Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-01-18


heard call to the ferry. and later.
when the sound of rushing hoofs and
wheels in the road fell upon his ear,
he had peered out into the darkness.
but. Notwithstanding the illumination
Of a lightning fash. had discovered
nothing. Valsin entered the room
swishlng the rain from bis broad felt
hat and. stamping his wet and muddy
boots upon the floor. said:
II don't like a night like this. father
hot and dripping and heavy. 1t always
makes me feel that something bad Is
going to happen"
Keep your soul clean. valsln." said
the priest land whatever happens on
a night like this cannot be bad for
you"
"Oh. 1t Is not for myself-no-that l
am uneasy. but 1 think that persons
travelling abroad are sure TO meet with
accident, and II a man is hurt in the
Magnolia hills on such a night he may
lie there until morning and no one
know OF his suffering
81 have just heard some one drive ND
from the ferry" observed the priest,
land pass on toward the hills. Who
was II, ValsiDT'
81 do not know" replied valsin. 81
did not go to the ferry. The boy
Pierre Is there tonight But come. IA
Their; your supper OF chicken. eggs and
coffee Is ready. You must be very
hungry after driving so far and walt.
Ing so long,"
Thank you. Valsin. I have an ap-
rlofffrs ho IL
not impatient. for, you know. ! am
prscticed In fasting"
As the priest rose to follow his host
to the supper table a voice came from
without, calling:
Hello. valsini Heilol Henor
The dogs Of the yard set up furious
barking.
Both men stopped. and vnIsIn, step
ping out on the veranda OF his house.
responded:
Hello yourselfi Who Is itf Come
inF'
II can't until you call your dogs OF. %
wait; / will be there In a minute.
Here. you rascal. Jacques; get away.
And you Rosa: go or! Do you want
me to kick your Now. sir. they won't
bite. They know am here Who is II
see?"
"oakfeIl. valsin. ! have to claim
shelter of you"
why. bless my heart. MT HoraceI
How do you do? am glad to see you.
sir. Come right In" And he erasped
OaktelPs hand and shook IL warmly
whats happenedi Where's your bug
gy?"
Never mind the buggy. valsin. Let
us get out OF this rain and mud" said
Oakfell. land then will tell you what
hsa happened"
ITO be sure, to be sure" said valsin.
"How foolish of me to keep you here
at the gate to tell me about Il when
you can just as well come inside and
Get dry and comfortable and then tell
me and take your own time" And he
led his unexpected guest int the house.
Father Grhe gave Oakfell an afrec-
tionate greeting. but. observing that his
face was scratched and Ills clothing
torn and smeared with mud, manifest.
ed anxiety and asked with an air of
concern:
"Why, my son. you have met with an
accident Are you hurtr
mo, / believe have sustained moth.
Ing beyond rude shaking up ar
rived on the Red Queen at Fort De
Roussy this afternoon and. stopping for
q short time at my office in MarksviIIe.
concluded to drive to my plantation this
evening. The big black which was re-
Gently sent me from Cincinnati had
been stabbed in town since / left for
Baton Rouge in the early part OF the
session. had him put to the buggy to-
day. Just as was getting out OF the
gully beyond Valsin's field the horse
took fright at the upright shafts of an
OK cart tilted on end in front of old
Grineau's house, which / in the dark
did not see. Before / was aware he
bounded to the left. leaped up the bank
and started on dead run into the Mag
noiia hills. l braced myself to hold
him in, but he was beyond control, and,
positively, l expected to be killed. Had
he got as far as the woods he surely
would have dashed my brains out
against tree; but, fortunately, at the
edge of the field the left wheel OF the
buggy struck thorn stump. and every
thing went to pieces. The buggy,
suppose, has been broken into a thou
sand fragments. / was thrown violent
ly to the ground, the reins left my
grasp, and the horse has gone dashing
through the hills like some mad crea-
ture. So here am, all that is left of
the cortege that started out so bravely
from Marksville, and may thank my
stars that there is this much left sound
and unbroken."
''The kind God be thanked, it Is the
best part which has been saved" said
the priest fervently.
''Yes, yes" valsin added, Eve could
not afford to lose such a enc as Mr..
Horace, and we must take the best Of
care Of what God has been good enough
to preserve to u.s."
He hurried OakfeIl into another room,
calling to his aid the old negro Alonzo.
and the two. after delving into various
cypress chests and armoirs and bus
tlfnoD a h0r1k -