IR, SATURDAY, JUKE, 21, 1890.
mm&
l.l l VrPtt mJtnutsA ttk i'ai
ace nnd gloom had settled upon
I Hill. Tem Quash no longer pick-
I banjo in his moments of idleness;
i Jim rattled the bone no mera
I work was denej Amity ceased her
ag te the tinkling of the gourd fid-
,'and thp talk in tlie kitchen web
1: it vM as if Mbwm Nicholas had
rMrs. Leenard and Miss Elvira In
ctively Blmnned each ether; Flera
ok the piano, and Missy suiiceu in
i but the colonel held his head
rthan ever, hiding Ills mertiflea-
i veder a cloak of pt tde and silence
at ferbade sympathy.
Jte ene named Nicholas; even Missy,
eh her heart clamored forherbreth-
r. found her tongue refuse its office In
ifttMacnce of her Btern father. The child
&: Wderstoed intuitively something of the
9 tumult that raged in the coleuel s
t. A great nwc, net of her futlier,
t of what he suffered, took possession
ther, ar'd compelled her te Biience; but
rsele object in life new was te fellow
r brother. Te Missy thU Bcemed an easy
taking if she could only get away
10 Therne Hill: but she, wns afraid
Inture alene any farther than the
into at the end or tlie avenue, iiere
i Sv gazing wistfully through the bars,
I bating herself for cowardice, en tlie
Sing of the day that old Gilbert was
nine from Ids bootless errand; here
,'fcftd the been ever since breakfast, and it
i; new nearly cloven e clock; butshe
I net yet niade up hcruilnd te vonture
ade, when she espied n carrlage com-
LJNf along the read. Thin sight created
lSjUdden diversion in .Missy a inner
rjmuglits.
t:VltB Cousin Myrlillir she exclaimed
ad. "She s brought little and lleair
A vision of wild frolic down by the
ring rioted in Missy's brain, as up (.he
aped le open the gate; but when the
rlace passed through only Cousin
pKjrrtiila looked from the window.
I ,.Yeu didn't bling Lettie mid Bess?"
.' tried Missy, in deep reproach.
"Well, no, I didn't," said Mrs. Ilerry.
fOine oil In such a swivct. Never mind,
ltteg 'em next time. Open the deer,
IXsVkln," she cemniauded the driver.
EiaA kt me lake this child in."
'''Missy made no objection. She was
P)Md of her Cousin Myrtilla, and she nd-
tuat lady a showy dress. Bucli
utiful pink hyacinths within the bon
is brim that framed the faded old face,
lovely yellow roses outside; cucli a
ildcring lilac organdie, with its tu-
; lOMltueus pu(Ta and frills; and theso pur-
shoes! liew Missy wished rer n pair
fJestllke themt But these pemps and
muties seen palled, una Missy's thoughts
iwrerted te her trouble "Brer Nicholas
Ml gene away 1" ehe said abruptly. "He's
- Saarricd te Desia Furnlval, and lie can't
.JR1W VUIUU IIVIUU llu ...l, . 4ll Al3
4. This was no news te Mrs. Hurry; she
bad learned nil nbeut It. "Tut! tut!" she
siid. "Who savs he'll never ceme home
I. Again? Don't cry; 1 am going tosee what
t MB be done about it.
h''i'4Tliis consoled Missy, and by the time
,me carriage arrived at the house she was
f. quite cheerful again. "Cousin Myitilla
income; cousin jiyriiiia is ncrer sne
.Announced, joyfully rushing into her
'twit's presence; and Mis3 Elvira, In the
fend belief that Cousin Myrtilla would
prove a tower of strength, hastened te
, the parlor.
fVSV'Ob, cousin!" she said with tears,
k"you ve come te n house of mourning."
ffeVNew, Elvira,'' remonstrated Mm.
Herry, "why bheuld you talk as if Nieh-
L'sdas were dead';"
It&'lt is worse than death!" sighed Miss
-Tira. "My peer brother!"
"Well, yes," bald Mrs. Hurry, with an
4jansweriug nigh. Her seu nhe an euly
';blld had net beeu a credit te the fain-
f4Uy: neither had he married acceptably:
ifcat Cousin Myrtilla had everlived nil
.--inai, unu teiiayvvas uu ami rosy nuu
ifcappy. "And I suppese Jasper Thernu
ia doing ull he can te make things worbe
ifvwith his b-titfneckedncs.?, and thinking
. 2 himself a philosopher when he is eulv a
E&fML"
K "Oh!" Mias Elvira said lepreachfully.
life ''I've known him, my dear," con-
pj'ttaued Mrs. Herry, " man nnd boy; I've
f Known Jasper mere than forty years.
R,He never was wrong In his life."
I L ' Ttnt I f-fmlrt liiern in tnlb- tn Mm ?mt
. J- - ....... V .. ., . .v.
;jWeui nun, ive a message for my
;feuain, the colonel."
,," Oh," stammered Miss Elvira; "if it's
'jMOUt isicnyias, im afraid"
' -SfM it la about Nicholas, aud I am net a
"WtMrald," Mrs. Herry declared, bteutly.
syoumiserable coward, Elvira; just be-
Jasper Tborne has heavy e ebrew s
ad high aud mighty ulr.jeu don't
4are held an independent opiulen. Ge.
