The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-06-05

"What right nave tney 10 speak OF me:
Why DO you listen, you who pretend to
be my frlend2"
"Pretend! That's an honest word
between you and me! II Strathley had
your good at heart"
"Take care, John; don't say anything
against Mr.. Strathley. You might be
sorry for it some day. he is-he knew
my poor brother Ben-at school, or
somewhere. It does us good to hear
him talk of Benl" It was hard for
Margaret to dissemble, and she did it
with poor grace.
BLESSINGS brighten as they take their
fight" thought Lorrimer; ''knew your
brother Ben, did he? and your grand
father listens?" The time had been
when Ben's name had been forbidden,
and the old farmer had sworn that Ben's
shadow should never darken his door.
"People ought to be careful how they
speak of their own flesh and blood, "
groaned the neighbors, when the Arc
turus was cast away, and the last chance
of forgiving Ben with it. But though
Grandfather Bevis had aged since then,
had begun to have hault in his step
and q stoop in his shoulders, and to
grow fresh crop of wrinkles, yet even
grim Death had failed to obliterate Ben's
misdeeds-their impoverished condition
was a constant reminder. Mr.. Bevis
saw his more fortunate neighbors enjoy
ing the fruits of lands he had cleared
with the horny hand of toll, sitting down
to bounteously-supplied tables, with a
good balance in the bank for rainy
weather, while he and his Jared scantily,
and hardly dared to look the future in
the face. Ben had been the apple of his
eve, and to have suffered from his sell
fshness added another sting to poverty.
"When Mr.. Strathley first mentioned
Ben, grandfather just groaned and tod
died out of the room. The next time he
shut his eyes and made believe o sleep;
but now, do you know? he hangs upon
Mr.. Strathley's words, John, though he
never asks q question. But the day
will come when he will pardon poor Ben,
I know it will"
"And Strathley, having done mission.
ary work, will demand his reward 2
said John, bitterly. Margaret, do
you believe he means fairly by you?
Isn't it just seasons amusement to
him?'
81 have no fears" she answered.
But in spite of what folks might say,
Mr.. Strathley was at Ford, on and off,
all summer.
"The mill needs a sight of looking
after" they shifted cit might run
away he had taken q mighty fancy to
Meg Bevis, and p'raps she expected to
be q fine lady, anon, and ride IN her
carriage and have servants under her ;
but there was many q hole In the
skinner. 'Twasn't likely but he'd
been used to women folks as could
play the pianny, and wear the fashions
as natural as their own skins. Old
Bevis ought to be ashamed to allow
such goings on under his eyes. High
time o'day, too, for Mr.. Strathley to
put Beris in overseer at the mill, over
the heads of younger and smarter men,
with no end Of wages and nothing to do
but watch the gang-saw That didn't
look queer, did it? And wasn't Strath.
ley's team stabbed in Bevis' barn ?
and didn't Meg use it when she pleased?
and mighty smart team, too, no one
hoss shay. And who could tell why
he'd bought the Dean meadow of Bevis,
when it was such a barren waste that
the grasshoppers avoided it? he
hadn't no use for it there wasn't a
stick of timber on it, but it put cash In
old Bevis' pocket, where cash was a
stranger, eh ?"
Lorrimer was obliged to listen to all
this without the power of proving it
false, and it made his heart ache as that
organ never ached before, darkened the
day and embittered life for him. He
dreaded to meet friend or foe for fear of
hearing opinions which he could not
combat, and they all wondered that
he would not join in the general cavil.
Had not Margaret thrown him over for
hashy fellow, about whom nobody
knew anything beyond what he chose to
tell? Wasn't resentment the proper
attitude for Tilted lover? To be sure
he felt very hard toward the handsome,
well-to-do gentleman who had stepped
between him and hsppiness-who slipped
so easily into the position for which
John had served twice seven years.
He could scarcely bear the sight OF
him da wdling about Bevis' farm-as
though to the manor born-but he was
obliged to own that Strathley showed q
surprising good nature, an indifference
to his rudeness that was provoking; and
that he was just as ready to be civil and
friendly to him afterward.
"Surely, this is hard world, thought
Lorrimer, " in which it is necessary to
love ones enemy, though he has
stolen the apple of ones eye." Wasn't
it requiring little too much of human
nature, or, at least, of Lorrimer's ma
ture? Still, if he happened to meet
Strathley on the highway and Jared on
piece with him, talking of the pros
poets of numbering the coming winter
about provisioning the camp and engag.
ing men, and of that kind of rough-and.
ready life, Lorrimer could not deny but
he was pleasant, companionable fellow
enough, with a deal of backbone, who
knew his work and the sort of people
with whom he had to deal.
"I mean to have taste OF this camp
life myself this winter" he said, by the
way. "I want to know what it is like
to become brave enough not to heeG
poor fate, a hard couch, or bowling
wolves"
"You won't find it as easy as lying,
reckon" said Lorrimer Ca little O.
that kind of thing goes great way"
81 dare say. Are you going to joir
my gang?"
chance to sell out. I want to rais'
some ready money and be off to Cali
fornia, where it grows faster than in thi
SOIL"
"Ah, gong to leave for good and all
Any disappointment? She hasn't gone
back on you, eh"
"Who do you mean ?" asked John
fiercely.
"The girl you are going to cave be
hind you"
II have no sweetheart" said John
evasively.
"More's the pity-it's love that make
the world go round"
"No, it isn't-it's money"
eff you want money, my boy, let m
help you"
"Youl No, thank you, I want n
mans money"
Lorrimer did not find purchaser TO
his farm before the winter set in, coll
and bitter, with angry storms and bitinj