The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-04-03
CHAPTER XVIII.
IN THE CLEANING.

Christmas day came, that sad, first
Christmas after the war, and John
Fletcher, who had vainly hoped to leave
i. before this date, declined to make his
appearance at breakfast.
The day was not marked by the old
time hilarity; that was over forever.
There was no supply of egg nog and gin
ger bread, no popping of fire crackers,
and the shout of ''Chris'mus Gift" was
: feeble and infrequent. Missy dispensed
: few presents privately to such of the
old family negroes as remained in her
fathers service, as well as to some few
deserters, who had taken advantage of
that days holiday to visit Thorne Hill.
The colonel shut himself up in his
Office all the morning., and Miss Elvira
and Winifred went alone to church.
John Fletcher remained in his own
room; it was his purpose to remain
there all day. but in the afternoon
Glory-Ann brought him little note from
Missy.
Il know why you stayed away from
breakfast" she wrote; lit was kindly
meant, but you are our guest, and you
but you will know how to pardon the
absence of gayety."
John Fletcher was three and thirty; he
thought he had outgrown all sentimental
foolishness, but he put Winifred's note
carefully away; it was his only Christmas
PRESENT. And of course he accepted the
invitation. o.
The dinner was not gay; an inevitable
sense of constraint brooded over the COM
pany and made the meal a penance, and
each one was secretly glad to quit the
table.
When the sun had gone down Wini-
fred left Miss Elvira making up her &C.
count with Bishop Ken, and went out for
q walk. The air was chill and light clouds
obscured the sky, but Winifred feared
neither the night air nor the fast gather
ing gloom.
John Fletchersa saw her asshe went across
the yard, under the leafless China trees,
and an impulse for which he did not SEX
to account urged him to follow. Where
fore should he, because of a war that was
over, be forever an alien? She had sent
him the invitation to dinner; rather would
he have tasted; but because she had
asked it he did violence to his feelings;
it was too much to expect him to do vio-
lence to his feelings second time in one
day, and he followed her. With swift
strides he overlook her just as she reached
the gate that led into the lane.
"Allow me-" he said, as he stepped
forward to open it.
She turned and looked at him; sud
den blush swept over his face as she
thanked him.
"May go with your he asked, bold
ly. "It is too late for you to be out
alone" he urged, seeing her hesitate;
cit is growing dark, and"-
81 am not afraid" she said. 81 am
going no farther than Daddy Gilbert's
old cabin. 1t is not place that can in
terest you
"But I may go with you?" he reiter-
ated.
Winifred smiled, and they walked on
in silence. He had never yet been able
to conquer the constraint that oppressed
him in her presence, and she had never
learned the art of making talk" She
did not speak until they reached the
fence inclosing old Gilbert's deserted
dwelling.
''This is the place." she said. and
pushed open the sagging gate before the
captain could offer to assist her. "You
will never see all that see in this poor
spot" she added; but she held the gate
open, and the captain smiled and stepped
inside.
A dense thicket of plum bushes had
grown up at the back of the house, and
the dry stalks of the self sown Palma
Christi bean occupied all the little space
in front; the path to the broken door
(, step was overgrown with rank knot grass
that had lost its greenness, and all about
the half fallen and abandoned little
dwelling there brooded melancholy
calm, intensified by the fast gathering
shadows.
1.-THE negroes say this place is haunt
ed,Y Missy said, "but am the only ghost
that fits this way. I like to come here
when am sad"
"And are you sad now?" John Fletcher
asked, impulsively, with deeper sympa'