The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1894-06-22

peared thereon to refresh her
troubled gaze. Two bright red spots
burned in either cheek, unnoticed by
her companion, whose attention was
becoming scattered.
"What did Mr.. Bean use to call
, our niece when she worked there ?"
Mrs. Gnptill asked. finally. her voice
sounding harshiy above the stiIine 8,
that preceded the opening exercises.
Mandy 'Liz'beth. Why?"
But Mrs. Guptill did not say why.
She sat in grim silence, twisting her
black cotton gloves, which she had re-
moved, into hari knot.
A shrill voice suddenly rang out:
I've reachea the Ian OF corn and wine,
And all Its riches freely mine.
and tho congregation took up the
strain.
Twice during the prayer Mrs. Chill
cott was obliged to nudge the erect
head beside her into semblsnce Of
devotion. To sit upright at such q
time was not in accordance with her
idea of the duty of 'professing
member" When the service was over
and the women were out in the fog
again, Mrs. Guptill asked abruptly,
"How does you niece appear to get
along, anyway?'
Mrs. Chilcott, gave a deep sigh.
"Therc, Mandy! it's dreadful! She
just manages to live by pinchiug
along"
81 guess we all know what pinching
is" said Mrs. Guptill, abruptly turn
ing toward her little light in the dis
tancc.
Bring over your work and sit a
spell, some day." called Mrs. Chilcott,
through the darkness, but there was no
answer.
81 declare! Amt she odd!" de-
manded Mrs. Chilcott of tho void
about her, as she stool under a drip
ping elm, pcering after the dim figure
OF her neiSnbor. "Shc always was
the closest mouthcd, crr'oustest kind
of person. hope that money won't
turn her head; but for my part, I'd
excuse little natural pride in her,
bein's she's the only Guptill on record
that ever did have any luck"
Hiram Guptill returned from his
trip to Portsmouth with the coveted
nets. For weexs it seemed rs If ho
had purchased good luck with them.
Each setting Of che nets brought a
good haul Of fish, for which he found
an easy market.
His mother seemed strangely luke
warm at his good fortune, but her lack
of enthusiasm troubled him less than
the indcscribable change that had
come over her. Her voice and face
seemed to have sharpened, and she
grew i'll and nervous.
One afternoon in late November the
young man announced his intention of
sailing around to the outer harbor in
his dory, and of making q landing at
the Cove OH his way back. The sea
was as calm rs midsummer when he
disappeared around the hesdland, but
within two hours n dull roar began
along the bar and around the shore.
At first titful, it soon became continu.
Gus, until one of those gales which
seem to be born out of sudden ca
price Of the sea, rather than of the
heavens, was driving the water in
whitecaps.
AS long as daylight lasted Mrs.
Guptill did not leave the little window
that looked toward the sea. After the
evening meal was prepared she watched
anxiously, with the silence of the
house behind her and the roar of the
breakers before.
1t was not likely, she thought, that
Hiram had left the Cove He would
stay with the fishermen there, for it
was far to come by land. She said this
over and over to herself, but never.
theless her restlcssness attained such
pitch that she put on her old cloak
and went out upon the hill.
She stood there listening to the wind
and water. and scanning the black
stretch befor. her.
Some passing fishermen called to
her not to be anxious, and said that
Hiram was too much of a sea-dog to
leave the Cove. She crept back in the
teeth of the gale, somewhat reassurred.
Small need to watch now, for the storm
hud 80 increased that no small craft
could live in it.
Toward midnight she went to bed !;
but there was on her mind another
anxiety as great as that caused by the
storm and her uncasiness for her sou.
In her fierce condemnation Of herself
she seemed stilled and stunned to
other things. All the doubts and
weakness of the past weeks. i'll her pro-
fitting by what she could not now re-
gard rs other than terrible mistake
in the matter of Squire Beans legacy,
came up to confront her.
"Well, l did it for Hiram, she said
repeatedly, "but he'll never live to
know it. But that amt going to clear
me
She fell at last into troubled sleep,
but Mt daybreak woke suddenly, with
every sense refined and with that quick
impression of duty that comes often
times in the first waking. She was
dressed and at the door before the
first chimney in the village caught a
warmer color from the sun, or sent
upward It's first thin wreath OF smoke.
She gazed ut tho sea. The wind
had lulled, but the water looked even
moro frightful Here and there were
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