The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-06
rs;

truth on the word of some extremely
honest individual of this town. This
person would be so much the viper he
much needs hide and crawl under COW
er; for this Ely also says who asks
his name withheld
By this time l had myself in recov-
cry and began to take part in the
! thinking.
First, Their" said I. 'is there any
accusation carried which you, yourself,
should contradict"
There are two" returned the Cen
eral. This Ely has it that my dear
wife knew Pegs bad conduct and con-
demned her for it. That is false. my
wife spoke of Peg within a six-month;
she loved her like her own child: and,
] we'll recall, she kissed Peg when
last we left this place Then, too,
Ely asserts how Timberlake was ieal-
Gus of Eaton before he sailed for the
Mediterranean, hated him as Peg 5
tempter, and would have slain him.
That. also, l should know to be a lie
for here" and the General crossed to
a shelf and took down rich Turkish
tobacco pouch, lis a tobacco pocket
which Timberlake sent to Eaton with
a letter asking him to give it me when
arrived; and the letter bore date not
ten days before Undertake died. There
remains but two great delinquencies
alleged the one here and the other in
New York; and both are capable of
proof for either their truth or falsity."
And how shall we go about that
proof| 2 ] asked.
LAS a primary step, then. let US have
Noah with US"
Noah came, and the General put the
Ely letter into his dark, nervous hands.
The gentleman seems marvelously
prompt" said Noah. ito decide wom-
ans fame away on barest hearsay.
I.a. &c. feti h1rt
he would make a bad judge"
This is what you viii do, Noah, if
you love me-" said the General: 60
to Philadelphia. Squeeze from this Ely
the name of that reptile on whose word
he starts about this crime against in
nOcence. Then press to New York for
the evidence needed to display the
falsehood he tells concerning Peg in
that place"
When Noah had gone forth, the Cen
eral called in Henry Lee. who was a
secret, truthworthy man, and, debating
while Lee did the pen work. proceed
ed to beat the Rev. Ely and his lies as
folk beat carpets. The General, when
it was done, dismissing Lee, read to
me his answer: and l could not so
much as add one word. 1t was as
complete a retort, and withal as slash
ing an arraignment of this Ely for his
own cruel part, as might be compass
ed with paper and ink. l listened: and
l never loved the General half so well
before.
And yet" observed the General,
when he had closed the reading, and
the letter lay ready for the post, this
ely is but the mask for some rogue
who hides behind him.
There was no more to do now, save
wait for Noah's return. 1 had one
ordeal Of the spirit, however; that was
when Peg came next day. 1 so yearn-
ed over her in pity, it marked itself
in my face and she took some dim
account of it. She went away wrong
in her hunting for a cause, however"
What has been the mischance?" said
Peg, getting up and standing behind
my chair with soft hand on each
of my shoulders. you've had poor
news from your farms?"
"A horse dead" l replied. This was
so far true as word that the letter
telling me thereof had but just arrived,
and lay open on my table. "Only that
a favorite horse has died." I replied.
but he was one of the Generals Trux-
ton colts, and 1 but 10th to lose him."
1t was a soon day thereafter, and we
yet waiting for word of Noah, when
the General re-opened the affair of the
Ely letter.
THE man Ely" said he, thoughtfully,
houn interest it was which stirred
him to this. He would be clay easily
nodded for such a purpose, and Pc
culiarly when the Potters employed
upon him might promise somewhat
for his ambition. AS against Eaton and
Peg. the fellow would needs lack per-
sonal motive, since he knows them not
at all. He might find in his bosom.
truly. part willingness to disturb
me, because l broke the heart of his
hope for a Florida eXaltation. Yet even
with that to train his malignancy upon
the Eatons, it is clear he must be load
ed, primed and aimed by other hands.
Thus do l make the story of it: If
Clay be out, as you declare, who is
ward? Then, too, there is the coinci-
dence of method. Ely does there what
the Calhoun folk do here"
STILL" / returned, for l believed in
justice though to an enemy, and would
not condemn the Vice President without
some open sureness of proof; still. as
Noah explained, these villainies might
find act and parcel in Calhoun's in
terests, and that gentleman be as in
nocent of personal part as next years
babes"
BE that as it may" retorted the
General "a man is responsible for his
dogs. Besides. it is too much to be-
lltNG IndI OilHOuIl mas nOLlCe OF
this war on the Eatons."
"Oh, as to that" 1 replied, II think
there is scant doubt. An important
movement in his destinies is not to con-
tinue for long in the dark, to a keen
sight like Calhouns. However, he
might miss Details"
He knows of these tales against
Peg" declared the General firmly, and
as though the question were solved
and settled. also. by lifting his fin
ger he could end them in the mouths
that give them words. When one can
do a thing and doesn't do it, that is
because one doesn't want to do it, but
prefers things as they are. And there
you have it. In the mean courses
against Peg your Vice President is ac-
cessory. BY the Eternal" swore the
General abruptly. beginning to walk
about the floor, but such perfidy
makes me to loathe the man. I should
hate all that comes from him, whether
of policy or plan. For where a source
is foul, the stream will be unclean."
There was now to enter upon the
stage one who wrought strongly for
Pegs defense. But he toiled better for
himself, for at last he took the White
kindness for what he did in Pegs pure
favor making him his heir of politics
and laying the presidency in his hands
with the death of his own second term.
This parsonage, to be so much the ally
of Peg, and so fortunate for his own
future, was none other than that Van
Buren, who resigned his governorship
and travelled the long way from Al
bany to become the Generals Secretary
of State.
Heretofore I've made suggestion that