The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-06
PEGGY O'NEAL> q: y 800: !: ~; \:
Continued from Last Sundays News.)
CHAPTER VII.
THE SECRETARY, SUAVE AS
CREAM

\
CREAM.
And now there comes beneath my
hand the hard portion of this history,
the part which 1 most mislke and
bear with least of patience. 1t is the
record written by the SNUG, false DR..
Ely to the General, wherein with a
particular past bearing, he piled up his
scarlet charges. There came a dozen
counts, and as ii it were an indictment;
and in them no slackness, but, instead,
an evil confidence of statement plain
and clear, as one after another he cast
those stones at Peg. Nor shall his COM
municaton be set forth; I would not
so offend against the whiteness of Pegs
name, nor yet harass my own souls
roots by giving a line of it to types
and presses. The more. since it was
all a web of lies which sly rogues woVe
for the shallow hand of this Ely; and
not enough of truth in it from top to
bottom as should serve to make it re-
spectacle falsehood. Sufficient that
there were stories with Washington and
again New York as the theaters. and
on these was based a brazen demand
and Peg whipped from among women
wherever virtue had name.
As the General read these things
aloud l sat biting my nail in the fam
ing Impotence of my rage.
And now what think you?" said he,
when he was done.
Il think" cried l. that 1 shall ride
at once for the caitiff ears of him."
The General, seeing my anger, turn
ed to be mighty calm. 1t was a man
ner of ours that when I was for
rage he woull go the other way; l,
on my side and by way of requital,
showed never so busy about methods
for peace as when the General was
for sounding boots and saddles. So,
beholding me eating my fingers in a
sort of blood eagerness to come at the
throat of that Ely, the General would
be for craft; and to demand proof;
and to GO upon litigation of the bust
ness among ourselves.
And now you know" said the Cen
eraI, with a bitterness in his mouth
like aloes, why l fear preachers and
your peace folk. Here is a false it's
sue against a girl as white as an an
gel"
My soul for that" 1 interjected.
mo one not OF the cloth, and saved
from mems vengeance by his coat and
Ely throws these lies III our laps, and
we must sit tied"
Yes" l cried, Il see your meaning
right we'll, and 1 would give my left
hand at the wrist joint could any gate
be opened through which in honor I
might win to the miscreant's heart"
Now the General read the letter to
himself; now he knitted his forehead
into a snarl and brooded while over
against him l sat fury-stung
1.-TWO matters we are to agree on"
said the General at last. I'VE are not
to tell Peg"
mo" said /.
Nor Eaton"
Now, somehow. in no fashion. not
even the most shadowy, had had Eaton
on my slope of thought. 1t had seemed,
in the confusion of wrath into which
this charge laid on poor Peg had stir
red me, as though there were Just three
folk in interest for our own side. being
the General and Peg and myself. The
mention of Eaton struck on me in a
strange, blistering way, and was as
much an iron in my soul as the SIAN
ders of that infamous Ely himself. This
came to be no more than a blur of
my wits, however; it departed in a
blink, and then a feeling somewhat OF
pleasure succeeded to think Eaton
would not be engaged in Pegs defense
Peg shall not know" repeated the
General, as he who goes over a ma
neuver in his mind, Eaton shall not
know. You and l will be enough; and
Noah; and mayhap Henry Lee, since
I think, Major, you are not the man
to be trusted with a reply You
like myself-would overflow too much,
since you own a feeling too Deep
There was sense in what the General
advanced; I was in an i'll frame for
cunning, and to be cool of quill with
any specious or refutatory letter writ
ing. l could have indited nothing that
would not run into a challenge with
the first line; and, with the pulpit char
acter of the foe to be our answer, that
would have been as so much raVing
madness.
Let u.s." said the General, again TAX
ing up the scrawl, examine this prec-
ious scorpions nest in detail, and then