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* Dswor ln n voice of very great sweet- m >'«olf now," I answered in tho man- V* husband, Mr. (Joppqtftflrii flf Ore*
ness ns tho conductor deposited me and ncr of the old Marquis of Flanders nna Bye," with which lntradUPtlonBlio
jny bags down ln front of the most tinged with tUo grande durno maimer cou,roiltod mo wltli tbo geutlpumii,
beautiful lady In all America, I am of the benutlful young Marquise of, “ al,ld t0 kno ' v >’ uu * >‘ 0U11 S »«»
HUrc - • ' . I Grcz nud Bye whom I had murdered ■ Bla< * to Imow '5' 0U >" be nnswered ni
• "Thanlt you for much gractousnoss, •' llnd left In that room of tho great ho- ! la ,00l£ Unlld nn<1 Save 11 nil om
madam," I said, keeping those gray j tel ln New York.
' ' ' ‘It will be delicious to watch his
tweed knees straight out lu front of
' lno a °d very still to praveut trembling.
';: “ N °t nt nil, sir, I bought only the
lower half of this section. '1 nm not
nt all nervous," And 1 could see her
. • mouth, that was curled llko the petals
of an opening rose, tremble, from n
, \. mlscblof.us she regarded tbo stiff black
silk back In tho front of the ear and
the two Imge females on our right,
whose son and brother wan to arrive la
Philadelphia for tbelr protection.
An equally gay mischief rose ln my
eyes and responded to that in hers as
I responded also by word:
: '• “For which also let us be In grati
tude."
Many times ln tbo mouths that fol-
•i! lowed have 1 thought of tho lure of
fnco as. you nnd I alight from this
train together, boy. It will bo worth
tho trouble of this hurried trip to New
York to bo Introduced to a person who
disappeared suddenly ln a tugboat ln
the open oconn when ho should have
landed nt the docks with the propriety
Hint would hove been expected of him."
And ns she spoke. 1 could see that
something liud happened, in New York
which had brought .murJi Irritation to
tho beautiful Madam Whitworth.
"It would seem that It Is one of. the
customs of these great ships to scud
out passengers from them in those very
funny small tugboats." 1 remarked n*
I leaned.forward to catch n last fleet-
lug glimpse of a lovely girl standing
In the doOMvny of mi ancient farm
<,i • * n,f ci tin (lllcHli
t to laughing mischief in those eyes , house, giving food to chickens „„
•tj 01111 "’ore like beautiful blue flowers I the course of the railroad-train that It
sec I„ —.1 ■- would seem we should disperse them
set In crystal and hbw they were to
lead me cm Into the strange laud of
» men In search of. those forbidden fruits.
And from that moment on I did very
:; much enjoy myself ln conversation
i: with tliut Madam Mischief, while we
. j ; -together did watch the retirement of
| aH of the* persons In the train. She
had many funny remarks to make and
■v; made me merry'with them, so tlmt the
; hour of 11 o'clock had arrived before
••,«‘ wo had summoned tbo very blnc-k male
ohamberfliald to turn our scats Into
beds. All othors were In sleep that
was a confusion of sound from every-
, where, and we must stand In the ulsle
" 'While the beds; were being abstracted.
; CHAPTER III.
- ' The Impossible Uncle Robert.
I', fk I'TEB many months, ln which
' /I niniu 10 ule ‘'ruel l’aln and a
long, hard fight for the bou-
. or of my beloved, I cannot
V-;. but remember that feeling of grntl-
tude that came over me ns I went
•' Into sleep on that narrow shelf under
which lay the benuty of that Madam
Patricia Whitworth.
