The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-12-06

Il reIUIu
49, Telly to go with him on his
S&G5 daily drive to the sead Of the
island. He had described the excit'
inc incidents Of his trip both to his
wife and Telly. and. feeling obliged L
do 50, had told them that Mr.. Page mao
taken charge Of the case and Woulo
communicate with him when anything
definite was learned. Telly had seem
ed unusually cheerful ever since, ano
more atTcctionate, and had at once se'
about painting the two sketches Aloer1
had sent.
THE leaves is turnin' purity fast
ne said 10 her that day, "an' I thought
nebbe ye'd like ter so with me an take
q look at en-. They won't last long.
When the two bad logged along y
almost silence for few miles Uncle
Terry said, pointing to a small rock By
the roadside, .eThar's whar I fust found
Mr.. Page, Telly."
He watched her face closely as he
spoke and noted the look Of Interest
that came.
81 told him that day." be continued
chuckling, that lawyers was mostly
all thieves, an the fact that he didn'1
take it amiss went fur to convince me
he was an exception. It's hit biro
rs allus dutters. From what he's done
an the way he behaves, I'm thins1n
more an more O. him the better know
him, an believe him now to be as
honest an square young man as
ever met"
Uncle Terry was silent a few no
ments while he ficked at the daisies
with his whip as they rode along.
"Ye've had a couple O letters from
him sense he went back, hain't ye?" he
asked finally. II noticed they was II
his vritin'." He saw faint color
come to her cheeks.
Eyes, he wrote me be was finishing
couple Of sketches he made here, and
wanted to have me paint them for him
They are the ones I am working OF
now
That's all right, Telly," continued
Uncle Terry briskly. I'm glad yere
dom it fer him, fer he's doin' gooc
deal fer Us"
Nothing further was said on the sub
ject until they were on their way oacs
from the head sf the island. The sun
was getting low. the sea winds thaf
rustled among the scarlet leaved oaks
o. murmured through the spruce thick
cts had almost fallen away, and just
as they came to an opening where the
broad ocean was visible he said:
Did ye ever stop ter think, Teliy,
that Lissy an me IS gittin' purity well
long in years? I'm over seventy now,
an in common course O. things 1 won't
be here many. years longer"
What makes you speak Ike that
father? Do you want to make me
b!ue?"
"Oh. I didn't mean it that way, Tel
IL, only T. was thinkin' how fast the
years go by. The leaves turnin' allus
makes me think ont. 1t seems no time
sense they fust came out, an no"
they're goin' ag'in. 1t don't seem
more'n two or three years sense ye was
little baby a-pullin' my fingers an
calm me dada, an now yer woman
grown. It won't be long afo1e yer
a-sayin' yes to some man as wants
ye, an a-goin' to home O. yer own.
$50 that is what you are thinking or
father, IS It? And you are imagining
that some one Of the name Of Page is
likely to take me away from you, who
are and always have been all there is
II life for me-
She paused, and two tears trembled
on her long lashes, to be quickly brush
ed away. please do not think me so
ungrateful," she continued, "as to let
any man coax me away from you, for
no man can. Here I was cast ashore,
here I've found a home and love. and
here I shall stay az long as you and
mother live, and when you two are gone
! want to 60 too She swallowed a
lump that rose in her throat and then
continued: Gas for this legacy that
YOU have worried about so much, and
I am sure has cost you good deal, it
Is yours, every penny Of it, and wheth-
er it is big or little, you are to keep
and use it IS you need if you love me.
You haven't been yourself for six
months, father, and all for this trouble.
I have watched you more than you
think, and wished many times you had
never heard Of it,
When she ceased Uncle Terry looked
at her moment, suddenly dropped the
reins and putting both arms around
her held her for moment and kissed
her. He had not kissed her for many
years.
"I hain't bin thinkin' bout myself In
this matter" he observed as he picked
up the reins again and chirruped to
the old horse, IAN only am wantin' ter
see ye provided fer, Telly. AS fer Mr..
Page or any other man, every woman
needs purtector in this world, an
when the right 'un comes along don
let yer feelin's or sense O duty stand
in the way O havin' home O yer
own"
"But you are not anxious to be rid
Of me, are you; father"
aye won't think that O me-" he re-
Piled as they ratified down the sharp
trclines into the village.
She noticed after that that he want
ed her with him oftener than ever.
Later, when another letter came for
her in a hand that he recognized, he
handed st to her with a smile and i'm
medtately left her alone to read it.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
fTN HE halcyon days Of autumn
& had come, when one day Al