VOL.* xxxiv Spring and Qummer Qhoes and Qxfords. The season many new and pretty stv.t- in Sr.- ->h( ami oxfo. Is 1.a.1i- s fine footwear-Tan color. Chocolate color, Patent lsa'.hers an I fine Longoias, in then w cofii toe. En!! Pog toe, E npire tot, c'otti or leather to; sr ml a.i siz-rs, A Tf K R Green Shoes. The Latest Graze. Hare you se.-n them, bee the different styles in our windows—Ladies' and Gents' Gre -n shoes on especially attractive lasts -several shades to choose from— well-made, servicable and stylish. Men s And Boys' Fine Shoes. A'l styles, all varieties of footwear to be found in our stock. We aim to supply all wants— the wish for low prices along witJT others. See onr line of Men's, Boy' and Youths' tine shoes in russetts, vici kid and fine cilf :n the shaf 50c, and 75c hats at 25c, if you want one of these hat', you will ni'. dto get here early. We have a great many, but just enough for one days selling in this busy store. WATCH THIS SPACE FOR THURSDAYS BARGAINS MARKS'. 10H S. Main St , one door South of Hitler havings Bank. Advertise in the CITIZEN. -TTIE BUTLER CITIZEN. Ea*»y to Take any to Operate j Are feature* p •miliar to Hood's Pills. Sma! ;n I size, tasteles* thorough As one man Hood's ! said: "You ni fcr know yon _ _ _ have * icena j ill: li> all mjk _£ I 1 over." 25c. C.r ■ Hi,x3 Prop::• tori. ■ ■" ■ w The 01.Ij - pi.;: otJce v\i'. Hoo i s Snr-aparilla. This Is Vonr Opportunity. On r r -ceij t of t-n cents. c:;sh cr stamps, a gcn-rouH sample will tmailed of tbe most ; opular < -itirrh snd Hay Fever Cur fEly's < nam Bain: sc!>eent to demon strata the grtr.t me:." of tie remedy. ELY BROTHKItS, 6C Warren St , Kew York City. Rc-r. JohnHeid, Jr.. of Great Falls, Mont., recommended Ely's Cream Ii&lm to me. I cat. emphasize his statement, "II is a posi tive cure for catarrh if a ted »s direct', d."— He--. Francis. W. Poole, Pastor Centra. Pres. Church, Helena, Mont- Ely's Cream Balm is the acknowledged euro far catarrh and contains no mercury nor any injurinuii drug. Price, 50 cents. WE ARE MAKING Good clothe.-i at surh low prices that poor ones art? no longer wanted. f | | 4 There is a little •thing a! \ th.? collar .-.n-1 lapel of OUT touts t £ f and a certain graceful haug of t';e & m i i trousers that suak; tl: .:u origin •!. 0 It is in part of the details, a <0 X k: ack v.liich cheap tailors cam.>.t » a acquire no matter low good in the •" P * ttia'.»-risl they use. 1 l '1 • @ WE INVITE Yonr inspection of our new Spring Patterns and i corn parison of prices. ALAND, MAKER OF MEN'S LOTHES A Perfect Cut. When you yet a suit you want it made right A perfect cut i; necessaiy. ilijjii grade goods, ;i perfect cut and careful workman ship are a combination which give the best results and these are appreciated by the customer. In that way lie {jets his money's worth. A Standard Established. You see it yourself No one need ex plain to you why the clothes made by us are the most popular. Ours is a standard that makes them perfect. We keep our goods up to the limit of perfec tion and our workmen all assist in making the clothes first-class. It is E..;.y Enough to cut into cloth and turn out clothes. It takes ability to obtain perfect re sults. Our tailors are the best, our cutter an artist and the per fect results as natural as the mis takes of others. Because our clothes are the best, people want them. WEDDING SUrfTT SPECIALTY. B Cor. Diamond. Butler. Pa ipSL» (Q ilpll The Place to Buy GAS COOK INGJAND 11 EATING STC )V ICS, G/\s" BURNERS AM) FIX TURES, HOSE, I! ATI I TUBS, ENAMEE AND IMPROVFD WELSHBACH GfiS BURNER, W H. O'BRIEN i ON 107 I'.ant Jefferson St. AGENTS WA XT HI) Exjierienccd agent- l<» take hold ol a new and oriir inal article. Sell- on nigh) Uig irmu.-y in it !