Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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KEITH OF THE BORDER A TALE OF THE PLAINS ?V RANDALL FARM? dagger tf "MY IXtft OF TO gOOTH." 'tUM WILDtJWiat WAIKIHG." etc hxlv1u. a. a ?Mj * o*. nee.) . CHAPTER. XXVIk Mies Hope Suggests, Mo aoonor hod MUf Maolaire ven than Keith's thoughts turned to* word Rope Weite. She would need to her loneliness to take her from off her brother's death, aad. beeide?, much had occurred of fa forest ainoa the funeral, which ho deotred to tal* orer with her. Be? yond even these considerations he was becoming aware of a pleasure in the company altogether foreign to rnyotery which they were en doervoiing together to eotvn. He yearned to be with her, to look Into nor face, to mark how clearly the dif? fering soul changed ber from Christi? lfnc)a!r? He could not help but like the latter, yet somehow was conadoua of totally different atmospheres sur? rounding the two. With one be could ho flippant, careless, even deceitful, but the other aroused only the beat that wee tn hltn. ber own sincerity making him sincere. Tot there waa reluctance In his atepa ae he approached the door of "It." a laggard uses he could not ex? plain, but which ran Is bed swiftly enough at Hope's greeting, and the sodden ?mile with which she recog? nised him. 1 waa sure you would 00030," ehe declared frankly, "and I took an early lunch so aa to be certain and be bare, ft has seemed a long Um? since." "And you might hare even thought I forgotten.'' he answered, releasing ir hand reluctantly, "If you could tee looked Into the dining-room too. instead of staring out of ?^Thy * How forgotten V her opealng wide in surprise. "1 had the pleasure of La*.as sapper wtth Miss ataclalre" ??Oh!" the sxolamatioii decidedly eav Hfee, I oocue at oooe to 70a wtth ks eenfeesfao. However, our meet ay waa purely accidental, and so I for pardon." "Pardon from mo? Why, what dtf leo can It possibly make to me?" "Would yon hare mo consort with the enemy?' he asked, scarcely daring to press his deeper roeei 1ng "Oh, no. of course not. What did you talk about? Do you mind tellingV "Not tn the leant; our conversation waa entirely hnpersonal. She waa tefttng mo about Hawley; what a won? derfully good man he is. 1 have be> gun to euepect the fellow has fas? cinated the poor girl?ho la a good Inching deril. poaseaaed of a tongue dripping with honey." "Surely you do not mean she has fallen In km wtth him." and Hope shuddered at the thought "Why why that would be Impossible for? for a good woman" "Standards of morality are not al? ways the same," he defended gravely. MaclaJre's environment baa vastly different from yours, Bhe la a variety hall singer; probably, from her own account, a emlf since childhood; and Hawley haa <xxn? to her In the character of a friend appealing both to her tntereet and sympathy I do not know she la hi love with him. I merely suspect she may bo: certainly she le ready to do battle on hie behalf at the tllghteet opportunity 8he bellevee In him. do* fends him, and reeenta the slightest Insinuation directed against him. He oven escorts her back and forth from her worn." "Tou know this?" "1 certainly do." and he laughed at Che recollection. "Palrbain met us coming out of the dining-room?you know what a delightful, blunt blunder? ing fellow he iv Well. Mlee Christie most have made an impression even em his bachelor heart, for he actually requested the privilege of escorting to ths Trocadsro. and back to the after the performance to-night ?hinted at a lunch, the gay old dog, and pranced about like a stage-door Johnnie It was a treat to watch her face when he blurted It ail out snap? ping his sentencee aa tf he swung a whip-lash. She excused herself on Che score of a previous engagement"' "But that waa not necessarily with Hawley * "1 aeked her directly, after the doc? tor had dlsappear*d." Tou must have become very famil? iar," quesiWjftir.g oooe again In ber "So Mlee Maciaire evidently thought lodging from her manner Howsver she answsred frankly enough, and oven defiantly added the Information that the ganuemtj. had something to Impart to her of *oe utmost tmport aex-a, sarcastically asking me If I didn't wish 1 could be there and over beat But alt down, Hope, until I tell you ail that haa occurred." He want over the various events In eVaalt watching eagerly the expr<** aVm upon her face aa she listened In? tently, only occasionally interrupting with some pertinent inquiry The light fell so that she sat partially In ths shadow, where her eyee could not bo read, yet ha experienced no difficulty In comprehending the various moode with which ?he met his narrative, the eoiov changing In her cheeks, her sup? ple form bee ding toward him. or lean lug backward in the chair, her fingere clasping or unclasping in nervoug at? tention. He