, . tail your brother ; I have that te sav te
.bin it ia tir h( Rlinnlil lii.nr "
f Miss Elvira obeyed ; that is, she sent
Jltasy te tell Glory-Aun te tell Oriilln
Hm te tell Tem Quahh te hunt up the
-Aoleiipl. nnd lwnr him thn iiifnrmntlnn
.that Mrs. Herry wished te see him.
fe-ft,"10 colonel made no delay in answer-
ciBg me summons, out he was very cere-
-osueus in nis greeting ; no evcraiu
kiwmythlng new in hlsdesire te appear
Efvt-wmeved.
b' K Mrs. Ilerry, however, had net known
K tlmm te many years te be easily deceived.
j; win Kin mm," she said te Herself,
V,;iUUess he can be persuaded te recon-
swiauoe." men sue spoke eut:
"i 'Cousin Jasper, there's no need for
pretension between you and me. I'm
Utrthau you ar.e, and I've seen trouble
wlth a son of my own. It is best te
leek tblugs squarely in the face. Nlch-
' .-has made an unfortunate marriage,
!': "Madam!'' said t'ie colonel, in a dcen
LgfA angry voice, with a hand uplifted in
Ills face had turned a gliastlr
tAkat made his black brews leek
' than aver, underneath which his
I (Warned like liehtnln?.
Mtiey, who had refused te Ge tent
fijat gating at hlra, fascinated; and
"" MirtuiK visibly; but Mrs.
tmnmwn "ll will ake
TV
vlth heat:
eef, and I've yet
in at my house-."
no embassy I" the cole-
rt you knew your own flesh and
better than that?" exclaimed Mrs.
Herry, impatiently. "Nick Is a Therno,
every inch of him. He'll make no over
ture. He has married the girl he loves,
and he is insanely happy, peer feel; but
he Is desperately ill."
Miss Elvira clasped her hands, but ut
tered no sound.
"He is desperately 111," Mrs. Herry ro re
pcated. "He rode all night in the mln;
and oxpesuro, fatigue and excitement
have told en him. NicholeB is very ill."
Missy hurst out crying. "1 want te go
home with Cousin Myrtilla!" she walled.
Except for this there was a dead si si
lence. The colonel thought his son's Ill
ness a ruse. "Tliat man, or that wo
man," said lie, after a long pause, "who
harbors him Is no friend of mltie."
"As you please," said Mrs. Herry, ris
ing. "He is your only son; you cannot
take away his name, nor his bleed. And
ns for me I can get en without you, Cel.
Theme. My heuse is my own, and I'll
cntcitaln whom I see fit." She was
thoroughly angry new. "If your brother
did but knew It," turning te Miss Elvira,
"the only thing te de new is te fergive
Nick's marriage. Let him try the ether
way, that's nil! But he ought te remem
ber that he is net blameless himself. He
has always worked wrong with peer
Nick, keeping him at a frowning distance,
when he ought te have grappled him
close; banishing him te that Sunrise
Plantation, when he ought te have had
him here at home. It isn't Nicholas that
is alene te blame."
But the colonel did net hear all this;
he had left the room in great wrath, and
Mrs, Herry, ovcrcemo by indignant sor
row, and vexed at her defeat, declared
that she would net remain a moment
longer.
"1 am going kick te that peer boy,"
she said, "Yeu may nail It a weakness,
If you like, but thankful am I that I for
gave my son. l've gotten mero geed out
of that, Elvira, than ever you'll get out
of Bishop Ken."
And Mrs. Herry departed.
Missy, at least, had derived some, com
fort fiem this visit; te knew that her
brother was at Cousin My it ilia's was te
feel him near within reach. Though he
was III, he need net die, nnd semu day
she could go te see Lettlo and Bess nnd,
ence there, what could hinder her stay
ing ferever with Brer Nicholas?
But, nlas for this cheering hope! the
coleuel leturncd tu the parlor when Mrs.
Herrj's earriage hud disappeared, mid
said, sternly;
"Elvira, you will oblige me by ceasing
from this time forth te held any com.
munlcntieu whatever with Mis. Ilerry
and any of her family. Fer myself novel
will I cress her threshold again, save in
cuse of some calamity."
"And that means lam net te play with
Lettie and Bess any mero!'' wailed Missy.
The colonel signed bitteily. He felt
himself a deeply injured man. no wat
lemetcly sorry for Missy's childish dis
appointment regarding nor playmates;
but what wns that compared with his
nnguUh? Yet nobody reulizcd his no
hitien, nobody considered his wounded
dignity.
CHAITEU XIV.
ei.u aiuiuur'd vow.
Mlisy dictated.
When Gilbert icturned, boiue lime nf nf
ter sundown, he found Missy beatcd at
his cabin deer.
"Brer Nicholas is in Tallahassee," she
announced in triumph.
"De Laud! Wha' dat you tell me,
Missy? Nobody ter Eden, nur ter Sun Sun
lise kin tell whicherway is Mawse Nick
gene. Is hit fur a fnc' ha is iu Talhili.iv
bee?"
Misiy nodded, with a comfortable sense
of superiority in the possession of knowl
edge that this old man had missed,
though he had made a jeurney of thirty
miles. "At Cousin Myitilla's," she ox ex
plained further.
"Yeu dean tell!"
"And be Is HI; dreadfully ill," whim
pored MUsy. "And 1 knew he wants te
see me."
"Lawd! Lawd!" ejaculated old Gil
bert. "Yeu get te carry me up le town te
morrow," Bald Missy authoritatively.
"Yeu get nethln' else te de."
Old Gilbert shook his head. "Hit
meught be a ketchiu' complaint, chile."
"I hate hard hearted people!" Missy
declared, bringing her little list down en
her knee with violence. "And every
body en this old hill has get hearts like
mlle stones 'ceptln' me. Yeu mean old
nlggerl I sha'n't give you any Christ
mas gif."
"Yeu mus tak' patience, honey," coun ceun
bclcd old Gilbert. "Hit ain't uie'n three
days sence Mawse Nicholas lef ' us; things
gwan mend maybs."
"And it tultht be a thousand years!"
sighed Missy.,
"Chlllen mus' obey," Gilbert reminded
her.
Missy was silent a long time; then she
said, at last:
"Daddy Gilbert, you've get icligien,
ain't you?"
"Bress de Lawd!" ejaculated tlie old
man, piously.
