Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-09-09

was marching 5ravely as my own sou
would, to meet his accusers and to put
them to shame. You said so yourself;
you can't deny that now. Then comes
your daughter and the mischief is done.
Hadn't she done enough mischief al
ready? She had come between mother
and son; l should have thought that
would have satisfied her."
Mr.. Duke was dismayed at the sud-
denness and violence of the attack. He
could make no defense. Ali that he
could say was:
Ibid you never come between . moth
er and her son, Mrs. Vane?"
IF had come between fifty mothers
and their sons" she replied, how
would that help your daug hter?
Suppose we leave her out Of the
question:" said Mr.. Duke, coldlY. "She
acted as she thought best at the mo-
ment. We can do no more. May con-
clude that you wish your son to leave
the country as quickly as possiole?"
Indeed, you may do nothing OF the
sort, Mr.. Duke"
But, mother. that was decided be-
FORE" urged Rachel. ut was quito
settled that he was to 60 TO Canada"
But why? There was nothing
against him then. There was only
vague rumors which he could not meet,
so why should he stay TO be made miser-
able? 1t is different now. Miss Hattie
Duke has brought crowd of enemies
around him, and then tells him TO run
away. A nice thing, indeed! l, his
mother, tell him that he must stay.
Mr.. Duke had risen and taken up his
hat.
You can't expect me to stay here, )"
he said, "and hear my daughter abused.
Let me assure you, Mrs. Vane, that she
will never interior with your son again.
l will wish you good evening" But at
the door he hesitated, and turned to add:
who is to tell him that a large force
of police will advance upon the glen TO-
morrow"
my husband will, answered the old
lady, shortly.
Still Mr.. Duke hesitated, being far
too good-natured. in spite OF his natur-
al indignation, to go away without
doing all in his power for this distressed
family.
"Mr. Vane is an old man." he said.
cit is not safe for him to go
through the glen in the dark. AT least,
let me accompany him."
Although the old lady was too proud
and too angry to accept this offer, she
did not put forward any objection when
her husband rose doubtfully, for she
knew that he could not go alone up the
glen at night. She charged him with
number of messages TO George. Then
he and Mr.. Duke went on their way to-
gsther, neither saying very much, the
former scarcely speaking at all, he was
so embarrassed by this quarrel with his
companion, Hattie's father,so bewilder-
ed, so disturbed by the troubles which
were gathering on all sides.
Their arrival at the weaver'S cottage
has already been told.
Mr.. Duke, coughing from the effects
of the dense smoke, Looked round at the
shadowy figures Of the fishermen sitting
silent and motionless against the wall,
all OF them rather alarmed at the en-
trance of the visitors, and said:
well, lads, you are in a queer corner.
| only hope you may get out OF II safely.
That is my fervent wish for you all II
is hard to see who you all are. Is Mr..
George Vane among you"'
Eyes, there he is" cried several, point
ing.
But George, having recovered from
his surprise at seeing his father and Mr..
Duke, was already coming forward.
Come outside a moment. George"
whisuered Mr.. Duke. Your father
wants to talk TO you"
So they passed out into the glen, and
crossing the swamp reached a spot
they were out Of hearing, and there Mr.
when Vane delivered his message,its
purport being that George was
urgently desired by his mother
to return home. But the lad
was lpGexible. He aid not know
that he had to decided between his
mother and Hattie; he only knew that
he was being asked to desert his friends,
the fishermen, and this he vehemently
declared he would not and could not do.
What do you say Mr.. Duke?" he
asked. "Am l not right?"
But Mr.. Duke prudently declined to
give an opinion. Personally, he felt
that Georges safest course was to
escape if possible, and he knew that
this was Hatte'S wish. But he would
not say anything likely to create dissen-
sion between mother and son.
This would also have been Mr.. Vane's
opinion if he had felt at liberty TO speak
out, for he dreaded the result should
George fall into the hands of the police.
His advocacy of his wife'S views was,
therefore, feebler than it would other
wise have been.
But no advocacy would have had any
effect upon George at this stage. His
mind was firmly made up. In the end
he shook hands with his father and Mr..
Duke, sent his love (little dreaming,
poor lad of anything amiss there) to his
mother and Hattie, and returned to the
cottage with the news that strong
force Of police was coming against them
on the morrow.
To BE CONTINUED.