In tbo eight years that 1 bud be-
-■ come nil of life to my fatber we bad
made- many travels.Into distant lands
_j and bnd seen all of 'beauty that the
. old world bail to offer seekers after it,'
‘- but nowhere had I seen the majestic
wonder of this his own land that I
beheld pass by Uke u scries of great
pictures wrought by a master. All
■,;C of the morning I could but sit and gaze
;u|' with eyes that sometimes dimmed with
tears for him as faster and faster I
* was carried down into his own lund
of the valley of-IIarpeth, which be
:!i. bad given up for love of my mother
-:;atid from tlm cruelness of my wicked
-7»?"U»idej-w!Hi--M ould- not welcome her to
ills home. When the great Ilurpeth
lillls. lu their spring flush from the
rosluoss of wlmt I nfterwnrd learned
was their honeysuckle 1 and laurel, shot
; wijii the Iridescent fire of the pale yol-
. low niVq green and purple of redbud
and dogwood nud maple leaf, all veiled
ill a creamy mist over their radluuc-e.
came Into view ns wo arrived nearer
•i and nearer to llsiyesvlUe my htfnd went
. i forth and grasped closely tho \iand of
T Madam Whitworth. !
■ "And the small homes' In tbq valley,
madam,” I said, "with the sheep and
cattle uud grain and children surround
ed; they- need never fear the: lire of
shell and the roar of the cruel guns.
This valley Is a fold lu the garment
across the breast of the good God him.
self, and it bus Ills cherishing. Is It
that there will be n borne for me ln
Its peace and for the small Pierre and
tbo old and fultbful Naunctte?"
c , “A home nnd—and other things, boy,
' when you ask for them,” she answer
ed mo, with a very beautiful look of
affection that, while’ It pleased me
greatly, also, made for me. an unrea
sonable embarrassment.
“Is It that you think I will obtain
the affection of my uncle, the Gen
eral Robert Carruthers, Madam Whit-
“Is it that you are also a friend of my
capitaine?”
■"Thank you for nuioh graciousneti!”
-worth?" 1 asked of her, with a great
•wlstfulness. for I had told her of his
summons io me. nnd she knew already
ithe story; of his hardness of heart
: agahisf-my mother.
"The ’general Is a very difficult per
son,” she .made answer to me, and I
anw that softness of her beautiful
mouth become ns steel as sbo spoke
of him. "To n woman ho is Impossl-
Ide, ns I have found to’my cost, but
all men adore him and follow him
madly, so I suppose his attitude to
ward them' 1b different from,his atti
tude toward women. My husband and
: I disagree utterly about tbo general.
Hn fact, the old gentleman and. fare
" nt daggers' points Just now, nnd I am
afraid—afraid that he will mako it dlf-
Hgult for you to be—he friends with
with fright. “I wept when 1 must see
my good friend. Capitaine, the Count
do Losscllcs, depart from our ship .In
one of those tugboats. It was a pain
in my breust that he must leave me to
go Into the wildness of Canada.”
"Oh, then he went to Cnuadn first?"
exclaimed that Madam Whitworth ns
sho leaned back on her sent as If re
lieved from some form of a great anx
iety about the departure of that Cap-
Itnine, tho Count de Lassetlcs.
“Is it that you are also a friend of
my capitaine?" 1 demanded, with' a
great eagerness of pleasure if It should
be so,
“Oh, no, no, Indeed!” exclaimed the
beautiful Madam Whitworth. “I was
speaking of my own friend, who might
have taken a Canadian line Instcud of
iho,American, She is so care-ess.about
'instructions. Now look. Ve arc be
ginning to wind down Into the very
heart of the Harpoth valley, find by
‘Hie time you make very tidy that mop
of hair you have on your bead and 1
powder my nose wo will be In Hayes-
vllle to face the general In all of his
glory. Mind, you kiss my hand so he
can see you. I want to give him that
sensation In payment of n debt 1 owe
him. Now, do go nud smooth the mop
if It ttikos a pint of water to do It,
That New York tailor has turned you
out wonderfully, but even those very
square English tweeds do not entirely
disguise the French envaller. You're
a beautiful boy, and the ■ girls In
Hnyesvllle will eat you up—If the gen
eral ever lets them get n sight of you,
which he probably won't. Now go to
the mop I"
For many years, since the lonely
day just after the death of my moth
er, when n>y father took me Into the
furthest depths of his sad heart nnd
told me of his exile from the place lu
which he had been born nud about
the elder brother, who bad bated my
beautiful mother, who bated all \vo-
mcu, I had spent much time erecting
ln my mind -a statue that would be
the semblance of that wicked nnd
cruel uucle. I bnd taken every dls-
dgreeablc feature of face and body
that I bad beheld in another human or.
in a picture or hud read of in the tales
of that remarkable Mr. Dickens, who
could so paint hi words a monstrous
person to come when the lights arc
out to haunt tho durkness, and had
cnrefully patched them ‘one upon an-
other so as to make them Into nn ideal
of nn old uncle of great wickedness.
