The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-02-11

stephen orWNn suddenly stepped out
of the door, and the colonel retired pre-
cipitatcly. There was a iaunty and smil-
ing defiance about the young man S man
ner th:t surprised them. but it was rath-
er eXasperating than soothing. In the
front of the crowd a pistol was aimed
directly at Stephens head. 1t was Mary
Ann 5 hand that struck it up: it went off
i'll the air. But it was a signal for the
letting loose of the fury of the crowd.
There was a rush for the steps. at the
head of which Stephen stood. growing
pale. and losing his iauntinesS, but show
ing no signs ui rrtreating.
| Mary Ann liked to remember that at
terward; he did stand his ground. But
when the rush was made. Iary Ann was
ahead of them. She ran tn the top of
the steps. and stood before Stephen
thruSting him aside with her strong arms
when he attempted to come forward, as
If he W, rea child. The Wildly MacShane
followed like a cat, and stood besides her
furnishing her stick. The excitement
| had probably been toa much for her old
wits. She only realized that if there was
to be 4 fight, it was her place TO take
VI Tv Ann side.
Tipperary held Mary Ann in great es-
teen especially on account of the mystery
that hung over her birth: but in the inlur-
lated condition of the whole crowd. it is
! probable that they would not at first have
needed her. if it had not been for the
! Wildly MacShaue. Shr WAS in heir eyes
the representative Of the Evil One him
! sell. and his was Il p,wrr that they fear
ed. being constantly warned by the priest
| ri the strong probability Of more inti-
| mate aCIuaintancts with him. And the
! Wildly MacShane-a poor feeble old body
whose wits had never been of the strong
c>t--stnod there. with her little black
eyes cleaning like Goals in her yellow.
wrinkled face. her red witch cloak flying
in The wind. and her stick waved like a
sceptre, and held the fierce crowd at
bav.
Mary AIMS voice rang out-juSt such
a voice as she should have had with her
phN sique-strong and hcI-hke. stand
back, he spalpeen>! It's shame take tor
We. We EDWARDS. Sure there's niver an
! ht$tma4 amongst We that wnultiu' give
"A heIin~, less man iair chance?"
| Is it fair chance he gave poor Cone"
! called d Voice.
Wait till We hear what he says and
what Con says if he lives o spake, said
Mary Ann.
There came some halfstifled words
| from the crowd. Mary AIMS quick ear
caught them.
"Of course ven stand up for the gem
tlenan agin poor Con. an We thlnkin'
he'll marry We. and make lady of ye."
Tlle color surged over Mary AIMS face
and she trembIed. She felt she was weak
euing and the crowd felt it too. The
! huarSc murmuIs arose again: it would
he only Il moment more that they Won d
hold back.
not imaginative, but she saw all the COM
ing years Of her life unrolled in one mo-
ment before she chose that way, But
when her voice arose again. there was 10
tremor in it:
is 1t anry body I'm likely t. stand up
for agln poor Con, when its Cons wife
| IN to be if he lives, and his WILDLY all
me life il he dies: But isn't it himself
| tnat tellIn yez always to be patient and
paceaOle, aud not be atther rulnin' yer
| sells wild yer ugly timpers-thou.h he
| behaves in yer right to the Guild wages as
much as amy OF yez? Isn't it thrne, now,
what sa,?-answer NE that
! They knew that it was true. 1t was
Cons influence that had kept the peace
until now. And if Mary Ann was to be
| Cons wife. that made her interference
| different III itter-tuade her, in some sort
| his representative.
60 home wild yez now. quit and
paccahc aud lave the law take its coorse
wid :, dctin>eicsS man, that may be meant
no harrn.
Even then Many Ann might not have
! prevailed. if one of the more bclli4ercnt
! spirits. determined not to be appeascd
W.T. h"ut the excitement of a fight. had
not fired Il pistol. The ball whizzrd
! past her head in rather dangerous prnx-
| unity. It prob ,hl, had not bern inten-
! ded to hit her, but the wrath Of mtiam-
! mablr crowd was instantly turned against
! the man who fired it. Mary ANA was
/ woman. one of themselves. and Cons
| promised wife; the leaders of the party
were now chiefly concerned with avcn.-
ing her.
Lave him alone. and go home wild
yez, will ,ez. n"w?" called Mary Ann.
They did not obey the first mandate:
the owner of the pistol was roughly
handled before he succeeded in mixing
his escape: but they did disperse, some
OF them slowly and sullenly, but still
they went.
Mary Ann turned and allowed Stephen
Crrwyn to come forth from the embra>-
ure of the porch into which she had
thrust him.
lie seized both her hands. You
saved my lite: they meant to have it
| But What YOU told them wasn't true.
Mary Ann? 1t is my wife. not my Cons
that you are going to be-
y, l,,Sl nd
paling but shaking her head, with sad
| smile. He never had said that to her be-
| fore. He never would have said it but
| for this. Mary Ann knew. The love
making that people talked about had
never Amounted to anything more than
Il sly strolling by her side whenever it
ing words aud tender looks.
- Is it the likes OF me, wild tie burr
undther me tongue and the smll of the
suds clingin' to me. that wud be "a t
wife for You? Its many a time poe r
| Con is afther a>kin' me. and | nver
said yes till the day. but though il : not
till himself said it. I'll kape my word.
Ii he lives, I'll be his wife, and nobody
else if he dies
d" lie is sure to live. found that out
before | left him." said Stephen. But
Mary Ann"
Mary Ann turned away fran him res
olutely. with only one look-perhaps
he same ,pk III Maud Muller might