The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-11-12


something to see the meeting between
father and daughter.
But fate, the greatest artist Of us all,
takes little count Of the careful draw
ing and the bright coloring Of our fan
cy's pictures, but with rude hand de-
ranges all and with one swift sweep
paints out the bright and paints in the
dark and this trick he served me when
one June night, after long and anxious
waiting for some word from the west,
my door suddenly opened and Graeme
walked in upon ne like q spccter, gray
and voiccless. My shout of welcome
was choked back by the look in his
face, and 1 could only gaze at him and
wait for his word. He sripped my
hand. tried TO speak, but failed to make
words come.
"Sit down, old man." said, pushing
him into my chair. land take your
time"
He obeyed, looking up at me with
burning, sleepless eyes. Ny heart was
sore for his misery, and l said: Don't
mind. old chap. 1t can't be so awfully
! bad. You're here safe and sound at
any rate" And so went on to give
him time, but he shuddered and looked
round and sroaned.
"Now, look here, Gracme, let's have
it. When did you land here? Where
is Nelson? Why didn't you bring him
up?"
"He is at the station in. his coffin. -
he answered slowly.
"In his cotfin?" 1 echoed, my beauti-
full pictures all vanishing. Glow was
it?'
Through my cursed folly he groan-
ed bitterly.
"What happened?" asked.
But, ignoring my question, he said:
81 must see his children. I have not
slept for four nights. hardly know
what 1 am doing, but l can't rest till
1 see his children. I promised him.
Get them for me-"
Tomorrow will do. Go to sleep now,
and we shall arrange everything to-
morrow" urged.
"No," he said iercely; tonight, now!'
In half an hour they were listening,
pale and grief stricken. to the story of
their fathers death.
Poor Graeme was relentless in his
self condemnation as he told how,
through his "cursed folly" old Nelson
was killed. The three@Craig, Graeme
and Nelson-had come as far as Victo-
ria together. There they left Craig
and came on to San Francisco. In an
evil hour Graeme met companion of
other and evil days, and it was not
long till the old fever came upon him.
In vain Nelson warned and pleaded.
The reaction from the monotony and
poverty Of camp life to the excitement
and luxury Of the San Francisco gam
ing palaces swung Graeme quite off
his feet, and all that Nelson could do
was to follow from place to place and
keep watch.
"And there he would sit" said
Graeme in q hard, bitter voice, "wait-
ing and watching often till the gray
morning light, while ny madness held
me fast to the table. One night
here he paused q moment, put his face
in his hands and shuddered, but quick
" he was master Of himself again and
went on in the same hard voice-"one
night my partner and I were playing
two men who had done US up before.
I knew they were cheating, but could
not detect them. Game after game
they won till I was furious at my
stupidity in not being able to catch
them. Happening to glance at Nelson
in the corner, I caught a meaning
look, and, looking again, he threw me
a signal. knew at once what the
fraud was and next game charged the
fellow with it. He gave me the lie.
1 struck his mouth, but before could
draw my gun his partner had me by
the arms. What followed I hardly
know. While I was struggling to get
free l saw him reach for his weapon,
but as he drew it Nelson sprang across
the table and bore him down. When
the row was over, three men lay on
the floor. One was Nelson. he took
the shot meant for me-"
Again the story paused.
"And the man that shot him."
I started at the intense ferceness in
the voice and, looking upon the girl,
saw her eyes blazing with a terrible
light
"He is dead" answered Graeme in
differently.
"You killed him?' she asked eagerly.
Graeme looked at her curiously and
answered slowly:
81 did not mean to. he came at me.
struck him harder than I knew. He
never moved
She drew sigh Of satisfaction and
waited.
Il got him to q private ward, had
the best doctor in the city and sent for
Craig to Victoria. For three days we
thought he would iye-he was keen to
get home-but by the time Craig came
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thankful to see Craig come in, and the
JOY in the old mans eyes was beautiful
to sceI There was no pain at last and
no fear. He would not allow me to re-
proach myself, saying over and over,
You would have done the same for
me- as I would, fast enough, and it is
better me tLan you. am old and done.
You will do much good yet for the
boys And he kept looking at me till
1 could only promise to do my best.
"But am glad told him how much
good he had done me during the last
year, for he seemed to think that too
good to be true, and when Craig told
him how he had helped the boys in
the camp and how Sandy and Baptiste
and the Campbells would always be
better men for his life among them
the old mans face actually shone as If
light were coming through, and with
surprise and joy he kept on saying:
DO you think so? Do you think so!
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