The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-07-18

country tavern he decided to begin op-
erations at once, so as to end the dis
agreeable task as soon as possible, and
was driven to the Fletcher homestead
on the outskirts of the town. He went
to get the lay of the land and left the
officers sent with him. at the tavern.
lie found an old-fashioned country
place-a big, homelike house sur
rounded with great trees in the midst
of farm of great natural beauty,
rolling meadows and fruitful fields
traversed by a ripping brook.
In response to the knocker a grim
old woman opened the front door far
enough to let the major see that it was
fastened with a chain inside, and in re-
! Spouse to his request to see Miss
Fletcher was told to wait on the porch
and she would see him there. AS the
major stood smiling at the crude at
tempt to thwart the edict of the law,
and inwardly Tuning at the trivial ne
cessity for taking him so far from his
snug bachelor apartments, the door
opened and Immediately he heard the
chain rattle into place again. Turn
ing, he lifted his hat to the girlish fig
ure in the doorway. 1t was perfect
type of budding womanhood, the
major noted briefly, just before his
eyes rested on her face. Then with a
start the hat dropped from his hand
and he grasped the railing for sup
port.
"Amy!" he gasped, his hand seeking
his brow with a gesture of bewilder-
ment. For there before him in the
! flesh stood Amy Lester, the sweet
heart of his boybood, just as she had
looked on the day he had left her to
go to the war. Not a day older, not
a feature changed! And he knew she
had died these ten years ago. Had he
lost his mind? Had paresis overtaken
him in the prime of life? He stood
transfixed, with trembling limbs and
staring eyes.
amy Fletcher, if you please, SIR
replied the young woman, with some
spirit. "And what is your business
here, may I ask?"
81 must beg your pardon" said he,
with courtly grace. you reminded
me so strongly of an old and very dear
friend"
"You were a friend of mammals s,
then?" inquired the girl. Her name
was Amy Lester"
Eyes; she was once a very dear
friend of mine," replied the major,
gravely.
The girl, who had been standing de-
family, with eyes flashing, softened
visibly.
sob, I'm so glad you came. I'm in
the most dreadful trouble, and they
are trying to take the old place away
from me; but they won't do it. I'll
never let them. I'll die first Grand
pa told me never to let them do it, and
that they had no right, and I won't.
But it's so hard for a girl who don't
| know anything about business or law
or anything to combat all those men.
| need friend. Indeed l do, and if you
were a friend of mammals you will be
my friend; / know you will. You will
help me, won't you? You are so big
and strong. And you know all about
these horrid business things; I know
you do. And-and you-you are kind
and honest: [ know you are. Tell
me-tell me what to do"
"Tell me all about it," he said, with
tremor in his voice.
They sat down on the rustic bench
together-and the majors tall, sol
dierly figure thrilled as It had not for
20 years, and he could not realize that
it was not the other woman-the wom-
an of 20 years ago-who was seated be-
side him, as she had been so often in
the old days. She told him her pa
thetic story-how she had been left
an orphan to her grandfather's care,
and how he had died year ago in the
midst of a quarrel with big land syn
dictate that sought to acquire his prop
erty, and had told her that the nego-
tiations had not been closed although
some papers had passed. He warned
her never to yield possession of the
property. Then there had been law
suits, and now they were trying to
. eject her from the house in which she
was born and to deprive her Of all she
had in the world. Going further int o
the matter, the major learned many
| things that had puzzled him during the
trial of the case involving the proper
! ty, and discovered how great injus-
tice had been wrought.
''Do not be afraid" said he, rising alb
ruptly. you will be harassed no
| more"
He went straight back to the city.
and there was an interview with Van
. delmeier--the stormiest, it is said,
that ever occurred in the majors old
fashioned back room-and the result
was that certain checks bearing the
majors signature passed to Vandel-
meier and the deed to the Fletcher
estate passed to Amy Fletcher.
There was the glow of long-deferred
youth on his face and the agility of a
boy in his soldierly carriage as he
sprang up the steps with the deeds in
his pocket. She did not entertain him
on the veranda this time, and before
the day was over she invited him to en-
JOY short season on the estate he had
saved for her-she did not know at
what cost. He remembered Eastman's
M monitiOD that he needed vaco+;on