The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1907-06-13
{Centinued from page g.

gy. sho0K their heads at one another
and slowly went up to the porch. where
Joe met them. Mrs. Louden uttered a
sharp exclamation. for the colonel
shook hands with her Stepson.
Perhaps Flitcroft himself was sur
prised. He had offered his hand al
most unconsciorsly. and the greeting
was embarrassed and perfunctory. but
his two companions. each in turn,
gravely followed his lead, and Joe's
set face flushed 4 little. 1t was the
frst time in many years that men Of
their kind In Canaan had offered him
this salutation.
"He wouldn't let 3!a send for you
he told them ''Ea said he knew you'd
be here soon without that" And he
led the way to Esiav'S ariSide,
Joe and the dDc;)" !:lI undressed the
old man AMI had put HIN into night
gear Of Roger TaGor's taken from an
ANTIQUE chest. 1t was soft and yellow
and much more like color than the face
above ii. for the white hair on the pill
low was not whittier than that. Yet
there was a strange youthfulness in the
eyes of Eskew, an eerie. ineXplicable,
luminous, live look. The thin cheeks
seemed fuller than they had been for
years, and, though the heavier lines Of
age and sorrow could be seen. they ap-
peared to have been half erased. He
lay not in sunshine, but in clear light.
The windows were open, the curtains
restrained, for he had asked them not
to darken the room.
The doctor was whispering in doc
tors way to Ariel at the end Of the
room opposite the bed when the three
old fellows came in. None Of them
spoke Immediately, and, though all
three cleared their throats with what
they meant for casual cheerfulness to
indicate that the situation was not at
all extraordinary or depressing. 1t was
to be seen that the coloners chin trem-
bled under his mustache, and bis COM
rades showed similar small and unwili-
Ing signs Of emotion.
Eskew spoke first. "Well. boys" he
said and smiled.
That seemed to make 1t more difficult
for the others. The three white heads
bent silently over the fourth upon the
pillow, and Ariel saw waveringly, for
her eyes suddenly filed, that the colo
mel laid his unsteady hand upon
Bkew's, which was outside the cover
let.
'Tt's-its not" said the old soldier
gently-'it's not on-on both sides. Is 1t.
Eskew%
Mr.. Arp moved his hand slightly in
answer. 1T amt paralysis" he said.
"They call it shock and exhaustion
but it's more than that. It's Just my
time. I've heard the call We've all
been slidin' on thin Ice this long time
and it's broke under me-
"Eskew, Eskewv' demonstrated Pc
ter Bradbury. You'd oughtn't to talk
that-a-way! You only kind Of over
done a llttle-heat o. the day, too.
and
"Peter." interrupted the sick man,
with feeble asperity. did you ever
manage to fool me in your life?"
mo, Eskew."
"well, you're not doin' it now"
Two tears suddenly loosed them
selves from Squire Buckalew's eyelids
despite hiS hard endeavor to wink them
away, and be turned from the bed too
late to conceal what had happened.
There amt any call to feel bad" said
Eskew. "It might have happened any
tfme-in the night, maybe-at my
house-and all alone-but here's Airie
Tabor brought me to her own home
and takin' care Of me. I couldn't ask
any better way to 90, could IT.
II don't know what we'll do" STAN
mered the colonel, 'ff you-you talk
about goia' away from Us. Eskew. We
we couldn't get along
"well, sir, I'm almost kind Of glad
to think" Mr.. Arp murmured. between
short struggles for breath, that it'll
e-quleter-on the - National House
corner"
A moment later he called the doctor
family and asked for restorative.
'There." he said IN stronger voice
and with a gleam Of satisfaction in the
vindication Of his belief that he was
dying. 81 was almost gone then. !
know" He lay painting for moment.
then spoke the name of Joe Louden.
Joe came quickly to the bedside.
81 want you to shake hands with the
colonel and Peter and Buckalew."
ave did," answered the colonel. in
fnitely surprised and troubled. I'VE
shook hands outside before We came
in"
"Do 1t. again." said Eskew. II want
to see you"
And Joe. making shift to smile. was
suddenly blinded. so that he could not
see tie wrinkled hands extended to
him ar6 was fain to grope for them.
"God Knows why we didn't all take
his hand long ago" said Eskew Arp.