The Princeton union., 1900-03-29
CHAPTER ".

CHAPTER ".
The next morning the two brothers
met as they were leaving their rooms.
David caught Ronald by the arm and
turned his face towards the little glass
less window at the head of the stairs.
'Own up" he said, with smile, ''you
didn't git a wink O. sleep last night"
II confess it," was the answer. 81
didn't know what was the matter with
me-
"Rut l do," David touched his brow
significantly; sit was hot blood in the
brain. 1 know how you felt. You Jest
rolled an tumbled. I heerd you git
up an look out O. the window 70 see
eff it was gittin' daylight FIVE times Ell
you did once. Ny Lord, couldn't rest
for two nights fore I whipped Budd
Meyer fur reportin' me fur sellin' that
quart to the Calhoun boys, but you bet
after I made his face look like a buckle
berry custard L slept the sleep of the
righteous. Two O. my friends had to
perjure the'rse'ves to keep me out O
the chain-gang, an was tryin' to wash
out the'r sin with his blood; eff the'1
conscience amt clear it amt because
thar wasn't enough O. the fluid fur
laundry purposes, fer he bled like 8
stuck pig. reckon Dave broke off
suddenly as they began to descend the
stairs, that breakfast is about ready
[ heerd the old man cussin' about thar
bein' too much ham fried:"'
After breakfast our hero left the
houseandtool1 acknowledgements
Carnleigh. He wore his best suit o1
clothes, which fitted him perfectly
In each of the pockets of his dark sacl,
coat there was revolver; he had
shaved himself by the first rays of the
sun and wore becoming necktie; his
boots shone with fresh backing, and
he had on a stylish straw hat.
AS he left the house Mary Lou and
Ann Josephine, having shirked the
dishwashing, stood arm in arm on the
porch Their shoes were unlaced, thei1
dresses soiled and torn, their hair dis
heveled.
He walks mighty biggity," observed
Mary Lou; Il reckon he is maxim
tracks fur town to see about bein' ex.
amined fur the law. Who do you reck
on would hire i'm to speak fur 'em? o
'Thar's no tellin' the luck of lousy
calf,' opined Ann Josephine IRON
amt nobody's fool; body couldn't
read as many papers an magazines an
study law as hard as he does without
parnin' something"
He'll take keer O. number one any-
ways" commented Mary Lou. 'Iheerd
pa say t'other day that Ron refused
to market his cotton when everybody
| in the county was turnin' loose o. theirs
last fall an that he held onto it tell it
riz an he put a cool two hundred dol.
lars profit in the bank; an another
thing, he never goes in debt over head
an yeers like pa an Dave does; he's the
only farmer round heer that pays cash
fur labor an that's one reason he gfts
SC much out O. his hands. Niggers don't
want to work fur orders on the store
at two prices when the cash planked
down will git so much better bargains. ~
Meanwhile the subject Of these re-
marks was walking swiftly down to-
wards Carnleigh. The great house was
now in full view, and that part of the
grounds through which a fower-bor.
dered walk Led in sinuous curves from
the veranda down the grassy slope
where there were a spring, summer
house and rustic seats. The spot was
only a few hundred yards from the
main road, where, in a corner of the
colonels zigzag rail fence, Ronald
paused and waited, hoping that by
some chance Capt. Wrinkle would stroll
in that direction as Ronald in passing
had once or twice seen him do.
He had not long to wait. He saw
Winkle in fatigue uniform come out
on the veranda and receive a cigar from
a man-servant. A few minutes after
wards, under banner of blue smoke
the young officer took one or two turn.
on the lawn among the flower beds
and then, as il obeying Ronald's fierce
desire, conveyed to him telepathically
he turned into the walk leading dowr
to the spring. He moved easily, with a
1oHJ, swinging elI1ue, TutnleSsly cut
ting at the nearest flowers with cane
which he poised on his shoulder like
a sword or swung in front of him as il
fencing. @*%
No sooner had Ronald seen the di.
rection he was taking than he vaulted
over the fence and made his way
through the dewy grass and weeds into
the wood which intervened between
him and the spring.
He came upon Winkle as that worthy