The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-30

Perhaps in that short time Priscilla was taught little of Natures phi- llosophy, which is an understanding of lall the vagaries of inheritance. At any rate, she turned to the old darkey. "Manmy, she said, will you go with me to find him? don't care what people here say or think. Win you go with me to find Mir. StuartT'
 The old woman's face wrmkled with relief I'm ready this bery minute" she said.
 It was a week later that Priscilla and Nanny Lucy came to their jour neys end Priscilla had wanted to start West .He has always wanted to join Billy Ray in the Geological Survey in Arizona" she said. That lis where he sis gone"
 1 But Mammy Lucy sniffed disdainfuI- | ly. He done may a started there but he'll neber git there. we'll find him in old Louisiana, honey. Nebef wuz one O his blood could keep away from there" But he doesn't know that he was born there" protested Priscilla. freely. Ihowevefs for the queer old darkey who | had nursed Stuart's forbears. spoke with pre-knowiedge that was almost uncanny.
 So. hafting and hesitating. the two pursued a devious course on the ram shackle Southern railroads. toward Louisiana. They caugnr no trace of him. but led by the blind faith Of Nanny Lucy they snafled hour after hour through the sad Southern forests, through tobacco and cotton fields and miles of cane-brake.
 1 As day succeeded day. Priscilla's loy- al little heart reienteo more and more until each hour became an agony of remorse and she panted with impa- | tience at every delay. Even Mammy's tales of Stuart's family, at last failed | to interest her and she fell to ques- l ltioning fellow passengers. 70 find each | one interested but unaiding, Early | one morning, while the train stopped for breakfast at loneiy little station that was scarcely distInguishable from l the acres of sugar cane that surround | ed 1t, Priscilla made her usual inqui- l ries of the station master The old man was pleased.
 Well now, do you know. just such l a young chap as you describe stopped here day before yesterday, Had a l set of geological instruments. Said he was going to Arizana by way of Gal veston."
 Priscilia's tired. loyeIy race flushed with eagerness. "And>where did he go from here?'
 l But the station master shook his head. He must have walked over to | i him leave. He seemed so much inter- ested in the South before the war. that l sent him up to the oid f1avisse place. 1 He looked and talked like Soutn- erner, but when I told him so he seemed quite angry. He reminds me of old Gabriel Lavisse., who died when I was a child"
 Old Mammy's hands shook. while the whites of her eyes showed. Kin yo git to the old Lavisse place from this Ihyar stationf There want no railroat'
 round hyer thirty years ago."
 Yes" said the station master, three miles through this sugar cane there. till you reach The woods. then"
 "T told you 20, honey, I told yo'.. whispered the old woman. Come on."
 Wondering and trembling, too, Pris- leila followed Nanny Lucy through the dust of the winding Southern roao. lon past acre alter acre of sugar cane. lwith distant glimpses Of moss-hung cotton woods. and A.ammy Lucy nut ltering excitedly to hersel'. Tho thrf 8
 miles seemed very long, but Priscilla had no thought of wavering, The tenn lpest of impatience that had stormed within her for days was now at its height, and with the old woman's hand in hers she hastened on through the sand until every muscle of her slender body ached in protest. The country | through which they went was lonely. Tumbled down fences, here and there a deserted negro shack--ali the sad- dest of all sad landmarks, country (which war had left in ruins, country once rich and cultivated. Priscilla's throat ached with a sense of disaster. lpast and impending.
 Then the runs of an old gateway with a splendid grassgrown avenue Heading up to a wide, deserted portico. The old Nanny was crying now.
 All dead and gone" she was croon- ling, "all dead and gone. and Marse stuart with his heart brokel But fss a-comin' to you. honey, ole Nanny Lucy's a-comin' to you"
 Under the spell of the old darkey \ excitement Priscilla panted up steps to the broken porch and in through the fine old sagging doors. They
 hurried through a wide, deep hall. half dusk and up the dusty staircase Nanny moving with the certainty of familiarity. In through an open bedI room door, and there on the moth-eat- en carpet lay Stuart feverish and bab- bling of Priscilla The girl stood pale and awe-struck in the doorway, but Mammy Lucy ran to the lad with a cry of: "Oh, you pore lamb!" that brought a sob to Priscilla's throat But Stuart did not heed her.
 He was muttering of Prfiscillas gOWn-had 1t been blue or Whito, or was it after all only the rainbow light from the fountain, and there was no Priscilla there at all? He could not catch her voice. for the redbird sang SO loud. But it did not matter now. for every one was dead but he. anyhow. Priscilla listened with her white hands pressing her bosom. Stuart's face seemed very young and helpless as he l tossed upon the floor. Nanny Lucy smoothed the touseled head and tried to arrest the feverish wanderings of the hands, but Stuart did not heed her. The old woman turned to Priscilla.
 Come In hyer. honey, and stay with him while I get some water"
 Priscilla knelt on the floor with one of Stuart's hot hands in hers. 'Stuartl Stuart!" she cried, speak to me!''
 The babbling voice ceased. Speak to me, Stuartw The rowing eyes came slowly to Priscilla's face and paused there.
 why, Priscilla" said Stuart "how did you get here?"
 Priscilla was sobbing now. T came to find you. To tell you that nothing mattered. if only you would come back to mel"
 Stuart shook his head. 'No. can never come back to you, Priscilla" he whispered hoarsely.
 | Nanny Lucy hurried into the room. "TeIl us what happened to you. Marse Stuart, honey?'
 stuart looked at the old darkey with puzzled scowl. T just came out for a look at this old Lavisse place and stumbled off the steps of that four