began with Neb's report, repeating, word by word, as nearly as he could recollect, what had passed between Hawley and her father. He paused to inquire if ehe had ever heard the name BartleU, but her re? ply was merely a negative shake of the head. When he described their mlssi.ig the train, she was. apparently, not convinced ss to the General's de- | parture upon it. although finally agree ing that, if he really believed the re? port that the man sought was else? where, It would be characteristic of | him to accept the first means of get ting there, "If he only knew I was \ here,'* she exclaimed wearily, "It might be so different, but, oh, we are all of us Just groping in the dark." Then Keith turned to his chance meet? ing vith Miss Maciaire, and repeated carefully their conversation, dwelling particularly upon the few admissions which had slipped through her lips. These did not seem important to eith? er, although they treasured them up and talked them over. Then, having exhausted the topic, silence fell be? tween them, Keith asking the privi? lege of lighting s cigar. Hope, after vatchlpg him apply the match, think? ing what a fine face be had as the ruddy flame brought It forth with the clearness of a cameo, leaned back, drawing aside the semblance to a lace curtain, and staring forth, without see? ing. Into the street Somehow, it was hard for her to ful? ly realize the situation, and how close? ly It affected her. The swiftly passing events, the complication arising so suddenly, apparently out of nothing, left her feeling as though she must surely awake from a dream. She could not comprehend what It was all about; the names Bartlett and Phyl? lis had no clear meaning, they repre? sented nothing but shadows; and this other woman?this music hall singer ?what could there be tn common be? tween them? Yet there must be t omethlng?something of vital Import? ance to her father?something which bad already cost her brother's life. That was the one thing which made it seem an actuality?which brought it home to her as a rugged fact But for that?and Keith?Keith sitting there before her?she would have doubted it all. And yet even Keith had come Into her life so suddenly, so unexpect? edly, as to leave her dased and un? certain, that she extended her hand and touched him, as though to make sure of his actual presence. "What U 14, Hope?** "Oh, nothing?nothing,** her votco breaking In a little sob, *Tt Is so silly, but I was just wondering if you were real?everything seems so impossible. I cannot bring my mind to grasp the situation.** He did not smile, hut only took tho groping hand into both of his own. "I think I understand, little gin.* he said gravely. "You are totally un? used to such life. Almost without a moment** warning you have been plunged Into a -naelstrom of adventure, and are all confused. It Is different with me?since the first shot at 8uni? ter my life has been one of action, and -wi venture has grown to be tha I stimulus I need, and upon which I thrive. But I assure you," pressing tho soft hand warmly. "1 am real." I "Of course I know that; it makes me glad to know It If I could only ! do something myself, r.nd not Just rlt here, It would all become real enough to ma She rose suddenly to her feet, clasp? ing her hands together, her face changing with new animation. "Why couldn't I? I am sure I cou'd. Oh, Mr. Keith, ft has just come to DQO how I can help." He looked at her questioning!7, thinking uf her beauty rather than of what sh? said. "Do?do I really appear so muc*i like?like tfcat woman?" she asked anxiously. "Donl You Think I Could Do Itl Would It Be ?nwomantyT* "Very much. Indeed, excepting for the slight difference tn age," "That would never be noticed In the dark, or a poor light Am I the same helghtr ??Praottosily, yea" "Aral my yoleor- -could you dletln gutsn uie from h*r by my voice I* "1 might; yet probably not, unless my suspicions were aroused. What is ft you are ?hinhing about?" She took a deep breath, standing now directly facing him In the light "Of playing Mise Mack?re to-night" she said quickly "Of taking her plaoH, and learning what It is of so much hnportanoe Hawley has to port Hont yon think It might bo done?" The sheer audacity of this tinerxpecfe> ed proposal left him speechless He arose to h.s feet gripping tbs hark of the chatr, almost doubting tf ho could har* h*ard aright his eye? searching the girl's face which WS? glowing with excitement Of courte could not permit of her exposure to such a rlb't; the Fcheme wee Imprac? ticable, absurd. But was it? Did It not offer a fair chance of euccesaT And was not the possible result worthy the risk assumed? He choked, back the earlier words of protest un uttered. puzzled . to what he had best pay. A quick-witted resourceful woman might acooiipllsh all she pro? posed. "It looks so simple," she