The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1894-09-06

I wont to flow free, were tucked in.
His hair, ordinarily left to draggle in
gray wiSps over his shoulders. was
drawn up and spread painsEakingly
thin to conceal an extensive badness.
A strong muSty CdUr eXalcd from Il
branu new silk handkerchief knOttcd
about his throat.
Chepa, on tiptnc with c1uitatfon,
announced to him constantly how
many laore teams and horses were
1itching in the placita.
lie remarked with IN air of pride:
They've heered of this big buy
Ill over the country"
The Scnor PorIirio, who had taKcl.
the Captains side against Luise Por-
tirio and other mossback opponents OF
the sale. dawdlcd uneasily back and
forth between his open door and the
Captains.
"You might spring an advance Of
i've thousand on them," he advised a
the last minute. They would not
. let their scheme fall through for five
thousand"
"Think yc? Think ye?' demanded
the Captain, grouping and regroup-
ing his wrinkles to the expression of
7arying shades of cupidity.
With the suddenneSs that surprises
Us in things long waited for, the great
interview was actually taking place
Chepa had fled to an adjoining
room to listen. Her head and heart
throbbed together with joy-then
terror.
Was that her grandfather'S y0ic.
breaking out fllri0usly?
"Who's made ye a better offer'
Porflrio? He hasn't an acre in his
own right. Forty dollars an acre?
Take him up then, and when your
improvements are in see If there amt i
a right G dover or trust deed, some |
d-n Mexican trickcry, trumped up
to drag ye into Iitlgation?"
If Senor Porfrio had spoiled Cap
Jain Matthews sale the Captain |
looked to d prompt return OF the at
tention.
Those eminent specialists went else.
where, leaving Pueblo Viejo to its old
ways.
After such a terrible disappoint !
ment Chcpa found the deadly monot7
Ony Of things indoors unendurable.
\ golden perch swimming in circles |
bounded by glass bottle startled so
stupidity at nothing. The round
wooden clock on bare wooden shelf
was perpetually rolling over on its
head and ticking placidly upside !
down. When Chepa was half mad !:
with drawing threads from endless
strips Of pertilada, her aunt'S farorite :,
species of Spanish lace she ran des' ;
neratcly to her grandfather.
she found him talking aloud tc =
himself as he stopped over a pepper.
vine. !
She laid her cheek, pale with
thoughts, upon the arm he needed to ,
have free. ;
"Wbat's the matter of We anyhow?'
ne shouted.
She had startled him when he was
deeply pre-occupied.
LET go, there? Eh, eh?' |
Chepa had said something in low !
tone which he could not hear.
He lerked his face up at her anG
instantly, in the intensity of a peev-
ish inquiry, drew his toothless lips
apart.
What has an old man of so to dc !
With storms of feeling?
In the Captains agitation he pulled
off a green pepper and stood up fum-
bling at it and blinking his weak old
eyes at Chepa.
"What's on We, Chepa?" J
She tried to speak. but could only
draw her breath hard.
The Captains discomfort pushed. !
him to seek relief in general accusa-
ton. |
"Weemen are al'ays hankerin fer
;omethin." |
"Grandfather," said Chepa with 4
deep, still gaze upon him, and child
ish culver of her lip, could not a girl /
like me be Il religious, a nun? Is it
not good, no?"
How had the Captains life pre-
pared him to answer such query?
"Who's been a-talkin' to ye?" i
"NObody-sure, no. l think Of IL
myself"
"Ive got along all my life-and /
amt goln' to begin girin' in to such
notions. You're your grandmother
all over"
With the green pepper still in his
nand he had diSembOweled it and ate
the carcass with furious churning of
the Jaws. His eyes were redder than
usual from the burning.
"Buu when she got ane O her spells
O. hankcrin' on l jest upped and off
fer weeks huntin'. When l got
back she was pertty generally ready
TO take things as they come"
"Grandfather," said Chepa, looking
at him as never before. with eyes that
summoned him before the Judgment
bar Of a soul, Il have often thongh' !
to myself 1 would ask YOU, Is that
story true that | hear? Was my
grandmother an Indiau?"
Her lip Quivered, not childishly
aow, as she waited.
as it true, grandfather" |
He answered sharply, YOU'RE d
:oOl" and turned his back on her.
AS Chcpa was going vaguely out OF
:lc garden she saw Pablo Mcnamara
whirling away from the town in a
jaEnty d,5-cart.
Dead grasses lIickered ghost-like iL
the placita. The sunshine absorbed
there by dark walls lay dimly as III an
eclipse.