The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1894-11-09

sense OF disgrace and fright to ne,
heart.
1t was ten years after this event, and
Laura, with her two daughters, was
driving slowly across Cannock chase.
The pretty children sat on either side
OF her, and she drove the ponies slow
~, often stopping to let the little tirls
alight and pull a bluebell or a handful
OF buttercups. During one of these
stoppages, as she sat, with smile on
her handsome face. watching the hap
py little ones, some one, coming from
behind, touched her rudely on the
arm. She turned and saw a man in
grimmy leather clothing, with an evil,
cruel face, at her side.
Supposing him to be one of the men
employed in her husbands iron works,
who had been discharged or who
wanted help. she said:
We'll, what Is it, sir?"
The man answered CURLY:
Laura
Then Laura looked steadily into the
dirty imbruted face. And in spite Of
SCOT and scars and bruises, she knew
1t.
Mr.. Trelawny, why do"
"Bosh! My name is Bill Yates. You
fooled me once, my lady, but you will
pay me for it now. I've been Jagged
since then-sent across for seven years
only got back six months since.
Glad l have found you. for / won't
work any more now. Come, / want a
flyer to start with"
"a 'fiver?'"
Eyes; five-pound note"
81 shall not give you penny"
"Then shall take one of them lit
tie girls-the youngest is the pretti-
est"
For Gods sake, don't go near my
children! 1 will give you the money"
Il prefer the money, it will save me
the trouble of selling the child to the
mere gypsies."
Laura hastily counted out the sum;
there was seven shillings more in her
purse, and the villain said:
"Tll take the change, too. Shall 1
lift the children into the phaeton?"
Don't touch them! Don't look at
them! Oh, go away! Go awayw
go away, indeed! You were glad
enough once to come to me. have
your letters yet. 1t would be sweet
thing to show them to your husband.
"You had better murder me-"
II have half mind to; but it suits
me better to keep you for my banker.
Be here next week with FIVE pounds
seven shilltngs, and every week after.
until further notice, or else will steal
your child and send them letters to
your fine husband"
Then, with threatening scowl and
the shake of clenched fist in her face,
he went away, taking with him all the
JOY and peace out of poor Laura's life.
She now lived in constant terror,
and such dreadful change came so
rapidly over the once happy, hand
some womay that her husband was
anxious, both for her
health and her reason. What did she
10 with the unusually large sums of
money she asked him for? Why did
'he go out riding alone? Why would
The not suffer her children to leave |
heir own grounds? Why could she
,ot sleep at night? Why was her once
wen, sunny temper become so irri-
able? Why did she search his face SO |
eagerly every night? These and twenty |
'ther anxious, suspicious questions
passed through his mind continually,
,ut he hoped that by ignoring the
hange it would disappear.
Alas! Things got worse and worse,
md one day, after ten miserable
months, he was sent for from the
works in haste. Laura was raving and
hrieking in the widest paroxysm of
rain fever.
"Where are the children? Save
hem from that man! Henry, please
AXE him five pounds-no, he wants
en- pounds now, and can't get it!'
In such piteous, moaning ejacula-
ions she revealed the secret terror
hat was killing her.
But perfect love casts out fear and
and Laura's husband did her
o injustice. Tenderly he nursed the
DOR, shattered wife and mother back
D life again, though it was an almost
opeless task with that nameless hor-
Or ever beside her. One night, when
ne was little stronger, he led her on
, talk of the past, and he was so low
lg and so pitiful that in a flood oflife-
wing tears she poured out to him
lie whole miserable story. Then tine
nrden fell from her life, and she
Popped happily into the first sweet, !
,althy sleep she had had for nearly a
sar. She never asked again for her
she only knew that he had
from South Staffordshire,
Id joy and peace came back to her
art and home.
But one day, after the lapse of four c