Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1934-05-25

lter?"
His father said nothing.
"Do you hear me?" Roddy
trangled with anger. my sister!"
The began to walk up and down. He
thought of the family honor. His
father must be breaking down in a
premature dotage! What else could
it mean. Did Richard know it? His
eyes shot fire.
II know" he said chokinly,
"you've told Morgan about me
Its because she's my sister! Nancy
Virginia scorned for me-my God,
Tll-I'll-" he seemed to strangle
lagain. He ran out of the room and
out of the house.
Bare-headed and disheveled, he
ran to the gate. He never once
Hooked back. He did not hear the
half smothered cry that pursued
him. He vaulted the gate and was
gone.
But Nancy stood there, clasping
her cold hands against her breast.
"Oh, what shall l do?" she Sob
bed to herself softly. She had heard
almost all that Roddy had shouted
at his father, "what can | do?"
A sharp sound startled Morgan;
some one had run up the front
steps.
He rose slowly to his feet, went
to the door. On the steps stood
Rod Gordon.
whats wrong, Roddy? Any
one i'll?
mo ones II. I've got to see
you, that's all!' Roddy's voice
was utterly changed.
Richard look at him sharply.
Had he been drinking again?
"Come in,' he said quietly, "go
into the office"
Roddy stopped short by the table
and faced him, folding his arms on
his breast.
I've come" he got that far and
seemed to be choking. The boy in
Roddy had leaped up again. He
was a boy in his passion of blind
rage.
1--WE come to demand ar expla-
nation," he painted. "I-father
lust told me-you've married my
sister"
"Sit down." said Richard quiet
lily, "let us talk it over
"Talk it over? He'll" Roddy
struck his hand on the table with
such force that every article on it
crashed and spun around. you've
married my sister and let people
talk about her. Do you happen to
know what they say of it-of her?''
Richards face whitened to the
lips. II know nothing. Who
dares to say anything about her?
Or about me?"
Roddy laughed wildly Dares?
When a man hides his marriage
people talk, don't they. I'll tell
you what they say! They know
nothing of this marriage-this Sc
cret marriage of yours. you-you
coward! They say she's your"
he strangled again, e your mis-
tress, dam you'll
Richard rose to his feet.
"Who says it," he demanded
hoarsely, "who told you that?"
1.-The whole town says it!' shout
d Roddy, cts seething like a cal
dron. Lomax knows it, Haddon
knows it, everybody knows It'll
You took her to Washington and
married her secretly and ruined her
good name!"
eff you were not a boy and her
BROTHER" said Richard, It'd wiring
your neck!"
Wiring my neck, would you?
You haven't got the courage!"
Roddy screamed flinging out his
arms, "Do you think I don't know
what ails you?? Father told you
i was a thief-you're ashamed to
say you married my sister-my
sister, Nancy Virginia Gordon!
She's an angel and you're a devil,
you re- black-hearted cowardly
scoundrel! You'll fight me or, by
God, I'll call you a coward on every
street corner in the town! I'll
publish you-you can't hide any
longer behind my sister. u he
topped again, and suddenly draw
ing himself to his full height, spoke
with a new tragic dignity. II
challenge you, Richard Morgan, to
defend yourself or die in your
tracks-like a dam coward!"
Richard had scarcely heard him.
Eyes, I'll fight you," he said