The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-06-18

The question was impersonally ad-
dressed to little knot of loungers, and
Royal paused for a reply, wondering
what the dickens he should do if thrown
on his own resources.
A thickset man in a gray overcoat
copiously patched with blue-a relic of
secession reconstructed-adva to
meet him.
you're DIR. Royal yerse'f, l reckon.
Amt YOU" he questioned.
Royal nodded and the man extended
his hand with great cordiality.
Done forgot me, / reckon, doctor, but
I Iain't forgot You. We all used to hunt
an fish together back yonder befo' you
went to school. My names Jim Dodson;
thatH fix you, reckon. Hurry right
along. You amt got time to talk now,
I know, an We'll hitch up them six
years arter while. Come this away.
Squire Brandon sont the buggy, an Spot
driv; but that mar O. his'n can't abide
engines, mother she don't like strangers,
so Spot he hilt her here behind the depot
an axed me to look out fur YOU"
He tilted up his hat brim and cast an
observing eye skyward. Royal per-
ceived the mans mistake, but had not
time to rectify it. Behind the station
stood a buggy, mud splashed and untidy,
but strong and serviceable; between the
shafts was dark bay with good deal
of white to her eye and apparently con-
siderable go in her. A gentlemanly lad
of fourteen or thereabout stood at her
head and glanced anxiously toward the
train. AT sight of Royal his counte-
nance cleared and he accosted him
cheerily:
''All right, doctor! How are your
Jump right in. 1 thought judgment day
would beat that train coming. Halo!
forgot about the accident! Here, Jim,
stand by her head, please, while help
DR.. Royal in. We've got to make tracks. !"
"You have that" observed a bystander.
The whole group had followed Royal
round the station, and appeared fully
aware Of the situation and deeply inter
ested in it.
Filled with amusement, and feeling
| hypocritical, Royal declined the boys
proffered shoulder and took his place in
the buggy. Spotswood sprang in beside
| him, gathered up the reins, and they
We're off. followed by a shout from Tim
| Dodson:
''Make her everlastin' toddle, Spots
wood! The suns a-clamberin' up to ards
the j'ist mighty rapid. If you don't step
out peart, IL o'clock will ketch you-all
| gwine.''
ST reckon not" the boy shouted back
"Chpper knows how to travel"
Then he turned with a reassuring all
to Royal: ''Don't you fret, doctor. Well
make it, now I've got you behind Clip
per- / shook in my shoes though awhile
back, that confounded train dawdled So
1t looked like fate was dead against you.
"Why don't somebody report thos.
trainmen:" demanded Royal, still in
censed over the delay and longing t.
punish somebody.
The boy laughed. where's the use?
he demanded in his turn. They've go
monopoly, and complaints would go il
at one ear and out at the other. They
aren't often so much behind as they wer,
today though, and l don't wonder yol
wanted to lay on the whip. We'd hav,
made better time from the station o.
horseback, but Phyllis was afraid tn
ride would knock you up. The road ism
bad, however, and we can make it driv
ing if we look sharp" He whistled t
his horse and touched her lightly wit
the whip.
..How far is it?' Royal questioned
gIancing at his watch.
s.Half an hours drive to the house
and fifteen minutes to the church-fo
Clipper, the boy replied concisely. 9Th
roads been altered since you used
know it, reckon; but you'll remembe
where the church is-the one Miss Roys
built just after she came to the d
place in memory of John Hart. She
bur. ed there, you know, under that bi
oak near the vestry window. She tol
Phyl once, a long time ago, that sh
wanted her to be married there. Ply
has been with US ever since Miss Roys
died, but the church is close by an
,, mighty convenient Phyl wanted to /
: married from the old place, but N
, mother wouldn't hear of it. The hous
has been shut up for nearly four month
; you know; it's bound to be damp an
. stuffy."
"Where are you going nowy Roy'
+ questioned, the demand for new plal
, making itself disconcertingly apparen
, Straight to the church. II the trai
+ was on time 1 was to drive you o.
home; If it wasn't, right to the churc
I Phyl and the rest will meet you there.
a The road had entered skirt of wood
! and was firmer and more free from ru
: and mud holes. Clipper responded
the improvement in style which VIZ
= Royals admiration. Young Brands
. listened with the air of personal mex
a mingled with assumed depreciation wi
4 which the creature masculine aswa
q hearkens to praises of his horse. He W
{ in high feather, filled with pride in /
E mission, and chatted away merrily. 3
) father-old Squire Brandon, as he "
called-had intended meeting the ira
f himself, but had been prevented at t
. last minute. Just the scurvy sort
4 trick fate had been playing John Roy
!. all through, the sick mans represent
!. tive thought, as he heard it. Here "
; more time irrevocably wastesi, for
i would be useless explaining matters
t this boy.
d The boy meanwhile, considering hi
/. self, evidently, not deputy to be
!. spised, put his horse along with d.
avoidance of stones, mud holes, q
a other impedimenta which to Royal, =
; accustomed to mountain roads, seem
little short of marvellous He increas
IS Royals perplexity, too, with every VIC
,e he uttered, and with every intention
J. being agreeable forced more and mt
3 absolutely upon that gentleman the c.
v sciousness that things were at deadlot
i s.It was all right about the hcens
a Sp+t swood gleefully assured him. ..T.
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