Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-03-27

~ "
a nerer ,asast TO Kill h,na,T TomD pro
fss cd.
the word was really more than the thing.
Il had no such thought in my mind
aaGn't, seresford upon my honor
'.Your-whatr~ asked jim, in genuine
amazement.
The lad turned scarlet You think !
haven't any honor" lie said bitterly.
We'll, | suppose I've forfeited any right
to that forever. ANY way, you may be.
lieve me or not a. you like. but | II tell
the whole truth | had no thought or in
tention Of haruling Owen in the least, but
| was furious at his Interference III a mat
ter which did not in the least concern
him. and Owen was frishtfully sarcastic
and bitter about the whole affair. II he
had spoken to me reasonably and told me
| was a Young ass should have seen the
Justice Of what he said, But he didn't
he jibed and jeered at me; taupted ne
with my youth. my family, my general
idiocy, and | couldn't get back my ring.
No. he meant to keep the ring until lie
saw nv father, and he swore that nothing
should induce him to keep quiet about it.
| had disgraced my name, he said, and
myself and the regiment. and everything
my father should know about it at once.
And, OF course, was frightfully angry
about it, for it isn't pleasant to have ones
doiurs canvassed over to ones father, and
| dare say did answer pretty cavalierly
in fact. believe told him to go to the
devil. Any way, he put me under arrest,
and-aud-and then ! went back and
rlinked that dumb bell at him; but,
Beresford, upon my soul as sure as am
alive this moment, had no thought of
doing him serious injury. let alone Of
taking his life. | had not, indeed. was
Just blind with rage. didn't know what
| was doing
You were not blind with rage when ]
came in here to night, said Beautiful
Jim. who YVES not in the smallest degree
moved by the lads story, though he i'm
plicitly believed every word of it
Il was worse than that. l was desper
ate" Tommy answered, humbly Il
don't and then all at once he gave way
entirely and roke down into violent weep
ing
And beautiful jim stood looking at him.
at the convulsively shaking shoulders
and the fair, lovely head SO like hers
the one who did not count. but the one
who was all the world to him. 1t was
news must reach her sooner or later; that,
young sconndrel DIS he was, he was her
brother. and if disgrace touched him it
would OF necessity touch her also.
Quick rs thought his mind put into
ideas all that would happen-he saw the
almost certain death of the frail old man,
bearing lis good old name with honor to
the last, but crushed completely beneath
the shame and degradation of his sons
end. he saw Nancy, with her pure. noble
mind, and her sweet doves eyes, left
alone quite ulone-for he knew that even
for justice tender Nancy would never for
get that his had been the hand to bring
l,im to punishment. And, oh, God for
give me-Oweu dear old friend. forgive
me" his heart cried within him. Il can
not be the one TO break her heart
cannot do it,
But was this q choice? Scarcely His
heart and soul were wrapped up in Nancy
Earle She was the one woman that the
world held for him. No there was no
choice about the matter. The vision of
Nancy decided the question, and the
wretched, sou5ing, craven hearted lad in
the big chair was safe, or. If not actually
safe. lie was safe. at least, from Beautiful
Jims vengeance
Having once come to a decision, Jim
was not the man to let the grass grow
under his feet. There was much to be
done, for If Tommy was to be shielded he
must be shielded eiTectually. Here,
stop that bowling, you miserable young
cur he said, breaking the silence at lJ5t,
and speaking in IL sharp authoritative
tone. He had any amount Of the tenLCr-
est and most touching pity for Nan Y;
but for the boy. none lie would let hi /,
for his sisters sake, 70 scot free. but lie
was troubled by no sicl,lv seutiInentalty
about the lad , eject terror and expires
sions of sorrow. Quite right if the
youu., devil doc, feel ii, he tod himself
as he w,-,cle Tommv's efforts to regain
coMposuIe Il hoe he'll go on feeling
the SAME way for the rest Of his life. I
sincerely hope it.
Coma j. la, good do you think that
will do." Lo demanded, roughly IN
not going to expose you, though I tell
you cal.didly, if there was no one but
yourself to think of | should have called
for the colonel long before this But
there are others to think of besides your.
self there's your famIly-no don't mean
the family pedigree that you are so fond
of Dragging about, but your old father,
and the sister who has had to play second
I
doesn't count. Just you remember. will
you that it, for her sake | do you this
service, not in the very smallest degree
] for your own
BY an immense effort Tommy pulled
himself together and looked mp at Jim.
And Jim thought that rsore pitiable OBJ
/ ject than the lad white and haggard face,
with Its wild and staring eyes. he had
| never seen He strobe to the door and
turned the kew in the lock
Look here, youIssier he said, sharp
| ly; this sort Of thing won't dol
| il the truth has to be kept be
tween you and me you must manage
! to pull yourself together and hide
your feelings bit better The best thing
for you to do is to get a stiff glass of
brandy and tumble into bed at once And
then the sooner you get out Of Walmsbury
| the better
but ! can't get out of Walmsbury,"
| Tommy exclaimed fretfully.
You get to bed, as tell you, returned
! Jim. III manage that-Ill speak to the
colonel about it
But you won't tell him. Bc,,-ford?'
Tell him whaty" contemptuously Get
to bed and stop there. Foster is impressed
with the fact that you are seedy, and you
tiA" 'eStNa MY - Ny IL WI oiAbpilAf
mattaas. Resides. You cannot go TO the
funeral to morrog- couldn't quite stand
! that" He turned to ieass the room then.
and Tommy followed him step or SO
with an eager expression Of gratitude
on his lips, Beautiful jim. however,
promptly cut that proceeding very short.
Look here. lie said 'You had better
understand clearly from the beginning
that am not doing this in any way for
you. II there was no one but you to
think Of. would .ery cheerfully see you
hanged tomorrow You richly deserve
it. But there happen 10 be others to be
thought of, and think Of them-its
lucky for you that it is so perhaps.
though being such thorough paced
young scoandrel as you are, don know
whether hanging would not be the best
thing that could happen to you" With
these words Beautiful jim went out OF
the room, and, as the night was yet
young, down into the anteroom again.
As for Tommy, he sat down before the
fire again and thought it all over; but his
first thought vas Il always did dislike
that fellow hate him nov il