broke in impulsively, moving nearer him, "Don't you think I could do it? Would it be unwomanly?" ' The result. If accomplished, would abundantly Justify the means,, Hope," he acknowledged at last "I was not hesitating on that account, but con? sidering the risk you would incur." "That would be so small?merely j the short walk alone with him from the theater to the hotel," she plead- i ed. "Once here It could make no dif ferenoe if he did discover my identity, for there would be p'enty of men near at hand to come to :oy defence. Oh, please say yes." "If I do, then we must make the il? lusion perfect and take as few chances of discovery as possible. I must learn exactly how the other dresses, and when she leaves the the? ater. Fortunately for the ?ucoess of your plan the Ttocadero permits no one but performers to come behind the scenes, eo that Hawley will bo compelled to wait for the lady outside the stage door. I had better go at once, and eee to these details." "Yes." she said, her eyes sparkling with anticipation, "and I am so glad you are willing. I will be most dis? creet You are not sorry I made the proposal?" "Certainly not. At ?rst It struck me as altogether wrong, but the more I think of it the stronger it appeals to me. It may reveal to us the whole conspiracy, and I cannot believe Haw? ley would venture upon any gross familiarity llkelv to cost him the gtod opinion of his ally. There is too much at stake Wait here, Hope, and I will be back the very moment I learn all that hi necessary." A glance at the office clock con? vinced Keith that in all probability, Miss Maciaire had not, as yet de? parted for the scene of her evening triumph. Still, It could not be long before she would, and he lit a cigar, Eitting down in a corner partially concealed by tho clerk's desk to wait her appearance. This required longer than anticipated, and fearing lest he might have missed the departure en? tirely, he was about to question the busy Thomas, when he beheld Hawley enter hurriedly from the street and run up the stairs. He, then, had been the laggard. Ail the better, as he would now have no opportunity to un? fold his tale to the lady, as it would be necessary for them to hurry to the theater. Whatever the nature of the revelation it would have to wait until the walk home. The excrement of the adventure was already creeping Into Keith's blood, his pulse quicken? ing. The two returned almost immedi? ately, conclusively proving that Miss Maciaire. fully dressed for the street had been awaiting the arrival of her gallant with some impatience. Hawley was busily explaining his delay as they came down the stairs, and paid little attention to the seemingly de? serted office, indeed, Miss Christie monopolized ail his thoughts. With quick scrutiny the watcher noted the more conspicuous articles of apparel constituting her costume?the white mantilla thrown over her head, the neatly fitting blue dress, the light cape covering the shoulders?surely it would not be difficult to duplicate these, so as to pass muster under the dim light of the streets. Far enough In their rear to feel safe from obser? vation he followed, noting with ln syegaed pleasure the rapidity with ahlch they covered tho required dls tcnce. Clearly Miss Christie was al? ready nervous lest she have not suf? ficient time remaining in which to properly drese for her act. and there would be no exchange of confidences on the outward Journey. Hawley left her, as Keith anticipated, at the Btage entrance, the lady hastening within. Her escort strolled leisurel) back to tho front of the house, and finally, purchasing a ticket, entered, the per? formance already having begun. Keith knew perfectly the arrange? ment of the theater?the seats In front; table* all through the center; a gallery filled with benches; a noisy orchestra beneath the stage; a crowd? ed audience of men, with only here and there a scattered representative of the gentler sex; busy waiters dodg? ing In and out among the tables, and down the aisles, rilling orders for liquids from the nearby saloon. The air would be pungent with the odor of drink, thick with the fumes of to? bacco, and noisy with voices, except as some special favorite on the stage won temi>orary attention The Troca dero possessed but one redeeming feature?no doorway connected stage and auditorium, and the management brooked no interference with his artists. It had required some nerve to originally enforce this rule, togeth? er with a smart fight or two, but at this period it was acknowledged and ronpected. No sooner had Hawley vanished than Keith found occasion to euter into casual conversation with the door-keeper, asking a number of questions, and leaving Impressed upon the mind of that astuto Individ? ual the Idea that he was deuling with a "gent" enamored of one of the stage beauties A coin