"If," proceeded the child, with great
seriousness, "if you wns te make, light
here, a solemn vow te the Lord, like the
Bible bays, you'd keep it, wouldn't you,
if it killed you?"
"Tubbe she!" the old man answered,
a little dazed between tlie fatigue of his
journey ami the leek of btrauge rc3olve
en Missy's face.
At this assent she ttoe.l up, en the step
above him, her hair tossing in the even
ing wind, her eyes burning, her blender
hands clasped against Jier bieast; she
looked, in the dim twilight, like a spirit,
nnd old Gilbert felt awed.
"Kneel down," she said imperiously.
Old Gilbert ebeved ajLthsnab tha iinm-
Vf II 111
fti."
fervid
atlnc after
elec; he thought
y be inspired.
she, in a matter of fact
this ceremony wns ever, "I'm
ck te the heuse and bring' you
me suptier. Ive get te take care of
you, 'cause yeu've get te leek nfler Brer
Nicholas."
The old negre bteul watching her ns
ehe went along the lime. "Dat chlle
ain't gwen llve out half her days," he
muttered, with a sonewful shaking of
his old head.
When Mihsy returned presently with
the premised supper, he declared that he
could lint eat.
"Well, but you belter," Missy Insisted.
"Yeu get te go up te town te-morrow. I
knew Aunt Elvira Is geln' te send you."
"D.it cawfee de smell jiew'ful rncour rnceur
agin', tubba she," he admitted, with n
slew smile, nnd seen found, his appetite.
He had just ended his meal, when MIm
Elvira steed In the cabin deer, and the
old man lesastiUly te make his awkward
obclsance.
"Hit dawn, Gilbert, you must be tired,"
Bald Miss Elvira, graciously. "Winifred,
my dear, run en hack te the heuse; it is
tee late for you te lw out."
"What's the use?" Bald Missy, with an
Impatient cihriig. "I knew nil about it.
(Daddy Gilbert had been te leek for Brer
Nicholas and Bier Nicholas nin't there."
"Nicholas Is nt Mrs. Heiry's," said
Miss Elvira, wearily.
"Se Mk-iy been lellin' me. Hukkem
you knew, Mltulo-virey?"
"Mrs. Herry was liuie teduy," she an
swcied, lliisliiug. "Yeu must go up te
town te-morrow, Gilbert. Yeu need net
etait be very early, nnd I'll see you again
in the morning."
But the next morning old Gilbert was
ailing, nnd for several days thereafter
he was unable te leave his bed. Tem
Quash, who went "up te town" three
times it week for tlie mail, reported te
Olerv-Aiin that Mawse Nick was
"mighty ulck," then that he was a little
better, nnd dually that he was pro
nounced out of danger. A fortnight
later Miss Elvira added another hundred
te the sum she had ulieady given old
Gilbert, nud dlBpatuhcd him en an em
bassy te her nepliew.
"l's a'prlsed nt Mlssle-virey," mused
old Gilbert, ns he jogged en his way,
with Nicholas' trunk In the ex cart.
"Hit ain't no me use 'n nethln' 't all ter
een'dlshyer money. Mawse Nick ain't
gwan tele hit. But I nin't gwan say
iietliiu'; when Mawse Nick done, refuse
hit, 1 gwan put lilt way; ceme e' use
bem-bye."
It caine te pass as Gilbert had fore
seen; Nicholas would noneof his aunt's
gift, nud Indeed the faithful old kI.-ive
had EOine difficulty in persuading him te
receive the tt utile. Miss Elvira, how
ever, liiude no inquiry about the money;
hbe had net expected thanks, nor any
kind of acknowledgment, nud bhe pre
ferred te bay nothing about It.
"En' hit nin't fur mu ter go ter her
Metit 1 is axed," old Gilbert decided; and
very early the next morning he buried
Miss Elvira's geld where ills own savings
were hidden.
Semu days later came the news that
Nicholas had left Tallahassee, or rather,
It wns understood that Jeb rurniv.il had
taken his daughter nud his son-in-law
nwny. It was old Gilbert who brought
this news; he had learned it through the
negrees lielenglng te tlie improvident
and despised Furuivals down the read,
whose beclety he new cultivated, as ene
means of "keeping hack of Mawse
Nick."
"Hit's a fur way, a very fur way film
here, Missle-vircy," said he, boriewfully.
"Hit's clean ter Tampa, yuther bide e'
Madisen, du tells me."
It bcetued ipute as far te Miss Elvira
ns it did te old Gilbert, and bhu wept
abundantly when nhu licrud of her
nephew's departure; but Missy took the
news very sebeily. Old Gilbert, remem
bering the vow bhe had extorted from
him, expected her te insiet upon his set
ting out for Tnuipa forthwith; but the
child was reasonable. She recognized
the fact that Tnnipa was, as old Gilbert
baid, "a very far country," nud bIie did
net remind tlie obi man of bis vow. Ap
parently, hliu had leslgned herself te the
inevitable and wns learning te live with
out Nicholas; but in truth bhu was only
biding her time; oueef these days, when
she should knew mere about geegtapby,
she would go herself teT.itnp.i, and Dad
dy Gilbert, having nothing particular te
de at Thernu Hill, should go with her.
Such was Missy's present piogramuie.
Hbe had found starving iuipincticable,
but she still maintained an unrelenting
bitterness tewauls her father, novo
speaking te him except when impossible
te nveid it.
This, however, made little or no Im
pression upon the colonel. Children had
few altinctiens for him nt any time, nud
be was tee much n prey te his own bit
terness of heal t te be conscious as yet of
his little daughter's estrangement.
Mis. Leenaid Thoine and her pretty
daughter, llnding such a statu of affairs
tee irkbome te bu borne, made all haste
te their own home, ns seen us two or
three looms could bu put In habitable
condition.
The colonel did net oppebo this plan.
