The Irish standard., 1892-12-31


But they were getting on. and perhaps
it was better for their reputation with
their neighbors. that they had not been
belolden to the moth Seeing cloud
pass over Courtland's face, the young
LADY added with an affected sigh and
the first touch Of feminine coquetry
which had invaded their wholesome
camaraderie:
'.Yo' ought to have found Us out be-
fore, connie.
For an impulsive moment Courtland
felt like telling her then and there the
story OF. his romantic quest; but the re-
Election that they were standing on a
narrow ledge with no room for the emo
tons and that Miss Sally had just put a
nail in her mouth and start might be
dangerous. checked him. TO this may
be added new jealousy of herprevious
experiences which he had not felt be-
fore. Nevertheless he managed to say
with some effusion:
But hope we are not too late noao.
think my principals are quite ready
and able to buy up any English or
French investor now or to come"
''Yo' might try go hand on that one, {"
said Miss Sally, pointing to a young fell
low who had just emerged from the Of
fee and was crossing the courtyard.
Hes the English agent"
He was square shouldered and round
headed, fresh and clean looking in his
white fannels, but with an air of being
utterly distinct and alien to everything
around him and mentally and morally
to it. AS he passed the
house he glanced shyly at it; his eye
frightened and his manner became self
conscious as he caught sight Of the
young girl, but changed again when he
saw her companion CORTLAND like
wise was conscious of certain uneasi-
ness; it was one thing to be helping
Miss Sally alone; but certainly another
thing to he doing so under the eye of
stranger. and am afraid that he met
the stony observation of the English
man with an equally cold stare. Miss
Sally alone retained her languid ease
and self-possession. She called out:
"Wait moment, MIR. Champney,"
slipped lightly down the ladder and
leaning against it with one foot on it's
lowest rung awaited his approach
~ reclxoned yo' might be passing BY"
she said as he came forward Connie
Courtland'-witha an explanatory wave
of the hammer toward her companion,
who remained erect and slightly stiff
fened on the cornice-''is no relation to
those figures along the friese OF the
Redlands' courthouse but no'th'n
officer. friend of Maj Reeds. who's
come down here to look after so'th'n
property for some no'th'n capitalists
Mr. Champney," she continued, turning
and lifting her eyes to CORTLAND as she
indicated Champney with her hammer,
''when he isn't talking English, seeing
English. thinking English, dressing Eng
fish and wondering why God didn't
make everything English-is trying
to do the same for his folks. Mr..
Champney-Co'nnle Courtland. Connie
Courtland-Mr. Cl,ampney!'' The two
men bowed formally. ''And now,
connie, if yo'll come down Mr.. Champ
ney will show yo' round the fahm.
When yo've got through yo'll find me
here at work"
CORTLAND would have preferred, and
half looked for her company and COM
mentary on this round of inspection.
but he concealed his disappointment
and descended. It did not exactly
please him that Champney seemed re-
lieved and appeared to accept him as
bona fide stranger who could not posi-
bly, interfere with any confidential re-
lations that he might have with Miss
Sally. Nevertheless he met the Eng
glishman's offer to accompany him with
polite gratitude, and they left the house
together.
In less than an hour they returned.
It had not even taken that time for
Courtland to discover that the real i'm
provements and the new methods had
originated with Miss Sally; that she
was virtually the controlling influence
there. and that she was probably re-
tarded rather than assisted by the old
fashioned and traditional conservatism
of the company of which Champney was.
steward. 1t was equally plain, how
ever, that the young fellow was dimly
conscious of this and was frankly COM
municative- about it.
'sYou see, over there they work things
in different way, and, by Jove! they
can't understand that there is any
other, don't you know? They're always
wigging me as If could help it, al
though I've tried to explain the niger
business, and all that, don't you know?
They want Miss Sallie to refer her plans
to me, and expect me to report to them,
and then they'll submit them to the
board and wait for its decision. Fancy
Miss Bows doing that? But, by Jove!
they can't conceive of her at all over
there-don't you mow?'
(Which Miss BOWS do you mean?"
asked CORTLAND dryly-
'sMiss Sally, Of course" said the
young fellow, briskly. ''She manages
every thing-her aunt included. She
can make those niggers work when no
one else cana word or smile from her is
enough. She can make terms with
dealers and contractors-he own terms,
foo-when khev won't look at NV fig.