Bridgeton pioneer., 1885-03-12

ma that Gamma De n0O-lCS a Dy. Ia
sooner see you maerrit to Jeems Cargill."
"Oh, father, you will find that you are
mistaken about poor Bob"
That's impossible"
In the midst of her great gladness there
came that cruel thought-everything had
been lost by that one blunder. She la,e,v
what Cargill had done; Dick Baxter knew
it; but how could they prove it?
n
As soon as the Mermaid arrived at Leith,
Cargill took his leave of Annie. He was dis
appointed; all his powers of persuasion had
failed to move her. She had been civil to
him-most civil-but she would not permit
him to get out his proposal. When he was
saying goodbye he made one more effort to
win her favor.
81 suppose may come to Anchor Cottage
Tomorrow"
Then her whole manner suddenly chang
ed, she became cold, almost stern.
you may come, of course, Mr.. Carglll;
but you will not speak to me until Mr. Ross
is put right with my father"
He was staggered, confused, muttered
that he did not see what business it was Of
his; and with clumsy haste made his way
on Shore
Thinking over those parting words of An
nie's he was little disturbed and in very
ill-humor when he arrived at his mothers
''beastly hut" as he called it. Entering the
room he did not observe the absence of any
salutation, querulous or otherwise, from his
mother; but when he looked he was con-
scious of change in her appearance which
startled even him.
She sat bolt upright in her chair, the
white mutch as carefully ''piped' as ever,
surrounding face like that of corpse.
Her right hand rested on little table at her
side, the left grasped the arm of the chair,
supporting her in the erect position of one
who is just about to rise to her feet.
He did note the singular calmness of her
voice, and was more startled.by its tenderness
than by her appearance.
Pm glad you hae come, Jeems, for hae
muckle to say to you afOre get up"
what is it, mother?'
His own voice was somehow subdued and
less self-assertive than usual.
You ken, Jeems that | hae mony times
had rzZon to cOmplee O your way O. doing;
and mair than once in my passion l was
actually meaning to take every bawbee ava
frae We and gle it to some O the hosptals"'
"Oh, yes; but that was only when you
were angry" he answered uneasily.
cay, but my anger lasted lang enough for
me to make out the will"
"What!'
''le medina be feared. There was a frien'
o. yours wha after lang speakn' CART me
put that paper in the fire."
'Who was that?" he asked, breathing
freely again.
''It was name ither than Bob Ross Haze
ye ma riZzon to be grateful tae him?'
The selfish nature of the man rendered
him Indifferent as soon as he knew himself
to be safe.
"Of course, and I'll thank him when we
meet"
The woman's eyes set in that gaunt, sal
low face seemed to glitter as if a flame were
reflected in them; and there was weird
solemnity in her voice.
''Ye'll hae to dae heap mair than that
-. Ye'll hae to put him RIGHT wiz his folk.
Yell hae to tell how it cam about that he
fell doom stupefied at the wheel"
There was none of Bells customary pas
sion in tone or manner. She pronounced
the sentence calmly, and there was tremu-
lous sadness somewhere which rendered her
words the more impressive.
'What do l 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 IT,"
She lifted the right hand from the table,
and showed him small phial.
"Where did you get that?' he exclaimed,
starting up, and then suddenly checking
himself, whilst inwardly cursing his own
stupidity in having laid down the phial in
his berth on board the Mermaid and forgot
ten it, instead of throwing it overheard at
once. He was only for moment puzzled
rs to how it came into his mothers possess
sion, for he presently remembered the visit
to Peterhead of the creature he now began
to look upon as his evil genius, Dick Baxter.
Bell Cargill went on.
You bought this on pretence that you
wanted a strong sleeping drink, and YOU
gied it to Bob Ross :. Did you ma dae
that?'
what is the use of asking such foolish
question:" he growled restlessly.
The old woman looked at him long time,
and that strange sadness which was lying
somewhere in the background became more
evident in the lines of the worn face and the
darkening OF the eyes. Without anger,
scarcely with any change of tone, she spoke.
Il aye kenned ye were fule, Jeems, but
Lnever thought you were william. Own
The truth to me, or you'll hae to own 1t in a
sourt o. justice. Ye hae wranged the man
That was your best fEien'-when getupI'H
maxi amends tae him. But that's ma the
question. You maun max amends tae him
snoo, or never a farthing o my siller ye
snail hae. Speak-you did it,"
Cargill saw how much in earnest his moth
er was and after a struggle with his vanity,
which was overcome by his greed, he an
swered with clumsy attempt to be jocular
We'll, l did put few drops into his
Iran, but it was only a joke, and meant no
harm had no notion that he was going
to wreck u.s."
"Hech, sirs, and that's a. your repentance.
re Ken fine that you were gaun to wreck
nm. Put your name to this paper''
Carglll looked at the paper, which she
held under her hand, and read the writing
on 1t. 1t was plain brief statement that
ne had pulposely given Ross sleeping
araught. He made an attempt to snatch it
away from her, but whilst she covered it