The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-08-04
copyrieht, 1918. by Dodd, Mead & Company
and each time destroyed 1t, it seemed
so clumsy.


The morning after the incident fol-
lowing Pegs ,disobedience in going to
the dance and her subsequent rebellion
and declaration Of independence found
all the inmates Of Regal Villa in q most
unsettled condition.
Mrs. Chichester and Alaric opened a
discussion as to the latter's business
career.
"Oh, Alaric! There is a way-one
way that would save u.s." said the
mother after Alaric suggested going
to Canada. And she trembled as she
paused. as if afraid to tell him what
the alternative was.
us there, mater? What Is IT."
ut rests with you. dear"
docs it? Very good. III do it to
save you and Ethel and the roof:
course / will. Let me hear It."
"Alaric?' she asked in d tone that
suggested their fate hung on his an
swer. "Alaric, do you like herr
Like whom"
Margaret! Do you?"
"Here and there. She amuses me
like anything at times. She drew a
map Of Europe once that ] think was
! the most fearful and wonderful thing
I have ever seen. She said it was the
way her father would like to see Eu-
rope. She had England. Scotland and
Wales in Germany, and the rest Of the
map was Ireland. Made me laugh like
anything"
"Oh. if you only could" she sobbed.
Gould? What?"
take that little hayward child into
your life and mold her,"
Here. one moment, mater; let me
get the full force of your idea. You
want me to mold Margaret" =
"Yes. dear"
"Ha." be laughed ~uneasfly. then said
decidedly: mo. mater. no. can do
: most things. but as a moIder-oh. no!
Let Ethel do tiff she'll stay. that IS"
"AIaric. my dear. l NEAR to take her
really into your life-'to have and to
hold" And she looked pleadingly at
him through her tea dimmed eyes.
But don't want to hold her, ma
teri" reasoned her son.
1T would be the saving of US all"
The insisted significantly.
But Alaric was still obtuse.
"Now. how would iny holding and
molding Margaret save usT
The old lady placed her cards DELHI
J erately on the table as she said senten-
tiously:
"She would stay with US here-if you
! wereAengaged to herr!
The shock had come. His mothers
terrible alternative was now before
him In all its naked horror. A shiver
ran through him. The thought Of q
man with q future as brilliant as his
being blighted at the outset by such a
misalliance!
He felt the color leave his face.
Engaged. Don't, mother. please"
he trembIed again. "Heavens-engag.
ed to that tomboy"
There was no escape. Mrs. Chiches-
ter held him firmly.
"She will have 5000 a year when
she is twenty-one-f5,O0 900 a ~year-f5.OO
Of the very BEST"
She took him in her arms and press
ed his reluctant and shrinking body to
her breast. Think what it would mean.
dear-your family preserved and a
brand snatched from the burning!"
That's just it It's all right saving
the family. Any cove'll do that at a
pinch. But / do not see myself as a
brand snatcher.' Besides. 1 am not
altogether at liberty"
: "What!" cried his mother.
"Oh, I've not committed myself to
anything. But I've been three times
to hear that wonderful woman speak
once on the platform! And people are
beginning to talk. She thinks no end
Of me. Sent me a whole lot Of stuff
last week-'advanced literature she
calls it I'VE got 'em all upstairs.
Wrote every word Of 'em herself. New
er saw q woman who car talk and
write as she can. And outside Of all
that I'm afraid I've more or less en-
couraged her. And there you are-the
whole thing in q nutshell"
Alaric thought for a few moments.
The result Of this mental activity
took form and substance a follows:
"She Is not half bad l~ooking-at times
when she's properly dressed"
give seer her look almost beauti-
full" cried Mrs. Chichester.
Alaric suddenly grew depressed.
Shocking temper, mater" and be
shook his head despondently.
1.-THE woman who loves always
obeys!" cried his mother.
"Ah, there We have it," And Alaric
sprang up and faced the old lady.
There we have it.! Does she love me?'
Mrs. Chichester looked fondly at her
only son and answered:
How could she be near you for the
loct month op5 moi Iovo voI1p ~