The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-08-24
CHAPTER VII.

E~\IH1EhE was u SOlI, WdEIl, vel
low glow to the world whel
Beverly Calhoun next looked
- upon ii. The sun from hi
throne in the mountain tops was smil
ing down upon the valley the nigh
had ravaged while he was on the othel
side of the earth. The leaves of the
trees were softer green, the white oil
the rocks and the yellow of the road
were of a gentler tint. The brown
and green reeds We're proudly erect
once more.
The stirring of the mountain men
had awakened Aunt Fanny, and she In
turn called her mistress from the sur
prisingly peaceful slumber into which
perfect health had sent her not so
many hours before. At the entrance
to the improvised bedchamber stood
buckets of water from the spring.
1--WE have very thoughtful chamber
maids" remarked Beverly while Aunt
Fanny was putting her hair into pre-
sentable shape. "And an energetic
cook" she added as the odor of broil-
ed meat came to her nostrils.
"Ah cain see nothin' o. dat beastes.
Miss Beverly, an Ah-Ah got nah sus-
picions," said Aunt Fanny, with sepul-
chral despair in her voice.
They've thrown the awful thing
into the river" concluded Beverly.
"Deys cookin' hitv' said Aunt Fanny
solemnly.
Good heaven, mol" cried Beverly.
go and see, this minute. / wouldn't
eat that catlike thing for the whole
world" Aunt Fanny came back few
minutes later With the assurance that
they were roasting goat meat. The
skin of the midnight visitor was
stretched upon the ground not far
away.
"And how is hep asked Beverly
jamming a hatpin through helpless
bunch of violets.
Hes ye'y specially skun, yo' high
ness"
81 don't mean the animal, stupid"
"Yo' mean at Misteh Goat Man?
He's settin' up an chattin' as If nothin'
happened. He says to me at we staht
on ouah way jes' as soon as yo' all eats
yo' b'eakfus'. De bosses is hitched
up an =
Has everybody else eaten? Am l
the only one that hasn't?' cried Bever-
~.
"Ceptin' me, yo' highness. Ah'm as
hungry as a poah mans dawg, an -
'And he is being kept from the hos
pital because l am a lazy, good for
nothing little Come on, Aunt Fanny;
we haven't a minute to spare. If he
looks very Ill, we do without break
fast"
But Baldos was the most cheerful
man in the party. He was sitting with
his back against a tree, his right arm
in a sling of woven reeds, his black
patch set upon the proper eye.
"You will pardon me for not rising"
he said cheerily, "but, your highness,
l am much too awkward this morning
to act as BETTING eourtier in the
presence of his sovereign You have
slept wellT
"Too well, fear. So well, in fact,
that you have suffered for it. Can't
we start at onceT She was debating
within herself whether it would be
quite good form to shake hands with
the reclining hero. In the glare Of the
broad daylight he and his followers
looked more ragged and famished than
before, but they also appeared more
romantic.
when you have eaten of our humble |
fare, your highness-the last meal at
The Hawk and Raven"
"But I'm not bit hungry"
'It is very considerable Of you. but
equally unreasonable. You must eat
before we start"
II can't bear the thought of your suf-
'ering when we should be hurrying to
/ hospital and competent surgeons"
BE laughed gayly. "Oh, you needn't
augh. l know 1t hurts. You say we
.annot reach Ganlook before tomor-
'ow? Well, we cannot stop here
minute longer than we Oh, thank
,ou!7 A ragged servitor had placed
'ude bowl Of meat and some fruit be-
ore her.
''Eft down here, your highness, and
prepare yourself for a long fast. We
nay go until nightfan without food.
rhe game 10 scarce, and we dare not
Tenture far into the hills"