On that very, ship Itself I had beheld
a man, who came upon the lower deck
from tho engine, who laid but one' eye
and a great scar where that other eye
should-have been placed. Immediate-
ly my Image of the.Geneml Robert
Carruthers lost one of the wicked eyes
I had given him from out the head of
the stepfather who did so cruelly stare
nt the.pdor young David Coppcrfleld
and became n man with only one eye
which still held the malevolence that
was hurled at that small David. And
with this squat, crooked, evil Image
of the General Robert Carruthers ln
my heart 1 alighted from the train
Into the city of rinyesvllle, which- is
the capital of tbe'grcnt American state
of Harpoth. The black man had
swung blmself off with my bags anil
that of tbo beautiful Madam Whit
worth, who, with me. was the Inst of
!lio passengers to descend from the
steps of the car.
“My dear Jeff!" exclaimed toy so
lovely new friend as she raised her
ve3 for a very seemly L-lss from n
tall nnd quite broad gentleman with
u very wide lint and long mustnchlos
that dropped fur down with want of
wax that It Is the custom to. use for
their elevation ln France, ns. I well
brnco of eucli vigor -that I. almost
made outcry. "There's the general
ovor there looklug for yon. Come to
see us some time. Come on, l’ntsy!"
“Goodby, Mr. Carruthers. I'll see
you soon." snld the beautiful Mudnm
Whitworth ns she held out her hand tt>
mo. “Do It now—there comes tbo gen
oral—quick, kiss my hand!".
I bent aud did ns sbo bade mo nnd
as 1 hail promised her to do, and ns.I
raised myself she slipped away quick
ly after her husband with a salutation
of great.coolness to n person over my
shoulder nud a "How do you do, Gen
eral Cnrruthers?" remark ns sho wont.
Instantly 1 turned and faced tho ma
terialization of the ogro it bad taken
me years to build up Into my 'wicked
undo. Aud wliut did I see? .
My eyes looked straight Into eyes of
the greatest kindness nnd wisdom I
-bail ever before beheld, anil It iv
with difficulty I restrained myself from
flinging myself und my Balt of English
tweed straight Into tho strong mans
and burying my lioud on the broad
deep .cheat tbnt confronted mo ns I he
bilge jOlil gentleman, with ns perfect a
mop if white Imlr as Is mine of bluck,
rioting over his large head, towered
ovor me.
“You gallivanting young idiot, where
did you pick up tliut dimity?" he de
manded of mo ns he luld n large hand
with long, strong fingers on my shoul
ders nnd gave me n slight Bhnke.
"I'm your Uucle Robert, sonny, und
don’t you over forget tbnt. sir." lie
com limed, anil I could see a longing
for (he embrace, which I so desired.
In bis keen eyes that bad softened with
a veil of mist In the Inst second. "Lord,
I'm glad you're not a woman! And
from now on just stop knowing the
creatures exist—Pat Whitworth nnd
her kind. We've got work to do to
P'lt out a fire—a fire of dishonor nud
devastation. Como on to my car over
there; we've no time to waste. Drive
to the governor's mansion nnd don't
sprout grass under your wheels," he
commanded the black ehuuffeur-"tUe
governor's mansion, prlvat.o door on
Sixth street."
fee uh-I—Iwnnt you to bo."
