The Irish standard., 1893-01-28


was penciling the cheap paper ons the
wall with leafy 81 tracery and glowing
arabesques But. more than that, the
calm 81 some potent Influence --or some /
unseen presence was upon him, " fllch
he feared a movement might dispeL
The chair at the foot of his bed was
empty Sophy had gone out. He did
not turn his head to look further; his
languid eyes falling aimlessly upon the
carpet at his bedside suddenly dilated,
for they fell also on the smallest foot
in the state :
He started to his elbow. but a soft
hand was laid gently yet firmly upon
his shoulder, and with faint rustic OF
muslin skirts Miss Sally rose from an
unseen chair at the head of his bed and
stood beside him
Don't stir, connie, ! didn't sit where
| could look in yo'r face for fear
of waking yo' But III change seats
now" She moved to the chair that
Sophy had vacated, drew it slightly
nearer the bed. and sat down.
1T was very kind of you to come"
said CORTLAND. hesitatingly. as, with
strong effort, he drew his eyes away
from the fascinating vision. and re-
gained certain cold conposure, but
am afraid my illness has been greatly
mapnified. | really am quite well
enough to be up and about my bust
ness. if the doctor would permit it. But
! shall certainly manage to attend to
nv duty tomorrow, and hope to be at
your service.
Meaning that yo' don't care to see
me noao. connie, she said, lightly, with
a faint twinkle in her wise. sweet eyes.
y thought of that. but as my business
wouldn't wait. ! brought it to you"
She took from the folds Of her gown
letter To his utter amazement 1T was
the one he had given his overseer to
post to the commandment that morning.
TO his greater indignation the seal was
broken,
..Who has daredl'' he demanded. half
rising
Her little hand was thrust out half
deprecatmgly mo one 20 can tight
connie: only me- ! don't generally
open other folks letters, and wouldn't
have done it for myself; did for yo'."
For me?"
For yo' l reclzoned what yo' might
do. and told Sam to bring me the let
tiers first didn't mind what you
wrote to the company-for they'll take
care of yo' and their own eggs are all
in the same basket. didn't open that
one. But did this when saw the ad-
dress. 1t was as expected. and you'd
given yo'self away! For If yo' have
those soldiers down here, yo'n have
row, sure! Don't move, connie. you
may not care for that-it's in your line.
But folks will say that the soldiers
weren't sent to prevent raotsng, but
that Connie CORTLAND was using his
old comrades to keep order on his
property at gov'ment expense. HoP
on! Hol on! co'nnle," said the little
figure, rising and waving it's pretty
arms with mischievous stimulation OF
terrified depreciation. Don't shoot!
OF course yo' didn't mean that but
that's about the way that so'th'n men
will put it to yo'r government. For"
she continued, more gently yet, with
the shrewlest twinkle in her gray
eyes, IF yo' really thought the niggers
might need federal protection, yo'd
have let me write to the commaDdant to
send an escort-not to go but to C1to-
that lie might be able to come back in
safety. Yod have had yo'r soldiers;
I'd have had back my nigger-which''
(demurely) ''yo' don't seem to worry
yo'self much about, co'nn1e;-and there
isn't a so'th'n man would have object
ed. But still more demurely, and at
fectedly smoothing out her crisp skirt
with her little hands, ''yo' haven't been
troubling me much with yo'r counsel
lately"
A swift and utterly new co1nprehen-
sion swept over CORTLAND. For the
first time in his knowledge Of her he
had suddenly grasped what was per-
haps the true conception of her char
acter! Looking at her clearly now he
understood the meaning of those plant
graces, so unaffected and yet always
controlled by the reasoning Of an I'M
biased intellect; her frank speech and
plausible intonations! Before him stood
the true-born daughter of a long race
of politicians! All that he had heard of
their dexterity, tact and expediency rose
here incarnate, with the added grace Of
womanhood: A quick sense of relief
perhaps a dawning of Impoverished
upon him.
''But how will this insure Cato's
safety hereafter, or give protection to
the others?" he said, fixing his eyes
upon her.
''The future won't concern yo' much,
connie. if. as yo' say here. your resig-
nation is sent in, and your successor aps
pointed, she replied, with more grav-
ity than she had previously shown.
''But you do not think will leave you {.
in this uncertainty" he said, passion
ately. He stopped suddenly. His brow
darSened. II forgot" he added, coldly,
''you will be well protected. Your
cousin-will give you the counsel of race
--and-closer ties
To his infinite establishment Miss
Sally leaned forward in her chair and
buried her laughing face in both her