The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-04-14
His countenance flushed with rage

waving the other away, brought con-
irmation certain of Lady Cars fears.
| She rose again and made a step to-
ward him, tottering in every limb as
in other days, when his father had
beaten her to the ground with such
another torrent. But to whom, to
whom was the boy speaking? She
cried out in a voice of anguish:
Tom"
He started in his turn so violently
that he stumbled on the rocks n
| almost fell. "Mother!" he cried, in
sti~nctively. Then. turned round with
a hoarse roar of Back! Back" ours
ing himself for that betrayal.
TON, what is it? To whom were
you speaking? Answer me! To whom
did you dare to speak like that?"
What are you doing here?" he
said. Listening! 1 never knew you
to do that before, mother-come
along! this isn't a place for you"
ITO whom were you speaking,
Tom"
ME? I was speaking to nobody;
there's some s~weethearts or some
thing carrying on down there. I don't
NEEDLE with what is none of my con-
Germs. Come along! l am not going
to leave you. here"
He seized her arm to draw her
away, and Lady Car saw that his rage
had turned to tremor. He looked at
her from under his lowering eye
brows with that fierce panic which is
| sometimes in the eyes Of a terrified
dog ready to fly at and rend any one
II am not going from here till my
husband comes for me-nor till l
know what this MEANS" said Lady
Car. She was trembling all over, and
her heart so beating that every wild
throb shook her person. But she was
not afraid of her sons violence. And
other steps were drawing near. AS
Lady Car leaned upon a corner of the
rock supporting herself, there grad
ually appeared up the ascent a young
woman in very fine but fiimsy attire,
her face flushed with crying and
quarreling, dabbing her cheeks with a
handkerchief like 4 ball all gathered
up in her hand. The impression OF
bright color and holiday dress so in
consistent with the violent scene
through which she had been passing,
and the probably tragical circum-
stances in which the unhappy girl
| stood, threw a sort of grotesque mis-
cry into the midst of the horror.
"Oh!" cried the newcomer, che
called you his mother, he did! If you
are his mother, it's you most as l
ought TO see."
Hold your cursed tongue cried
Tom, beyond himself, and get off
with you! I've told you so before.
You're not fit to speak to my-to a
lady. Go! go!"
You think it grand to say that
cried the girl, evidently emboldened
by the presence of a third party, "but
you must just give it up. I'm not
ashamed to speak to any lady. I've
done nothing to be ashamed of. I've
got my marriage lines to show and my
wedding ring on my finger. Look at
that, ma'am," she cried, dragging a
| glove off a red and swollen hand. 1t
was with tears, and trouble, and ex-
element that she vas so swollen and
red. She thrust her hand with, in
deed, a wedding ring upon it, in Lady
Cars face. Look at that, ma'am;
there can't be no mistake about that.
Il must sit down; l cannot stand"
said Carry. Come here, if you
please, and tell me who you are"
She's not fit to come where you
are. 1 told you to CO." said Tom.
go, and I'll send somebody to settle
you've no business here"
If she's YOU mother, Frank, I
won't deceive nobody. I'm Mrs. Fran
els Lindons, and I've got my mar
riage lines to show for it. I'm not
ashamed to look anybody in the face.
I've got my marriage Ii"
"Mrs.-what?" said Lady Car.
Mrs. Francis Lindons. I never
thought but what he meant honor
able. And my own mother was at the
wedding and everything right. He
wants to say now that it's no mar
riage; but it is-it is. It's in the
register all right where we signed in
the vestry. Oh, Frank, I know you're
only talking to brighten me, but your
mother will make it all right"
Lady Car and her son exchanged
but one glance-on her part g look
Of anguished inquiry, searching his
face for confirmation of this tremen-
dous statement; on his, the look Of e
fierce but whipped hound, ready to
tear any one aSunder that came near,
yet abject in conscious guilt. The
mother put her hand to her breast
gone in. She said in a voice inter-
rupted by her quickened breathing:
Excuse me a little, | am not very
well, and tell me everything-tell me
the truth. Did you say that you
were-married to this young gentle
man.
She'll say anything" cried Tom.
hoarsely. She'll swear anything.
She's not fit to come near you. Go
away, l tell you, curse you-you shall
have everything you wan: if you 80
away"
BE silent, Tom; ut present she has
me. not YOU. to answer Tell me-
You call him Tom said the
young woman. with surprise. Its
nerhans q nen name=for he said he