Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-03-24
CHAPTER XIX.

under the house crowed and tapped his
wings. Dave came upstairs and shook
his brother, who had fallen asleep only
about an hour before.
WELL" he said, "the old man has
handed in his checks. Geewhihkins
Ron, I'm beginnin' to think I've run my
blasted head into 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 mis- 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 footl"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 bow-legged duck. an have
at this late day, jest got my fust Whit
of a dead mouse. You don't have to
knock me down with load o mill
rocks as a general thing; can see a
inch fore my eyes, ef l am cross-eyed
The old man kept runnin' on last night
about baby an its dead daddy; an
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, never did think you was a Bit
like the rest Of US, an now I'm sure
you doa't belong to this litter"
Ronald sat up on the edge Of his bed
as white as death could have made
MIN.
"Are you in earnest, Dave2" he ques
toned.
IF ever l was in my life."
Ibid you find out anything-posi'
tive?" the last word came out with q
jerk.
mo, but you can, Ron; ma is all broke
up. She knows you saved the insurance
an she would answer any question yor
ask. I'D go to 'er, after the buryin'
an demand to know It all. She'll tel
you."
At this juncture the voice Of Mrs
Fanshaw came up to them as she shook
the latch Of Ann Josephine's door:
re- Wake ur. JOSIE she said. "yore pas
been dead a gool half hour, an thar
amt nobody to cook breakfast"
Ronald began to dress himself.
Dave" he said, your suspicion has
taken me completely by surprise;
have suspected for good many years
that they did not feel towards me as
they did to the rest, but 1 cannot yet
believe l am not really-a Fanshaw."
"Wait till you talk to ma" counseled
David. "Be shore you come at 'er ex'
actIy right. Make 'er feel shore you
won't give 'er a speck O. trouble an
she'll let the cat out the bag"
The next day when Jade Fansbaw's
unpainted box was lowered into the
grave near the meeting house, half
mile over the hills, the snow was falling
so fast that the faces of the few mourn
ers and neighbors who stood around
could hardly be recognized. The mound
had scarcely received its shape when
II was robed in white. 1t 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
tanning Mrs. Fanshaw, Dave, the two
girls and Bud Tarbell. Arriving a,
home the girls went into the house and
Mrs. Fanshaw hustled about on the
hack perch, opening the window blind!
which she had closed that no one might
gain access to her house during tht
absence Of the family. There Ronald
found her, still in her bonnet and heavy
shawl. Her eyes fell before the hun
CRY stare of his own.
want to see you in private" he said
excited in spite of strong effort a.
calmness. She moved as If to pass hin
and go into the house. and then sh'
paused before him, a dogged expression
IN her unsteady glance.
Dawes been blabbin' to you, Ron, "
she said; 81 wouldn't pay no attention
to that boy"
you've been keeping something
from me-something concerning my
self, all my life," he heard himself
saying in deliberate tones.
She caught her breath, and then
looked through the hall at Bud Tarbell
who was turning his wagon away from
the gate.
Dave tor me back thar at the grave
lest now," she faltered, that you said
you never would give me no trouble
about anything. If l knowed that
you would not bring me to court, an
that you would let US have the insur
ance money to buy land in Texas, Ron
I'd not keep back thing"
"Your name shall never be men
toned" he promised, now chilled tc
the center of his heart by what might
b.revealed. "Ihave right to know it
il am not your son, and not his. io,
know you are welcome to the insurance
money"
Cant you put it off till after supper
when all the rest is asleep? l am 81
excited"
"No, I'd rather know now," he said.
The " ind blew the fine flakes Of snow
under the roof Of the porch, and they
feH and melted on her iron-gray locks
She did not look at him when she be
gan, nor did she give him her eye'
steadily once through the whole re
citRl.
you've heerd bout yore pas bush
whackin' days up in Tennessee endurin
Of the war;" she began. "He. was a sor
Of a head man against 'em all. The!
made q good deal by It, fust an last