him. Ten years ago. only a
decade; good Lord! it's like a hun
dred years ago, sometimes"
Fortune breathed with difficulty.
Never before had he taken her into
his confidence to such extent. She
essayed to speak; the old terror
seemed fairly to smother her. 1t was
not what he had told her, but what
she wished to but dared not ask. She
was like Bluebeard's wife, only she
had not the moral courage to open the
door Of the grisly closet. . Her
mother, her uncle; what of them, all.
what Of them? The crooked street
vanished; the roar dwindled away;
she was alone, all. all alone.
II suppose l ought not to have told
you" he said troubled at the misery
he saw gathered in her eyes and
vaguely conscious of what had written
it there. Your mother and uncle
have been very kind to me. They
know less Of me than you do. l have
been to them a kind of errand-boy; a
happy-go-lucky fellow, who cheered
them when they had the doldrums."
With forced cheerfulness he again
took her hand and snuggled 1t under
his arm, giving it a friendly reassur-
ing pat. "Ill not speak to you Of
love, child, but a hair Of your head
is more precious to me than all Midas
gold. Whenever I've thought OF you
I've tried to be good. Honestly"
And can't you go back to the be-
ginning and start anew" TREMENDOUSLY.
Can n one go back? The moving
finger writes. An hour is a terrible
thing when you look to see what can
happen in It. But, come; sermons,
Id far rather see you smile. Won't
you?"
She tried to, but to him it was sad
der than her tears would have been.
For an hour they walked through
the dim and musty streets. He exert
ed himself to amuse her and fairly
succeeded. But never did the unac.
countable fear, that presage Of misfor-
tune, sleep in her heart. And at last,
when he took her to her carriage and
babe her good-by till dinner, a half
formed idea began to grow in her
brain; to save Mr.. Jones without be-
traying Ryanne.
The iatter's carriage was at the 9th.
er end CT the ~bazaars; so he strobe
sullenly through the press, rudely ell
bowling those who got in his way. An
occasional curse was flung after him;
but his height, his breadth of shout
der, his lowering face, precluded any
thing mere active. The Moslems had
a deal Of faith in the efficacy Of
curses; so the jostled ones rested up
or the premise OF these. satisfied that
direc H.. or in the near future, Allah
would blTst the unbelievinG dog in his
trac'-s.
Nhat clevcrness the mother and
scallavcg CT IN uncle had shown to
have !'r: me child in ignorance all
these ye:r:. That she sew darkly, as
through 9 fog. he was perfectly sure.
Sooner cr lG'er the storm would burs;
upon Nor innocent head, and hen God
alone Ere what would become Of
her. o.. damn the selfish, sordid
world At that instant a great long
ing rollcd over him to cut loose from
all thcg~ evil webs, to begin anew
somewhere. Eve if that somewhere
1orc but a wilderness, a clearing in a