The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1886-12-06

pink cal;ker frock."
The young girl opened her lips as if
to speak, but closed them with q sigh,
and moved away, wearily, to prepare
the evening meal
All through the weary vigil which
preceded their departure to the old oak
she sat, heavy and silent, 'a-grievin, "
as the old man thought, with touch of
anger and sympathy combined.
4 little breeze sprang up before they
started. 1t swayed the flame of the
pine knot which Telura bore to light
her father at his work, and plainly de-
fined her tinely-molded figure beneath
its cotton gown. =.
The fickcring light of the torch
brought out the golden CLEANS of her
curling hair, and, as she stood, pale and
silent, holding the light aloft, she looked
like a beautiful priestess aiding at a
mystic rite.
The old man dug on excitedly, and
his pick struck at last an unyielding sub
stance. His breath came hard. Were
the hopes of years to meet their long
delayed fruition? But wild cry rang
out suddenly on the night, and drew
his startled attention.
What terrible sight was this that
burned itself into his senses2
The torch lay fitfully gasping upon the
earth, while speeding away as on the
wings of the winds fled Telura, pursued
by circling fame of fire. Some unno-
ticed spark had fallen upon her gown
from the back, and quickly ignited its
cotton folds.
He started in agonized pursuit; but
long ere he could have reached her man
sprang quickly from a thicket near,
caught her in his arms, wrapped her
about with his discarded coat, and
smothered the cruel flames. She sank
back fainting as her father reached the
spot.
The two men lifted and bore her ten
derly home. No word was spoken be-
tween them; but when the light was lit
in the cabin it fell full on the face OF
Tom Carruthcrs.
'I'll fetch my mother and the doctor,
he said.
"Fetch Mrs. Tompkins and the doc
tor" was the angry reply. Twas hard,
thought the old man, that in dire ex-
tremity he should again have to depend
for aid on a member of this hated fam
| lily.
Would this one, too, betray him2
"What ware he a-sneakin aroun in the
woods fur, but to spy on mes" he NUT
tered.
No feeling of gratitude toward the
young man asserted itself in his breast
during the long night spent by himself
and The kind Mrs. Tompkins in attend
ance on the suffering girl. And early in
the morning, when Telura, with wounds
carefully dressed. lay quiet under the in
fluence of a narcotic: he crept out to re-
new his interrupted work.
i He gazed with bated breath into the
cavity made the night before. 1t was
empty, and his pick was sticking into a
root of the tree. This, then, was the
hard substance, the striking of which
had so raised his hopes. He sank back
with groan.
The hand of Fate was against him.
An hour later haven't back dazedly
to the house. Ta4lra still slept, and,
throwing himself on q lounge near the
bed, he, too, fell into deep slumber.
When he awoke. toward evening, and
looked at the young girl, lying pale and
statue he, a great fear smote MN.
Might he not lose her after all! Had ne
never priced her enough2 She, who had
spent her whole young life in his service.
Had he not accepted that service as too
much his due2 He saw revealed as IN q
lightning flash how al!-absorbing had
been his passion for the recovery of the
money, and how little he had thought or
done for this unselGsh child. How
willingly for his sake she had given up
the man she loved. Then he recalled his
own wild regret when he had feared to
lose his sweetheart mother. Had
Telura suffered like that3 Perhaps he
had been too harsh. Tom Carruthers was
spoken of as a steady, industrious young
man; and he had noticed last night that
while his hands were badly burned he
had seemed to have no thought but for
Tclura. But there came back the old,
bitter question: "With feyther like
that, how could he be anything but
orneryS
"Pappy," broke in o feeble voice upon
his thoughts, "would you han me drink
of wahterl"
The cooling dEaught was admins
tered.
Ten days later, utterly Frustrated from
a fierce conflict with fever and pain,
Telura made her next rational reque.t
"Pappy," she said, meekly, "ef 1
don't ever git we'll, au"-feebly smooth
ing his hardened hand-''hit do pear
now as though l never can, I want you
to try an git shet of that gredge you is
a-holdin agin Tom Carruthers. He air
good, pappy, l know he air. I feel it in
Ryer." laying her hand upon her heart.
HE have dug ar:un for that gol cen a
mos as much as you, a-hoping to ondo
his pappy's wrong, an he lowed to me
rs he ware a-goin to try to pay you back.
Try to be forgivin to him, pappy, for
my sake, an tell him goodbye tn my
ondying love-"
II don't want you to tell no one good
bye, Telury," answered the old man, mo
one," blowing his nose furiously. 81
aint a-holdin no gredge agin Tom Car
FATHERS no mo an as he's a-hangin roun