He did all that he could, iu fact, tu ex
pedite the work en the heutu bv wav of
making amends feri'uniivtifB Miuuuary
dismissal; but lifter Tleia wns gene his
health seemed te fail buddenly, though
he would net acknowledge that he Mas
ill.
Miss Elvira in alarm contrived te have
the doctor pay him n vielt, ns if by
chance, and the doctor urged a clunge
of scene.
The culeml for n li ng time ivbUted,
but at hut hu allow e.l Iiiuihclf te bj per
suaded te vu-.it an old aunt of his who
for many years had resided iu New New
Yerk, lie set e!f alene one had Septem
ber day, vv lieu the laud lay aweary in
the sunshine, and the cicada kept up a
din, aud the cotton Holds weic white for
the harvest.
CHAPTER XV.
nseTCsT of Tim niDu:3.
11$ broke aicurei herabruptl mid feed
, luehing out efiht jenideif.
It was the end of October when Cel.
Thernu returned. Miss Elvira welcomed
him with a gentle and dignified self ru-
tly or timidity nnd partly
Ien of perfect ladyhoed, and
incl expected nothing mero from
undemonstrative sister : but there was
a perfuncterinessln Missy's greeting that
made him at last aware or her estrange
ment, and struck a chill te his heart.
He had brought the child some extrava
gant pieces of jewclry, but she evinced
no pleasure in his gifts, and her father
noted, without comment, that she left
them lying en the table.
The next morning he rede ever te his
flster-In-law'fl plaoe. He hoped te receive
from Flera a welcome that should make
amends for what he missed in his own
home, nor was he disappointed. His
piettynicce met him with an affectionate
effusiveness that almost did away with
the effect of his little daughter's coldness;
but it did cot escape, his observation
later that Aleck Gage was in the back
ground, deporting himself with a confi
dent air.
Mrs. Leenard talked garrulously of
various tilings; of the improvements she
wished te make, of the bale of her cotton,
the Investment of her surplus funds, the
purchase of mules, even of her poultry;
but never a word of Aleck Gage.
The colonel deemed this reticence, sig
nificant, and he rede home vexed. He
had thought te order his small world ac
cording te his own will nnd pleasure, nnd
new he found it fast slipping from his
grasp his son an nllen, the niece whom
he had hoped te make his daughter ready
te marry ene whom he had net chosen,
and his own little daughter indifferent te
him.
But when Flera came, two days later,
te say that she had premised te marry
Aleck Gage in December, the colonel,
perforce, resigned himself te her cboice
with digulllcd philosophy.
"I had allowed myself te expect n dif
ferent marriage for you, Flera, as you
knew," he could net resist saying, nor
could he eay it without a sigh; but he did
net say it harshly.
It was the first expression he had ever
given te his disappointed hopes, and
Flera, eager te conselo him, exclaimed,
with the indiscreet enthusiasm of youth;
"Aleck hasn't a fault in the world,
Uncle Jasper; he will be the best of sons
te you, if you will only let hliul"
The colonel did net say that he had no
doslre te claim Aleck Gage for a beh.
He broke away from her abruptly nnd
steed looking out of the window some
little time, struggling for command of
himself. He was still pale when he re
turned; but he speke with a courtly dig
nity: "I claim the prlvilcge of giving the
brlde.n.way."
"That is just what I wanted!" cried
Flera, and with a sudden ImpuLse of
gratitude, affection and eympathy 6ha
,thi ew her arms around his neck and
kissed him nnd cried a little.
The news of Flera's engagement threw
Misn Elvira into a great flutter. She de
clared that It was just what she had nl
waya expected, and that she was never
mero surprised in her life, nnd then she
looked helplessly at her brother.
"Flera will be married in her mother's
heuse, of course," said the colonel; "but
Therno Hill must honor the occasion
with merry making, und all our friends
must be Invited."
"Yes, eh, yea!" Miss Elvira lespended,
with a sigh of relief. Her brother's dis
approval of the match would have been
a sero embarrassment; the entertainment
,1110 colonel wished te give was a trifle
in comparison, though it meant three
weeks of incessant work at seeding rais
ins, washing currants, blanching nhueuds
and frosting cakes; but theso burdens
'were te be borne by Glory-Ann and
Chancy and Dicey, Tem Quash und Grif
fin Jim.
"And siuce Flera is such a favorite,"
said Mrs. Herry, when alie heard of
these great preparations, "why doesn't
alie put in a geed word for Nicholas?
The arrant little coward, bhe knows very
'well that it was te save her from embar
rassment, while bIie was thu colonel's
guest, that the boy delayed his confes
sion, and se niade matters worse. The
colonel is pining for a reconciliation with
his son, though he won't own it, and
Flera might de something te bring it
about. As for me, l've only meddled te
mar, se there's an end of my efforts."
Mrs. Therno was very ungry with
Cousin Myrtilla for this speech.
"I don't see hew you can talk of a leo lee leo
encillaliou with Nicholas!" said she. "I
am surprised at yeul As if we Thdrues
ever could consort with a Furnivall"
Te which Mrs. Ilerry made the exas
perating retort that Nick's wlfe was
every bit as much a Therno ns Mrs. Leon Leen
ard herself.
Fer nil this, however, Mrs. Herry was
net emitted in the list of Invitations,
either te the wedding or te the merry
making nt Therno Hill; for the colonel
had nnneunccd that every connection of
the family, far and near, should be in
vited te the entertainment he meant te
give in honor of his niece's marriage.
"And ain't Brer Nicholas and his wife
kinfelks?"nskcd Missy, withheld signifi
cance. She did net fear her father, and
yether peer little heart fluttered wildly
vv hen she put this daring question.
The colonel's only answer was a dark,
forbidding frown, und Missy betook her
self te a cerner.
"Don't you fret 'bout dat, heney,"
whispered Mem Bee, "new don't jeu;
fur de is gwnn be de fiddlers en' de
dancin', en' plum enke a-plunty."
