The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-02-24


his own house. Samson lay long
while awake, with many disquieting
reflections.
Meanwhile Lescott, letting himself
into a house overlooking the park.
was hailed by a chorus Of voices from
the dining room. He turned and went
in to join a gay group just back from
the opera. AS he thoughtfully mixed
himself a highball, they bombarded
him with questions. ,.tT'< 1Ets... s..
"Why didn't you bring your bar.
barian with your" demanded dark
eyed girl, who looked very. much as
Lescott himself might have looked had
he been a girl--and very young and
lovely. Now she flashed on him an at
fectionate smile, and added: I'VE
have been waiting to see him. Must
we go to bed disappointed"
George stood looking down on them,
and tinkfed the ice in his glass.
"He wasn't brought on for purposes
of exhibition, Drennie," he smiled. II
was afraid If he came in here In the
fashion of his arrival-carrying his
saddlebags- ultracivilized folk
might have laughed" ".
A roar of laughter at the picture
vindicated Lescott's assumption.
mo! Now, actually with saddle
bags?" echoed 6. young fellow with a
likable face which was for the mo-
ment incredulously amused. THAT
goes Dick Wilmington one better.
You do make some rare discoveries.
George. We celebrate YOU"
Thanks, Horton" commented the
painter, dryly. when you New York
ers have learned what these barbara
ans already know, the control of youT
oversensitized risibles and a courtesy
deeper than your shirt-fronts--maybe
III let you have a, look. Meantime I'm
much too fond Of all OF you to risk
letting You laugh at my barbarian"
Several months were spent laboring
with charcoal and paper over plaster
casts in Lescott's studio, and Lescott
himself played instructor When the
skylight darkened with the coming Of
evening, the boy whose mountain ma
ture cried out for exercise went for
long tramps that carried him over
many miles of city pavements, and
after that when the gas was lit, he
turned, still insatiably- hungry, to
volumes of history, and algebra, and
facts. .. .-,. ,.q-.s-....,
/ % - =,
A sloop-rigged boat with a crew OF
two was dancing before brisk breeze
through blue Bermuda water. OF to
the right Hamilton rose. sheer. and
colorful from the bay. At the tiller
sat the white-clad figure Of Adrienne
Lescott. Puffs o. wind that whipped
the faulty bellying sheets lashed her
dark hair about her face. Her lips,
vividly red like poppy petals, were
Just now curved into an amused smile,
which made them even more than or
dinarily kissable and tantalizing. Her
companion was neglecting his nominal
duty OF tending the sheet to watch
her -
"Wilfred," she teased, your con-
trast Is quite startling-and, in a way,
effective. From head to foot you are
spotless white--but your scowl .is alb.
solutely the blacklist black that our
eyes endure And" she added, in an
injured voice, I'm sure I've been very
nice to YOU" t'.r ~ Z
'T>have not yet begun to scowl," he
assured her, and proceeded to show
what superlatives Of saturnine express
sion he held in reserve. "See here,
Drennie, know perfectly well that
Pm a sheer imbecile to reveal the fact
that you've made me mad. 1t pleases
you too perfectly. 1t makes yon hap
pier than is good for you, but"
"It's a terrible thing to make me
happy, isn't it," she inquired, sweetly.
"Drennie, you have held me of since
we were children. believe / first an
nounced my intention Of marrying you
when you were twelve. That intention
remains unaltered. More: 1t Is unal.
terable and inevitable. My. reasons
for wanting to needn't be rehearseds
1t would take too long. | regard you
as possessed of an alert and remark
able mind-one worthy Of companion.
ship with my own" Despite the friv.
olous badinage of his words and the
humorous smile of his lips. his eyes
hinted at an underlying intensity.
with no desire to flatter or spoil you.
l find your personal aspect pleasing
enough to satisfy me. And then, while
man should a void emotionalism. !
am in love with you" He moved over
to a place in the sternsheets. and his
face became intensely earnest. He
dropped his hand over hers as 1t lay
on the tiller shaft. God knows, dear"
he exclaimed, how much love you!
Her eyes, after holding his for a mo-
ment, fell to the hand which still i'm.
prisoned her own. She shook her
head, not in anger, but with a man
ner of gentle denial, until he released
her fingers and stepped back
"!