slipped quietly Into tho man's hand served to deepen this Impression, and unlocked discreet Hps otherwise sworn to secrecy. Out of much general information a little of real value was thus extracted? MIhs Maciaire *s act began at 9:45 and was over promptly at 10:10. It re quired about twenty minutes more for her to change again Into street clothes, and she usually l?ft the thca ter immediately after, which would be about 10:30. Yes, there was a vesti? bule outside the stage door, and on bad nights, those waiting for the la? dles could slip in there. But on such a night as this they generally hung around outside. No, there was no watchman, but the manager was fre? quently prowling around. He'd be busy, however, at 10:30, getting the stage rendy for the "Flying Her nmnns." Abundantly satisfied and re? sisting the door-keeper's professional suggestion that he'd better buy a ticket and take a look at the show, K^ith slipped away, and hastened back to the hotel. The more he investi? gated tho more feasible appeared the girl's plan, and he was now fully com? mitted to it. (To be Continued.) A New Malady in South Carolina. "Let him run for governor and 1 will give him political tuberculosis," tlie governor of South Carolina is re? ported to have said at Keasterville, in referring to Attorney General Lyon. ?Columbia State. From which we take it that the governor Of South Carolina, having concluded that he Is not going to have un opportunity "to beat anybody in South Carolina except Ben Tillman 1 for the I'nited States Senate, has de Clded to BUCCOed himself for gover? nor. Which we take, also, to indi? cate as unmistakable evidence that South Carolina is about to pet into another of those unenviahly warm and more or i"S.s detrimental political campaigns, in which flowery lang? uage does not figure as conspicuously as slang, vilification and the strewing of political slime from boundary to boundary of the State. That good old State has had Its full share of this sort of thing, and de vervea the rest it isn't going to get right away. It can't be believed that the coming campaign over there is going to be as mild as the last one was?and that one had in it about all the political ginger the candidates, of which there was a plentiful number, could muster. The governor's an nounced Intention Of being a candi? date for the office he now holds conies after he has branded the newspaper editors of the entire State as liars, and a ureat many other unbecoming th':.ers: hence it can hardly be cx pectsd that he will have the follow? ing of even the one or two weekklies he had In his former campaign. It goes further than that, and means that the inud-slinglng Is going to get breadth and scope of publicity limited only by the aggregate circu? lation of tho State press, and that the people are. In the course of time, to he served with some rather unele vatlng, Jf somewhat enlightening, reading matter?unless, of course, South Carolina centers upon and pro? duces some one man so strong, so broad and so big that his individual? ity is suflicient to overshadow com? pletely the otherwise promised fore? boding condition; "political tubercu? losis."?A Uguata Chronicle. An Honest Record. Hereafter the Congressional Rec? ord is to open <?n its lirst p.i^< With a report of the words of senators and the text of f^rnial action by the up? per house. Then will follow a sim? ilar chronicle of the doings of the lower legislative body. Speeches never delivered but ornate in rhet? oric and replete with statistics and quotations from "authorities," that, until a recent date have bee'., get? ting first page positions in the Rec? ord, are to be relegated to a back place. Tlie nation's legislature is to have a tran.-cript of its proceedings with an increased element of veracity and dignity attaching to :t, still far from impeccable, but better than in the near past. Credit for the change must be given to the gem rai move" inert toward pervasive honesty Whch is being reflected in various ways at the national capital. a movement which led not long since to a reduc? tion of the Staff of parasitic em? ployees about legislative halls, and is Inspiring the treasury department to stricter enforcement of revenue collection and the navy department to abolition of useless navy yards and their staffs. Leather Pavement. A leather pavement has stood a successful trial of a year near Bir? mingham, England. The material is leather waste, shredded almost tO pulp and treated With bitumen and tar. The road is not affected by heavy wheels, gives off little dust, re? sists wear, and is not Influenced by weather. its nolselessness and springiness give a novel kind <d* com? : or to horses and drh ers. The remodeled and enlarged .-tores of Mr. Moses Qreen on Main street are nearing completion and they make a decided Improvement In the appearance of that pari of town. The blggeSi Hah sf..