"Don't want none!" said Missy, who
had given herself an indigestion by the
surreptitious germandizing of raisins and
citron.
"En' besides nil dat," proceeded Glnry
Anu te her overwhelming climax, "you
gwan be dressed se spruce en' gay; ye'
cousins, Miss Lettycn'Mlss Bebs, in pink,
en' you in n hebeuly blue."
Peer little Missy, who was fend of
dress, dried her tears and iccensidered
her determination te abstain from the
wedding festivities for her absent broth
er's sake.
But net even the companionship of
Lettlo and Bess, net even the drcss of
"hebenly blue," nor the sound of the
music, nor the sight of tlie mazy dauce,
could shut out the memory of Nicholas.
"Oh, Lettlo, nlu't them fiddles just
dreadful?' she lamented. "They're al
ways sayiu', 'Nicholas, Nicholas, whey's
Bier Nicholas?' no matter what the
chune they play."
"Why, Missy, what u funny child you
are!" said little, with a giggle; but
presently Bess declared that the fiddles
did say just what Missy thought; and If
the truth were confessed, they said very
nearly the same thing te the colonel nnd
Miss Elvira; the nauie that no guest
dared mention rang in their ears, nt
matter what tune the fiddles played.
CHAPTER XVI.
ItUXANNV HEM-sTIMT. .
A tew d.ive nttci tin-- wt Uiims testlv-itU-s
Miss Elvira sent old Gilbert te carry
a basket of cal.e te home fliends four or
five miles dibtanl. Gilbert could easily
have liddcu a mule ami cariied the bas
ket, but tlie ex c.l t 1 1 it l,il him te con
vey it lead of birch brooms nud bhuck
mats, for which he hoped te find a mar
ket by the way. Thu most of the day
was consumed in this jcunt, nud it wai
late iu the wintry aftiruoen when he
journeyed homeward.
As he turned the corner of the brlei
field, where thu iiiiiumeiable denuded
stalks of many growths weie making a
mournful rustling iu the uvening vv iud,
he was sui Dried te see a woman trudc.
Ing along In Dm narrow, sandy read fiiat
skirted the weed. She was going Ire the
saine direction us himself, and her back
was towards him, but there was'xune
thing In her lull, gaunt figure, cpid in
russet blown, nud wrapped in a .icanty
shavv 1 of red nud green plaid, serrX'thing
in the determined manner of her gait,
that had a strangely familiar leek te old
Gillcrt's eyes. He urged the black ex
te an unwilling trot, nnd presently over
took (his solitary wayfarer, who turned
her head as she stepped aside, and old
Gilbert recognized IloxaliuaAVhlte.
"Why, tublw uliel" he luuttered te
himself. "Whoa, Brandy!"
Gilbert had long age decided that thll
woman wns no common "pe' bukra.''
She commanded his involuntary respect
by the subtle magnetism of character,
aud moreover bhe had the advantage, in
his eyes, of lielenglng, in a way, tc
Mnwse Nick; whercfore he felt that it
behooved him te de his bebt manners.
"Why, hevvdye, inistls?' he said, with
a bread grin, ns he matched off his hat.
"Huh you de?"
"I'm middlln' well, thnnkee," said Miss
White, who was tint ubove displaying
proper manners herself when occasion
served. "Yeu're Colonel Theme's man,
Gilbert, outcast I'm mighty mistaken."
Old Gilbert grinned -villi gratified van!
ty, "Tubbe she!" he nnsweied, slipping
with nlacrity from his seat en the oxcart.
"Ef veu meught lak a lift, mlstis, en'
wenldn' mind lidlu'iu de yexcyart, I
kin walk."
"I'm eblecged ter yer," said Miss
White, promptly. "Don't keer if I de
hyst in self for a bit e' the way. I nin't
never one e' the kind te spite occasion."
The caitwus low and Rexunna wns
active, he the "hv sting" was net difficult
of accomplishment. She sat fiat down
In thu botterof the cart, and immediate
ly leek upon herself the burden of con cen con
vcisalien, vvhlle old Gilbert trudged
along beside the ex.
"I'm bound fur Cel. Therno," she an
nounced. " I'm fair bet le tackle the
colonel 'bout his son Nick, what married
out of hand my cousin 'Mnudy's daugh
ter." Thu start with which Gilbert heard
this gave :i jerk te tlie reinn that brought
old Brandy te a dead halt. The ex steed
still, while the old man gaped with
amazement at the woman who would
(laioname the colonel's bon In the colo
nel's presence ; and yet he felt that if
anyene could vonture successfully upon
such mention it might be this masterful
woman; but be gasped out the werds:
" Yu ain't she'ly?'
"Ain't I, though?" retorted Miss White.
"Tell you vv hat, thar nin't that son e
Admit stalkin' this yeth what I'm tee
peeked te leek btret In tlie face an'
speak my mind tee. I ain't never
wronged nobody, nn I nin't geiti' te bee
nobody wronged, cf speech e' nilue kin
set 'em sipiar. Tlie Lord give me a
tongue, an it kin vvug. Come, drlve up,
elu man! It won't he the fust time a
woman's tongue has vv agged nt n stiil
necked sinner. "
"Gee! Brandy!" shouted old Gilbert,
und staggered en, drunk, se te say, with
"thu wine of nsteulbhmunt."
"Pretty dein's," continued Miss White.
"Big pet in thu little pet, nn' nil Leen
county dancin' te the tune e' fiddles in
the colonel') house, un' fenstin,' an' the
colonel's son scuilliu' for bread yonder
te Tampa. Net but what he does the
best he kin. But Jeb l'lirnlval ain't no
me' in condition te work with the falliu'
of n bill onto his backbone; laid up help
less he is fur the rebt e' his days. An'
whyn't the colonel de semethin' fur his
own flesh mi bleed, befu' the boy kills
hisself tryin' te mek a livln'?"
