Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-01-28

friend and looked to him to speak. The
stout man stared for few seconds al
the silent twain, partly to recover
breath, partly to recover wits. Finally
he lamely said, "Ohoi"
Then finding the steadfast gaze of
Ladue's burning brown eyes hard to
bear, he turned to his companion.
Rather a-coincidence, isn't it?" said
he. This remark, too, fell fiat, for no
response followed. 1t became neceS-
sary to say something more to relieve
the situation, and obviously the gentle
man knew not what to say. IL there
lived in this western community a
man Paul Ladue held in especial dis
favor, it was George McKirRon, junior
partner in the firm of Benton, Gray &c
McKinnon, attorneys and counselors
at law, and il was George McKinnon
who stood there in the flesh and who,
but moment before, had denounced
him as deserving the fate Of the spy.
Ample reason had he to hate Mchinnon
for, ever since Elinor's return the
previous autumn from visit to rela-
tives in the east, that energetic practi-
toner had been constant caller at the
Benton homestead, and despite the
fact that Elinor had not yet finished
her school days, was persistent in at
tentions that showed to all society he
had become infatuated with her radiant
beauty-that the man Of so eagerly
sought the girl of II as his wife. On
the other hand, McKinnon had noted
with jealousy unspeakable, that the
frank, joyous, boy and girl friendship
that had existed throughout the lads
school days had given place TO the half
shy, half hesitant, yet strangely sweet
relationship of early love, pure yet pas
sionate- McKinnon was a keen stu
dent, a rising man at the bar, brill
liant Jury" lawyer and just the one
needed to strengthen the somewhat
slow and ponderous combination of the
old firm. Benton, lawyer OF the old
school, held his young partner in high
esteem IL not, indeed, in C certain awe.
due to the daring and successful meth
DDS that had distinguished him ever
since his call to the bar. On the other
hand, he was not well pleased with his
sons choice of an intimate. Paul La
due was a dreamer, an idler, a poet
perhaps what the stern, hard-headed
old deliver in facts and figures called
ca lapdog sort OF fellow" And now
the war had come. The flag had been
lowered in defeat at Sumter. The men
of Massachusetts, had been mobbed in
the streets of Baltimore The first
levies in the far west had FLASHED with
the enemy in Missouri, and hostile ar
mics were arrayed upon the sacred soil
OF Virginia. Now when the young
men of the Badger state were focking
to the recruiting Offices, and companies
and regiments were being filled to over
flowing, when Damon, trimming with
patriotic zeal and energy, was seeking
q commission in the union volunteers,
Pythias, Paul Ladue, was known to be
writing frequently, doubtless urgently,
to his native state-the state that had
banished and impoverished him, yet
could not Danish from his soul the old
time loyalty and love. II had amazed
and offended many OF these, his north
ern friends who had welcomed and
cheered him in the hour OF his adve-
sity. 1t had scandalized one man who
had never shown him sympathy at all
I -lue Iudu HOW SlduuinS uuSdShS oc'
fore him, unable to face the stern gilt
ter in his speaking eyes. 1t was final
ly Paul who spoke:
You say the postmaster should dc
his duty, Mr.. McKinnon," said he, con-
tempt and hot hatred in his trembling
voice. by opening my letters, do you
mean? Somebody has been doing that
already, and believe you know
who!"