<"or territorv full particular and terms. add res- with stamp MaicKLK liIUM., Cl' arfn Id, l'tt BUTLER, THURSDAY, JUNK 10, 1597 -_f- . - ■\i \ V '"J --V - \ V -jrr ——/ f(W» [(MI —W h< P ' V'l W& fv k ;.VSr # \r*' if iTTTM CARRIHC9SS!i£« [C-r> right. b*J B. Llpptocott Ojmp«c> J XII. The Chrlstnwir holidays v.'re coming or. at Walton I lull, v here, tore ft rich- n. Its mistress lay hf' % -ring lietwi n life nnd death. Two wec-Vihad po-v ed since •.he eventful nirrht of the arr.".t=. an<", though no ehr.n;'- had come ever the lundseape. and days of enrshine were few nnd f«r between, soin.' odd clt-ra tions had taken place lii acl around the old homestead. Of these the most remarkable was the appearance three times a day of a young officer in Yan'ree uniform nt the family board—a ycung ft © im V yps;* \ w • '.-it •>. \.x /M h >% HC". ' i■■ I ' ' 4' 14&1 - mZ ; t '-"iff"-' te Wm ~&*:m ' li'-gr/ ' -i..-- "I reckon, ffotit lerven, I'm tfte rnau you wiint." j officer who often prolonged h.s visit until late In the evening. Mr. Isaac Newton Lambert, though occupying hio tent in eamp, had become otheru is<. an Inmate of the Wniton establishment, for, unknown to the beloved it.wiljd, Ik r daughters were actually "tjiklnry board' 1 h." Another boarder, who had eotj,e am! ■ moved a modest bachelor kit Into one of the upstairs rooms fiu-ilig th»- >-ast and overlooking the little eamp, was Mr. Barton Potf-s, i»eti' r kno«ri to all the inmates as Cousin Hart." Indued, It was due In ffieat measure to iii dvice and Influence that Mr. Lambert was ad mitted. Impoverished as were thi- Wal ton# —In dire need, as it turkc-d out, now that the r.-solute woman who so many years had managed tli st ruggle hard to keep lixly and soul t«>K''tbcr. The efforts of Judge Summers had Ixmn sufficient to save the house in which she dwelt, end "taking boarders" become liur vocation. Hut paying boordem wore scarce, and even when her tJiblu wn/i crowded with homeless people In r nock eta were often empty. When j Svtfeet'n Hijundron of tbe —th TJ. H. cuv airy marched Into town and took | 1 ion there, the application of some of | t.ho offi.-.-rs for "ration* arid quarters" | under I" r roof vmlm <*>ldly declined. | Tliey went to a hotel, and suffered, a., the.y dwrvi d, the. jtangs .f La tec It trunsjilred that two of them ' went ti» ehnreli, rind tills put an un looked for fuet/.r into the probb m of Iww to treat thcmi conquering l»ut uii jiopular her refuse to ruin- j later t'» their spiritual rnoesslties. | Their 1 e| io;is faith was ld«-ntical with | , 1 hat. of bl.iitock; It was In fK»llUeal faltli | that they differed. Oil'' inUfht deeline j to sit at meat, with thi-m, but coul l i hardly decline to nit with them .it wor- j ship. They could be forbidden to eat with the elect, but the elect would not forbid them to pray. Even in the sanc tuary, however, only ho tlie or averted looks •. ere vouchsafed 10 Col. Sweet and O >t- Vinton w h.-n first they sought its doors; but in tne course of a few months the women found that their sol diers—their husiiand;., brothers,or Jov r.r.s, whom the war hud spared—wer-t actually fraternizing with the Yankee Invaders, and that between those who had done hard and honest fighting 011 cither side there w as .springing up firm and honest friendship. The irreooneil ablea wore limited, apparently, to the noncombatants. When the squadron was ordered elsewhere after a si < months' sojourn at Quitman, the popu lace was astonished to find how much the were missed and reallv needed; for even Yankee custom ha 1 been acceptable, in the bt/ires and an kee contributions welcome in the church. Business had brought Col. Sweet to Summers' office, and in th<) course of frequent visits cordial rela tions were established, and Floyd Wal ton could hardly treat with disdain a foldier and gentleman whom his patrons welcomed, cvi_n had he long retained the disposition to do so. The command had not l>een gone a week beforo men were unaccountably wishing it back, an/1 when it reap peured, with certain additions. It was actually welcomed by people who would have scouted the possioility of such a thing the year beforo. This time Col. Sweet announced to the rector that his •vife and daughter would speedily fo ; - low, and were even then in New Orleans, awaiting Ids Instructions to come. Th* hotel was no place for Indies in those rough days; the rector went to Mrs. Tower, and Mrs. Tower no longer re sisted the Inevitable. Floyd Walton, going to tea one hot June -veiling, was astonished to find himself in the pres