Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1930-12-05

Having delivered himself OF this In
troductory peroration Hepsibah fin
ished unwrapping the package, and
never had Catherine beheld such
handsome piece Of velvet as that
which her brother displayed in the
candle glow. 1t was, par excellence,
the finest of the treasures he had
brought, cloth Of matchless beauty, a
crimson glory so filed with changing
humors and colors that 1t seemed to
be alive in his hands. Surely this was
another present for his mother, Jeems
thought. But to his amazement and
GATHERINGS surprise Hepsibah thrust
the cloth into Jeems hands.
For Mademoiselle Marie Antoinette
Tonteur from her devoted admirer,
Daniel James Bulain," he announced.
"Jeemsy, don't blush. Twelve and ten
are not far from sixteen and fourteen,
when you will be man and woman.
and IL ever a seigneurs daughter finds
herself lucky it will be on the day she
marries a son of the tribe of Adams.
The writing on 1t, Jeemsy, tells where't
came from and how much it cost;
and along with 1t l have brought you
some nankeen for britches and clothes,
four shirts, and a three-cornered hat
with a black ribbon, six handker-
chiefs, and a jackknife, two pairs o.
serge britches, as many of new shoes,
and-this," and from the now COM
pletely emptied pack he drew forth a
beautiful long-barreled pistol, his eyes
aglow with fighting mans pride as
he fondled 1t in the light of the can
dies and pointed out its merits to
Jeems "As long as you live, you must
never part with this pistol, Jeemsy."
he said. ut isn't new, you see, but its
record is one of glory as long as my
arm, and I'll tell you about 1t some
day. It's killer, lad, a killer deadly
and sure, good for a hundred PAGES
with less than an inch of drop" and
he gave the weapon into Jeems' hands.
An instant of disapproval gathered
in GATHERINGS eyes.
at was kind of you to bring the
cloth for Antoinette but l do not care
for the pistol, Hepsibah," she said.
"a pistol makes me think of-men
fighting men. And here we are at
peace, having need only of the rifle
and of Jeemsy's bow and arrows to
bring US meat. feel it is not besti"
AS she spoke thus confidently Of
peace, a cloud came over Hepsibah's
face, but in moment he had laughed
it away and was telling her that with
in a week she would be as proud of
her boys craftsmanship as she now
seemed fearful of the pistols inhu-
ence upon his future.
The next day was the day Of the
auction sale at Lussan's place. LUIS
san was a wealthy farmer at the edge
of the next seigneurie, ten miles away.
He was returning to his old home near
the Isle of Orleans, country he liked
better than the Richelieu, and was
selling most of his goods. Among
these were pillow with an iron point,
a forty gallon soap kettle, and a loom
which Jeems' father wanted, so he
had planned to start with the OK
early in the morning. Jeems had heard
Tonteur say he intended to buy LUIS
sans three slaves, mother and father
and daughter, aud that the young
wench was for TOinette. Toinette
would be with her father. He would
take his treasure package with him to
Lussan's and find an opportunity to
give it to her.
Should Paul Tache be there and
dare to overload him again. or laugh
In his meanly suggestive way, or speak
sneeringly, or so much as say a word
against his gift for Toinette.
A rumble of fresh-growing thunder
was advancing out of the west, and
preceding it came a roar OF wind and
a deluge of rain. Lightning cut once
more in vivid Hastings across the mar
row panes Of the bedroom window,
and the roof seemed to bend and
groan under sudden torrential bonn
bardment. Jeems fought in unison
with the elements. His spirit mounted
savagely with the turmoil He had
his enemy down and was thrusting
his head into wet and Shiny mud. He
was beating his face and eyes, and
spelling his SPLENDID raiment, and
pulling out his hair. And Marie An
toinette was looking on. With the COR
geous red velvet in her hands and her
eyes big and starry, she was watching
him as he choked and kicked and POM
melled the life out of Paul Tache!
The outburst of thunder and wind
and deluge whim of playful spring,
passed as swiftly as it had come, and,
in passing, it left Jeems breathing
quickly and fiercely in his bed.
He had risen In these moments to
reckless heights and his mind, hot
with its desire for action, had settled
with grim assurance upon what would
happen the next day.
First he would present his gift to
TOinette.
Then he would do what his Uncle
Hep had told him to do. He would
whip Paul Tache.
ITO BE CoNTINUED.)
~ OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES X < x**xx*