-. "Neither the General Carruthers nor ,!I10 ' V fronl father's wrntby re-
i.nv man. madam, dictates in matters ln;ll ks : t0 llIs < v oIot If be mndo n too
lof the heart to the .Marquise de-that B 1 ™ 1 « sc ot upon his. "And this
ks to Robert Carruthers ot Grcz and ls General Carruthers' nephew who
))Bye, If that Is the way I must so name , came down on tho train with mo.
CHAPTER IV.
"Hore r 8 My Boy, Governor."
ND It was en route to the man-
i slon of the gouvernour of the
slate of Harpoth that my uncle,
the General Robert, did enlight
en mo ns to the urgent liecJ of me lu
tils affairs of business.
“It ls n question of mules, sir, nnd of
a dishonor to the state that I'm going
to prevent If my hot old bead Is luld
low in doing It, as it probably will be
if 1 got into'.the ruckus with Jefferson
Whitworth that now threatens. They
have Insinuated themselves into the
coiiflileuee of Governor Faulkner until
( bey have made It well nigh Impossible
for him 10 see tbe matter except hs
they put It. They will get Ills signa
ture to the rental grant of the lands,
make a getaway with the money anil
let the state crash down upon Ills head
when It finds out that ho lias been led
Into bringing It and himself Into dis
honor. Why. dash -It, sir, I'd like to
have every one of them, especially
Jeff Whitworth, ut the end of a linlter
and feed him a raw mule, hoof and
cars. I'm probably going to be dofio to
death all alone before the pack of
wolves, but I'm going to die hard—for
Bill Faulkner, who bolds ln his hand
the honor of bis state and my state, I'll
die bard!" And he spoke tbe words
with such a fierceness that bis while
mustache, which was waxed with the
propriety of tho world, divided like
crossed silver swords beneath bis
straight nose with its thin and trem
bling nostrils.
,"It will be tlmt I can help you pro
tect this honor of tbe Gouvernour
Faulkner anil the state of Hnrpctb,
will It not, my Uncle Robert?" I nskeil
wltli a great anxiety. “If you must fall
on the field of honor it will be the
glory of Ilobqrt Carruthers of Grcz
nnd Bye to fall beside you, sir. I am a
cry good sport, my'rather bus said."
“God bless my soul, how like Henry
you are, boy!” exclaimed my uncle, the
General Robert, and be did lay one of
Ills long anil very strong arms across
my shoulder and give to mo the em-
brnco for which I bnd so longed, but
for not enough time for mo to yield
myself tp It. "Henry nlwdys wanted
to tag ‘Brother Bob,’ anil he. too-
would-bnve died—fighting for me—at
my side. I’ve been bard—nud when I
heard of his death—I wanted you,
hoy, I wanted you more— Noqvwhut
do you mean, sir, by ranking mo for
get for one moment the fix Bill Fuulk-
uor and 1 ore In?” And my uncle,
tho General Robert, gave to me a good
Shake, as ho extracted his very large
white handkerchief and blow upon bis
iioso with such power that the black
chauffeur looked around at us and
made tho oar to Jump even ns ho and I
hail done.
“And those mules that it would.be
your wish to feed to that Mr. Jeff
■Whitworth, my Uncle Robert, will you
not tell mo further about them? In
Paris it Is -said that they are n very
good food when mndo fat after being
old or wounded lu the army. I liave"-
“That will do, sir. If you’ve had to
eat mule In Paris don't tell me'nbout
It. My constitution wouldn't slnnd
tlmt, though during our war, just be
fore Vicksburg, I ate—but wo won’t go
Into tlmt either. Now this Is the
situation, as much ns n lad from tho
wilds or Paris could understand it.
