Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-12-15
CHAPTER ".

ing. where the circling forest broke.
an occasional glimmer blurred the
window OF a cabin-blurred IL with
faint light that choked and strangled
in the fog Affair OF. some belsted
negro was chopping wood for supper.
The mufied strokes OF his ak doomed
duly among the deadened trees. where
stark white oottonwoods thrust their
naked arms into the sky.
The mist. clammy and vague and
full OF sinister suggestion. crept out
OF the cypress brake. and spread like
q slow-unroiiing shroud across the
level fields Of Devil-May-Ca planta-
Sion.
Not an inch OF dry land remained.
nothing except that thin long line OF
levee-one slender thread OF certain
~ through the realm Of the unreal.
The Devil-May- Care store and resi-
'dence were built close 20 the levee.
with their galleries fronting H. A
bridge made OF 4 single plank crossed
the pools Of seepage water from each
gallery 20 the levee. for this levee
this narrow ridge Of dirt. had now
become the universal highway along
the river front
Noel Duke strobe out on his gal
lery. A trail Of light streamed
through the door behind him. flashed
across the crown OF the levee, and
glittered on the steadily rising Mis-
issippi which cr0uched like a fam
ished wolf outside. licking at the
earthen barriers.
The young man scarcely glanced at
4
threatened his propesy with destruc-
ton. nor yet at the impenetrsble
gloom which overhung his land. To
his right lay the eddying yellow
river. 90 his. left a sea OF mist with
Ehost-like trees arising from f.
In all OF his undisciplined life moth
ing had ever fretted him as the last
few months had done: months OF
waiting. % watching for opportunities.
months OF subterfuges and rebellion
against them. A thousand times a
day he wished that Mrs. Ashton were
a mamie mi ht take his own meth
DDS with man. She had brought
their ancient fcud very near a crisis.
and. like a boil the thing got sorer
as IL was coming 90 a head.
Well" he said stopping Ga his
walk. I'll go up there tonight and
settle it, the longer I put it Of the
worse it gets. She can't set the dogs
on me-damn f. I wish she could"
IL would have been genuine relief
FOR linn go have had something taugi-
bic 90 fight
He leaned AGAINST tho bauis tcr and
looked around at hts vlpor-hiidcn
fields. bis plain itti. dwelling cit
would hc uir rs dismal here for a
girl" he admitted ans could not
wonder tiat Nrs Ashton preferred
her niece to marty Woo fora Vance.
who had come down from Sew York
during the Christmas holidays.
When out hunting enc day ne had
seen this man riding along The road
with Anita blond fellow with cur
ly hair. and laugh that might have
sounded very pleasant 90 some people.
That laugh kept ringing On Dukes
ears; whenever ne felt most irritated
he recalled the buoyant laughter OF
Woodford Vance.
From one OF The coops in the yard
an indignant game-cock crowed his
protest against the fog Duke smiled.
"Blest II ! hadn't forgot the cooking
main az Ficksburg Let me see-it
beEins tomorrow"
Then he marveled at the change
that had come over him. Miss a
cOckinE-main 90 which be had been
lookine forward for six months? In
credible ship a dozen cocks 20
Vicksburr with Scrapper the best
cock that ever crowed. and then not
go 20 see them fight? Incrediblei
Love IS very curious" he thought,
and began pacing the gallery again.
At his next turn DE saw Chalky
jogging down the road toward him.
As ~ an eternity we're his
Hurry M Chalky-hurry up" he
shouted. running across the plank
that reached from his gallery 10 the
crown OF the levee. The negro
spurred on. and held out a note.
Duke glanced az IT,
you Internal thick-headed fool,
that's my note; didn't you have sense
enouph 20 deliver it?"
"'Tain't nobody dar: Miss Anita.
she's done gone an Miss Alice. an
Mrs. Ashton done gone 10 Vicks-
burg on 90 Sultana."
"Didn't she leave a message with
Aunt Tilly?"
'NO. sub. Aunt Tnly say Mrs.
Ashton is been feelin poly an dey.
ali lef' in or mighty big hurry. Dey's
gwine to Moody Craw. an dat young
gemmun from New York he's gwine
20 meet 'em-de one what was here
Crissmus"
who told you that?"
Dukes voice was menace, and the
negro answered quickly:
Jimmy; She's de yaller gal what
volts on Wi-s ALICE she heerd Miss
Alice an her ma talking bout Il.
Fo' God, Mister Noel. don't you never
tell dat; 1 sho is scared o. Mrs. Ash
ton"
Going 10 meet Vance?" There was
such an ugly CLEAN in the mans eye
that Chalky wished he had not told
him.
Duka conerr1fal hfc watch and chuf