Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-08-11
CHAPTER>v VI.


When Castor tried to sleep, he found
! It impossible. His brain was on fire, every
nerve quivering with some new mysterious
mower and his imagination soaring on
| tireless wings. He rolled and tossed an
hour then got up, and sat by his open
window lookingLout over the city Sleep
ing in the still willie moonlight. He look
ed into the nirr6r and grinned.
what is the ff1atter with met he ex-
claimed. IT believe I'm going crazy"
He sat down and tried to work the thing
out by the formulas OF cold reason. It's
perfectly absurd 70 say I'm In love. My
wild ronancing about a passion that will
grasp all life in its torrent sweep is only
a boys day dream. The world is too
prosy for that now"
Yet IN spite ofsthis argument the room
seemed as bright as day, and the moon
was only q pale sister light to the ra-
dance from the face Of the girl he had
seen that day: Her face seemed to him
smiling close into his now. The light OF
her eyes was tender and soothing like the
! far away memory Of his mothers voice.
TITS a passing fancy" he said at last.
after he had sat an hour dreaming and
dreaming of scenes he dared not frame
! in words even alone. He stood by the
window again.
what a beautiful old world this is after
all!' he thought as he gazed out on the
tops of the oaks whose young leaves were
softly signing at the touch of the night
winds. Turning his eye downward to the
street he saw the men loading the morn
ing papers into the wagons for the early
mail.
II wonder what sort of report of my
speech they put INF" he exclaimed. Una
BILE to sleep he hastily dressed, went down
and bought paper.
On the front page was a flattering por-
trait, two columns in width, with a re-
| - a-a- eli ~.
and an editorial review of a column and
a half. He was hailed as the coming man
Of the state in this editorial, which con-
| tanned the most extravaganza praise. He
knew II was the best thing he had ever
DONE and he felt for the minute proud
of himself and his achievement. The con-
| temptation Of his own greatness Quieted
his nerves and he fell asleep. He was
awakened by the, first rolling Of carts on
the pavements at dawn. He knew he had
not slept more than two hours but he was
as wide awake as though be had slept
soundly all night
II must be threatened with that spell
OF fever auntie has been worrying about
since 1 was a boy!' he laughed as he
| slowly dressed.
ut is now 6 o'clock, and my train don't
leave till g." he unused. But am going
on that train that's the question:"
The fact was, now he came to think of
II - y
| He would stay a while and look this mys-
terry in the face until he was dis-illusioned.
| Besides he wanted to find out what Nc
Leod's visit meant. He had a vague feel
] ing of uneasiness when he recalled the
| way Mcleod had assumed about the gen.
erals house. He had told Sallie he must
| hurry home on the mornings train for no
earthly reason than that he had intended
to do so when he came.
So after breakfast he wrote her little
note.
my Dear Miss Worth:
MY train left me. VIII you have COM
passion on a stranger in a strange city
and let me call to see you again today?
CHARLES CASTOR"
He waited impatiently until he heard
| his train leave, and then told the boy
to make tracks for the generals house,
A peal of laughter rang through the
hall when Sallie's dancing eyes read that
note.
"Ohl the storytefler" she cried.
And this was the answer she sent
! back:
"Certafnly. Come out at once. I'll take
you buggy driving all by myself over
| lovely road up the river. / do this in
Acknowledgement OF the gracious flattery
YOU pay me In the story you told about
the train. OF eotirse 1 know you waited
till the train left before you sent the
note. SALLIE WORTH.
Now / wonder if that young rascal of
a boy told her wrote that note an hour
ago? I'll wiring his neck If he did. Come
here. boy!"
The negro came up grinning in hopes
of another quarter.
'Did YOU tell that young lady anything
about when I wrote that note?''
'Nasah! Nebber tole her muffin. She
des laugh and laugh fit ter kill herself
des Quick es she reads de note"
CASTOR smiled and threw him another
top.
CTo be Continued.)