The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-11-22

| and MAR than once IN my passion was
actually meaning to take every bawbee ava
! frae We and gle it 10 some % the hospitals"
| "Oh, yes; but that was only when you
were angry" he answered uneasily.
LAY, but my anGc" lasted langenough for
! me to make out the Will
| WHAT
I "Yc medina be feared. There was Il frien'
o yours villa after lang spcakin' CART me
pu, that paper in the ire
WHO was that" he asked, breathing
| freely again.
at was name ilhcr than Bob Ross. Haze
We ma ri2zon 10 be- grateful tae him"
rhe selfish nature of the man rendrru
him ind i'crcnt as soon aN h" knew himself
Ia BE- safe.
"Of course, aud III thank him when we
meet"
The woman's eyes sci in that gannt, sal
low face seemed 10 glitter a. II n 'ne were
reflected in them; and there was weird
solemnity in her voice.
Yell haze 10 dae a heap mair than that
49,. Yell hae to put him RIGHT wi his folk.
Yen hae to tell how II cam about that he
fell door, stuprfed al the wheel.
There was none OF Bells customary pas
sion in tone OF manner. She pronounced
| the sentence calmly, and there was tremu-
lous sadness somewhere which rendered her
words tile more impressive.
What do know about it, he said sulki-
ly after the first surprise, except that /
gave him dram and
And YOU ken what was in the dram,
Jeems. You ken that there was nearly the
hale O. this stuff that was in this bottle
In t."
She lifted the right hand from the table,
and showed him small phial.
Where did you get thar he exclaimed,
starting up, and then suddenly checking
himself whilst nwardly cursing his own
stupidity in having laid down the phial in
his berth on board the Mermaid and forgot.
ten il. instead Of throwing il overheard at
once. He Was only for moment puzzled
as 10 how il came into his mothers posses
sion for he presently remembered the visit
70 Peterhead OF The or AZURE he now began
10 look npon as hiseyi genins, Dick Baxter.
Bell Csrgill went on. a
you Dough, this on pretence that YOU
wanted a strong sleeping drink, and you
red /, to Bob Ross . Did you ma dae
that|'
What is the use Of asking such foolish
question" he growIed restlessly.
The old woman looked at him a long timo,
and that strange sadness which was lying
somewhere in the background became llore
evident in the lines Of the worn face AMI the
darkening Of the eyes. Without anger.
scarcely with any change of tone she spoke
Il ave kenned We were a fnle, Jeems. but
never thought you were william. Own
the truth to me, or you'll haze to own it in
court o Justice. Ye hae wra lged the man
that was your best frien'-when get I'll
max amends tae him. But that's ma the
question. YOu niaun max amends tac him
enoo or never Il iarthing o my >i!ler We
shall hae. Speak you did it,
Cargill saw how much in earnest his moth
or was, and after struggle with his vanity,
| which was overcome by his greed, he an
Swered, with clumsy attempt to be Jocular
well, | did put few drops into his
dram, but it was only a joke, and meant no
harm. had no notion that he was going
to wreck us
''IIech. Sirs, and that's a your repentance.
Ye ken fine that you were gaun to wreck
him. =. Put your name to this paper"
Cargil looked at the paper which she
held under her hand, and read the writing
on it. 1t was a plain, brief statement that
he had purposely given Ross sleeping
draught. He made an attempt to snatch it
away from her, but whilst she covered it
with one hand she placed the other on his
breast.
"liearken Jeems. If that paper is ma put
into the hands o ID elk Baxter this ncht wi
your name to il You will be ruined
He hastily scrawled his name, thinking
that he could easily tear the paper after
wards; but at that moment his evil genius
hrpled in at the door, and snatched the pa
per almost from under his hand
"The paper doesna matter, mistress, says
Dick Baxter, though I've got it. | was
standing on the stairhead and heard every
word he said iae ye.'
Cargill's impulse was to seize the man
and take the prize from him by force; but
the attention of both was attracted to the
mother.
Her eyes had become suddenly dim, and
she muttered. in voice growing rapidly
more and more faint
Tell Bob Ross I'll max amends tae hin,
when get up. Pm weary enoo'."
And Bell Cargil lay back in her chair.
and fell asleep.