The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-02-16
Select STORY.
MEG.
Keith Christie il Belsravia.

Keith Christie s BelgrHvia.
There was nothing rare or fine about her.
On the contrary, there was great deal OF
the animal in her face; touch of the man
/ in her pose, bold suggestion Of the woman
in the cheap jewelry at ears and neck, and
an uumisiakable air of the circus 10 her
tout ensemble Her eyes were gray and
full Bold eyes they were. that seemed 90
belong Of right to the over full lips, aud
sensual curves Of the over full figure. Her
teeth were white, end when the lips parted
they glittcred. and that was all of brightness
about her. Everything else suggested a
slothfal, easy temperament, thickness of
mental fiber. d1llness of moral perception.
Suddenly her face was transformed.
She was undergoing one Of her rare sea
sous Of animation, and the face she turned
TO the man before her was full Of play and
life.
Her eyes sought his boldly, with kind
nF snap in them, and when she laughed the
snap was communicated TO her whole frame
redeeming il from its low sloth to some
thing keensr and higher.
But perhaps il was the man that sug-
rested keenneSs, and lent phase Of his
own personality to her.
1.-the and tall and dark, with why
strength OF physique, he gave one the im-
preston of panther, aud panther Just
prepared to spring
From his hong. slender fingers TO the
glance of his eye, everything suggested
alertneSs. Ye, the suggestion was evil,
TOO. and marked him as man 10 be dis
trusted
There was play Of low cunning about
his eycs, aud the very deyiltry Of jealousy
lurked round his thin lips. As the two
stood together YOU felt irresistibly tha, the
elements of domestic tragedy were befoEe
ypu-shs brase that would not shrink from
beatiug womau--the woman that would
samcly sgbmiS 10 be beaten.
We'll, be said, roughly, "are you go
iaa to do that cigar business
Meg shrank back, fearfully; the yiyaeiiy
passed frbm her face and Was succeeded By
= rray shadow of terror,
The man laughed scofhngly.
"You n only woman Showing the
white feather first of :"
She glanced At Eim depreca,lagly, and
he returned the glance with an air Of
staggering assurance Evidently she was
in his power, and both knew il.
eVcry vel, he said, with an assump-
ton Of easy indifference; Il know Liza will
% IL. Pluck enough about her
"a s...rls..f t9r.af fsaak effAaf
And what If there is?' Meg cried
serre!y. "She don't know what she is
doing. She don't know what You are,
jim. You'd shoot At me in one Of your
,cmpers Just as soon as you'd shoos at the
cigar Aud Liza don't know you, and
that's how she ain afraid
lie was switching off the daisy heads,
aud he paused TO lock At her; it was cruel
F hook. containing in it tha, implication of
secret power.
lie did no, deny the charge; he simply
looked at her, and Meg's face took on a
new expression Of depreciation, while her
attitude became eowed and limp.
sAndit' because you know me that you
should know better than TO refuse, he SAID
at last.
Meg glanced furtiyely at him, and with
a show of reinsurance answered doggedly
"wen. / don't mind You eau try i
YOU like, only not to-day.
This was not enough for Jim. With
the obst:nacy of the petty tyrant he would
test his influence to the utiermOst.
'.You shall do it now, he said, passion
ately. seizing Meg By the arm. Then he
tossed her roughly from him with rude
Come on, now, 10 the van.
She followed him, yielding inyoluntarily
the obedience of the weaker TO the strong
or. but he took no further notice of her
and continued his walk across the field to
the corner where the blue smoke was rising
from the circus caravans.
The sun was setting, throwing red
glare upon the gayly painted wagons, whose
twiukling windows, touched by the rays
looked like luFid eyes gazing at the two
approaching.
The glare fell upon Jim walking jaunt
ily along, with his hands behind him. II
touched the slim, murderous looking ing
ers, and-was it fancy that made them ap
pear red to Meg following behind?
"Jim," she said, slowly, whats the
matter with your hands? You've go
blood on them.
He drew his hands from his back anC
examined them, for it was one of his char
acteristics that he kept his hands as white
and delicate as womans.
..Bahr he exclaimed, "what do yol
mean? My hands are right enough.
So they were, aud Meg was not quicl
{ witted enough to see that the red color haC
been due to the crimson sky in the west
She followed in silence, and when jim
climbed into his wagon she walked on Il
her own, thinking idly that he was becom
} ing too unreasonable and masterful for her
, Nevertheless when, few minutes later, h
came into the wagon she turned to hin
with no aversion on her broad, impassiv,
: face.
She watched him earelessly as he loade,
: pistol and she did not refuse to take tn
cigar he held out to her when his prepare
tions were complete.
''Put it in your mouth and stand by tn
door," he said coolly, retreating to tn
other end of the van.
"Nay," said Meg sulkily, 81 wont d
it now; I've told you before, won't do
now"
e The ring of terrified appeal in her voic
should have aroused what manliness wa
in him, but he took slight notice OF he
terror