Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1895-09-25

man may still be in the prime of life
and possess such a luxury.
Old Scudamore made things lively
wherever he was, and the people OF
his neighborhood were usually afraid
of him. When tho bicycle came to its
present state of perfection, pneumatic
tires, and.all the rest of it,. Old Scuda-
moro invested in one. E[e soon be-
came as feet wheelman as any man
OF his age. 1t was said that Old
Scudamore did not ride Che bicycle
for the pleasure of it, but merely be-
cause the machine allowed him to get
over his estate swiftly and silently.
Silence and speed were said to be the
great attraction the bicycle had for
Scudamore, because he could drop
down suddenly upon any group of
workmen on his place and find in
stantly whether they were attending to
the business he paid them for, Or
whether they were soldering" A
horse usually gave notice of it, ap-
proach, while q bicycle did not.
Scudamo ores speed on his wheel soon
resulted in an abbreviation of his
name, and they called him "Old
Scud," or sometimes "The Flying
Scud."
Perhaps Scudamore's greatest tri-
umph on his bicycle was his discovery
of the lovers. He had taken o secluded
path which ran through his estate. 1t
was bordered on each side by trees
which effectually screened the foot
way from oil observation. He took
this unaccustomed route, though the
cycling was none to good on it, SO
that he might be more certain of
coming unawares upon group of
laborers who were working at o drain
beyond the further end of the path.
AS he came to turn in the foot way
he was surprised to see ahead of him
two young persons walking together
young persons of opposite sex. As
he approached silently, lie was amazed
to find. one of them was his own
daughter, and the other the impecu-
nious young cashier of the County
Bank. He remembered thalt Wednes-
day afternoon was o half holiday at
the bank, and thus the young fellow
had had an opportunity of quitting
the counting of cash, that was not his
own, for the courting of the daughter
OF the man who wa3 the largest de-
positor in the bank.
Old Scudamore gnashed his teeth in
rage and nearly fell of his bicycle as
he realized that the young man was
probably there because his knowledge
of the affairs of the bank gave him an
indication of the wealth of the girls
father. He could think OF no other
reason for young man coming from
town to walk in a secluded spot with
2 pretty girl.
Old Scudamore cycled slowly and
silently behind them for some time,
listening to their conversation, and he
was alongside the young mau before
either of them noticed his presence.
The great value OF q cycle is, that it
can keep its own counsel. The girl
gave slight shrek when she realized
that her father was beside her, bntthe
young man kept admirably cool.
"Are you aware, sir" eaid Scuda-
more. "that you are trespassing?"
'1'm afraid I am, Mr.. Scudamore, {"
said the young fellow, ''in more senses
than one"
"You are scoundrel !" cried Scuba.
more, "and if I ever catch, you on this
place again I will have you horse
whipped to the village. Meanwhile I
will see the manager of the bank and
have you discharged. l suppose you
know enough of the affairs OF the bank
to be aware that I have sufficient in
fuence for that purpose.
eyes," said the young man. 81
know that you have; still, I had
thought of retiring from the bank on
becoming your son-in-law. I thought
you might perhaps want an energetic
young man to look after your estate,
for everybody says that if you keep
on the way you ore going, you won't
have man left on the place"
"You impudent villain!" cried old
scud, in rage. "I'll tesch you to
talk to your betters in that fashion.
Edna, you go home, I'll talk to you
later on"
The girl was very much afraid OF
her father, and, though she looked ap.
pealingly at him and cast frightened
glance at the young man, she obeyed,
and walked toward the house.
"Now, you young jack-a-napes, I"
said old Scud, ''do you know what
EN- going to do? I'm going to hand
you over to the police for tlespassing
on these grounds"
'T believe" said young, sherwin,
that you are just idiot enough to do a
thing of that sort. OF course, you
can't make yourself the talk of the
countryside more than you are now,
but you can, OF least. raise 3 scandal
by handing me over to the police, and
mixing your daughters name up in
it."
'Ill show you, you dog" said old
Scud. "0f course, it would he scan
dal to have her name mixed up with
yours, but I'll take very good care
that her name is not SO mixed. If my
daughters name is mentioned it will
be because you mention it, and if you
do'so, fool as the girl is, she will have
nothing more to say to you"
The young man realized. the force
of this, and he walked along tho path
silent, while old Scudamore cycled
slowly along by his side. When they
were still some distance from the gate
that led into the main road Sherwin
made q sudden dash into the bushes,
and drew forth cycle which was con-
cealed there. The old man, thinking
the dash was made to escape him,
jumped from his machine, and so the
yOunp fellow pot q nercentihla advan.