The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-02-24

Has anything bad happened, Mrs. RiIey7
You seem sorroWfni to-day = 'A,1SF
Then I spoke ont boldly:
.'Yog hare qussrsled with Jamie -have
rNay, nay, Mrs Riley" she answered.
~ quarrel with Jamie2 You know lovs
him dearly" ~,
And then the sweet girl blushed at her
own confession. You may guess that this
[ account for Jamies pale face and nervous
manner? It did not seem possible to me
that the lad could have done any wrong
act, but + couldn't forget how the
bells seemed to clapg, Jamie Riley,
Jamie Riley and when 1 remembered
the boys strange actions, an awful fear
grew upon me. Maggie tried in vain to
discover what disturbed me. She went
away in little time, but promised TO cali
again the next day; ''for I'm afraid the
fever is coming on you" she said, as she
kissed me, and bade me goodbye After
she had gone, busted myself in getting
ready the supper, for jamie always enjoyed
his supper, and what wonder that, with a
hard days work, an early breakfast, and
only lunch at noon, he should eat heartily
at night. / baked some biscuits, and kept
them smoking hot, cooked nice bit of
meat. and boiled the potatoes, and then I
got out little dish of preserves, and
STEPPED the tea. Just in the nick of time.
as we say, and when everything was ready,
jamie came in. He looked more cheerful
than he did in the morning, and smiled and
praised the appearance of the table. But
there was look of firm and resolute deter
mination in his face that had not seen
there before and it troubled me to know
what it betokened.
"Well, MOTHER" he said, eff everything
is ready we'll eat, for I'm as hungry as q
bear, and after supper I've something i'm
portant to tell you.''
These last words he spoke hesitatingly,
but was glad to know that he was about
to unburden his soul of whatever secret it
contained. So we sat down to the table. I
was just pouring out the tea, when there
came loud and unexpected rap at the
door. opened it, and found Mr.. Heating,
the constable. He lived not far of, and
had been q friend of my husbands
GOOD evening, Mr.. Keating." said.
"Good evening, madam" he replied;
''does James Riley live here?"
'And don't you know he lived here?" 7
answered
lis he at home?"
'Supposing he is-what then?"
II must see him. I have an order for his
arrest
"What do you mean by that?" I asked
aangrily: Surely, you're joking, Mr.. Keat-
ing. You certainly wouldn't carry jamie to
Jail? You know he's never done any evil
deedl''
"It's sad duty" answered the consta-
BILE; "but arrest him I must, if he's in this
house,
''Well, he's not in the house, nor has he
been tonight
Before the words we're fairly out of my
mouth. jamie himself stepped to the door.
He had listened to all our conversation, and
now he spoke, in his clear, manly voice:
m ready to accompany you, Mr.. Keat-
ing; but with what crime am charged?"
MIR. Keating spoke very low. so that 1
should not hear, but heal I did, and the
words made me faint and sick I tried to
Danish the horrible suspicion of my sons
guilt, but 1 could not forget how the bells
had changed the night before.
Mr.. Keating," L said as calmly as I
could, though my voice trembled, "will you
let me speak to my son, alone, one minute"
Certainly, Mrs. Riley"
Then the lad came into the room, and the
constable stood without the door, and took
my boys hand in mine, and, looking up into
his face. spoke these words:
james Riley, by the love you bear me;
by the memory of your dead father; by the
hope of your souls salvation, speak truly
Are you guilty or innocent?"
Innocent, mother-before God, inno-
cent?" and he bent down and kissed nv
wrinkled forehead, and lifted the great load
of doubt from my mind.
''Then 60, darling" I said, and may the
Lord in his mercy watch over you, and bring
you forth from this tribulation."
TO BE CONTINUED.
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