The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1907-06-13
CHAPTER XX.

CHAPTER XX.
Z VOW, in that blazing noon Ca
naan looked upon a strange
" sight--an open carriage whirl-
i ing through Main street be-
hind two galloping bays, upon the back
seat a ghostly white old man with
closed eyes, supported by two pale la
dies, his head upon the shoulder Of the
taller, while beside the driver a young
man whose coat and hands were
bloody. worked over the hurts Of an IN
jured dog. Sam Warden's whip sang
across the horses; lather gathered on
their TANKS, and Ariers voice steadily
urged on the pace, Quicker, Sam, II
you can" For there was little breath
left in the body Of Eskew ARP.
Mamie, almost a. white as the old
man, was silent, but she had not hesi-
lated In her daring now that she had
been taught to dare. She bad not
come to be Ariel's friend and honest
follower for nothing, and 1t was Ma
mie who had cried to Joe to lift Eskew
into the carriage. you must come,
too" she said. I'VE will need you"
And 80 1t came to pass that under the
eyes Of Canaan Joe Louden rode in
Judge Pixies carriage at the bidding Of
Judge Pixies daughter.
Toward Ariers own house they sped
with the stricken octogenarian, FOR be
was "alone In the world" aIl she
would not take him 10 the cottage
where he had lived for many years by
himself, a bleak little house. derelict
Of the "early days" left stranded far
down in the town between a woolen
mill and the water works. The work
men were beginning their dinners un-
der the big trees, but as Sam Warden
drew In the lathered horses at the gate
they set down their tin buckets hastily
and ran to help Joe lift the old man
out. Carefully they bore him into the
house and laid him upon q bed In one
Of the finished rooms. He did not
speak or move, and the workmen un-
covered their heads az they went out,
but Joe knew that they were mistaken.
"Its all right, Mr.. Arp" he said, as
Ariel knelt by the bed with water and
restoratves. Its all right Don't
you worry"
Then the veterans lips twitched, and,
though his eyes remained closed. Joe
saw that Eskew understood, for ha
gasped feebly, "Pos-i-tive-ly-no-free
seats"
To Mrs. Louden, sewing at an up
stairs window, the sight Of her stepson
descending from Judge Pixies carriage
was sufficiently startling, but when she
saw Mamie Pike take Responsibility
from his masters arms and carry him
tenderly indoors, while Joe and Ariel
occupied themselves with Mr.. Arp, the
good lady sprang to her feet as II she
had been stung, regardlessly sending
her workbasket and its contents scat
tering over the floor and ran down the
stairs three steps at time.
At the front door she met her bus
band, entering for his dinner, and she
leaped at him. Had he seen? What
was It? What had happened?
Mr.. Louden rubbed his chin beard, In
dulging himself in pause which was
like to prove fatal to his companion
finally vouctsafing the information that
the doctors buggy was just turning the
corner. Eskew Arp had suffered q
"stroke," it was said, and, in Louden's
opinion, was a mighty sick man. His
spouse replied in no uncertain terms
that she had seen quite that much fol
herself, urging him to continue, which
he did with a deliberation that caused
her to recall her wedding day with
gust Of passionate self reproach. Pres
emily he managed to interrupt, remind
ing her that her dining room windows
commanded as comprehensive a view
of the next house as did the front steps
and after time her housewifely duty
so far prevailed over her indignation al
the mans unwholesome stolidity that
she followed him down the hall to pre-
side over the meal, not however, te
partake largely Of 1t herself.
Mr.. Louden had no information OF
Eugene's mishap, nor had Mrs. Lou
den any suspicion that all was not well
with the young man, and, hearing him
enter the front door, she called te
him that bis dinner was waiting. Eu
gene, however, made no reply and went
upstairs to bis own apartment with
out coming into the dining room.
A small crowd, neighboring children
servants and negroes, had gathered
about Ariers gate, and Mrs. Louder
watched the workingmen disperse thii
assembly, gather up their tools and de
part. Then Mamie came out Of the
house and, bowing sadly to three ole
men who were entering the gate as she
left 1t, stepped into her carriage an6
drove away. The newcomers, Colone
Flitcroft, Squire Buckalew and Petel
Bradbury, glanced at the doctors bug