Graham guardian., 1900-06-01

picked up piece Of news.
WELL" he began. with twinkling
eyes. lit seems that Ronald Fanshaw
was not spending his breath and>rid-
ing his horse to death for nothing"
80 he reached the Jail all right. did
hep" inquired Mr.. Hardy, as he put a
spoonful Of whipped cream into his cof-
fee.
".Oh. yes, he made that trip all right,
but the news has just come fiom Wiikin
Station. aon the other side OF the noun
tain, that a negro has been arrested
who has already confessed to the crime
OF killing the old woman.'
80 the hoy WINS innocent. after all!'
cried Hardy.
"Yes: the sheriff nabbed the wrong
bird at the start. and il il had rot been
for Fanshaw his body would have been
swinging at the sport of the wind this
morning"
"And widowed mother would have
been wiihou, her son." put in Mrs. Lam
caster. with telling effect.
"Fanshaw did only what any man
would have done who believed in the
prisoners innocence" said Capt. Win
kle, with an icy smile at no one in par
ticu!ar.
Eut Mrs. Lancaster was more than
match for him. "It's only what one
man did do she retorted.. Thereupon
Wrinkle stirred his coffee in moody ST.
lence,
II nm sorry 1t was Ronald Fanshaw
who is to ge, ali the credit" remarked
Caroline llasbrooke. coldly. "Since he
has taken up the study Of law i, looks AZ
II he has a pretty good idea OF his i'm
portance. Things are coming TO pret-
~ pass when such people as the Fam
shaws get into the professions usually
held by gentlemen"
"Don't kick against the pricks" lit
was a favorite expression ui her IA
ther's), "the common people have been
rising into prominence since the birth
of creation"
And the better class has been degen-
Grating" remarked Mr.. Hardy. with
slow smile. "As far az am concerned.
I'd rather employ man like Fanshaw
10 defend me. IL were on trial for my
life. than some man with more ancestry
and iess individual force"
"Bravo! bien dit" applauded Mrs.
Lancaster. and she rose 10 accompany
Evelyn out on the lawn
The dew lay as heavy RS raindrops on
the grass and hung like sciEiillating
gems from the gorgeous holIyh0ks. the
Indian chieftaina. and the roses flared
like biiiows OF red on the silvery green
sward OF the sloping terraces. Mrs.
Lancaster was frat to break the silence.
II need not tell you l'r1 glad that boy
was innocent" she began. II am espe-
cially glad because il emphasizes the
nobility of Mr.. Fanshaw's act. am go
ing 10 drive over to his house in the pony
cart this morning. have something 10
say to him."
Evelyn raised her great eyes in aston
ishmert. but she uttered no comment.
Mrs. Lancaster's voice shook per
ceptibly al she went on:
Nothing has ever affected me 80
powerfully as all this has. Last
night the impassioned fersor Of his
voice. while he was speaking down
there brought back some OF the ton
derest and saddest recollections of my
young married life. II reminded me
OF speech in favor Of secession that
my husband made, just before the
war broke out. There seemed 10 be
ring IL Mr.. Fanshaw's tones like my
husbands. II may have been only
my imagination. and the great dis
tance, but II drove me nearly wild
with the old pain. And last night
in thinking OF Mr.. Fanshaw's danger,
rort'pues on third p ge.