Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-06-25
THE OVERTON CLAIM.
By MARTHA NCULLOOH WILLIAMS.
Copyright 1894. by American Pros Associa-
taon.1
Continued from Yesterday
CHAPTER VIII

the sun was nigh In heaven His host
stood at his bedside, grayer, harder,
sterner looking in the light of the gold
en- day than in that of rainy skies. Yet
still his voice was well bred monotone,
bare Of all feeling.
Pardon me for disturbing you Ifear
you slept poorly" he said but
friend has come in search of you, and
mad no choice but to wake you. Here
comes Jubilee with your bootA He will
help you to dress and wait on you at
breakfast. Take your time. There is no
need OF hurry. l will take care that your
friend does not grow inpatient.
"Who is it-Hawkins? thought he d
look me up if the horse got back with
out me. l beg you not to let him get at
that precious old brandy. He will stay
till he drains the bowl" Young Faunt-
leroy said in an effort to speak lightly
He was far from feeling so. All his sleep
had been phantasmagoria of trouble
of thick clouds, of swelling waters, with
Dare i'll the midst Of them, swept for
ever away in their flood The night
through he had not hidden from himself
the fact that in their all too brief en-
counter she had taken captive his heart
and his fancy. He must not, he could
not, would not 60 away without further
sight and speech of her. He would not
startle, maybe distress her with any
talk of love. Instead he would speak
little Of the gratitude he felt for her
timely aid and beg her, if ever the time
came that she needed help, to remember
that she had in him a faithful friend
But how achieve SO much, guarded as
she was? After breakfast he must go
away, and throughout the meal NANNY
would certainly attend him. If he could
get her away-a voice broke through his
musings. Jubilee, black and slim, with
woolly head and big upturned eyes, stood
in the door, saying:
What corrections does you have ter
gimme, sir, bout putin on your
clothes?'
Jubilee, turned IA, had been to free
school since he was 6, and now could
spell in three letters, knew all the fig
ures except seven and had great de-
sire to use the longest words he heard
and to overcome his tendency to the dia-
lect of his race.
Withal he was sharp lad, as full of
resource as of mischief. So much young
Fauntleroy discovered before his clothes
were in place. Dropping his voice, he
spoke rapidly to the boy, who answered
with winks and mods and hushed Eyes,
sirs.,,' AS the stranger made an end by
pushing 81 in his palm, Jubilee said:
"Who-ee-I do my best, sir, but
maybe l can't. The ole lady is very ex
picious."
Notwithstanding, when young Faunt.
leroy sat dawdling over rolls, coffee and
boiled chicken under mammy's wrath
full eye, Jubilces head came through the
door, Jubilce's voice said in accents of
weary disgust:
Aunt Diney, you better come help
me. Somebody's knocked over your tur
key pen, and that old fool is huffin it to
the woods as fast as her young ones can
60 l ran so hard tryin to head her, my
breath is still clean obfiusticated.
''De laws massy, 'pon my soul, dat
ole hen turkey gwine make me lose all
my 'igion, quor lin at 'er," nanny
cried, making a dash for the door. 1t
hardly closed behind her when Dare
came through the one opposite and said,
with a rosy flush:
Jubilee said you sent for me. Do you
want your arm bandaged afresh?"
mo, no. Something much more i'm
portant Miss Overton - Dare-come
closer, please. Lay your hand again in
mine. All, thank you for coming! Isent
for you because What l want to say
is-don' t take your hand away shall
never forget you. Your kindness, your
help, and-and-if ever-I can straight
en- all this tangle shall come back to
you Meantime if can serve you-one
never knows what may happen-you-
you are to give me the privilege Don't
forget that" the young man said dis
jointedly, holding fast to Dare's hand
1t was harder than he thought to
choke back the words of love, yet to
speak them would be madness. She
would leave him in alright. Yet he
could not forbear raising to his lips the
slim rosy fingers that lay fluttering i'll
his own.
"Why should remember your" Dare
asked, half turning away. Next week
you will forget my existence, except
maybe as the heir to claim that trou-
bles you All. you see, know something
of family affairs Believe me, am not
so disloyal to our side Of the quarrel as
to have come here thus clandestinely if
had not thought that maybe you needed
me-were i'll pain that l could ease. "
II am" Fauntleroy said, getting
quickly to his feet and finging his sound
arm around her. 'Dare! Dare! love
you better than my life. l did not mean
to tell you just yet. 1t is so sudden. But
from the first look of your eyes into
mine as you knelt, an angel Of rescue,
beside that living grave, have felt that
I belonged to you-slely, entirely; that
I would give my life for you and die
happy in the sacrifice.
lyon may have tho opportunity else
where" Major Overton said from the
door behind him. Hawkins darted
through it and caught young Fauntie'
rows arm. CRYING out: