Waterbury Democrat., 1901-02-06
The World Against Him By WILL N. HARBEN.
 Copyright. 1900 by sE . AN Kellogg Newspaper Company,
CHAPTER XIX.

It fell at dawn, just as big red rooster under the house crowed and Tapped his wings. Dave came upstairs and shook his brother, who had fallen asleep only about an hour before. A
 "Well.' he said, ''the old man has handed in his checks. Geewhiliins, Ron, I'm beginnin' to think I've run my blasted head into a secret of ma an pas that they've kept from us fur over a quarter Of a century. All night long. an up to the time he tuck his last suck of air the old man talked of nothin' else but you-you-you, an some dead soldier"
 He seems to imagine" Ronald be- gan, but Dave interrupted him.
 Imagine dogs hind foot!" he blurt- ed out. "Thar's some'n behind all them hints an threats that have been passin' betwiXt ma an. pa sence l was knee high to'ia bow-legged duck, an l have, at this late day, jest got my fust whitf of & dead mouse. You don't have to knock me down with load O mill rocks as a general thing; l can see inch fore my eyes,'ef I am cross-eyed. The old man kept 'runnin' on last night
  ma kept tryin' to keep me from under standin' till she fell asleep out O pure weariness of the brain an then the truth begun to creep into my noggin. Ron, l never did think you was bit like the rest of us, an HOW I'm sure you don't belong to this litter.''
 Ronald sat up on the edge of his bed, as white as death could have made him.
 Are you in earnest, Dave?' he ques- toned.
 If ever was in my life"
 Did you find out ything-posi- tive?" the last word came out with jerk.
 "No, but you can, Ron; ma is all broke up. She knows you saved the insurance, an she would answer any question you ask. I'd go to Ter, after the buryin' an demand to know it all. She'll tell yon".
 At this juncture ihe. voice of Mrs. FaEshaw came up to them as she shook the latch of Ann Josephine's door: "Nalaa ur, Josie" she said, wore pas been dead a gooI half hour, an thar ain't nobody to cook breakfast!"
 Ronald began to dress himself.
 "Dave,' he said, 'your suspicion has taken me completely by surprise; I have suspected for good many years that they did not feel towards me as they did to the rest, but l cannot yet believe l am not really-a Fanshaw."
 Wait till you talk to na," counseled David. Be shore you come at 'er ex- actly right. Make Ter feel shore you won't give Ter a speck O trouble an shell let the eat out the bag"
 The next day when Jade Fanshaw's unpaInted box was lowered into the grave near the meeting house, half d mile over the hills, the snow was falling so fast that the faces of the few mourn CTS and neighbors who stood around could hardly bc recognized. The mound had scarcely received; its shape when it was robeG in white. It was as if Ma ture had spread an emblem of forgive ness over Jade Fanshaw's last resting place.
 Ronald rode home in the wagon con- saining Mrs. Fanshaw, Dave. the two girls and Bud Tarbell. Arriving at hone the girls went into the house and Mrs. Fanshaw hustled about on the back perch, opening the window blind 5 which she had closed that To one mi ht gain access to her house during the absence of the family. There Ronald found her, still in her bonnet and heavy shawl. Her eyes fell before the hun gry stare of his own.
 Il want to see you in priva ue,'' he said, :, excited in spite of a strong effort at 'slmness. She moved as if 1o pass him Rad go into the house, and then she Eaused before him, a dogged Expression in her unsteady glance.
 ''Dave's been blabbin' to you, Ron, '' she said; T wouldn't pay no attention 10 that boy.''
 "Hou've been keeping spmethin g from me-something concerning my self, all my life.' he heard himself saying in deliberate tpneA
 She caught her hTeath4 and then looked through the hall aSEud Tarbell, who was turning his wagon away from the gate.
 Have toll me back thar at the grave jest ncw,'' she faltered, that you said you never would give me DO trouble about anything. If I knowed that SO- "ShAN Aot hlG tO court, du that you would let ts have the insur- ance money to buy land in Texas, Ron, I'd not keep back thing.''
 Your name shall never be men, tioned.'' he promised, now chilled to the center Of his heart by what might bcrevealed. "Ihave right to know it, if am moi your son. and not his. You know you are welcome to otheinsurance money
 Cant you put it. off t5ll after supper when all the rest is asleep? l am SC excited-''
 No, I'd rather know now" he said.
 Thewin6 blew the fine flakes of snow under the roof of the porch, and they fell and 1nel7ed on her irongray locks She did not look at him when she be- gan. nor did she give him her eyes steadily once through the whole re. cital.
 '40n've heerd bout yore pas bush. whackin' days up in Tennessee endurin' of The var she began. 'sHe was a sort of bead man against lem all. They made a po0d deal hv it -fJ1cf op, 1ac4