The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-03-11

VI 'oNS ~ Il
began in the Sunday issue of the
News and Observer of January 26. l.
Copies containing the previous install 4
ments may be obtained for five cents Il
each by addressing this office. z
SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS
Little Charlie CASTOR leaves child
hood behind the night his widowed I
mother is stricken with brain fever. 4
After the war the negroes organized
into secret societies under the most u
corrupt leaders imaginable. Tom Camp r
an old broken-down soldier loses his z
daughter in a fight with the negroes.
Mrs. CASTOR after six months recov- h
ers, but is never strong, and the shock f
of having her home sold for illegal II
taxes (the fate of thousands of 9TH II
ers) is too much, and she dies. Finally h
the negro outrages become so unbear- X
able, a ring-leader is lynched, and at II
one stroke the Ku-Klux Khan breaks l.
the power of the vile ring of polite
ians and the negro societies..
Allan Mcleod, a young officer, =
proves a traitor to the Ku-Klux Klan
and thus becomes a party leader. He
offers Charles CASTOR, now an eloquent
young lawyer, the governorship for his
services. but CASTOR refuses. CASTOR
meets and falls in love with the one wo-
nan of his dreams. And she at least
likes nim-how much he cannot say.
CHAPTER XII.
THE RHYTHM OF THE DANCE.
Before boarding the train he was to
take for Raleigh, CASTOR fingered with
Mrs. Durham. talking, talking, talking
about the wonder Of his love. AS he
arose to leave he said,
Nov, mother dear, l can't write to
her. l don't dare. You can. Tell her
all about me won't you? Everything that
you think will interest and please her
and that will be discreet. Your intuitions
will tell you how far to go. Tell her
how hard I'm working and what an i'm
portant mission I've undertaken, and the
tremendous things that hang on its out
come. And tell her how impatiently I'm
waiting fer her to come to the Springs"
A right. I'll telegraph you if she
comes"
Don't let her come till l get back.
Tell her the hotel isn't fit to receive
guests yeti never is for that matter
but anything to give me time to get
here"
He worked with indomitable courage for
two weeks, visiting the principal towns
in the State and everywhere arousing
intense enthusiasm. There was some
thing contagious in his spirit. The young
fellows We're charmed by his eager in
tense way of looking at things, and
they caught the infection and he made
hundreds of staunch friends.
You're just in time!' cried his moth
er greeting him with radiant face when
he returned. She is coming tomorrow"
And on the morrow CASTOR was at the
depot with a carriage to take Miss Sal
lie, her mother, and Miss Helen Lowell,
her Boston schoolmate, to the Springs.
The first passenger to alight was Bob ST.
Clare.
"What in the thunder are you doing
here? This town is quarantined against
you!' said CASTOR.
"Hush." said Bob in a stage whis-
per. shes here. There's her valise.''
That's why you can't land. TwO's
company, three's a crowd. I love you, Bob.
But l won't stand this"
The crowd were pouring off the train
and had cut off Miss Sallie's party in
the centre Of the car.
Castor, l just came up for your sake.
I'm looking after Miss Lowell. I'm lost,
ruined! Scared to say q word. l thought
maybe, you'd help me out, Wen pool
chances. I'll talk for you and you ak
for me-"
Its a bargain, ST. Clare"
Fl want a separate carriage,-get me
one quick"
In a few moments the brief Introduction
over, Castor was seated in the carriage
facing Miss Sallie and her mother, whirl-
ing along the road, over the long hills
toward the Campbell Sulphur Springs in
the woods, two miles from the town.
How beautiful and fresh she looked to
i'm even in a dusty travelling dress, He
was drinking the nectar from the depths
of her eyes.
The first day she allowed CASTOR to
monopolize her, and then began his tor
ture. She declared there We're others
with whom she must be friendly. She
determined to give a ball to Helen the
next week, and began preparations.
1t was a new business for CASTOR, but
he did his best to please her, in a pa
thetic, half-hearted sort of way. He
ran all sorts of errands, and executed
her orders with tact.
"Oh. Sallie let the ball go. l don't
care for it. l can do nothing to ever
repay you for the good time I've been
having" said Helen as they sat in her
room one night.
1--WE are going to have it | tell you. l
don't care how much Mr.. CASTOR sulks.
I'm not taking orders from him.
mo, but you'd like to-you know it."
What an idea!'
You know you like him better than all
the others put together
Nonsense. I'm as free as a bird
Then what are you blushing for?"
I'm not" But her face was scarlet.
On the night of the ball, CASTOR, sit
ting out on the porch, felt nervous and
ffdgety. like q fish out of water. He
knew he had no business there and vet
he couldn't go away. They had a quar-
rel about the ball. Sallie had insisted
that CASTOR honor her by coming in
evening dress whether he danced or not.
But. Miss Sallie, III feel like a fool.
Everybody in the country knows that
never entered a ballroom
DO you care so much what everybody
thinks about your"
Blu, but l care what l thing of my
self"