The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1907-05-23
@ @@s CONQUEST
OF CANAAN
By BOOTH HARRINGTON.
AstAor Of Cherry" "Moasieur Beau
eAire." Etc
Copyright, 1906. by Harper & Brothers
CONTINUED from page 6 }

LII never, never ledCu euOuSu " hSSp
out O. trouble. even when | see 1t
comm. But that gentleman friend OF
mine-Mr. Nashville Cory's his name
he kind O. coaxed me into 1t, and he's
right comical when he's with ladies,
and he's good company, and be says.
Claudine, we'll dance the light fam
tsstic,' he says. and l kind O wanted
something cheerful. I'd ben workin
steady quite spell. and it looked like
he wanted to show me a good time. SO
/ went, and that's what started i"
Now that she had begun she bab6led
on with her story. at times incoherent-
ly. full of excuses made to herself
more than to Ariel. pitifully endeavor-
inc to convince herself that the re-
sponsibilty for II" nSadle she had
made was not hers Mr.. Cory told
me my husband was drinkin' and
wouldn't know about it. and, Besides,
be says. what's the odds? or course
l knowed there was trouble between
him and Mr.. Fear-that's my husband
"a good while ago. when Mr.. Fear up
and laid him out. That was before me
and Mr.. Fear got married; | hadn't
even ben to Canaan then: ! was on
the stage. was on the stage quite
awhile in Chicago before got 'ac'
quainted with my husband"
"You were on the stage?" Ariel ex-
claimed involuntarly.
"Yes. ma'am-livin' pitchers at Gold.
berg's ratskeller, and amunchoo:
nights nearly always done a sketch
with "A gentleman friend. That's the
way met Mr. Fear. He seemed to be
real struck with me right away. and
soon as ! got through my turn he asst
me to order whatever wanted. He's
always gen'lemanlike when he amt
had too much, and even then he vurry.
vurry seldom acks rough unless he's
Jealous. That was the trouble yes
terday. never would Of gone to the
Beach II I'd dreamed what was COM
in! When we got there | saw Mike
that the gentleman that runs thA
Beach-lookin' at my company and me
kind of anxious, and pretty soon he
got me away from Mr.. Cory and told
me what's what. Seems this Cory
only wanted me to go with him to
make my husband mad. and he'd took
good care that Mr.. Fear beard I'd be
there with him. An he'd ben hangin
around me every time he struck town
lest to make Mr. Fear mad-the fresh
thing! You see. he wanted to make
my husband start something again.
this Mr.. Cory did. and he was fixed
for It."
"I don't understand" said Ariel.
'Its this way: If Mr.. Fear attacked
Mr.. Cory. why. Mr.. Cory could shoot
him down and claim self defense. You
see. it would be easy for Mr.. Cory. be-
cause Mr. Fear nearly killed him when
they had their first trouble. and that
would give Mr.. Cory good excuse to
shoot IL Mr.. Fear jest only pushed him.
That's the way it is with the law. Mr..
Cory could wipe out their old score and
git Of scot free"
Surely not"
"Yes. ma'am. that's the way 1t would
be. And when Nike told me that Mr..
Cory had got me out there jest to pro
woke my husband went straight up to
hal and begun to give him a piece OF
n.y mind. didn't talk loud. because |
never was one to make a disturbance
and start trouble the way some do.
and right while was talkin' we both
see my husband pass the window. Mr.
Cory give a kind Of yelling laugh and
put his arm round me jest as MIR. Fear
come in the door. And then 1t all hap
pened so quick that you could hardly
tell what was goln' on. Mr. Fear. we
found afterward. had promised Mr.
Loudeu that he wouldn't come out
there. but he took too much-you could
see that by the look Of him-and fer
got his promise-fergot everything but
me and Cory, guess.
"He come right up to US. where was
tryin' to git away from Cory's arm-it
was the left one he bad around me and
the other behind his back-and neither
of 'em said a word. Cory kept on
Iaughin' loud as be could. aud Mr. Fear
struck him In the mouth. Hes little.
but he can hit awful hard. and Mr..
Cory let out a screech. and see his
gua 60 or right In Mr. Fears face. I
thought, but II wasn't. 1t only scorch-
ed him. Most Of the other gentlemen
had run, but Mike made dive and
managed to knock the gun to one side
Test barely In time. Then Mike and
three or four others that come out
from behind things separated 'em. both
Of 'em fightin' to git at each other.
They locked Mr. Cory up ir Mixes
room and took Mr.. Fear over to where
they hitch the horses. Then Nike sent
fer Mr.. Louden to come out to talk 10
my husband and take care OF him-
he's the only one eau do anything with
hfte when he's like tliat-but before
Ny I.ouden could cit there MIR. Fear