Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-06-25

,sssssssssi ~
s,.S | gas diffeeert aaa aa4 " nv
.n.i know am! The wnlte "a 80
strong In ne that It has kilied Tue reo'
ord Tin one Of fathers people I'm
NOT ITO ttp other two. They are brown
ond client and rs cold as little toads.
pr, I'm white and full Of life all over.
They never see the men ana women
thot Gee In my dreams. They never
have my visions Of the beautiful snow
white mother with the tender mouth
ard the sad eyes that always smile ae
me-"
"you have visions of such things.
ehW
eyes but I came a generation late,
tbat,s NIL and I've got that other wo-
mans soul. I'm not half breed. I'm
not me Mt all. I'm Merridy-Merridy!
That's who am"
Her face was turned away from him,
en- ,bot she did not notice the frightful
effect her words had upon Stark.
where did you get-that name"
Ui, voice was pitched In different
key now. Then after moment he
added. "From the story | told you at
the mine that night. suppose"
"Oh. no." she answered. i've al
ways had II, though they call me Ne
cia. Mcrridy was my fathers mother.
guess I'm like her in many ways. for
often imagine she is a part OF me.
that her spirit is mine. It's the only
way can account for the sights |
see"
Your fathers motler!" he said me-
chemically. That's queer He seem
ed to be trying to shake himself free
from something ITS heredlty. | sup
pose. You have visions Of a white wo-
man, woman named Merridy. eh?
Suddenly his manner changed, ard he
spoke so roughly that she looked at
him IN vague alarm.
"How do you know? How do you
know she was his mother!'
"Ie told ME So"
Stark snarled. "He licdw
81 can show you her wedding ring.
I've always worn it." She fumbIed for
the chain about her neck, but it euded
her trembling fingers. ut has her
name in it-'From Dan to Merridy'
Stark's hand darted forward and tore
the thing from her shoulders. Then he
thrust ii under the lamp and glared at
the inscription. while his fingers shook
so that he could barely distinguish the
words. His eyes were blazing and his
face livid.
Necia cried out. but he dropped the
ornament and seized her fiercely, lift
inc her from the chair to her feet.
Then with one swift. downward clutch
he laid hold of her dress Mt the left
shoulder and ripped it half to her
waist. A hoarse sound came from his
throat, cry half Of amaZement. half
of triumph.
LET me go! Let me go." She strug-
gled to free herself, but he held her in
a viselike grip, while he peered closely
at a blemish well down upon her back.
Then he let her slip from his grasp.
and. seized with terror she staggered
away from him. He was leaning hcav-
lily with both hands upon the table, his
thin lips grinning, his whole manner
so terrifying that she shrank back.
She turned and made for the door.
whereupon he Strengthened up and said
In d queer. commanding voice:
Wait. Don't go. I-l-you"- He
licked his lips as II they were dust
dry. passed an uncertain hand across
his beaded brow and, raising the wa
ter pail beside the door to his mouth.
drank heavily IN great, noisy gups.
Let me out of here!' the girl de-
manded lmperiously.
Don't be scared" he said. more
quietly now You must excuse me.
You-you gave me an awful fright.
les. that IVES It. Don't worry.
didn't mean any HARM"
You hurt my shoulder" she said.
almost ready to cry. And you tore
my dress" she added angrily--"my Gne
dress Are you crazy?'
"You see. it's like this-thn, name Of
Merridy AMI that ring-well. ne whole
thing was so startling IL went Off
my head. 1t came sudden, and |
thought-it don't matter what
thought, but I'm sorry. Ill apologize,
and III get you whole lot of dresses
if you like"
His first impulse had been to tell her
everything, bnt his amazement had
rendered him speechless. and now he
was thankful for It, Care must be ex-
ercised. She must not learn too much.
for If she suspected the truth she
would 60 to her soldier lover at once,
and no power on earth could hold her
back. That would block the venge-
ance that he saw shaping In the dank
recesses Of his distorted brain.
First, and above all, he must get the
girl away from Flambeau.
These last few moments. had driven
Necia's own worries from her mind,
but be was bent on recalling them and
so continued cautiously:
"You we're saying that you thought
you'd go away. think that's a good
plan, and you'd be wise to do it for