Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-06-28
Y
Continued.


Nell would not rather have gone than
10 Shingle End. For MAS no! srnii
mental Miss Theodore the very c.,i,sr
of the outrage whirh had put CEr.
ford; life in danger: Ii II had moi
been for Miss BoS;aiS well meanin.
but ill-iudged fragment. lem
Stickels would never have cared To
think he could have q chaE,r
with girl who was So far removed
from him in every way rs Nell. Nc1-.
with natural feminine nhstinacy. Hiss
Bostal would be stir 10 take Lc,E's
part against Clifford. especially when
il reached her ears that the latter had
come down III Nen'S own request. So
that il was with slow. unwilling feet
that Nell made he" way TO the co.1-
ncl's house
Everything turned ont rs she ok.
pec;cd, with this exception. that Miss
BOsial was so much more concerned
about lem than about Clifford that she.
insisted on marching off that very mo
ment Ia inquire as 10 Jcms condition.
and insisted on dragging the unwilling
girl With ner on the expedition.
Al first Nell absolutely refused to
80. But she had to give way. being
touched 10y the self-reproarh of the
prim little elderly lady. who blamed
herself rs much for .icm's misfortune
as Neil blamed herself for Cliffords
III was all my fault; | feel that
1.-Two brought il upon the poor fellow
myself. was the burden Of Miss BIOS.
tails lament. just as il had previously
been OF Nell's.
She even shed tears ut the thought
of facing the young man upon whom
she had brought more than one mis-.
fortune For she persisted in regard
ing his assault upon Clifford as an
other grievance of Jcm's rather than
OF the hated rivals.
Nell said little as they went along.
She was on the one hand deeply anx-
ious about her lover: while on the
other she hardly knew whether 10
laugh at Miss Bostals extravagances
or to cry sympathe. ically over her
grief
The little cottage where lem lodged
was soon reached. Miss Bosial's
enough. by lem in person. There
seemed 10 BE- little. the matter with
him. except for Il cut on his lower lip.
the result OF the blow with which
Clifford had felled him. Ii his bodily
state was sound. however. this was all
that could be said 70: him. \ more
forbidding expression OF sullen fcroci
81. @l.n+ ~. fan. l.a
recognized his visitors il would he i'm
possible TO imagine.
oh so it's you. is ii:' was his surly
greeting. as with Scowl he mad. Il
movement TO shut III. door in the
lady's face.
But his patronesS was ready with
the soft answer that turned away
wrath. Pressing forward quickly ami
keeping Nells hand in hers with a
tight grip. she edged heT way into the
cottage and regardless Of the fact
that the man and woman with whom
Jem lodged we're present. addressed
the young boor in TIE geniiest vi
voices
oh dear. oh. dear. doa't send rs
away like that. We are 50 very sorry
for what has happened t. you. We
want 10 know Il W. can do any
thing
Nell was frown;ag and trying 10 gel
away. indignant IL the lowly tone her
companion was taking. Ana il was
upon Nell that Jem's eyes were liked
as he interrupted the other lady.
NO." roared he You can't do
rothin'-as yet. Bat" and he raised
his voice and lifted his FIST against an
imaginary foe as lie stared harder at
Nell than ever. I'm blcst If you won't
find mOren enough 10 do 10 answer
the questions as II bc put 10 yon folks
some OF yCu-tomoTrow morning.
Nell suddenly co:sed struggling aad
fixed her eyes upon Jea's swollen and
excited face. in which the veins were
rising like knoi:ed cords
What do You mean. my dear young
man." piped Miss Hos;al. In the gen.
:lcst accents. her mild efforts to calm
the excited monster appearing every
InorcI; more futile and Inadequate.
oh. you know very we'll what
mean or, leastways. Miss Claris does"
pursued Jem, in the same key. and
with u staggering confidence. which
caused little Miss Bosiai 10 recon
few steps. rs II before a physical at
tack. And If yc" don't. why you'll
know soon enough. I'm just a-=oin'."
proceeded lem. with Sallen emphasis.
Ito have my pipe and my 'alf pint"
and nc took his beloved clay Out Of his
pocket as he spoke, and then I'm iIst
a-goin 10 walk over to The Bell. ~
Stroan TO ask if Il certain gentleman
from Lon'0n is in
And, without further ceremony,
Jem turned his back OF the ladies. ard
marching out the room by the opDo-
site end. through the back door. left
them no alternative but TO retire.
Nell was utterly Disguised. not only
by the part she had been made to play
in this unpleasant scene. but by her
companions humble demeanor and
Jem's own rudeness. AS for his threat
of speaking TO the detective she seemed
to he past caring whether he carried
II into effect or not She said nothing
as they walked back TO Shingle End.
and Miss Bostal, perhaps conscious