The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-05-16

t.duO JOU all ouo4 CAOOSA w 9C0 !.
"Doggone him, but yo' may be right,
lootenant, yo' may be right1'
"Of course I'm right! You just move
about right smart and give the boys the
tip. Don't even elect him corporal.
He's just one o. that sort that if he gets
any Office at all he'll want to run the
whole company"
"And we don't propose to be rum"
"Of course mott"
Steve soon turned the tide against
Kenton, and that without any one
knowing exactly what was taking place.
The citizens OF the town were almost as
much interested in the election as the
members Of the company. The old law
yer had left Kenton to settle the matter
according to his own judgment. When
he heard that the young man had en-
listed, he was secretly pleased, and it
was his influence which made a number
of the rank and file decide on electing
Kenton as third officer of the company,
81 am not in the least disappointed"
replied Royal when the result of the
voting was known and the Office had
gone to another. 81 enlisted without
thoughto of position and prefer the ranks
to any place they could gre me-. Be-
sides, I am a Yankee, you know, and it
is only natural that there should be a
little feeling in the matter"
There were two callers at the Percy
mansion that evening. Duke Wyle came
first. AS previously stated, he had been
a frequent caller for a year or more.
Some people had even said that there
was an engagement. That was a mis-
take, however. Try as hard as he could,
he could remember little or nothing to
encourage him in believing that be was
a favored sutton. Neither had he the
slightest reason for believing that Royal
Kenton had any advantage in that re-
spect. It was simply the fact that he
was also a visitor at the house that
reused the spirit of jealousy and the de-
sire to work mischief. His reception
was cordial by both mother and daugh-
ter, and both congratulated him on his
election. as one of the company officers.
This paved the way for him to observe:
81 presume you have heard of the I'M
blushing assurance Of the Yankee, as
all call him, in making every effort to
be elected second lieutenant"
"Do you refer to Mr.. Kenton?"
quickly answered Marian.
"Of course. He is the only Yankee
I know of in this locality. The men
saw through his scheme before it was
too late, however"
Ibid he have a scheme?" asked Mrs.
Percy.
Most certainly, ma 'am-that is, the
members of the company fully believed
he had"
"What was it:'' quietly asked Ma
rian.
"Well, they all think he volunteered
to hoodwink us, and that he will desert
the first chance he gets"
"But you don't believe it,"
"Well, Ill can't say that | do,
but he leans toward the north. you
know"
"No, I did not know it. He is Vir-
ginian by adoption. He owes her allie
glance. He did not enlist until he felt
it his duty to go with his state. You
did not enlist for any other reason, did
you. Mi. Wyle::"
"Of course not, but I'm a born Viz
ginian, you know
"Well, l think Mr.. Kenton acted &C.
cording to his conscience and best judg-
ment,. and that the guards would have
had reason to be proud Of him as an Of
fcer."
eyes. 1 think SO, too," replied the
mother.
The lieutenant realized that he was
walking on dangerous ground and let
the subject drop, but in his OWL mind
he decided that he had new cause for
hating Royal Kenton and removing him
from his path. During a moment OF
silence a plan flashed through his mind,
and he presently said:
'It is an old saying, you know, that
blood will tell. 1t may prove false in
this case, and I hope it will, for Ken
ton is a fine young man.. Suppose, how
ever, he should actually desert to the
Yankees and come back to fight against
us?"
"Then / should be glad to hear of his
being shot as a deserter and a traitor
exclaimed the girl as her eyes flashed
and her color deepened.
"He would deserve it," added the
mother.
Duke Wyle had made his call intend
ing to make every effort to discover just
how he stood in Marian Percy's estima-
& Z44h
1GS4
$'S;''2'''!14t T.: Z; ),