The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-12-10

| wife with your unlimited presence. Wha
I / may have to say to you, and each of yol
| hereafter-what / may choose to demand
| of you, according to your own code o
honor"-he fixed his eyes on Captain Pinck
| ney's-'is another question and one no
| usually discussed before a lady"
Pardon me. moment-a single mo
ment."
| 1t was the voice of Colonel Starbottle
! it was the frilled shirt front, the lightly
buttoned blue coat with its expanding lapelS
like bursting petals and the smiling mash
of that gentleman rising above the table
and bowling to Clarence Brant and mis- wife
with infinite courtesy.
DISCRIMINATING situation in which
we find ourselves, conference.-the reluctant
witnesses of-er-what we trust IS only a
temporary disagreement between Oul
charming hostess and the-er-Sentlemar
whom she has recognized under the highest
title TO our considerations distressing to
us all, and would seem to amply justify that
gentleman's claims to personal satisfac-
ton, which l know we would all delight 10
give. But that situation rests upon tins
supposition that our gathering here was
of purely social or festival natuTei
1T may be-" continued the colonel with
a blandly reflective air, that the specta-
Gle of these dccanters and glasses. and the
nectar furnished up by our Hebelike hos
tess'-he lifted glass of whisky and
water 10 ms Ups Wnlle ne DpWtl 10 MIS-.
Brant, eracCfully-"ha led the gentleman
TO such a deduction. But when
l suggest TO him that our meet
ing was Of a business or private nature,
it strikes me that the question Of intru-
sion may be fairly divided between him
and ourselves. We may toe even justified
in view of that privacy in asking him if
his-er-entranCc TO this house was-er-
coincdent with his appearance among US"
with my front door in possession Of
strangers" said Clarence, more in reply
to a sudden, contemptuous glance from his
wife than Starbottlc's insinuation. 81 en-
tered the house through the wihdoW-"
cor my boudoir. where another intruder
once broke his Lcck," interrupted his wife,
with a hooking laugh.
Where 1 once helped this lady to regain
pc secession of her house when u was held
by another party of Illegal trespassers. who.
however were content to call themselves
Jumpers and did not claim the privacy of
gentlemen"
DO YOU mean to imply. sir" began Colo
rel Starbottle haughJily. that"
Il mean to imply" said Clarence with
quiet scorn, that | have neither the wish
to know nor the slightest concern in any
purpose that brought you here. and that
when you Quit the house you take your
secrets and your privacy with You intact,
without let or hiudrance from me-
do You mean to say, MI. Brant,' said
Judge BecsviaG5r. supprcssinS the angry
interruption of mis- fellows VITA dominant
wave of his hand as he Fixed his eyes on
Clarence keenly, chat You have no sympa-
thy with your wifc's political seutm"Ets''
Il have already given Won The irt@'sa'tq
returned Clarence WITH folded arms.
But 1 can answer for him. said Mrs.
I;~aut, rising with 81 QuiVerInG voice ana
curling lin. There is no sympathy between
n flt, Dp.es. ~
have nothing IN common-5ut the mousse
and his name -,
together by a sacred compact"
u compact" Echoed Mrs. Brant with a
bitter I4ush "Ytsl the compact hat binds
Souti, Carolina TO Msssachuse IT'S. The COM
Pact that links tog5ther white and black.
the gentleman and the trader-the planter
and the poor white-the compact OF these
United States ah!-that has been broken,
and 50 can this!"
Clarencc's face palcd But before he could
speak there was d rapid Gathering at the
gate and n dsmounted valu5ro entered e2-
citediy Turning to Mrs. Braut, he said
Eurriedly:
THE casa is surrounded by a rabhlc Of
mounted men. and there is one among them
even now who demands admittanee ~ the
name If the law"
This is your work. said Brooks, racing
Clarence ANIltuSlNs you AltLNN N'tN.'s-A+e
them with YOU, but. by Cod they shall
not save you"' He would have clutched
Clarence. but the powerful arm of Judge
Bceswinger interviewed. Nevertheless ne
still struggled to reach Clarence, appealing
to the others. care you fools To stand
there and let him triumph Don't you
see the c0wardly yankee trick he's played
upon us|'
HE has not" said Mrs. Braat, hough;iiy.
Il have no reason TO love him pr has friends
but ! know he does not uc."
"Gcnucmen, GentemenT' impiored COL
oneI Starbottlc. with unctuous persuasion,
may I-er-rcmark. Arc we 20 he alarmed
because an awkward rabble, NO matter
whence they come demand entrance here
in the name of the law' I ann rot awsre
Of any law IN the state OF California tAat