The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-12-26
CHAPTER XVIII.


wEEL MANAGE THE BALANCE"
On the morning of September S, when
the Sunshine passed down the river
from Kendall, seated in the cabin, a
positioa=she was allowed to occupy as
an old family servant, was Aunt Mag,
md it was noticed that she was better
dressed than very many OF the female
passengers who were not of the African
race. ,<,.l~ 70
Arrived at smithville, Mag proceeded
to the cottage Of Widow Bruce. AS she
entered the gate Jennie Bruce saw her
from the opel doorway
"What!" she exclaimed; "Aunt Mag,
Is this you?' -'''s
"It just is. honey; it's ole Aunt Mag,
suah enough" ~.
"Come right in, Aunt Mag. But what
could have brought you to smithville %
"I'se come down, Miss Jennie, to suit
with you and the ole missus.''
Margaret Bruce here entered the
room.
Mother, this is Aunt Mag, for many
years Mr.. Loyd's housekeeper."
"Weel. an wha' do We be wantin'
here, Aunt Mag? ken We did not come
here for naught. N1ayhap We came to
tell Margot Bruce that her son murdet
your old nlarster?"
s''Shut the door, mistress, and shut
down the windows. Can anyone hear
me but you two?"
"Why, no. Aunt Mag; there's no one
else here lobe is away somewhere.
Speak out you dear old soul; I know
IL is something important"
''That it is, Miss Jennie, that 1t is"
"Oot with it, woman, cot with it. )"
"I'm that skeered, missis, that can't
cot with it. My very life is at stake"
swat, Mag; thou shalt have summit
to warm thee up bit. Lass. bring
Aunt Mag glass of wine. Now can'st
thee speak?" u
'Missis, what speak you must keep
inside this house alone and say nothin' :,
for the time amt come yet, but-but
I came to tell you that Marse Angus
didn't kill my 1narster."
"I ken weel that, Mag, but thou run
nest heavy risk to tell it to Margot
Bruce. Did'st run ava from hame to
do sop
"No; Marse Herbert sent me here"
''Herbert Lathrop send thee here!
He has confessed?"
'No, no, and never will confess. He
sent me to spy and find out what you
thought of the murder, how much you
knew and what you thought of Black
Beard. I wanted to come, and said
things that caused him to send me-"
"It was thou that screamed, Mag, at
the bathroom door? Did'st see the blow
struck?" ... .-e..s..x.
II saw the sharp blade glide under the
arm of Angus and sink into my mar
ster's breast. It was Herbert 'Lathrop
: who guided it. scfeamed, and he
seized me by the throat and said: "A
niggers oath don't go n:court, but if
ycu speak one word, Aunt Mag, I'll have
your life" .-i...- 49,. .s.,..>
IT know! know! you could not save
my son. Angus heard the scream, but
the door was closed ere he could reach
thee; however, time will bring all to
light, Mag, and the name of Bruce be
cleared"
'sBut, misses, what good will it do
Marse Angus or you? Pwant to bring
Herbert Lathrop to justice, but it can't
help Marse Angus, now that he's turned
pirate. and heaps of money offered for
his head"
Zone thing at a time, Mag. Never
thee mind about Black Beard and the
bloody pirate. and the money on the
head Of me ain boy. The. murderer first,
Mag. and then let Black Beard look after
his ain head"
Does Fannie know that you came to
smithvilIe?" asked Jennie.
'Bress yer, no, honey; no one knows it
but Marse Herbert. He done sent her
over to spend the day with Miss Clara"
"Whcn does the wedding take place.
Aunt Mag?"
"The 10th of October, honey, at eight
o'clock at night, in the chapelat orion;
but dere's two weddin's at the time,
that's what hurries me So. You see,
t:other couple is Marse Herbert and
Miss Clara Hill, and that one must not
take place" ........ s..-.. ... 4.
'tGreat heavens! Clara wed Herbert
Iathrop; impossible!"
II tink 1T will be impossible; but
that's the engagements, but specs she
just goin' to marry him to suit her pa"
'tShe must be saved from that fate"
said Margaret Bruce.
can she shall, missis! she shall! but
how? You see. they all think Marse
Angus kilt ole marster, an dasen't
speak. If I did. Marse Herbert would
sell me or kill me, an it wouldn't do
any good. Now. he thinks he's got Mag
fast; he promised to send south and buy
my chillen; like want my chillen to
b'long to murderer. There amt but
one way missis: there amt but one
way"
"yvhat way is that. Mag?"
"You see. Miss Jennie. l must have
some one hid in the house; in the liz
brary. whar they can hear every word;
an at night, when I bring in Marse
Herbert his hot Scotch, TIL talk to him
bout the murder in such a way that
he'll confess his crime. and then they'll
be witnesses to what he says"
"Can you do that, Mag.?f Can you do
that? Thank God; there is daylight
ahead if you can"
IT can do it, missis; if we can get
some one smart enough to manage the
balance"
''We nun do that. Mag; we nun do
that; but wha's that, lass, wha's that p