Tho French government wunts r>,000
mules by the fall of the year, and
there are no such mules In tbo world
ns Ibis stale produces. They are send
ing a man ovor here to try to make a
deal with.the state uf Hjupeth to pur
chase the mules from prlvato breeders.
graze Them on tho'government lands
and deliver I hem in a lot for shipment
the let of August ut Savannah. There
Is no authority on the siatutc book
for tlie state |t> make such a deal, but
Jeff Whitworth 1ms fixed up a sort of
coutrnct, tbnt wouldn't bold water In
the courts, by which the governor of
the state, Williamson Faulkner, grants
tke grazing rights ou the state's lands
to a'private company, of which he ls
to be a member, which In a way
guarantees tbo deni. They've' mndo
him believe It to bo a good financial
thing for the state, and lie can't sco
that they are going to buy cheap stock,
fatten It on n low rnto from the state
and hand it over to tbo Frenoh gov
ernment nt ii fancy rnkeoff, and then-
leave him with tho hag to -bold when
the lime for settlement und complaint
comes. There Is a strong Republican
party in lids state, nml they're keep-
lug quiet, but year utter next, when
Rill Faulkner comes up for rc-cloc-
Ron. downright IliopHIty will be al
leged, and ho will ha defeated In dis
honor and with dishonor to tho state.
I am Ills secretary of stale, and I'm
going fo save him If I can. And you
me going to help me, sir!" And as
ho spoke iny undo, the General Rob’
art, gave to me a distinguished shake
of tho Imtid that made my pride to rise
In my throat, which guve to my speak
ing a great hiiskhfess.
"1 will help In Hie rescue'of the hon
or of that Gouvernour DIM FanMiubT.
my Uncle Robert, v.dlh the last breath
In my liuly. itinl I will also assist to
feed mule to flint,Mr. Jefferson Whit
worth, though not to Ills beautiful wife,
whom 1 Mo so niueli tuluilre!*' '
"That's Just It; she'll Imve to cal
inuIo Ike first one. She's lit the gov
ernor day an'.l night with her wiles,
and In my miijd it's her dimity Influ
ence - tlmt-ls making him see tilings
with Ills skint. They say she put her
brand on him In early youth. He's the
soul of honor, but what dianco has a
man's soul honor got when a woman
wants to casb-it In for a fortune with
which In lead a gay life? None! None,
sir!" And tho countenance of my
undo, the General Robert, became so
fierce that It was difficult to find words
lo answer.
“Oil, my Uncle Robert, Is It tbnt a
woman would mako u cheat in giving
the undo animal of not sufficient
strength to carry food lo poof boys of
Franco in Hie trenches when llioro Is
loo mmdi mud for gasoline!" 1 ox-
claimed with- a great horror from
knowledge given mo by my capitaine.
the Count do Las.sdlcs.
"Just exactly, wlmt she Is trying to
do, boy. Lot those poor 'chaps with
guns in |Heir hands to defend her civ
ilization ufs well na theirs die for want
of a supply train hauled by reliable
mules wlien unreliable gnsollne falls.
That's what women are like." And ns
he spoke I perceived the dept!) of dis
like.Hint was In tho heart of my uncle,
the General Robert, for all of woman
kind..
“There are some wpmen who would
not so comport tbemselvqs, ray Uncle
Robert I give you my word ns one"—-
Then ns I hesitated In terror nt the
revelation of my woman's estate I bud
beeii about to make, my , uncle, the
General Robert, mndo this remark lo
mo:
i "Women are llko crows—all black,
and tbo . exceptional white out* only
mal-:e3 tho lost look, blacker. Tbe only
way to stop them ip their depredations
Is to trap them since the law forbids
Intelligence enough; m cat-the manna
of tho gods, which 11 torn pmo. and
drink tho neclur, wlfich l : , plain wills-
ky, or will wo .Ho expected is fnrulali-
them with snails nml nhulnih?"
At tlmt I laughed a very large laugh
and made this atiawer to tho perturba-
tlou of jny uncle, tbo General Robert;
"1 will loll you titter luncheon, my
Uncle Holier!, beeuui* l have nut as
yet eaten lu this'Hdfnotb country of
Amorlcn."
"All right; we'll talk about it nftcr
you've lmd oiio of old R initio's fried
chicken.dlnnera. Here wo arc at the
mansion. Remember, you know the
whole situation and are only supposed
to know tho part that Governor Dill
thinks Is (he whole. Look nt me, lin.v!"
