The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-04-21


a free agent" repeated the lady,
starting to her feet and throwing back
the long black veil that so far had
partly covered her pale face. ."Since
the day Of my husbands death you have
prevented my being a free agent.
How SO. madam"
How so, sir' Shall I repeat the acts
OF all these years Of cruelty, the stories
OF your spies, your attempts on my life,
and your efforts to prove me insane,
because"
Because, madam, you persisted in
claim ng- that your son, my nephew,
was not drowned at the same time as
your husband, my brother. More than
that, madam, you persisted in assuring
the world that I conspired against the
lives Of both.
En- de lady WAS right" cried Dinah.
Kidd zee knowd it, en- knowd 1t, en- I
folled de chile har. to dis Long Island,
en- Ize been har ebber sense"
Colonel Graham raised his hand to
his lips as il to hide yawn, and with
out taking the slightest notice OF Dinah,
he said:
"Of course, you believe this!"
Il do, sir, and you will learn before
the day passes that others believe it,
too"
Turning to the young provincial off Ger
who had accompanied hes from New
York, Lady Paliton said:
BE pleased to call Squire Condit.
The Squire. who was waiting outside
came in. and, in obedience to the ladys
request, he told Of the coming of Ralph
Denham to his house twenty-one years
before.
And you remember the man who
brought him to you3" asked Lady Pail
ton.
Il do, madam: it was this man, Col.
Graham, and every year since then he
has sent me money for the care of the
lad, not one penny Of which have 1
spent, but have it all at interest. The
boy became as dear to my heart as II
he were my own, and God will bear me
witness that Ralph Denham is young
man that king need not be ashamed
to acknowledge for his son."
You hear this. sir, said the lady.
Have you any reply?"
Il have none, madam. You have no
right to question me. and l only yield
in order to humor the mania that has
possessed you like an evil spirit for
years." said Graham.
Attracted by the shouting OF the peo.
pie outside, for the ships were anchor
ing in the bay, the Squire left the room.
Up to this time Graham firmly be-
lieved that Fox had told him the truth
about Ralph Denham, and that the lat
ter was dead. And just then he would
have rejoiced to know that the pirate
had met q similar fate. AS If in re-
sponse to his wish, he heard man
shouting in the street:
1Hurrah! hurrah! the pirate Kidd is
beaten and his ship captured!"
Kidd would never surrender, thought
Graham, and for moment he thought
the fates were siding with him.
DE ind is comm; I feel de ind is
comm" said Dinah, going to the win
dow and drawing back the curtains 80
that those in the room could see the
ships as if they were painted and set IN
a frame. "See," she continued. Oars
Ralph Den ANS ship. en- soon yell see
Ralph Den am hisself.
Ralph Denham!" exclaimed Graham;
then conscious that he made q mistake
in not keeping his feelings under re.
straint, he arohed his brows and said
lightly, Il shall be pleased to see the
gentleman.
Coming quickly back Dinan pointed a
long finger at him, and she fairly Kissed
as she said:
@Ah, ye tink Kidd he kill Ralph
Dem am? Ho, no, Isaw i'm in de tomb,
but me en- Untilla sabed i'm. Look out
at dat ship. Ralph Den ANS on 'er dis
bress'd mint.
mo, Dinah, Ralph Denham Is here, >"
said stroug, manly voice at the door.
All turned to the place and there stood
Captain Denham, very pale and very
handsome, and beside him was Squire
Condit.
The instant RalpA Denham came
ashore, the Squire, who had learned
the story of his adopted sons life the
night before from Lady Paliton and
Dinah, took him to one side, and, with
out waiting to congratulate him on his
magnificent victory, he told him the
story Of his birth as briefly as possible,
announcing the fact that his mother,
Lady Paliton, was then at the inn.
During all the trials and the combat,
Ralph Denham never lost his head, but
now he was weak as child. He gave
no thought to the wealth and honors
that might be his by right of birth, but
the thought that he, who remembered
nothing OF fathers care or mothers
love, should have mother living over
powered him.
He permitted the Squire to lead him
to the inn and he replied to Dinah's
words, but beyond that for some his
brain and heart were in q whirl, and his
recollection Of events very dim at best.
He recalled the cry. My son! Oh,
heaven be praised, my son!" And he
recalled the fact that he held the form
of a woman in black in his arms, and
that he kissed the closed eyes and the
white face. till she locked up again and
cried, My son, Ralph, my son.
Not even in the war with the mother
land-which came just eighty years
after this-was Sag Harbor SO much ex-
cited as at this time. There were not
wanting those who had always believed
that the day would come when it would
be shown that Ralph Denham, now Lord
Paliton. was Of noble descent
DR.. Hedges was not one of these peo-
pie. Indeed, DR.. Hedges, though thank
full that all had turned out so we'll, was
q humbled man, for ha confessed to tho
Squire that he had made pas aoI
fool" of himself.
He never expected Lord Paliton would
marry bis daughter, but it was not for
this he cared. 1t wss the fact that he
had courted an outlaw whom he did not
know, and rejected gentleman whom
Iha did know that rallied him