The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-04-05
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HE FLOWER OF
GALA WATER.
a LOVE ! STORY:
CHAPTER V.
BY AMELIA E. BARR?
copyright, by RoBEnT BoNNER's soNsJ
CONTINUED.

CONTINUED.
"And I will gle you bit O. ad-
vice, without charge this time, laird:
ainna call man a 'ne'er-do-weel' I'M
less YOU can prove the count. The
word may not be actionable, but
iuries are kittle cattle, and border
iuries dinna like i'll names. They
will pass by few hard knocks
reader"
"Don't you trouble yourself, Lang
ton. will just call my enemies what
like to call them. I can pay for all
the bad words I choose to say"
"Dootless, laird and you'll pay bad
words easier. than you pay bad blows.
Take your guinea's worth Of them if
you want to. I'll go and see what I
can find out against the handsome
iad-for he is handsome, and that is
NO lie."
"You need not say so in my pres
ence."
"I'll say the truth in any mans
presence.
eff nobody pays you to lie.
"Just sac, laird. I say the truth
to please myself. lie to please my
clients, and they pay me for it. At
the lang end the great Judge wilma
max much difference between lawyer
and client, and in the meantime l
hae the siller." He laughed softly to
himself, and began to pack a valise.
ssNow, laird, for the expenses. This
is a very uncertain job; I'll give no
credit for expenses"
So the laird drew out his long silk
purse and counted out twenty pounds;
and very black and ugly he was about
it.
A week afterward Mrs. Brathous
and Katherine were together in the
large parlor opening into the rose
garden. Katherine was dressed for her
pony, and she stood by her mothers s
side, with her soft riding-hat in her
hand. Mrs. Brathous was patching
bits of many-colored satins together,
and the medley of rich tints lay on her
lap and on the carpet at her feet.
They were talking about Mowbray,
and of the earliest date at which let
ter from New York might be expected.
Their low, pleasant laughter fell upon
the laird's ears as he opened the
door. Then he pursed up his lips
and tried to look at once mysteriously
angry and mysteriously important.
Catherine" he said, "you need
not leave the room when I enter it..
That is very rude habit of yours,
and must be amended. And to-day
you cannot 60 to the manse. There
is far too much nonsense between You
and Jessy Telfair. Besides. have
the most important affair 70 bring to
-FOUR notice-most important.
"You had better talk it over with
me first, Alexander" said Mrs. Brath-
GUS. "Katherine's pony is waiting"
"Is Katherine's pony to be put be-
fore my wish? No, ma'am! Kath-
crime, I have found out things about
Mr.. Mowbray that must prevent the
young man ever speaking tc you
again"
Katherine glanced at her mother,
who answered for her.
sTut, Alexander! You are forever
finding out and suspecting. There is
nothing wrong about Richard Now
bray"
''He pushed himself into gentle
mans house under false colors. He
gave me to understand that he was
Squire Mowbray. He is not"
"He did not push himself into your
house. You urged him to come in.
He is Squire Mowbray."
"He is not"
Elbow do you know he is not?"
"Simon Langton has been to Now.
bray. he got there just after the fun
eral of the lawyer who telegraphed fol
Mowbray. The so-called squire had
not even the decency to wait for his
friends death. He heard what Mr.,
Hewett had to say, and left that very
night for America. What do you
think of that, ma'am?"
Il think he had good reasons fol
all he did,"
"To be sure he did. Langton rubbed
the innkeeper's memory with sover
eign, and the man remembered tha
an American had been there in tbs
spring-he was sure he was an Ameri
can-but whoever he was, he went tt
the dead squire's grave more thar
once, and gave Dabby Thorn, th'
housekeeper, q matter of five pound:
for leave to 60 through the house
What do you think of that, ma'sm?'
''It WAS all right and natura
enough"
Natural! I should say so. 1t il
Langton's belief That he was the rea
heir. He found an old woman knit
ting in the sunshine, who told him sh
recc llected the dead squire bringin:
home very handsome lad, who calle'
him father before ever this Richart
Mowhray was born. Langton has gon
to Edinburgh, to investigate the lif
Of Squire Reginald Mowbray. I hav
sent him. remember that when W
were youths at college Mowbray ba'
a bad name about women. What dit
that ring mean he sent the minister
It is black business. I have n
doubt this young Mowbray knew al
about it, but he thought America wa
too far off to give him trouble"
"Do not, for heavens sake, Alexan
der, make yourself bigger fool tina
nature has already made you!" sal
Mrs. Brathous, rising aud putin
aside her satin circles. why shoul
you rake among the ashes of the dea
for presumed wrongs? Paying goo