And us tho big car drovo up to the
curb before a great stone house with
lull plllnrs on guard of Its front, lie
luld both Ids hands upou niy shoulders
and turned mo toward him with fore,
nnd no gentleness, and then with hi;
keen eyes did ho look down into the
very soul of me.
“Yes, I seo I cgn trust, you, sir. God
hlnss you, boy!" be said, after a very
long moment of tlmo.
"Yes, my Undo Robert," I nnswered
him without turning my eyes from
his.
"Well, then, boro wo are. 1 cuiuo
to tbo side door so I wouldn’t have to
Introduce you to any of Hie boys this
morning, for we want to have u talk
"’1th the governor before dinner, and
1 don't daro keep Klzzlc waiting. II
riles.her, nnd n riled womnn burns up'
things, masters, husbands, booking or
worse. Comb on."
“Here’s my boy, governor," was all
(ho Introduction my uncle, tho General
Robert, administered to me: then I
stood nnd looked Into the face of Irfm
whom afterward -1 dlsebvcie.! lo i,c
the greatest gentleman In me world,
with my heart beating lit my throat
nml yet nsllr iimlor my woman's
breast In tbe place It lind nlwavs lie-
boforo resided, utter we had been ush
ered Into the gouyernour's room by an
old black servant called Cato.
T~-~-V"''j -
{J \!j
fig
‘I will holp in tho rescue.”
shooting them." And ns lie made this
Judgment of women 1 forgot for a mo
ment. tliut wo discussed that Madam
Whitworth, whom It was causing me
great pain to discover to be tho enemy
of FrnliceT nnd 1 thought of my beauti
ful mother, whom ho had Judged with
out over having encountered, und a
great longing rose in my heart so to
comport myself that Ills heart should
.learn lo trust'tn me ns u man and then
discover the honor of woman through
li:e nt some future time. I look a re
solve (bat such should be the’case, anil
lo that end I asked of him:
“How Is It that I can servo you. In
these serious troubles, my Uncle Itob-
i ert?" And as I asked that question I
made also u vow in my heart against
that black crow womnn.
"Now, Hint's what I'm coming to.
The French government is sending an
army expert down here to look over
iho situation mid make tbo contracts.
I can't speak tbelr heathenish tongue
or read It, mid 1 want somebody
whom I can trust—trust, mind you—to
help me talk with him and make any
necessary translations. That Whit
worth hussy has been translating for
us, mid I don’t trust her. Y'our letter
was banded- to me hi the governor's
private office, anil both ho and 1 saw
wlmt a help It would ho to linvo you
hero when this Frenclije—who ls a
Count Something or Othcr-mul Ills
servants nml secretaries, wbut ho calls
his suit, arrive. By George, sir, wo
need your advice In eating nnd drink
ing them. Do you suppose they'll have
it!
CHAPTER V.
"Wo Both Need You."
E DO not know how It ls Hint I shall
find words lu which lo write down
the loveliness of that gouvernour
of Old Harpoth. lie was not ns
tall ns-my uncle, tho General Robert,
and lie wns slender nnd lltlio ns some
wild thing in n forest, but tho power lu
jtfio broadness of Ids shoulders nml lu
the strength of his nervous hands wns
of a grontness of which to be frightened
—that ls, I think, of which n man should
be frightened, but in which a woman
would take much glory. His bnlr was
of the tarnished goiil of a sunset Btonu,
nnd upou tils, temples -wns u curved
crest of whlto Hint sparkled lilto the
spray of n wave. All of which I must
have seen with some'kind of Inward
■ eyes, for from tho moment my eyes
lifted themselves from conlcmfilntiiig
the carpet In embarrassment over my
tweed trousers they were looking Into
his In a way which at dawn my eyes
have gazed Into tho morning ptnr ris
ing near to mo over tho little wood at
tho Chateau de Grez.