ence of two Indies, one of them a pretty fjirl of perhaps IS, mid fo be presented to Mrs. and Miss Sweet. Within a week the young fellow was spending his evenings at the Towers', and within the month was hopelessly In love. Then ctune trouble, lie hadn't n cent In the world. She was a soldier's daughter, and presumably poor. Whether she was poor or not, he, ut least, had noth ing to offer, and, having nothing, held his tongue, though he could not bold his peace. That was gone. That was a wretched summer nud nutumn. The fire rtur 1 nlong the gulf, and cholera swooped u>. » the garrir,ou. Sweet got li's wife d child nv.ay t" the mountains Tin y left suthh nly while Floyd was on 11 Ijxief visit to his mother and sisters. It was December when they came biu'k. M •aritinc Judge Summers had abandoned practice and gone to live at his old homo at Sand brook. Mr. Todd could offer young Walton no help; there was no money In law business just then. Matters at Tugaloo were going from bud to worse, and Walton found himself abso lutely without money to pay his board. That made no difference to' Mrs. Tower. She told hliri his mother*!- boy was as welcome as her own,and mnde him wel come where fascination all too strong already held him. Something In Jen nie Sweet's gentle manner had changed She was nervous, ill at ewe, and sought to avoid him. Something In her mother's manner, too, was very differ ent, And one day the truth came out. The frequency with which letters be gan chasing one another from the north explained the whole thing. Jenny linil met. her fate that fatal summer among the Virginia mountains, and was en gaged to be married. Mrs. Sweet re ferred to the happy man ns "a wealthy gentleman from Philadelphia, a few years older than Ocnevleve, but a most charming person." Genevieve herself snid little or nothing, but looked none too radiant. Col. Sweet said less, but looked much at her, Then Floyd Walton found another lionrdlng place, and one where the In fluences were worse. He threw up hla position In the law office and took an humble clerkship nt a store. It paid him enough to board and lodge him, and here, from serving his customer* with drink, he got to serving himself, anil to associating with a regular set, some young townsmen, some soldiers. There were stories of gambling and quarrel even before Col. Sweet found that Jenny, the apple of his eye, was drooping In that southern climate, and sent her, with her mother, north "for good." The next thing heard of Floyd Walton was that he hud gone to New Orleans with a discharged soldier; and, even while grieving over her lxiy's in freijuent letters and evident hopeless ness and depression, Mrs. Walton re ceived 11 missive one day that left her prostrate. She went alone to Quitman as soon us able to move, ami came back within 48 hours looking years older, mid both the girls soon knew tluitshe had parted with the diamond earrings that were their father's last gift to her In the happy, prosperous days th nit pre ceded the war. Floyd had written that, etarvlng, drunk or drugged, and ihvt pernte, he hrul been led by his associate liefore a recruiting officer, had l»ecii pent with others ns reckless as himself to sober up at the quarters of a cavalry command near the city, and that, the next thing li'- knew, he with 11 squad of seven recruits wtis on his way to Join it troop stationed within a few nille* of his home, Instead, as he had lieen us , tired would be tbe '■•». e, *.f lielng sent to the Fourth cavalry un frontier duty pgalnst the Indians in Texas. "They broke, their contract," he said, "and 1 broke mine." He had deserted, and. If captured, would be sent to hard labor at. Baton Bonge penitentiary or* to the Dry Tortuga*. Such stories leak out despite every effort to conceal them, but not tin til Just before Lambert'* coming to Join Company '1 did Mrs. Walton dream that Esther knew of her brother's peril. A sudden outcry in her garden one day brought her in haste to the isjsit, and there were a drunken soldier and her quadroon maid Elinor hi* de manding llijuor and she the return of a pitcher which lie had evidently snatched from her hand Madam Will lon's lately presence and her Imperious order that In- leave the premises at onre only partially soliered him. lie imv ber to understand tbnt If 'die rej»ortcd him he could bring shame upon her l'.