The Princeton union., 1899-05-11


ure that came up from the road was
upon us before we saw it.
''Does Pierce Bostock live here?"
The voice seemed familiar to me,
though did not at first remember
where had heard it.
eyes," said the overseer, grufHy.
''What do you want?"
Il want to see him."
"Weu, perhaps you can't. l attend
to his business mostly. He don't see
strangers.
Il am not stranger. reckon he'll
see me when he knows am here"
Mr.. Bostock suddenly reused him
self. "Who is that?' he asked.
eyes, think he'll see me-" the
stranger loudly repeated
l heard a sigh from the invalid a
deep-drawn, troubled sigh.
''Tell him to go away" he family
said. "What makes him come here to
annoy me? / don't want to see him."
''You hear, do you?" lie Fevre said,
standing in front of the stranger.
'What dye mean, coming here to
trouble sick man? You go. or I'll
find way to help you"
20, very well. If Mr.. Bostock won't
see me, he'll hear of me. May be he'd
like to have me take turn around La
Fourche and talk with the planters
about old times. Good evening""
He turned on his heel.
"Stop!" said Mr. Bostock. Tell him
to come in.'
He rose and walked into the parlor.
The stranger followed. Perhaps due
regard for social propriety should have
restrained me from following; but the
impulse to do so, growing out of nv
recognition of the voice and my power
full interest in Mr.. Bostock, was ire
sistible. AS for the pugnacious over
seer, the sharp words that he had had
with the stranger and the constraint
under which the planter was acting
were sufficient reasons to cause him to
go in also.
Coralie had heard the sound of voices
and our entrance into the parlor. She
came in with a lamp. The stranger
was revealed. I had last seen him
when he was put ashore by the captain
of the Cotton Queen.
He sat down on sofa and stretched
himself out. Nobody else was seated.
His impudent eye ranged round over
the luxurious furniture of the apart
ment and coolly examined each one of
us. Then, to my astonishment and dis
gust, he took a cigar from his case and
scratching match on the finely
grained panel Of the wall he lit it and
began to smoke.
LIE Fevre started forward.
''Say the word, Mr.. Bostoclz, and I'll
pitch the insolent blackguard out of
here, neck and heels"
The planter sat down and groaned.
':No," was all he said.
The intruder laughed, threw his
head back, and blew rings of smoke
upward to the ceiling.
"You won't be so fast, my friend,
when you hear how good a right I've
got to be here. That's Coralie, I sup
pose?"
Mr.. Bostock gave gesture of assent.
"Fine girl. Who might you be,
young fellow? I don't remember to
have met you before"
This was addressed to me.
Il have seen you before, certainly"
''You have! Where?"
up the river, when you were put
ashore from the steamer for cheating
with cards." s-. ...-.-
/ Ispoke from impulse, just as often
acted. Itwould have been wiser for
me to keep the words back. A little
reelection would have told me that this
was dangerous man, and that I ought
not needlessly to incur his enmity. But
l had spoken, and the shaft had gone
home. The mans evil face flushed and
paled, and he gave me a vindictive look.
He addressed himself to Mr.. Bostock.
my business is with you, sir. I
want nothing with these people,"
With q slight pause, he continued: