The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-02-21

his business, but if he'd had al eye in
his head, he could see how things was
a-goin'. Howsomever, Hugh came in at
the big gate, and saw Daisy empty
fingered, walkin' along by the majors
: side, while he had pail in either hand
and rs he set 'em down on the stone floor
of the wide room, and turned with some
! pleasant word to Hugh, the pals went
flynn out in the stubble, the milk stream
ed at his feet, and Mirandy said-for she
was standin' by-she never saw such a
surprised look in a face before as IN
Major Jacques. Than he famed up
and got mad, and Hugh got madder, and
/ if it hadn't been for Daisy there might a
been a murder there.
"That night poor Daisy had her wish,
for the city boarders were all scuttled
away, and not light was burnin' in the
house at nine o'clock but my Mirandy
she couldn't sleep, and no wonder, con-
siderin' what she'd been through, and
about midnight she heard the clatter O.
hoofs, and Just got up in time to see
Black Dan fly out the gate with Hugh on
his back. Soon after that she heard q
! low sobbin' sound, and lookin' down,
there she saw Daisy in her white gown,
dippin' water out O the pen-stock and
putin it to her face, cryin' and sobbin'
as if hel-heart would break.
"My Mirandy was just goin' down to
her, when she heard the click of the gate,
and in walked the major, and up he went
! to Daisy, straight as an arrer.
! "And Madam said he, tremblin' all
! over, and blaze like lightnin' in his eye,
"I've come to take you from that brute
and put you under your fathers protec-
ton.
, ooh, you haven't told my father ?"
said Daisy, holding up her hands.
"No; but T will, said the major.
Do you think I can look on and stand
all this? Curse the scoundrel never
had a thought of you till he put it into
my head with his brutality. But now
he'll find I care enough about you to
; shield YOU from harm. Come, Mrs.
M'Lean, put a shawl about you, and
come with me to your fathers house.
! I'll deal with him when he comes back.
Then, if you'll believe me, that poor
child iell to begging tue major not to tell
her father, and declarin' she'd rather die
at Hugh's hands than live away from
him.
"Do you love him so, my poor
baby2' said the major.
! "' AS God is my judge, I love him
better than my own life, said Daisy. Il
will stay. I am not afraid.
! "Then the major turned upon his
heel and went out the gate, and Hugh
! M'Lean was brought home the next day
! with a broken spine. He and Black
/ Dan had rolled down a gully together,
and they had to shoot the beast to get
him out of his agony; and they do say
that but for Major Jacques, Hugh would
a died there, for the major was the one
/ that found him. He was a good rider,
you see, and could make his way where
others would be afraid. And something
he said to Hugh made him gentle as a
lamb. All the way home he held his
hand in his, and was with him after the
doctor left. Hugh fell into kind of
faint. When he opened his eyes, they
fell upon the major; and Mirandy said
that Daisy was OH the other side O the
bed.
$3.50 I'm goin' to de- said Hugh.
well, I'm ready And then he put
Daisy's hand in the majors. Take care
of her, he said.
"'But you're not goin' to die, said
the major. You're to live, the doctor
says
; "'To live = said Hugh. so much
the worse. In that case, major, get away,
for Gods sake. I think it's best.
Just as you say, Hugh said the
major.
"'I think it's best said Hugh; and
the major went away that mornin', and
from that day to this nobody has laid
eyes on him.
"And the Judgment of God was sore
OH Hugh M'Lean. He lay IN that bed
for seven long years, and Daisy never
left him night or day, save when he'd
free her to go, and, if you believe me,
that girl never seemed happy out O his
sight and my Mirandy said it used to
make her cry to see the way Hugh
M'Lean followed her about with his big
fierce eyes, that had dplenty O fire i'll them
yetfor everybody but Daisy. Mirandy ac-
tually got to likin' Hugh and I never
dared say word about that night nor
the bruise on Daisy's cheek to Mrs.
Hitchner, though I've been that bllrnin'
to sometimes that I've had to Jump up
and run out O. the room. And now the
old woman's dead and buried this three
years, and Mr.. Hitchner he went afore
she did. Hugh outlived 'em oil and q
queer thing when he died he want
ed to be buried by his horse Dan,
and there they lie, up on the mountain
together and Mirandy says that Daisys
sworn to be put on t'other side. It's fit
to make shivers creep down ones back,
the hull o it. And there she's lived
ever since, all alone in the old house,
save when school is keepin' and Mirandy's
there. And yonder may be the majors
ghost but if it amt, it's Major Jacques
himself. Queer, amt to"
"Very queer" T said !; and just then
we drove in at the open gate.
The very next morning, as was gath
ering grasses mile or two below, saw
q tall straight form approaching me, his
eyes upon the ground. T. could not step
aside, for a ditch was there.
So he raised his eyes, and his face
lighted up with that rare smile of his.
"God bless your womaniy heart - he
said. ut was good omen and the
next time I see a new moon over my
right shoulder, I shall wish for you hap
piness, with, I hope, the same success
that I did last night for my own. ."-Har-
pcr's Weekly.