The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-09-21

mother, Suh-but also deed to his en-
tire plantation and all his slaves, every
thing which he owned. l was too late
to save Mr.. Randall, but knew Kirby
by repute, and | was so screamingly
outraged by the whole affair that de
nounced him fob the low scoundrel
he was. Thereupon he drew on me, but
| was the quicker and shot him down
like dog. They carried him ashore.
sub. at the landing below this, and the
river Is cleaner foh his DEATH
"You have taken vengeance out of
my hands," said young Randall un-
steadily. THE coward and villain.
For stranger. sir. the attitude which
you have displayed toward my family
has been most considerate. and | will
never forget It, The-the hospitality Of
house in Mourning
mo. no. my boy" interrupted Mo-
reau. again employing his fatherly
hand. II am sensible of the honor,
but l couldn't think of It. This is a
time when yoh all must wish to be
alone, and business calls me north.
merely stepped ashore in yoh interests
as any gentleman would have done.
There goes the bell, and l must run
Tor 1t. HonOred. sub, to have made
yoh acquaintance. though Of co'se |
deeply deplore the necessity which oc-
casioned it. will venture to pay my
respects to yoh family when | return
south. and pray command me in any
occasion yoh may have Yoh servant,
suh." And with magnificent bow
the colonel turned and raced for the
gangplank. boarding the Shotwell with
leap that shamed his fifty odd years.
Meanwhile Cameo Kirby, a bullet
through his right lung. was making a
desperate battle against death, fight.
Ing for the life which he had consid-
cred little better than worthless. In
his efforts he was materially assisted
by the crude but faithful Bunce. his
gambling partner. with whom he had
played up and down the Mississippi
for years. For two weeks this COM
bat ragged. Kirby lowering between life
and death. but at the end he emerged
triumphant as, over the gaming table
when the odds were as heavily against
him. he had emerged from many a
hotly contested conflict.
To those who judged Kirby's charac.
ter from the evil reports which gossip
had spread concerning him and to 9th
ers who. In their righteous ignorance,
considered all gamblers legitimate chill
Of hn l..
covery would have been accepted mere
ly as another proof that the evil one
favors his own, that the mills Of the
gods grind slowly, that justice is blind
and that scoundrel Is difficult to kill,
together with many similar ancient
and redoubtable maxims which igno-
rance and self righteousness love to
distribute on every fitting occasion.
Among possessors Of the last men
toned attribute Eugene Kirby was
regarded as black sheep who, re-
ligiOuSly avoiding the whitewash
brush. was deemed beyond redemp-
t1on, for what man worthy of the
name would have acted as had the
last of the Kirbys? What If he had
been but fifteen when his father died
bankrupt? What If he had been
left an orphan, a pauper. with no i'm
mediate relative to care how he acted?
Wasn't the heritage of an ancient and
honorable name, the knowledge that
some Of the oldest and best blood in
all the south flowed in his veins,
enough to keep him straight? Most
assuredly it was. There was abso-
lutely no excuse for his drifting in
with wild and dissolute companions.
becoming common river gambler and
rendering notorious and obnoxious a
name which had hitherto been the
synonym for honor and integrity.
Kirby had been kept in ignorance
of Mr.. Randalls suicide, but when at
length he became convalescent Lar
kin Bunce. barking back to the events
Of that memorable night, informed
him. and the invalid. on his part. re-
counted the occurrences preceding
Colonel Moreau's precipitation Of the
honorable combat.
THE news of Mr.. Randall's death is
great shock" he added, greatly NOV
ed. He was my fathers friend,
Bunce. and when the devil played
havoc with our affairs did all in his
power to be of assistance. But for