-ad—be knew more about her :iff;iir< than she dreamed. His insolence tried her temper, but could not alter her tone am' bearing. It \v..s not until he nas gone iltif l"s»her, tremblintr an! In fp;irs. earn and b.-.»jred her to lodge no complaint against the man, as be in £ecd knew more than she supposed. And then, in reply to her mother's de mand. Ksther brokenly admitted that phe had already heard of Floyd's en- I strnent md desertion through this very soldier. He had 1 en at tl 1 -.-.-, is.* before. What sh did not tell her mother was, that the news first reached her through Waiton Scrogtrs. And then, without warning, Floyd suddenly came home. So troubled had be been by the condition of his mother's health and as confided in Ksther's letters (sent under cover to an old fam ily friend now serving as a surgeon in the Ju::rez army) that, having earned u little money in Vera Cruz, he hastened back and appeared there late at even ing, worn and weary, before those lov ing jet terrified eves, lie hail ridden miles on horseback that day, as he f. ared recognition by officers or soldiers stiil at. Quitman if he cam by mil that way. or by federal deputies if he came tbe other, list tier alone had received hiiu ou his arrival, for she, poor girl, was watching at the old arbor near the south fence for the coming of her lover-husband, that day released from the clutches of the law. Then, after hearing her recital of their needs and sorrows, he had sent old Kasmus with a message into camp, while she had gone to prepare her mother for his coming. Late that night, Mrs. Walton, kneel ing by the bedside of her sleeping boy, became suddenly aware of a scuttle go ing on underneath the window, and, noiselessly descending the stairs, un fastened the side door and came at once upon the intruders, with the result al ready known. Not until aroused by the screams of Elinor and his sister Kate did Floyd know anything of the affair. Hnlf asleep, and bewildered, he had jumped into boots and trousers and rushed to the rescue. Onr- glance explained the whole thing, but it was Ksther who in desperation seized and held htm back when he would have sprung to release his mother from Kiggs' drunken grii'ji —Esther who, hearing the coming rush of Lan.' ert's footstep , realized that what meant in stant rescue for her mother meant equally Instant peril for him !->ther who actually ordered his hurried re treat at Lambert's • ppearance. Not until the following day did It occur to her mother to tislt how it was or why it was she was up and dressed st tint hour of the night, At any other time, perhaps, she would have found it far more difficult to frame plausible excuse, but almost anything would an swer now. For hours she hid lieen listening for the tap upon her window that should tell her Walton had not been spirited away to a place of safety until he had conn to bless and com fort her with his love-words und ca resses. To her, at least, despite the wild oats of his earlier days, her cousin husband was nil that was true and tender and fond. For him she had dared her mother's wrath, her younger si ter's indignation, and Floyd nlono was her supporter in the secret mnr riage that took place during her brief visit to the Claytons in the early spring. With the dawn of Sunday, his sig nal at Inst was heard, and she stole out V / :\\Jl Ml ' f •! x j '' V"3f "w j ,' • 'b'j I • i j «• ;■ h A • r ftSw JJ !' iji 1 ■ . > In * ■ --- * / / s' ' Kno«llus by th* U«l«l!lo of bar •loopius boy U> meet him - to tell of Floyd's return, anil to plan with him for their joint escape, for Floyd hud told her that, It would )>e folly to utteyipt to remain in hiding there. Already certain ne groes of the neighborhood had m-cu him, rind it could 1 ot be long before tie military authorities were Informed. Walton was all helpfulness and sym pathy. Ills brother, the conductor, had planned to send his horse to the Wal ton barn ut ten that flight, und "Will" was to rid.j 'cross country to a friend's in Jtarksdalo county, leave the horse there, and be at the |>oliit where the rail way crossed the country road nt 11:80, when the "Owl" would stop and take him on the baggage ear unless some of I'aimelee'u spies or deputies were aboard. There would be no trouble ut the capital, where the Owl often waited an hour for the express. The engi neer would slow up Just cant of town. Walton would drop olf in the durkness and make his way around to the west by a brisk tramp of a couple of miles, and there be taken on arralri about 1:30 a. ui. and jostled away to the river. Once there, all the sheriff's pos«es In the south couldn't find him. Walton promptly urged that Floyd go with him. lCasmus was routed out from slumber In the barn and sent away with mes sages to < 01. Seroggs and "Cousin JJurt," and then the voice of Kate was heard, calling for her sister. Instead of be ing asleep, Mrs. Walton was painfully awake and planning a diplomatic let ter to be sent to Cupt. Close. For hours the only refuge they could offer Esther's husband v as the cellar, for Mrs. V\ niton had insisted on being up and dressed to meet. Cousin Bart, whom now she desired to send for and consult. Tbi letter which hiul so bewildered the company commander was brief enough. It bore neither date nor place, but went, straight to huslncvi "Mrs. Walton prc'ient* her compli ments to the officer In command of the federal troops here In camp and bcii .to say that she finds upon investigation that the two soldiers who visited her premises last, night did so at th" re quest of a member of her household, who sought their aid in bringing cer tain supplies from town when her servants proved too ungrateful tu !«• relied upon. Mrs. Walton deeply re grets that the suhliii referred to 'ire now in danger of further punishment, and, while utterly disapproving the action which led to their employment In violation of her express orders, she nevertheless ucei-.g, the entire respon sibility, iiiml begs that no farther steps may Iss taken against tliem, ns she will riot only positively refuse to appear a* tl wit'l' •( In the ease, but will prohibit niij lit her household from so appeal ing. "Huinlay inornl^g And possibly the lady of Walton 11 nil felt quite assured that ll%r mandate overruled any subpoena the federal auth6rity could draft. One thing is certain, w lien Close read it over • sec ond time he handed it to Lambert. • jy ing: "So far as lam concerned, that blessed old lady slian't have any trouble on account of Hhem two srallan«trs. She's tim too much of her own. I'nless you w.uit to make an example of Riggs, you ean release him In the morning. Murphy ought to be let ofT anyhow." But when morning came it was found that liipgs had releaseil himself. liow h.' managed to cut his way ou! of that guard-tent without disturbing any body, no one could explain. He was gone at daybreak, leaving no trace be hind. XIII. Confined to her bed anil room as was Madam Walton, anil only vaguely alive 10 what might be on in the house hold—for there were days w hen she lay dull and apathetic, yet mercifully spared from suffering—it was Esther's duty and fondest care to minister to her mother's needs even at a time when her heart was torn with anxiety on ac count of her husband, now a prisoner in the hands of the United States mar shal at the capital, and of her brother, who, under the orders of tbe general in command of the department, had been Rent under guard to New Orleans, 'here to await his trial by court-martial for the crime of desertion. The visits of the old family physician were frequent, for the invalid had had too much to suf fer and seemed incapable of further struggle. Floyd was twice iK-rmitted to vifcit his mother during tbe two days that elapsed before telegraphic orders came in his case. She knew him, clung to him, yet seemed unable to realize that he was going from her. She once, or twice asked if Judge Summers hail been heard from, for Cousin Bart had written fun details of Floyd's trouble, and the family united in urging him to make an appeal to certain intliM'ntinl friends of the ante