"Is Mawse Nick aihii' agin?" old Gil
bert falteied, with a sudden appalling
memory of the vow Missy had exacted,
concerning which hu had net felt called
upon te take action as yet.
"Well, he nin't never gein' te be extry
strong, I don't reckon," said Miss White
composedly. "Leastwise, he ain't tha
kind te git a livin' thetilen niggers an'
Ian', Nick Therno nin't.
"New mind you set mu down te the
corner, old man, be's 1 kin git iu leuu'by
the fient. I ain't a speck ashamed e'my
errand, an' I ain't the kind te go creepiu'
in by nobody's back de'."
But Miss Rexniinu White was saved
the treuble of "geln' iu round by the
fient;" for just us they came te the cor
ner where bhu had wished te be "set
dewn'1 n buggy was seen approaching
along the private read that led from Mrs.
Leenard Theme's place.
"Deb mawster, new," Baid old Gilbert,
with mingled satisfaction mid uneasiness.
He had a burning cuiioelty te knew what
the colonel would say te this bold inter
ceder for Mawse Nick, and yet he quaked
In prospect of thu steim that was likely
te fellow. "Hit's mawster, bIie's you
live, en' Missle-vircy. De been ever ter
de sister-in-law's place."
Rexanna White called a halt, nnd
scrambled out of the cart te take hei
ositien by thu read side, Uke an army
ilrnu'ii im for battle. She raised her hand
I as tlie buggy drew near, n signal for It
te step, nnd the colonel reined in hit
horses.
"Geed evenln' te you, Cel. Therno,''
said she, in the high key of excitement.
The colonel lifted his hat with stately
politeness nud bowed, but did net speak.
"Yeu den t 'pear te knew nie, but 1
knew you," said Miss White, the un
terrified. "Hew de, Miss Tlierne?" she
nodded familiarly, even a little conde
scendingly, for she icgarded Miss Elvira
ns "ruther a pe' weakly minded crittur."
Mis Elvira bowed very slightly in re
turn; it was net iu her power te adapt
herself te such people as Rexanna White;
but tlie colonel made amends by a sec
ond liew, mero gracious than the first;
for Cel. 'I home knew well enough hew
te ebscure the edi prefnuum valgus upon
occasion, and he wa3 Inclined te be vex
ed with himself that he could net re
member hiving ever met this woman.
"I'll tell you who 1 am," Miss White
proceeded sturdily. "My name's Rox Rex
nuua White, second cousin te Amaudy
Jaivis, what married Jeb Furuivul, us
you get cause te mind."
Tlie bleed lushed te the colonel's face,
and thu next ihitaut left it pale. Miss
Elvira gave a frightened gasp, and said
nerveusly:
"Perhapi we'd better drive en?"
But the colonel sat t igid. He deemed
It Inconsistent with his dignity te mani
fest any sensitiveness at the nauie of
Fill nival; and Miss White, ignoring Miss
Elvira's suggestion, preceeded:
"I ain't minded te waste time multl
plyin' of words, colonel. It's ye' son
Nick Tlierne what I come te talk about.
He's ye' own flesh an' bleed, an' it's a
natchul questien: What you geln' te de
te set him up?"
Miss White made a barely perceptible
pause, but seeing the colonel se slew te
take udvantage of it she piemptly re
sumed "I ain't say In' nethln' 'bout Desia
though I meught. It's all along of
Nicholas Tlierne, I'm a-liftin' up of my
voice."
The colonel inter: upted her: "Who
sent en en this errand.'" he asked, coldly.
Ne ene could have divined, f lern voice
or leek or manner, the hope that strug
gled iu the depth of his heart the hope
that Nicholas, even through this uncouth
woman, thi3 relative of the girl he had
married, might lie making overtures for
pardon nud reconciliation; far, indeed,
was Rexanna Whlte fiem buspectlng the
true state of the case. She was c '.feuded
at the Question.
"who sent met' she cried, shrilly.
"Why, the Lord A'mlghty, I reckint
Sent me te warn you beginst jedgment
day. Nick Therne warn't raised te git a
livln' efften anythln' but land and nig
gers; nu' sence you've made him what
he is, all mankind an' the Lord in heaven
'11 held you bounden te set him up
somehow."
This was tee much for the colonel's
scant patience; if he relented towards
his son, it certainly would net be at the
dictation of this virago, whom he strong
ly suspected of being Instigated te this
demand for property by Jeb Furnlval
and his daughter.
"Yeu transcend your province, ma
dam," he said, haughtily. "I liave noth
ing te say te you regarding the misguided
young man who married your relative;
and I bid you geed evening."
The next thing Rexanna White knew
the colonel had driven away, and she
was teft. defeated. And defeat wai vcrr
bitter te Rexanna White; it was an ex
perience she had never heretofore known ;
tier strength of purpese and her vehem
ence of tengue had invariably served te
win her the victory of every encounter,
and never had she felt herself be deserv
ing of victory as in this Instance. It had
been n griovance that Nicholas and Desia
did net confide In her, but nene the less
did she sympathize with thorn, and do de do
sleo, unselfishly, te serve them. This
woman, who had missed the great bless
ing of leve in her own youth, had fitlll a
soft spot in her heart for foolish young
levers, when.once their felly had become
nn accepted fact. There was something
exalting in the sufficiency theso two
young peeple found In each ether, ren
dering them be gayly Indifferent te pov
erty aud hardship, aud there was some
thing appalling as well. Rexanna, who
knew the storms and struggles of life,
trembled nt the prospect before them.
She had followed them te Tampa, when
she heard of Jeb Furn! vat's accident, and
she had returned te Leen county of tier
own accord, and without consulting any
ene, for the express purpose of softening
Colonel Theme's heart. She had expect
ed te find this an undertaking demand
ing all her powers of iersuasien, but she
had net counted upon failure, and she
sat down en the roadside aud cried like
a child, with rage against the colonel,
and with pity for Nicholas and Desia.
