The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-02-19

10 De aware CuaI GueJ suO"oo olSuo "
great genius.
But it was not these pretentious works
that attracted him most !; it was somt
papers lying loosely on the table, GOV.
cred with quaint designs of flowers ano
stars and dots and crosses. He lifted
these with the curiosity and the eye ol
one who thoroughly understands sub.
iect and is greatly interested in it.
Sholto blushed deeply, and nervously
tried to draw off his visitors attention.
But the bailie seemed for few min.
utes quite absorbed in the work and in
his own thoughts. Then he calculated
" Beautiful! Are these your designs,
Mr.. MacNair
Eyes, sir I do little in that way
sometimes. In fact, 7 am obliged to,
until I can get my pictures into prop
er market"
"Why, these designs are exquisite.
To whom do you sell them ?"
"John Orr buys all make
"No wonder their sewed muslins have
such sale! Sholto MacNair, if you
will come into the city and design for
my factory for two years, you will have
money enough for Rome and the Rhine.
What do you say p
1t was quite easy to persuade the
young man that his pictures we're not
masterpieces, and that he ought to de
vote two years to the drudgery of money
making, in order that he might devote
many years after them to travel and
study. But at length the bailie sue
ceeded, the wretched home was aban
doned, and Sholto took his desk in the
designing-room of the great sewed
muslin firm of Bailie Archibald Allister.
It was about six months afterward
that Lawyer Brodie called one evening
on his cousin Allister. There was bust
ness of an important nature in the call
but after it had been completed their
conversation gradually drifted into a
less personal and less selfish strain.
"How is Sholto MacNair getting
along, bailie ?"
"Fe is doing well-saving money and
working hard"
"Humph !! 1t is the fourth genera
alton maybe the curse lifts little by
this time. Unto the third and fourth
generation'-that's how it reads, bailie.
"I never rightly understood the mat
ter, Brodie. This Ranald MacNair was
a lawyer and a Judge of the court of
session -
ga scoundrel and murderer Of the
worst kind, bailie. My grandfather sat
beside him on the bench for twenty
years.
Then there was a pause, but Bailie
Allister knew better than to break it.
He lot the spell of the Pickering FIRE
light AMI of the sensitive e1pectant ST.
lence tell upon the heart of the old law
yer; and presently he said, in a low,
thoughtful voice, "I'll tell you, bailie,
what I know about it, and there is no
one knows more, for we have done the
MacNair business nearly eighty years,
though l am free to say it is quite
against my ordinar to talk about my
clients.
"This Ranald MacNair was black
looking Highlan Oman, and son of Don
aid Dhu MacNair, as fierce and bad q
man rs ever rnled tho MacNair clan. I
have naught at all to do with the quar-
rel between him and his father and elder
brother; he aye boasted that it had not
been "a dry quarrel, bat in those days
the dirk settled every dispute north of
the Grampians, and civilized felix hard
ly cared TO interfere.
"Anyhow Ranald came southwark
with a dark name, and, strangely
enough for such fierce spirit, he en-
tered q term of law with the house Of
Caldwell & Faulder. Some folks just
hated his dark face and domineering
ways, but my grandfather took to the
proud Highlander wonderful. I don't
know what for, unless maybe that David
MacMmster hated him, and David and
my grandfather were born foes.
"They had no personal or particular
quarrel, but David and Ranald had; for
both OF them fell in love with bonnie
Maggie Faulder-just as mad in love as
two such proud, set-in-their-own-way
fellows were like to be. Maggie kind
OF favored David. and Renald swore
if be married her, he might buy a dirk
with the wedding ring.
"Then old Faulder sent Maggie
away to some southwark friends, and
David and Ranald went on to the roll OF
his maj aiesty's attorneys, and both of them
settled down to pleading causes and at
tending to other peoples business.
"But they were always watching one
another; and when David was put up
for some rich county office-clerk of the
rolls, think-Ranald was furious, and
spent both time and gold freely in order
TO defeat him. I suppose he did it.
Anyhow, lis opponent, James Laing,
won, and Darid WIS out of place and
pocket. Soon after, James Laing WAS
found dead in his Office, with dirk
through his throat.
Suspicion gathered swiftly and cer-
taiuly around David McMaister. He
was, as have said before, a passionate
and proud man. 1t could not be denied
that he had spoken very bitterly of his
opponent. and many threat uttered in
anger was now remembered against
him.
ellis arrest and imprisonment seemed
almost to deprive him Of his senses. He
denied his guilt in the most solemn
terms, Int corld give no account of him
self during the hour in which the MUIR
der had been committed, except that he
had been in liquor in his own room.
This apology added little to his defense;
and many, even of his intimate acquaint-
ances, believed him to be guilty.
Probably because of the well.known
hatred between the men, the prosecn-
ton elected Ranald McNair to conduct
their case. Nothing so exciting as this
trial had agitated every circle of society
since the landing of Prince Charlie.
Houses were divided, friends quarreled,
and immense bets were laid on it's issue.
"While it was pending Maggie Faul-
der returned, and Ranald was now
doubly anxious for the success of his
prosecution II was wonderful what
acumen and industry and eloGucuce he
brought to bear on it. His summing up
and final speech electrified every cue.
There was Folemn and awful stir OF
applause at it's close. ana everybody
considered the verdict settled.
"But the judge was a just and merci-
full man, and he did not put the question
to the jury that night; he thought, you
see, that it was only fair to let the men
have time to look OF both sides coolly.
Still, Ranald was sure Of his verdict
and greatly elated Mt the sensation he
had made, especially as Mr.. Fauldel
stopped to congratulate him; and ever
the beautiful Maggie, pale and tearfu