bellum days, who had scandalized the Waltons by their loyalty to the old Ua*- Then Laniliert w rote e letter which Close signed and sent to the department headquarters, and the boy, remembering some kind words said to him by his father's old friend, ventured on a personal letter to the general himself, pleading Wal ton's case and portraying 1 the family's distress. It was this letter that o>er came Esther's objection to the advice of Mr. Potts to the effect that they take Mr. Lambert in as a day boarder. And within •'.'l hours of his initial appearance at their table Mrs. as he was the first to address his blushing hostess, was more than reconciled to the step. But if she was. Miss Kate was not. The wrath and Indignation of that young lady ctin hardly be described. It wn'i one thing, tthe declared, for her to sill eggs arid butter to a gentleman who was ti friend of Floyd's, w ho told her he despised his captain as much ns she did. who had enlisted only because he had been promised immediate promotion to a captaincy, and who never would have done so even then, had he known that soldiers could be used to persecute the people of the south. He was only wait ing for his commission to eonw -or his discharge—to tell Capt. Close what he thought of his conduct. It was :U1 very well to make friends with a gentleman like Mr. Riggs, who had been dear brother Floyd's friend at Quitman be fore he fell in love with that horrid designing Yankee girl who Iwid led him cm to " 'eolitln' " her when she was-all the time engaged to that rich ragpicker or whutevidi he might be. Mr. lllggs hod behaved like a pub feet gentleman. (She had forgotten the little bill he tmd been running up and w as so long vainly Importuned to pay. She ulso attached slight, importance to Barton's state ment that "Brother Floyd said Higgs was :i fraud and liar, and responsible for much though not all—of lilk trouble.") As lietween Mr. Klggs and this new Yankee lieutenant, who had dared to disguise himself and seek U> make her acquaintance, she had but one opinion; Higgs was driven to drink and desertion by haling Imd to : erve under such brutes. She declared she wuuld starve rather than eat under the same roof with blent, 1/nmliert, insisted on stay ing in her mother's room iuiil being served there, mid wws conspicuous by her absence from the table for the first 4B hours since Taimbert's admittance, despite Father's pleading and Barton's ridicule. "You may think It. flue to take money from such people, Mrs. Seroggs," she declared, with high dl»- duin; "l»ut you never would If mob wius well enough to know whut wn . go lug on." (Moh Is the only alphabetical combination that I ran think of which even approximately represents Misw Kate's pronunciation of the term by which she was accustomed to refer to her mother). But If Miss Kate wera In dignant before., she was ulinply furious when her married sister responded, with exiiN[>cmt Ing wilm: "And yet you took Mr. Lambert's money In payment fur your butter, Katesle." "Ah didn't. How ilay ah you say so, Esthirh? It was Mr. Hlggs'," "Floyd says It wasn't. Floyd anys that man had not had a cent for thren weeks. You know yourself It was Mr. Lambert there at the fence both nights, and you know why that wretch couldn't have been there." " Ah'll wulik every fliiguh to tho bone, t hen, tl'l It's paid luck," cried .\1 iss Will (ton. "An' It was mean an' contempt' Ible tin' eowuhdly in him to fawee It on me as he did to listen to whut wasn't tneaut fo' his yulis at all." Hy his "ytihs" Mlms Walton meant tJios.- or gans i»f hearing that lay so clow under the brown curls on either hide of Mr. Lambert's shapely hea«l itirs which she could gladly have plrichr*!, or tweaked, or even banged, In her wrath at that moment. The hard-earned, long expected five dollars had been .'cnt. to town and cx|M»nded In*for* this slxterly coiifeieiiee took place, or l»ey**tid doubt Mlsii Katesle would have hurled It. Isick at the donor when he came sosprlnglly up the walk that crisp Dccerulier even ing. Two days later brought 11 long letter from Floyd, written from tlie barracks lit New Orleans. lie him not confined In the giiardhoun.l, as he had fear<-«i and exjM'cted to be The prisoners await ing i. ntruce were there, but l.ho<-»- yet to !