|y ? f the SeaSoU conn s from Charleston nhout this time every year, The story is told In the Charleston Post of a bass thai was caught off Station which weighed :: ? pounds and measured 45 Inches long. FINDS CONDITIONS PROPITIOUS. - I Mi. Edward L. Rleha Thlnki That There Is a Good Opening for a Gas Plant. I Mr. Edward L. Rleha, the repre? sentative <?f tin- Baltimore Utilities Company, wheh has in view tin- pur? chase from the Bartlette-Hayward Company their interests in the pro? posed gas plant in this city which wai started several yean ago, has been going over the city and taking A careful inventory of conditions here for the establishment of a gas plant. \ He stated Tuesday that he has found those conditions to he even better than they were represented to him before he came here. | That morning Mr. Rieha took an j automobile ride over the ci*x and j made a number of kodak pictures of i residences and business houses. He j was much pleased with the city and Bald that he thought that there was, every chance for a gas plant to be operated successfully here. The Baltimore Utilities Company have not j as yel purchased the material and other fixtures already hero which were brought here when the work towards the establishment of a pas plant in the city was begun several yeau ago. However, if the company .vin make a successful deal with the City Council, the plant Will be taken over from the Bartlette-IIa> ward Company and taken in hand by the | r.altimore Utilities Company. It Is J for this purpose that Mr. Rieha !s now in the city. He came on from Baltimore, ar- i riving Monday morning, and has been looking over the ground prior to ap? pearing before Council at its regular session tonight. He is one of the engineers for the company which is t ow successfully operating a number of gas plants all over the eastern part of this country. The towns that the plants are being operated in are mostly larger than Sumter. but Mr. Rleha thinks that there are good prospects here for a future business. Mr. Rieha stated tbat the plant could DO run successfully if there were U many as 4 00 consumers. This feature has been well worked up by Mr. J. A. Epperson, who came here to manage the plant for the Hartlette Heyward Company, and he stated ti at he had formerly secured a list of C<h) subscribers who had promised to become customers of the gaa plant. This removes any uncertainty on that ground and it is probable that as tho town grows a much larger number of consumers will be added to the company's list. It was stated by Mr. Reha that, if the company succeed? ed in making their deai, a plant suf flcient for ? town of 50,000 people would be put In so that no changes would have to be made at any time in the near future. In fact the plant which will be installed will be large enough to take care of its consumers until It wears out and has to be reno? vated throughout. NEGRO CONFESSED TO CRIME. Allen McCoy Makes Statement of Why He Killed Tommy llcneghan. Further Interrogation of the negro. Alien McCoy, who is held for the murder on Saturday night of Tom? my Heneghan on the Plowden's Mill road about four miles from town, led him to the complete confes? sion of the crime and to tell where be had hidden the shovel with which he had killed Heneghan. He stated at first lha he had committed the mur d *r becauae be had heard that Hene Rhan was going to kill him, but later h?1 staled that he had killed Hene? ghan for fooling with his wife. He ard his wife both maintain that she had nothing whatever to do with the crime and that she knew nothing about it until the next morning. It is understood that a younp lady of Charleston has challenged Mayor Rhett to a dive off the boulevard wall and to a swimming contest in the Ashley river. If the Mayor accepts the challenge or decline** it he will be in the swim. ? Have You a Boy to EduGate ? Have you decided where to send him to school ? Do you wish to place him in a Christian Military In? stitution ? Where his health will be carefully looked after, his mind be thoroughly trained and where he will be taught habits of obedience, punctuality, and industry If so, send him to The South Carolina Co Educational Institute Here the teachers take the place of the parents and students are .it all times under the direct and watch-care of the faculty from the time they enter school until they return to their homes. This institution has splendid brick buildings with mod? ern equipments, a faculty of fifteen experienced teachers, and a thorough course oi study. It has been 111 successful operation under the same man? agement for twenty years. Last yea*!* students were in attendance from all over South Carolina and from six other states. Write to-day for catalogue and application blank to F.N. K. BAILEY, President, Edgefield, S. C.