The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-01-31


E direction .of Meg ven.: He entered,
and, finding It empty, sat down, mood
Sly, to wait the woman's arrival.
sSi He had not long to wait. Meg's step,
'sslower md heavier than Of old, was
4 heard ascending the ladder, and Meg
4 herself stood breath bless; AT, the door. z "a
se.! She gave "a slightl tart upon seeing
s Jim, then, came IN and greeted him in
sheruspal ;impassiYe manner s
The man maintained fa fsulky silence;
3and, used TO eIiis moods.s she bnsied her
self quietly about the small matters Of
& 5g.Ail at once. he ,spokes and his tone Of
wlathfu1 contempt had Spowerto over
+ turn Meg composure. ~. ~.
hats that you are saying, I1mp
You--you to saylVe been sweethearting
with VIII? Ifs'not Hue-you know It's
/ not truer,
i5sEs. II s what they're all saying he said
5Eercely; it the talk Of the place.
ST. .sItt,s not truegn. she repeated passion
ately. We been faithful to you, Jim,
always. - Don't Sbelieves sthem--I swear
iasmnt true. = y, -; -:
/, How'll I you Il prove II itY' be asked in
ssolently. .lWilf you ask him yourself to
bear out what you are sayingr
81 Some Womanly pride fingered IN the
woman, and rose up In rebellion against
such outrage. 1s.3ss
II you don't believe me, she said
doggedly aTn not ask him to. prove my.
words. 81 (, !, E: -
Her sulky air, taken IN connection
Swiths her refusal, YVES conclusive evt-
5dmce Of guilt, and Jim strobe from the
caravan with g muttered threat:
ssI. I.ll murder you both; you shall pay
AS hes disappeared Meg pressed her
hand to her. heart and sank down on the
nearest eeat, trembling and faint. It
swas,h the first time shes had felt that
deadly faintness, and Jim's words were
notscalcnlated to reassure her.
She was reused by. the entrance Of a
/ girl, who came forward and asked, not
u1kindly, what ailed her. -.
ssIt's my heart, Liza; there's something
the anatter with it.
Liza smiled cynically. She, too, had
heard the whispers. .5
!s.s.We ell, = she said roughly, you have
Fneed. to be frightened. met Jim Just
now, and he looked as black as thunder.
sHe'Sthe very devil when he's reused. 1
say, Meg, Wouldn't be your
hat do you meanr Meg asked
Wearily. as
81, you see, Jim has heard about
your and Will. He's mortal jealous,
He'd do anything. He wouldn't stop at
murder. I say, Meg, you won't do that
cigar business tonight
The sudden question following the sng-
gestive word needed no enlargement, and
Meg stirred uneasily.
.sWhy shouldn't !? Jim knows it's
false what they're saying. There's been
no, sweetheartfng between Will and me.
Inever kept company with any one but
.Jim.,r.
Liza laughed again.
Just as you please, but wouldn't
stand in your shoes tonight for any
thing.
When tho hour for the evening per-
Torrance came Meg stood before the
glass putting the finishing touch to the
gaydress In which she usually went
through the cigar and pistol episode.
She had not recovered altogether from
her fairtness sof the afternoon, and she
opened the little window Of the van to
: let In some air, The SUMS rays. flashed
III, striking upon the shelf that served as
dressing table,.
They 1t up the trinkets lying there,
. and touched the red stone Of the brooch
Jim had given her, until 1t looked like
clot Of palpitating blood.
Meg put out her hand mechanically to
take It, but at the sight Of its color she
80 4ni0 {nrp
.the "red hands" that had reused her ter
ror a few months before, and she drew
back. Then she took up another brooch
from the shelf, fastened It In her gown
and went out to the tent.
The cheer that crested her appearance
restored her self possession, and she
bowed smilingly to the spectators before
she took up her stand at the correct dis
tance from Jim.
She glanced furtively at him, and saw,
relieved; that he was looking at her In
restored good humor.
= Het nodded reassuringly at her, and
signed that he Yves ready to begin. Meg
turned her profile toward him, and put
the:cigar In her mouth, thinking idly
how foolish she had been to mako so
much Of trife.
Jim and she were good friends again,
so she stood bravely, no emotion on her
broad, sensual face, while Jim raised bis
pistol to take aim.
In the act his hand trembled, his
whole face changed, and o fierce glare
came into his eyes; he bent forward.
gesture and eyes alike horribly suggest
Ing the panther about to spring-and
o-nooha al Fla fopth
He had caught sight Of a yellow glitter
IN place Of the red sparkle Of the brooch
by which he had always before taken
aim.
s The whole air seemed to havo become
yellow: and the strained silence Of the