>«• tried were kept. 11l an ohl More house that wii not uncomfortable, and on the evening of his arrival an officer, I,lent. Waring of the artillery, tl< him into a separate room, "treated irui Ilk" a perfect I'critleriuin," v\ r"tc |*ior Floyd leaving Ills readers to divine wheth.'x (ills lavish descriptive were to Apply to the lieutenant or lilnifce.lf, listen."! to Floyile's story from Is-glnnlng to end, arid told him to keep up his spirits. "Lieut. Lambert, had written urging him to do all he could in help nw, and hud n' kc«l old I .'-li, I >uclinni>ll to ret.tor" me to duty without, trial, in vlee civil. As they sat facing each other, I'.rd only the width of the table apart, her downcast eyes and determined si lence proved embarrassing, even though loi g, curv ing, sweeping lashes and flushed cheeks appeared, perhaps, to lar'gerous ndvantage. "Aw pshaw!" said Cousin Bart that evening, as he and Lambert were smoking the pipe of peace and the young fellow ventured a fear that he had offended the damsel in the butter business, "just you pay no attention to that child for a day or two, an' pee how quick she'll como round. She just want/* to be huffy. She'll l>e hawbly cut up when she finds you don't notice her." Potts had not a little worldly wisdom when he wasn't drinking, and since his installation as cx-oflicio head of the house he hadn't touched a drop. Lambert was begin ning to like him very much, but couldn't induce him to come over to camp. "I can't staixl that captain of yours," was his sole explanation. From frigid silence on Katesie's part to occasional monosyllable and thence to brief and caustic comments on the remarks of her sister and cousin the transition was easy; but now that Lam bert. addressed no remarks whatever to her, yet chntted smilingly with the others, the girl's position became ex asperating. She was willing enough, at tlie start, to keep at wide distance, but that anybody should presume to hold her there was a very different matter; in fact, simply intolerable. Esther noted in. silent amusement how the. girl began to display unaccustomed so licitude as to the fit of her gown, thi« effect of such poor little, efforts at or namentation as her simple store of lace or ribbon afforded. Such quaint, old fashioned bows and flounces as came forth, such queer combinations of shade and color! Esther caught her more than once glancing up shyly from under the long lowlies and looking furtively at her vis-a-vis, for Lamliert with malice prepense and aforethought, l>egun tell ing Mrs. Scroggs of the liellcs and beauties of last summer at the Point, and ono evening when the verbaLblock ade had lasted perhn|>s threw days he turned to Esther as they were rising from the table —and If it wasn't faking a moan advantage of a defenseless foe, what, would lie? "I brought, over these two to show you, Mrs. Scroggs," said he, producing some carte-de-vlslte photographs from an envelope. "This is Miss Pordham, who was considered the prettiest girl at C'o/./ens' this year, though that fash ionable street suit Is perhaps less be coming to her than evening dress. And this is MIHH Torrance. I think 1 told you that our ladles are no longer wear ing crinoline, and that these short, dren*es ivre worn even for ealling in the daytime." And Katie Walton wns halt- Stalrs, but came down five minutes later, as 1 uuibert knew she would, "looking for a book;" and Esther, yearning over her, called her sister to lu-r side. Looking at northern girls' pictures wasn't making friendu with their friends anyhow! "Ah don't see anything pretty In that one," was Katesie's prompt comment. "Anil Ah couldn't Is- lii-uhd to weeh a gown like that." Hut I,iunl»-rt felt that he hiul won the day, next evening fetched ove* ft whole album full. "Ce n'ost que le premier pas," etc. Miss Walton, having looked at two, conelutl i«i she might as well see tin? otihcrs, hut she never meant to ask questions about them us she had to when Esther went In to see. what moh would like for hor tea. Cousin Bart had brought In u Uig of plump and tempting "imrtridges" that evening, and was iM'glnnlng to puzzle Esther very much, when she re membered how Impecunious a persou But hod ever been, to account for the snpplie* which he began to fetch from town. And MI things were going it trifle tmt ter at the old homestead towards the end of ISoeinlH-r. Ilo|n ful letterscftino from Walton. The Parmelee jsirty were, having diflleulty in roll able evidence against 111 in; his friends weir making lilm entirely comfortable In Ills confinement, and his lawyer as sured him that his release would be effected in a very few days. Floyd wroto that an aid de-camp of the general com manding had mine with Lieut. Waring to nee him, and to say that his cusc was I icing Investigated and that, us yet, no •charges hiul l>een preferred by the com mander of his troop. Little delicacies luid luxuries In the way of ten, jellies, preserves and wine—things to which they hiul been si rangers since early In the war were finding their way in and greatly comforting the invalid mother, and. could their doctor but say tJusili'ilr hi«ly wa« really mending, the girln would have luul lio|ie and courage, bu* the doctor could not. say. "I've got. to go to Quitman for two day on business, Esther," niid Cousin Bart one keen morning, "and I reckon I'll ask Dr. I'aiconer to come back with ;tie, "f you don't n Ind, and have n. day at the birds. They'll all l«: gone In a week "f this weather keeps on." "You Jiave ileejier reason than that, llarton. I saw you with l>r. Coleman when he went out. last night. It'n u con - sulfation, is it, not?" "Why, of co'si) I want.Coleman to have a chaiu'e to talk It over with Falconer, and ho'd Ilk« It, too. Falconer's xoore up to date, the old man says, and ho thinks jirrha|>M the now school know* something wntli tryln'. You s«sCou«ln I/ou nln't piekln' up fsst. as slie. ought to." "1 see. it sll t«*i plainly, liart Wh'it I don't see Is where all the, money is to come from to pay for doctors and consultations and— atul —" Big tejirs welilng In her soft, kh/1 eyes, "ltart, where doe* It all come from n(>W? llovv tin we get ujl these, You. No 23 can't squire it It mustn't be Mr. Lam tvert's— "* "Now just don't v«u lx>thcr "rout that, Esther. I in ide a r.tls . I tell you. There's old Uncle i i e and that :;0- 'eount nigger FVank b en owin* your motlier on last year's cruvp o' cawt'p all this time. I made them pony up, an' t told Hicks Fd ivell out his mule an' cart't he didn't pay— made him bawwo the money—" "That wouldn't beyin to cover tiie unat. of what you've been having sent up from New Orletins —th oven —■" "Xo» just don't you bawwo trouble," (One r in a sentence wasn't too much for Potts. When they doubled up on : bin. h. eouf<•■•wed judgment.) "Latn . Bert 'tends to all that t'n le Sam, lie I say*. pax s freight on COMMIT .• ary stores. i Just, do's I say. and we'll fetch Coin | Lou round a!l right yet, and find liody to rent the. old plac*s ar.d send yo' all down to Biloxi for the winter. But I'll tell you wh.i . I do thiuk, Est Ler; y'ought t > law Lambert over to hieep in my room while I'm gcd for that! I thought you loved every Inch of this ugly old state and that 1 never could coax you to leave It Do yon ri'ully hate It so?" But now, fairly beside herself with vexation, tin* girl had turned and fled, her little feot i eeinlng to fly up tho worn old steps lb at groaned and ercekod under any other touch. Hi- utood gar lug after her a moment, the teaming, merry smile still hovering alvout his lips, then picked Up the «'jip she had hurled to earth, and walked blithely away. Not ten yards from the gate, ciuuo Corp Cunningham on the run. Capt Ciose. desired to see the lieutenant at once. A negro stood by the oampflre In front of CIOHC'U tent trembling from either fear or excitement or lsith, lils protruding eves fixed on the form of old RUMIIUS, who wns eagerly jabbering to the company commander. "I>o you know my thing 'liout. this, lleutciisnt?" l.ikeil Close. "Tlieso ilurkies say there's been a big row over townrds Vernon, and that Walton Scroggs Is among the killed." [TO ns EO»TH«O*».] s*i'i i a •#.