The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-18

GABRIEL TOLLIVER.
ANovEL OF RECONSTRUCTION.
By Joel Chandler Harris.
cOpyrisht. 1909. BY Joel Chandler Harris.


would be better than sitting here wait
| ing"
Mrs. Absalom insisted on keeping up
an air of bravado. 1.-THE child's safe.
wherever she Is. She's been q rippittin'
'roun all day tryin' to git old Billy San
ders sober, an more'n likely she's sot
down some'rs an fell asleep"
but wherever she is. she isn't here. "
remarked Mrs. Darlington. tearfully;. II
wonder what her father win say when
he comesg DIR. Dornngtpn had gone to
visit patient in the country.
| After awhile, Eugenia said she had
waited long enough, but Mrs. Darlington
| looked at her with such imploring eyes
that she hesitated. IF you go. said
the lady, 81 will feel that Nan is not
coming. She is with that Tasma Tidl
and I think 1t is terrible that we can't
get rid OF that negro. have never been
able to like negroes.
Just as DR.. Darlington drove up, and
just as Mrs. Absalom was about to get
her bonnet, for the purpose, as she said.
of securing the town." Nan came run
ming in out of breath. "oh, such a time
as I've hadn' she exclaimed. you'll not
be angry with me, Eugenia, when you
| hear all Talk of adventuresi Well, /
have had one at last, after waiting all
| these yearsi Don't 'scold me, Nonny,
until you know where I've been and what
I've done. And poor Johnny has been
crying and having all sorts of wild
thoughts about poor me. Don't go, Eu-
genia; am going with you IN a moment
just as soon as can gather my wits
about me. am perfectly Wild"
TELL US something new" said Mrs.
Absalom dryiy. Here we've been on
1T IT, 80
your John A. Murrells had rushed into
town and kidnapped you. an all the time
you an that stink Of a niger have been
galivantin over the face Of the yeth. I
declare eff Randolph don't do somethin'
wi you they amt no tellin' what'll be-
come of you
But DIR. Darlington was not in the
humor for scolding. For one brief mo-
ment, Nan thought he was too angry
to scold. and this she dreaded worse than
any outbreak. But she soon discovered
that his gravity, which was unusual, had
its origin elsewhere She saw him take
tiny wagon. all painted red, from his
pocket and place 1t on the mantel-piece.
and both she and Mrs. Darlington went
to him.
''Oh. popsy! I'm so sorry about every
thing! He didn't need it, did hel
mo, the little fellow had no more use
for toys He sent you his love, Nan. He
was talking about you with his last
breath; he remembered everything you
said and did when you went with me to
see him. He said you must be good"
Nan cried little, and so did Eugenia
Claiborne, when she heard the story Of
the little boy who had suffered so long
and 50 patiently. The news of his death
tended to quiet Mans excitement, but she
N.N.1 n. Ill AZ
death took the edge off Mans excite
ment. the story of her adventure attract
ed as much attention as she thought 1t
would She said nothing about Gabriel,
and 1t was supposed that only she and
Tasma It'd were in the closet; but the
next morning, when DR.. Darlington drove
over to Clopton's to carry the informa-
ton, he was met by the statement that
Gabriel had told of IL the night before.
little inquiry developed the fact that
Gabriel had concealed himself in the
closet in order to discover the mysteries
of the Union League.
Darlington decided that the matter was
either very serious or very amusing and
he took occasion to question Nan about
it. You didn't tell us that Gabriel was
in the closet with you" he said to Nan.
well, popsy, SO far as l was con-
cerned, he was not there. He certainly
has no idea that 1 was there He never
will find it out unless he is told by some
one who disIikes me. Outside of this
family, not soul knows that / was there
except Eugenia Claiborne, and I'm per-
fectly certain she'll never tell anyone"
Darlington thought his daughter should
have little lecture, and he gave her one,
but not of the conventional kind. He
simply drew her to him and kissed her,
81
never forget the message the little boy
sent you. About the last thing he said
was Tell my Miss Nan to be dood.' d"
And you kno;J, my dear, that 1t is neither
proper nor good for my little girl to
be W ncering about at night. She Is now
a young lady, and she must begin to act
like one-not too much. you know, but
just enough to be good"
Now, you may depend upon 1t, this kind
of talk. accompanied by a smile of af-
fection, went a good deal farther with
Nan than the most tremendous scoIding
would have done. It touched her where
she was weakest, and she vowed to her
self that she would put off her hoYden
ways and become a demure young lady,
or at least play the part to the best Of
her ability
Eugenia Claiborne declared that Nan
had acted more demurely in the closet
than she could have done. If, instead of
Gabriel, Paul Tomlin had come spying
on the radicals where she was. 81 don't
know how you could help saying some
thing. If L had been in your place. and
Paul had come in there, l should GER
tainly have said something to him, II only
to let him know that l was as patriotic
as he was" Miss Eugenia had grand
ideas about patriotism.
"Oh, If it had been Paul instead of
Gabriel, would have made myself
known" said Nan. But Gabriel"
This conversation occurred while Nan
was visiting Eugenia. and in the course
thereof, Nan was given to understand
that her friend thought a good deal OF
Paul Tomlin. AS soon as Nan grasped
the idea that Eugenia was trying to con-
vey-there never was a girl more obtuse
in love matters-sA1 became profuse in
her praises of Paul. who was really a
very clever young man and very agree
able, entirely unlike silas Tomlin. his
father.
If Eugenia thought that Nan would
exchange condolences with her, she was
sadly mistaken. Nan had a horror of
falling In love, and when the name Of
Gabriel was mentioned by her friend, she
made many scornful illusions to that
youngster.
But you know. Nan. that you think
more of Gabriel than you do of any
other young man." said Eugenia. Il
knew the moment 1 saw you together
the first time that you were fond OF him;
and when l was told my some one that