The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1905-05-18

ing and foaming down from the
beautiful Blue Ridge They led him
from the wreck of a railway, through
powered streets, to the gate Of an old
Virginia homestead, where leafy trees
chung thick and protecting about the
columned portico and the widespread
ing caves. There these two war-trained
young cavaliers, still wearing their
uniforms of gray left bim for a brief
hour, and went their way TO answer
many a question, doubtless, from the
lips OF loved ones, not so entirely alb
sorbed in their own bliss as TO feel
no interest in the possibilities OF an
other affair. Every girl In Charlottes-
VILE had at least one lover in the war.
Some had many more than one. Some,
alas. had lost the only one. Was Il
like that Queen ROsalie should care
for none? Queen Rosalie she was again
in the hearts OF many of her old CO.
terie, but imperious, wilful, domineer-
ing no longer-changed to one and all
as all could see.
The trees and shrubbery were ringing
with a riot Of melody as Benton softly
closed the gate behind him and stood
a moment. waiting for sis heart to
cease the violence of its throbbing
Blue birds, wrens and orioles were
piping in final frolie before the close of
day. The hedge rows and the lofty
boughs alike seemed thrilling with life
and ecstasy and song. Only the old
white mansion was still. The broad
doorway to the lower hall stood invit-
ingly open. An easy chair. cushioned,
stood close beside Il, and other chairs,
with a fOotstool or hassock. an old gray
travelling shawl and a book or two
were scattered about. A venerable
horse, wheezy and sedate. was cropping
the grass and switching at gnats under
the poisoning fruit trees on the south
ward side. The locusts dropped over
the old fence along the cross street.
where that feathered, drab felt hat
first caught Benton's weary eyes. But
on this lovely, breathless evening no
human form appeared. no human voice
was heard In concert with the vesper
hymn Of the myriad songsters OF the
air Purposely had Benton given no
hint of his coming. Indeed. to whom
should he send word? Why should be
send to any one? Why, indeed, should
he have come at all?
Three years before. this very month.
he had escaped in the darkness OF mid
night from these surroundings, and Il
was Rosalie who pointed the way. Two
years before. this very month. she had
driven him forth from her presence, or
turned from him In a fury OF disdain
with insult on her lips, with wrath and
contempt in her flashing eyes. Surely,
encouragement he had none; yet. the
moment military duty would permit.
here again he stood. the knight. the
champion, the lover she had spurned.
and never again even by faintest sign
had summoned.
He wished her not to know of his
coming Men who deeply love and
deeply long for answering symptom
throw to the winds their every chance
In coming heralded, for the fondest wo-
man, given time and warning, is a
consummate dissembler. The warmest
heart will coat itself with ice impene-
trable. No, he meant to take her by
surprise as completely as Gordon's fell
lows had amazed the men Of the Eighth
corps that dark dawn under the shad-
ows of old Massanutten, and only 10
Winston at Richmond had he spoken
OF the possibility OF his stopping over
day at Charlottesville. Half a
dozen girls. however, knew OF the
presence of the invader before Resale
Chiffon, but none learned it in Just
such way.
A few minutes Benton stood there in
silent reconnaissance. He might have
seized the old-fashioned brass knocker
at the door and brought somebody IA
answer to the summons. but that would
have spoiled the surprise. He be-
thought him OF that old arbor in the
garden, and wondered II he could pass
the windows and the kitchen without
attracting notice. Then, looking about
him. and drawing closer to the shelter
of the vine-shaded portico. he saw
that the placidly grazing horse had
uplifted his venerable head, and, with
ears on end, was regarding, evidently,
some approaching object; then, with
low and welcoming Whitney, moved
slowly through the fruit trees as
though TO meet some one still beyond
the field of the soldiers vision. Then
IL was that Benton for the first time
realized that this was old Pyramus,
the horse that three years before had
safely borne him through the woods
and by-rOads to the mountain cabin,
thence on to the gaps Of the Blue
ridge, on from Rivanna to the Rapidan
and again to Bueklands and the final
rescue north Of Bristoe, only to be
turned loose and abandoned to the pur-
suing gray-coats when poor Hector
sank exhausted. crippled, and begging
not to be left to the vengeance of the
foe. Pelham's friends must have re-
stored the old horse to his owners, yet
now the veteran was being made at
home here at the Chiltons'. How
came that?
Fred would have gone instantly to
renew acquaintance and reward his
old four-footed friend with caress and
praise, but someone else was crossing
the lawn, with white hand extended,
palm uppermost, before her some one