Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-06-08
CHAPTER V,

CHAPTER V.
After supper that night the three
gentlemen remained at the table after
the ladies had left, to smoke and drink
their wine. The windows of the big din
ing-hall opened like door onto the
veranda, and Capt. Wrinkle, faultlessly
attired in Tuxedo coat, low waistcoat
and snowy shirt and necktle, watched
the three ladies furtively us they, arm
in arm, promenaded back and forth in
the light of the big kerosene lamp on
post where the carriages stopped. 1t
was not the colonel's habit to dress for
the evening meal, especially in the hot
season, SO he still wore his cool suit of
brown linen, and, in this respect, Mr..
Hardy was glad to keep him company,
as he had really come to the country for
an easy, unceremonious outing. The
colonel liked nothing better than good
listeners, and, as he slipped his wine
and smoked, his pink complexion fair
ly shone while he discoursed on favor
lite topic of his-the beauty and many
virtues of the only lady guest in his
house, Mrs. Lancaster, a snowy haired
widow not far from the coloners age.
Il am glad she came to-day" he said
"She is hard 10 get at; she travels so ex.
tensively, and am sure we never would
have her now if It were not for Evelyn
they love each other like mother and
daughter. Why, I'll bet Mrs. Lancaster
doesn't stay in her Charleston home
one winter IN five; does she, Hardy?"
NO, think she likes Italy," said the
gentleman appealed TO. II think ]
should have had the pleasure of meet
ing her before this IL she were often a,
home, but she goes out very little in
Charleston and has few intimate
friends. l should say she was by all
odds the most exclusive woman in the
city"
liam pretty sure" remarked the colo.
mel, tentatively, that she is very well
to do-that is, judge so by the life
she leads; it is one of expensive luxury
from beginning to end"
Il happen to know TINT she is decd.
edly rich," replied Hardy. ut seems
that her husband, who was killed in the
war, owned extensive lands in the south
upon which phosphate beds have since
been discovered"
Her husband was not killed while
actually In SERVICE" explained Has
brooke, land his death was most
tragic one" The colonel looked round
the room and seeing James, the black
butler, standing behind his chair, bold
Ing napkin and corkscrew, he said:
Il shall ring when want you.
James,"
When the negro had bowed himself
from the room, Col. Hasbrooke contin-
ued. Yes. Mrs. Lancnster's life has
been sad one; she has revealed the
great grief of her life TO very few, and
then only TO her most intimate friends.
She had been married to Lancaster only
about two years when the first shot
from Fort Sumter set his blood on
fire. lie was one of the first In South
Carolina 10 offer his services, and as he
had had some military training and was
highly educated he was made u captaIn
OF company. He made good record
but was taken i'll when his regiment
was stationed at little town IN the
mountains of East Tennessee and was
ordered home on furlough. AS ii was
In the month of August, Mrs. Lancaster
thought that the climate of Charles
ton would not be SO good for him as that
OF Tennessee, so she telegraphcd him 10
wait and she would Join him. She met
him with her only child, baby In
arms. and they started through the
mountains to retreat that had been
recommended to them as II highly suit
able resting place. But on that journey
they met with the catastrophe which
blighted her whole life. The noun
tains in that section, like the noun.
tains here. were infested with bandits
who lived upon plundering stragglers,
no matter of what politics. And II was
gang of these reckless ruffians into
which they ran. They were in spring
wagon driven by a negro. who had all
along shown himself to be an arrant
coward. The first notification OF dan
ser was the sudden appearance from
the bushes of half dozen armed men,
who demanded that the party alight
that the vehicle might be searched.
Evidently Capt. Lancaster, who hap
pened to be holding the child in his
arms, thought that immediate obedi-
ence was best, SO he got out, telling the
men that he had in his pockets all the
money and valuables the wagon con-
tanned. He was still holding the child
on one arm and opening his pockets
with another when the negro, seeing
that the robbers were not noticing the
wagon, whipped up the horses and
drove away at full speed. Mrs. Lancas-
ter tried to stop him. but he was wild
with terror, and as the robbers were
now firing inter them, be dncked his