"It ls good tbnt you liuvo come, Rob
ert Carruthers, for the general mid 1
both need yon," were tbo words I
houril him Buying to mo In a voleo that
wns as deep mid or as much Interest as
tho eyes, anil ns he spoke those words
ho tbok one of my limuls In both of bis
strong ones. “Anil If you say'snails,
sualls it slmll be, If Cato mill; I have
to luvutlo every rose garden lu Ilayes-
vllle mul vicinity and stay up ull night
to catch them."
"I think I shall choose that corn pone
nnd whisky that my uncle, the General
Robert, lias promised to mo from one
bad tempered cook nt tbo time of my
luncheon," 1 found myself saying with
a laugh that answered tbe barefooted
boy who suddenly looked nt mo out of
tbe cool eyes.
"I thought 1 would lot him have a
tryoqt with Klzzlo before' wo decided,
to feed the savages," also said my
uncle, tbo General Robert,, with a
laugh. “Besides, lie’s olio blmself, nnd
I’ll have to go slow and tame him
gradually."
"No, lie’s ours, He’s Just come hack
to his oirti from' a strange land, gen
eral,'anil you'll kill the fatted calf or
rooster, whichever Klzzlo decides,
with Joy nt getting him," And this
tlmo tho star eyes gave to me the
quick sympathy for which I hail pray
ed lioforo the Virgin with the Infant in
her arms lu tho little clinpel of .the old
convent Just before wo had to fieo
from tho shells, leaving my father to
the sisters to bury after tho enemy
had come. I think my eyes did tell
that tale to his, nnd tho tears nehed
In my throat.
"I know, boy," he said softly-, and
then turned nud presented mo to the
Mr. Clendonnlng, who was nrrniiglllg
pnpers nt a desk bosldo Iho window.
I do Ilk* with my whole heart tlmt
funny Buzz Clendonnlng, who lias tho
.reddest Imlr, tho largest -brown spec
kles on his face nnd tile widest mouth
that 1 have over beheld. Also, Ids
laugh 1b even wider than Is bis mouth,
nnd overflows tho remainder of his
face In ripples of ivlint ls called grin.
Ho Is not mtieli tailor than nm I, Jnit
ot much more powerful build, as Is
natural,'though ho did not nt that mo
ment recognize the reason thereof.
“Shako hands, hoys. Don’t stand
looking at ench other llko young pup
pies," said my uncle, tho General Heb
ert, as ho clapped his hand on the
back of the Mr. Buzz Clciidonnhig.
“You don’t, have to fight it out. Your
fathers licked each other week about
for twenty years."
"Can’t I even ask him to take off
Ills coat once, general?!' nnswered Hint
Mr. Buzz with tile grin all over his
fnco nml spreading to my counteiinnco
us he took my lianil In Ids to udminls-
ter eno of thoso shakes of which I
hail had so many since my arrival In
Amorlcn. For a second ho looked star
tled and glanced down at my whlto
band tlmt bo held hi his, and from it
to my eyes that were looking Into his
with tho ontlro friendliness of my
lienrt. Suddenly 1 bnd a great fright
of discovery within me, nnd my knees
began to again tremblo together for
tbelr skirts, but before Hint fright hnd
readhoil my oyes quite I hnd borne to
mo nn elder brother in tbo person of
that Buzz Clcndcuulug, and I now
know that I enn never loio him, even
when lie knows that—
J in no shakes lu (ho duel, prlneo,
so let's kiss nud mnko up before you
get out your sword." ho said us lm
nlso, as my uncle, tho General Robert,
hail done, laid an nrm across ray
shoulders ln nn cmhraeo of nffectlon.
It was then 1 made a discovery lu tho
strange land Into which I wus pene
trating—men have much sentiment In
their hearts that It Is Impossible for a
womnn to discover from behind n fan.
They keep It entirely for each other ns
comrades, and I received n large por
tion of such mi nffectlon when tbnt Mr.
Buzz Clendetming adopted mo in what
ho thought wns my foreign weakness
ns n small brother to bo protected ln
his largo honrt.
"I nm very Imppy to so saluto you
Instead of tho duel," I made answer
and did. Immediately put n U'tss on his
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“I made answer and did immediately
put a kies on his ono ohook."
one cheek, expecting that bo would re
turn It upou my cheeks, first one and
then nnhflier, as Is tho custom of com
rades nml officers lu Franco.
