The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-11-20

from camp to camp and place to place
searching fer him. At times | was al
most starved. 1t was only last March
l saw q boatload OF exchanged men
come up the James. most Of them too
weak to bold q gun. Mr.. Horace was
the second one to stagger down the
gangplank, ana if l had not caught
him he wculd have fallen. he had
been in Camp Douglas all that time.
He went twice to the front and was
twice ordered back to the hospital.
Then came the surrender, and we
started for home without ratiors or
money. We crossed the country by slow
stages, getting food and shelter from
kind country people in West Virginia and
Kentucky, but at times Mr.. Horace
gave out and said he could so no far
ther. Then would tell him that had
vowed to bring him home alive or
dead, for Mile. Estelle was waiting for
him. He would smile and say. Then,
God give me strength: come on.' and
we would march again. At Louisville
he borrowed 4 snail sum Of money.
and we took passage on the steamboat
City Of Memphis for Red River Land
Ing. We arrived there this moraing in
time for the mail hack, and here We
are"
God bless you, Leon, and repay you
for your noble devotion" exclaimed
Estelle, weeping in sympathy and
thankfulness.
God will bless him." Father Grhe
said authoritativelT.
"a truer heart than Icons beats not
in the breast Of any man. whatever be
his color or station, and his comfort
and advancement are especial charges
on my life and fortune Oakfcll added.
"Mr. Horace" Leon protested, You
owe me nothing. Remember, you stood
by the poor negro jockey when all the
world and all the law were against
him. Only be my friend and adviser.
and will be content"
1t was touching to see Odette's hon.
est, comely face flush with pride as
Icons narration proceeded and her
bosom swell when his praise was spo-
ken by the grateful hearers.
"Estelle," said Horace, strol:ing her
head lovingly, ''in the long, dreary
nights Of Imprisonment have dream
ed of this and awakened to wish I had
died while dreaming"
"And I, too, have dreamed Of this"
she softly answered, "but thought we
had died and met in heaven"
The click Of latch drew the eyes Of
the group on the veranda to the gate.
Evariste, who, to avoid the sun and the
meeting Of acquaintances, had ridden
through the swamp Instead Of along
the bayou road, entered, slamming the
gate behind him, and started briskly
up the walk with q staggering air.
Estelle blanchcd. The priest frowned.
Horace smiled and sat up in mis- chair.
Evariste had almost reached the veran-
da before be recognized his brothers
countenance. He stopped suddenly, an
expression of CONSERVATION came over
his features, and, uttering an inarticu-
late cry of terror, he turned and ran to
the gate, leaped upon his horse and sped
like one pursued by demons. His fight
was not slackened until Quilleberts
house was reached, where Laure stood
in the doorway as if expecting him.
He drew rein, flung himself from the
saddle and, his eyes starting from his
head, whispered hoarsely:
"Where is Quillebert?''
"Gone to Marksvile to sell this place
to DR.. De Roux," Laure replied, with
a calmness wholly unrufaed by the ex-
citement under which he labored.
How soon will he return?'
"Not before 8 o'clock tonight Come
in and tell me what has happened"
He followed her into the house and
exclaimed:
"Laure. | have seen q ghost"
Yen have not. You are not OF the
kind that see ghosts
81 tell you have seen my brothers
ghost"
"You have not. 1t was your brother
himself"
Then be lives? He has come back?'
Evariste cried in agony.
Eyes. / sensed he would
And l." groaned Evariste, "foiled'
detected, exposed and beggared, p
"Have come to me at last, as l knew
you would" Laure finished his SEN
tence with the assurance Of one who
viewed result of her own designing.
She threw her arms around him in a
sudden burst Of passion and pressed
him unresisting to her breast, hungrily
kissing his clammy brow and whisper
ing: "It is fate, Evariste. Submit
The listlessness Of early Sunday
morning was unbroken until the dust
Of the road began to be stirred By the
faithful going to the 10 o'clock mass
at the Mansura church. They were in
greater numbers than on ordinary Sun.
days, for the desire to hear Father
Grhe tell Of the marvellous reappear-
ance Of Oakfell was universal. or
course, Quillebert's absence was not