"Dullaw, mistis! Dullaw, mlstlsl" said
old Gilbert, with plaintive, impotent
sympathy.
"Lemnie 'lone!" cried Rexanna, vi
ciously. "Ef you'll git back inter de yex cyart,
mistis," old Gilbert nevertheless ventured
te BUggest, "de boas' ain't dat ti'ed but I
meught mek out ter drive ye ez fur"
"Ne you don't nutlicrt" Miss White de
clared, bouncing up. "I kin walk, I'm
thankful. De you s'pesen I'm gein' te be
ridin' in Cel. Theme's ex cart, driven by
Ids ele nigger, which both en 'em Is sleek
an' fat, an' his Ben, Desia's husband, a
waitin' fur starvation, mebbe? I'm get
ter leek nfter Nick Therno an' his wife,
an' I'm geln' hack te Tampa."
And Miss AVIiite strede away and was
lest In the shadow of the weeds.
"Well, tubbe bIie," old Gilbert sighed,
"Mawse Nick ain't gwan lack help in
tirely, ef she gwan leek utter him. Da
Lawd rewnrd her!"
CHAPTER XVII.
a cut.istmas ruaiiT.
" Well, old mem, what foelUUixess are you
vp te neivf"
Leng did old Gilbert sit that evening
in deep despondency ever Miba White's
report of Nicholas' condition; but ru
ineiubering, at last, the money he had
received for his mats nnd brooms, he
drew from his pocket nn old leathern
purse, clinking the coins and chuckling
at the sound. "DU pe' old no 'count
nigger kin mek money ylt," he said, ex
ultlnalv. Slowly he counted ever the
sum, uud tied the money iu a rag. This
performance having restored his appe
tite iu some measure, he raked from the
ashes a roasted potato that had been cov
ered up there te keep warm, and with a
bit of fried bacon, bet away in the broken
skillet, he made a satisfying supper.
With the glimmer of the dawn next
morning he rese, threw a blanket ever
tils shoulders, took his stalf in his hand
and went out before any ene else was
stirring; for Gilbert had new te visit the
hollow in the weed, hi order te deposit
the money he had recently gained by the
sale of his wares.
The mero his treasure grew the greater
grew old Gilbert's dread of discovery,
the sharper his lookout for any sign of
Intrusion iqien his hiding place. Even
new, In the dim light that struggled
through the trees, the old fellow's prac
ticed vision perceived indications that
made him uneasy. "Somebody been
a-huutln' in ew weeds," he muttered.
"Drat dat Jesse Furnlval en' his ynllcr
deg! Laws-a massy, jes' ter tiuk detu is
Mawse Nick's kin!"
A mere careful scrutiny, however, seen
satisfied him that the spot where his
money was buried remained intact.
"But de ain't no tellin' hew long dis
gwan stay safe," he moralized. "De me'
I studies, 'pears lak de me' I dean knew
what de bes' ter de. Meney what you
ain't a-spendin' is a iewer e' tiouble,
tubbe she!"
Cel. Therno had offered te take care of
his money for him, but Gilbert distrust
ed, net his master, but his master's prac
tice of depositing Iu banks, for banks
had a way of "bustln' en' den whey ye'
money?"
"Gwan ketch roematiz, wuss sort," he
grumbled, "eut-cher fe' sun up. I'se get
ter put some e' dat money out ter intrust
In a muel, dat's what."
He covered ever the iron pet with a
studied carelessness in the disposition of
the rubbish, aud rese stiffly te take his
homeward way.
"Ef Mawse Nick wuz jes' home
Laws-a-massyl I been study In' 'bout
Mawse Nick cawntiiiuat. 'Spect I gwan
spen' runs' e' my time study in' 'bout him."
The immediate effect of all his "study
In"' was thnt old Gilbert found it impos
sible te settle te any work. He strolled
about his little domain, Investigating his
peach trees, his bean arbor, his pig sty aud
his lieu house, moralizing us hu went:
"Us pe' worldly cntturs e' dust en'
ashes de git nilght'ly welded ter ycthly
possessions, tubbe she; when any day
bit ineujjht be tileasiu' ter de Lawd ter
call us away. En' 1 dean kne.v but de
hebeuly mawster is a callin' me new, I
dean knew. 'Pears lak Beraethin' been
a-ca'Hn me ever pence Missy made me
premuss dat wow. En' ylt 1 ain't be
ole, nuther. Tears lak 1 meught live a
long time yit. I'm gwan ter da gret
fefiVM, talk wd mawster 'bqut de nu'rhasa
e' dat ele whlte muel Zip; lie's fair
muel, en' wuth money eeme.""
Cel. Therno was in the office, as tha
separate small building was called in
which he transacted all matters Of bust
nessj but apparently lie was unoccupied
when old Gilbert entered, for lie sat Iu
his leather covered arm chair, stroking
tils beard and staring at the fire. UU
thoughts were busy about Miss Rexanna
White's apical net that it moved him
in the least; it had served but te empha
size his conviction that he was a deeply
injured man; his pride, tils affection, hu
dignity had been wounded, net merely
by his son's felly, but by his duplicity in
concealing his marriage, leaving the mo me mo
mentous secret te he discovered through
a child's inability te keep silence. And
yet, nfter thU lapse of tlme, Nicholas
rv as net willing te make evertures. The
colonel, forgetting that he had refused
te allow Nicholas te say a word in till
own defense, was resolved that he would
net take the initiative toward reconcilia
tion; yet his thoughts turned incessantly
te his son. But he thrust his painful
musings aside when he heard old Gilbert's
fnmlliar salutation, nnd said, with an
effort nt gayety:
"Well, old man, what foolishness ere
you up te new?"
