The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-15

delicate woman. gentle in all her ways and ever ready to efface herseii' "s u were. and give precedence to others Her manners were so fine that they seemed to cling to her as the perfume cllhss to the rose.
 so these old friends-Meriweth Clop- ton and Miss Fanny Tomin-considereu 1t to be their duty, as 1t was their pleas ure. to call on Lucy Lumsden Tn her trouble They expected to find her m u state of collapse, but they found her walking about the house, apparently us calm as June morning.
 Good morning Meriwether,' she said pleasantly; "it is treat indeed anu a rare one to see you in this house Anu here is Fanny! l am glad to g. you, my dear. It is very good of you to come to an old woman who is in trouble | thinN we are all in trouble together. Come lhto the library. Meriwether. .IFpon my word, you look twenty years younger" said Miss Fanny Tomlin.
 DO I. indeed? Then trouble must be good for me. Still, l don't appreciate u. l 1 am an old woman, my dear, ana ail the years of my life l have had coh- 1 tempt for those who fly into rage, or l lose their tempers. And now, look at me! l Never in all your days have you seen
 
 ] all day and still feel.' "The idear exclaimed. Miss Fanny. Why, you look as cool as cucumber
 Yes. the idea" echoed Mrs Lumsden If I had those miserable creatures m my power, do you know what ! woulu do? Do you know. MeriwetherY' l "I can't imagine. Lucy, he repneu gently He saw that the apparent calm ness of Gabriels grandmother was sim ply the result of suppressed excitement.
 When MT Sanders was announced, ana l word was sent to him to come right m 1 "Howdy, everybody" he said In his ln- formal way as he entered the room He was warm and was using his hat as 1 a fan Miss Lucy" he said, T won take up two minutes of your time. 1 only want to settle q pint or two. DO vou remember what time 1t was when l Gabriel came home the night Hotchkiss was killed?'
 l Mrs. Lumsden reflected moment l Why, he went out directly after sup per and came in--welI, l don't remembef when he came in. I must have been asleep"
 .Um-m." grunted Mir Sanders. "Is it important?" Mrs. Lumsden asked
 "It may turn out to be right down im- portant." replied MT. Sanders, and then he said no more, but sat looking at the | floor and wondering how Gabriel could be released from the tangled web that the spider. Circumstances. had woven | about him.
 1 As MT. Sanders went out, he met Nan | at the door, and there was that in her i face that MT. Sanders had never seen 1 there before. why, honey" he exclaim- | cd, you look like you've lost your best friend.'
 Well. perhaps I have" Her face was pale and she had the appearance of one | who was i'll.
 Why, honey. what ails you? I never seed you lookin like this before"
 You've never seen me i'll before" an- swered Nan.
 With that. she ran up the steps very rapidly for an Ill person, and stood a moment in the hallway
 Be jigged ef she ain't wuss hit than any of us!' declared Mir. Sanders. to himself, as he turned away
 Following the sound of voices, 4,an, went into the library. Mrs. Lumsden. who was still walking about restlessly, l paused and tried to smile when she saw Nan. Nan went directly to her. and stood looking in the old gentlewoman' s | eyes Then she kissed her quite sudden | ly and impusively.
 Man. you must be Ill.," Miss Fanny | Tomlin declared
 "I am. Aunt Fanny; I am not feeling well at all"
 Lie there on the sofa, child" Mrs. Lumsden insisted. Taking Nan by the arm, she almost forced her to lie down. | She seated herself on the edge of the