The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-09-02

The old maid felt her heart stop
beating for a moment. Who could il
be, at this time Of night? Then the
thought came swiftly that perhaps the
parent Of some one of her charges was
i'll and this was the summons. Still
ing her fears, she went resolutely tc
the door and opened it.
who is it," she called.
No one answered. She cupped hel
hand to her ear. She could hear the
clatter Of horses dimly.
Well" she exclaimed; rather an
grily, too.
She was in the act Of closing the
door when the light from the hall dis
covered to her the bundle on the
steps. She stopped and touched 1t.
Good heavens, it's a child"
She picked the bundle up. A whim
per came from it, a tired little whim'
per of protest. She ran back to the
reception room. A founding! And
on her doorstep! 1t was incredible
What in the world should she do? II
would create a scandal and hurt the
prestige of the school. Some one had
mistaken her select private school
for a farmhouse. 1t vas %frightful.
Then she %unwrapped the child. II
was about a year old, dimpled and
golden haired. A thumb Vas in its
rosebud mouth and it's blue eyes
looked up trustfully into her own.
why, you cherub!" cried the OLD
maid, a strange turmoil in her heart
She caught the child to her breast, and
then for the first time noticed the
thick envelope pinned to the child's
cloak. She put the baby into a chair
and broke open the envelope.
Name this child Florence Gray. ]
will send annually a liberal sum fol
her support and reclaim her on her
eighteenth birthday. The other hall
of the inclosed bracelet will identify
me. Treat the girl we'll, for l shall
watch over her in secret"
Into the fixed routine of her hum
drum life had come a mystery, a tan
TALKING, fascinating mystery. She had
read of foundlings left on doorsteps
from paper covered novels confs'
Gated from her pupils-but that one
should be placed upon her WI re-
spectacle doorstep! Suddenly she
smiled down at the child and the
child smiled back. And there was
nothing more to be done except to
bow before the DEGREES Of fate. Like
all prim old maids, her heart was full
of unrequited romance, and here was
something she might spend it's floods
upon without let or hindrance. AL
ready she was hoping that the man or
woman who had left it might never
come back.
The child grew. Regularly each
year, upon a certain date, Miss Farlow
received a registered letter with
money. These letters came from all
parts Of the world; always the same
sum, always the same line-"1 am
watching"
Thus seventeen years passed; and
to Susan .Farlow each year seemed
shorter than the one before. For she
loved the child with all her heart. She
had not trained young girls all these
years without becoming adept in the
art of reading the true signs of breed
ing. There was no ordinary blood in
Florence; the fact was emphasized
by her exquisite face, her small hands
and feet, her spirit and gentleness.
And now, at any day, some n with a
broken bracelet might come for her.
AS the days went on the heart OF Su-
san Farlow grew heavy.
Never mind, aunty," said Florence;
Il shall always come back to see you
She meant it, poor child; but how
was she to know the terrors which lay
beyond the horizon?
The house Of Stanley Hargreave,
in Riverdale, was the house of no or
binary rich man. Outside it was SIM
pie enough, but within you learned
| what kind of a man Hargreave was.
There were rare Ispahans and Saruks
on the floors and tapestries on the
walls, and here and there a fine paint
ing. The library itself represented a
fortune. Money had been laid out
| lavishly but never wastefully. 1t was
the home of a scholar, a dreamer, a
wide traveller.
In the library stood the master OF the
house, idly lingering some papers
which lay on the study table. ne
shrugged at some unpleasant thought
! settled his overcoat about his shoul-
ders, took up his hat, and walked from
| the room, frowning slightly. The out-
Ter, who also acted in the capacity Oh
valet, always within call when MS
| master was about, stepped swiftly 10
the hall door and opened it.
Il may be out late, JONES' sal
H~argreave.
Yes, sir"
Hargreave stared into his face keen
ly, as if trying to pierce the grave
face to learn what was going on De-
hind it.
How long have you been with me!
Fourteen years, sir"
Some day l shall need you
my life has always been at your
Midland, Lloyd's bank and London
County and Westminster. London