"Hit's business, mawster, of you
please, sub, dis time," old Gilbert mode
answer, twirling his hat by way of relief
te his embarrassment. "I'se been study
in' en a trade, cf you'd git ye' cawnsent,
sub."
"Well?"
"Dat ole whlte muel, Zip, sab. I wuz
studyin' det you meught be minded ter
tek sixty dollars fur him; he Is a ole
muel."
"What? Yeu've Baved up sixty dol
lars!" exclaimed the colonel. "And you
want te buy old Zip te feed him en my
com nnd fodder, eh?"
"Yeu weuldnt miss what hed eat,
sub, nur uairy 'nuther muel," old Gilbert
Bald deprecatlngly, unconscious of the
comparison he made, but which the
colonel perceived and smiled at grimly.
"I don't see whnt you want with the
mule," he Raid. "Old Brandy and the
ex cart ubeut belong te you new."
"Ole Biandy en' de yex cyart ain't se
survisable for pleughing" Gilbert ex
plained. "1 don't want your money," said the
coleuel, shortly.
There followed a pause, during which
old Gilbert steed stock still, as If sudden
ly paralyzed. Net a fiber of him stirred.
except his eyes, that roved from one
part of the room te another, returning
again nnd again te rest upon the colonel.
"Yeu can take the mule at any time
you may need him," the colonel said at
last, and lie repeated, "I don't want your
money."
"Thankee, mawster, thankee sub," old
Gilbert responded, but there was disap
pointment in his tene. He lingered an
Instant, as if he meant te say mero, then
turned and went his shambling way cut
of the office. When he had geno down
the steps, he looked back te say, "Ain't
I heard you tell de ebcrsecr what Zip is
vv uth 'bout sixty dollars, suh?"
"I suppese he may be worth about
that," the colonel answered, absently.
It wanted new but a few days of
Cluistinas, which the coleuel desired te
celebrate just ns usual. The turkeys had
long been fattening, the beef was killed,
the bonfires were piled ready for light
ing. If Nicholas' absence was felt, no
one alluded te it, and jest and jollity
went en without him.
On Christmas morning the Hill re
sounded with the pepping of lire crack
ers, the sheeting of guns aud the repeat
ed shout, in every vailety of tene, of
"Chiis'mas gif, mawster!" "Chris'mas
gif, Missle-vircy!" "Chris'mas gif,
Missy!" Even seme few ventured te
"catch" Glory-Ann "Chris'mas gif 1" for
which impertinence they were promptly
rewarded w ith a cull ou the ear. 'Missy
steed ou the back gallery and presented
china mugs, gay handkerchiefs, strings
of beads und pipes and tobacco; while
Miss Elvira, aided by Glory-Ann and
Daphne, ladled out egg neg from a huge
punch bowl, and distributed gingcrbiead
fiem nu inexhaustible basket.
And that Cluistnias morning, faraway
in Tampa, Nicholas was saying gayly,
though the teais steed in hiseyes, "Only
n kiss, my Desia, only a kiss for n Christ
mas gift!"
A large party dined at Therne Hill that
day, and there was feasting with decor
ous merriment, iu which the colonel bere
his pai t.
Missy disappcaicd after dinner, but nt
dark she rushed in, and calling her mint
Elvira aside, she demanded the necklace
and bracelets her father had brought her
fiem New Yeik. "I ain't never Bhevved
'em te Mem Bee, nor nobody," she said.
"But, Winifred, you might break
them," Miss Elvira demurred.
Nevertheless, Missy, as usual, carried
her point, and Miss Elvira returned te
the parlor te forget nil about the jewelry
until licit day. Missy, w hen inquired
of, responded that she was old enough
new te Imj trusted with her own things;
and by dint of forbearing te press the
question, Miss Elvira came seen te forget
the chain and bracelets altogether.
In the afternoon of the second day
after Christmas Glory-Ann took occa
sion te ask:
"Missle-virey, is you souteld man Gil
bert oil any whey?"
Of ceuisu Glory-Ann knew nil about
these secret expeditions with the ex cart,
first te Eden and then te Tallahassee.
"Where should I be sending him?" said
Miss Elvira, coloring guiltily.
"Dunnenie," Glory-Ann answered,
with mystery. "Maybe hit's mawster Is
sent him?" She was consumed by curi
osity; for old Gilbert had been missing
since tlie morning after Christmas. His
cabin "was locked, and there was no
smoke tn the chimney.
It was seen manifest, hev7ever, that
the colonel was net responsible for old
Gilbert's disappearance, ns he was heard
te ask If the old man had madu himself
ill en Christmas cheer. When the mat
ter was fin thcr Inquired into, It was found
that the old white mule Zip was missing
likewise.
The colonel received this information
with a stare at first, and then burst out
laughing; though why he laughed nobody
knuw, for he had told no one of old Gil
bert's proffered trade. But this laugh
gave tlie Impression that Gilbert had
taken advantage of some jest of his mas
ter's te tieat himself te a prolonged holi
day, and his absence ceased te be won
dered at, even when nearly two weeks
had gene by.
About this time the colonel, en going
iute the offlce, one morning, was sur
prised te find en his table nn uncouth
package wrapped In apiece of cloth, aud
tied with a length of twlne multitudi multitudi
neusly knotted. When this was opened,
there lay revealed a quantity of coin te
the amount of sixty dollars! The colonel's
stern features, as he counted it ever, re
laxed in a pathetle smile. This was the
price of the old white mule, but hew it
came there, upon his table, was a prob
lem he made no attempt te solve. Caro Care
fully he tied up the money again, and
locked it away in a drawer of his big
mahogany secretary, against a day of
reckoning, a day mere distant than he
dream ad.
Centimifit nert Sahtwtnv
Tliv l'eiiiirnmlf.
Gerimnv and Enplsnd have ceme te nn
agreement ever Africa. Germany pedes
Snmaliland and Vltu te England, and Eng
land cedes Heligeland te Germany,
t.
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