Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-10

calm for so bad and furious a man.
Set it on the table" he said; do not
hurry TIL you can overInaSter YOUR feel
lnss own this must have been something
of d SURPRISE
So saying, he turned away and lifted tn,
curtain which covered the little window.
from the prying eyes of neighbors. II,
noted how the flush of dawn had begun t,
spread upwards. and then calmly droppec
the blind again
Drink it now, Mary" he said. And wifi,
her habtual obedience my mother took the
glass and drank.
And l aiso-after you-to your service
friends"'
He lifted the glass as high as his head
with gesture not wholly ironical. ano
drank the raw spirits down like so muct
spring water.
Then at last my mothers lips formed the
word that had been ON them ever since she
mad seen Philip Stansfield looking down al
her from the angle of the mantei shelf.
You are murderer she whispered
hoarsely as if to. herself. And again she
repeated with yet greater horror on her
face, "A murderer
Capt. Stansiield shrugged his shoulders
WIN the air OF one who pardons the in
constituencies of women.
Il thought Mary, we had agreed to lei
bygones be bygones. But since Won re-
mind me, have been called by that name
and by others. My own son bore testimony
against meas did also Jacob the SIM
planter-I mean your friend, Umphray
Spurway, the Englishman. Now / NAV
have been guilty-or I may have been in
nocent. That l have not time to argue. Al
all events, l was a rude man in those DAYS
dazed with strong drink and the lust M
the flesh What I have suffered I blamG
no man for-except myself. And I forgive
all who bore. testimony against me-save
risked my neck to reckon And 1 have
reckoned"'
Then, again, my mothers lips formed
words. spoken hoarsey and with effort.
but still Ineligible words
You have not killed him?" she asked
you plead for him. he went on. smil
ing bitterly Il cannot call to mind that
you , ever uI plead for for me when 1 was in
greater straits. But-there, that also is 3,
bygone. Let US be friends, Mary, so far
as we can 1 have not killed him, and If
you Will see eye to eye with me, I prom
Use you my hand shall never kill himr'
My poor mother could say no more but
only watched him as the mouse may eye
the ravenng monster between whose
curved claws it lies helpless.
Il have no long time to waste Mary
he went on, posing himself easily against
the little table, which creaked under his
weight. Il must hasten and get aboard.
And, l hope, not alone. You must come
My mother was not more terrified than
before. simply because from his first entry
she had touched the ultimate of human fear
and horror. He went on:
That is. 1 hope. to convince YOU that
there are inducements of weight wby Won
should let bygones. be bygones and re-
turn with me. 1 win not speak words of
love to you. For that, I take it. is over
between lis, If, indeed. 1t ever had a begin
ming. But you eIold enough to be gov
erned In your actions by Considerations
| more practical. ) desire your COMPANY for
several reasons-frst, because l am NOT tn.
man was, and I5desfre to be vet mora and
better than I am Iat present, You can
help me to that
Again, my brother John, sleekit :Joc,,
hath now the estate which is orr sons
For fear Of his neck he will send me full
half of all his receipts. Hitherto there
hath been deducted sthe portion due to Won
according to my Lord Advocate Stairs
reading Of the law. With that in hand as
well as brother Johns moiety, I shall he
able to QUIT my present mode of life which
I grant you Is little better than that of a
common pirate. But what would YOU? I
was the heir to large fortune. never
checked, never corrected given the utmost
liberty by my father. who went about his
business without remarking me, supplied
secretly with money by my mother. What
marvel II became as the beasts that per-
| ish. If I wallowed In every foul pit and
knew 1t not? The death of my father was
tice. became a condemned parricide-a
felon. My wife never was truly my wife
Alone and desperate. saw her happy in
| the company OF another. shot at the man
and 1 wounded-you. What wonder That
| you hate me! do not blame yoln> Yet If
you will accompany me over seas You shall
| have no cause to regret it. You will travel
| in the company of your son."
WHAT cried my mother, starting to bar