"Help, help! Don’t (lo that again, or
I’ll call out Hio police," responded Hint
funny Mr. Buzz Clcndennhig, as lio
shook mo away from him, wlillo my
uncle, tho General Robert, mid tbo
Brent goiivcrnciir did liullr indulge lu
laughter.
“I nm nlinRhcd, nud I beg. your par
don for offending against tbe customs
of your country, I do remember now
that, my father did not penult such n
snlutnUon from his brother officers,
nud 1 will not do so ngnln, M. Buzz.
Clongeuiilng," i said us my cheeks be
came .crimson with mortification, nnd
tears would hnvo eorao ovor my eyes
bud my pride permitted.
“Tills Is wlmt ho meant you to do,
Buzz,' you duffer. I snld goodby to
twenty-two of my friends this way tho
day I set sail from old Heidelberg,"
nlid ns ho spoke that great nud beauti
ful nnd exalted Gouvernour Faulkuer
did bond bis bend to mlue and give to
me the correct comrade snluto of'my
own country on drat ono of my cheeks
nnd then upon tho other.
“Yes, sir; It's mighty pretty to look
nt, but I reckon the kid bad bettor
stow tbe habit before lio Is Introduced
to Jeff Whitworth nnd Milos Monefea
and tho rest of tbe bunch," said tbnt
Mr. Buzz as lio left off wiping from
Ills cheek with the bnck of his hand -
Iho kiss I had put there nml adminis
tered to mo another embrace on niy
shoulders with Ills long nrm. "Besides,
youngster, there nre girls ln Hn.ves-
vllle," lie added, wltb n grin that ngaln
was reflected on my face without my
will and which did entirely take mvay
my anger and embarrassment at fils
repulse.
“Girls, girls!" exploded my uncle, tbo
General Robert. "Tlio female young
generally known as girls are ubout as
much uso to humanity as a bunch of
pinfeathers tied with a pink ribbon
would-be In tbo place of Hie household
feather duster that tho Lord lets them
grow Into utter they reach their yours
of discretion. Robert has no time to
ivnslo with tho uufieilged. Don't oven
suggest It to him, Clendonnlng. And
now you cuii take him arouud to my
house anil tell Klzzlc to' begin filling
J=ou both up while I wait for a moment
to go over tlicso pnpers wltb the gover
nor. And both of you nvold the female
young, for we've work for you—inlnd
you, work and no gallivanting. Now-
go! Depart!"
“The old hoy Is n forty-two centime
ter gun that fires at the mention of tho
lovely sox und doesn’t stop until tho
ammunition gives out," suitl Mr. Buzz
Oleudeiuilng ns he slid into tho seat of
his slim gray racer beside nio nnd
started from the curb on high without
a single kick of tho engine. “I’d llko
to wish n nice girl whom he couldn't
shako off on lo him for about a week
and watch him squirm along to sur
render. Walt until you see Sue Tom
linson got hold of him doivu ou. the
street some day. Ho shuts his eyes
and Just fires mvay nt her while sho
Purrs at-him, nnd It Is n sight for tho
gods. Sue’s father, died aud left her
with her Invalid raothel' nnd not
enough money to Invite In the auc
tioneer, hulr tho general took sorno old
uccouiits of tho doctor’s, collected nud
invested them and made up plenty of
money ‘for Sue’s grubstake, though ho
goes around three blocks to get past
her. Sue adores him. aud approaches
him from nil sifios, but has never made
a landing yet. Say, you'll, like Siie.
She Is pretty enough in cat, but ilou’t
try lo bite. It’s no use."
“Is It Hint this lovely Milo. Sue dope
not llko gentlemen save my uncle, tlio
General Robert?" I asked with great,
Interest. I wns glad In my lieaat that
I wns soon to sco anil speak with a
nice girl, even If it had to be In char
acter of n limn.
"Ob, she loves us-nll!" answered
gloom.
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