The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1908-current, 1909-11-20
COPYRIGHT. 1907.

way with me. you old mule. Now lis
ten; l want you to be on the watch
for two men''-thereupon the colonel
described his men, laying special
stress on the moles on the face of one,
and the others dimple.
Having set Haley his tasks, he went
back to his car in better spirits.
By this time the train was moving.
He had seen his kinswoman and her
party enter; and he found the object
of Mrs. Melville's darksome warnings
sitting with slender lad in the main
body of the car Aunt RebecCa was in
the drawing room, her maid with her.
Mrs. Melville, who had already re-
vealed her presence. sat across the
aisle She presented the colonel at
once.
Miss Smith did not look formidable;
she looked nice" thought the colonel.
She was of medium height; she was
obviously plump, although we'll pro
portioned; her presence had an effect
of radiant cleanliness, her eyes were
so luminous and her teeth so fine and
her white shirt waist so immaculate.
There was about her a certain soft il
Illumination of cheerfuiness, and at the
same time a restful repOse; she moved
in a leisurely fashion and she sat per-
fectly still. 81 never saw any one who
looked less of an adventures" Win
ter was thinking, as he bowed. Then
swiftly his glance went to the lad, a
pale young fellow with hazel eyes and
a long, slim hand which felt cold.
The boy made little inarticulate
sound in his throat and blushed when
Col Winter addressed him. But he
looked the brighter for the blush. 1t
was not q plain face; rather an in
teresting one in spite of it's listlessness
and its sickly pallor; its oval was
purely cut, the delicate mouth was
closed firmly enough, and the hazel
eyes with their long lashes would be
beautiful were they not so yelled.
HE has the Winter mouth, at least"
noted the colonel He felt u throb at
his heart. Had his own boy lived, the
baby that died when it was born, he
would be only year older than Archie.
Al least, this boy was Of his own blood.
Without father or mother, but not
alone in the world and, If any danger
menaced, not without defenders. The
depression which had enveloped him
lifted as mist before the sun, burned
away by the mere thought Of possible
difficulties I'VE will see If any one
Of Oh col
Rupert Winter, COMPRISING the Win
ter mouth more firmly, "or if those
gentlemanly kidnapers mean you"
His ebbing suspicion of the boys
companion revived; he would be on his
guard, all right
Aunt Rebecca wants to see you
Mrs Melville suggested she is in
the drawing-room with her solitaire"
Still playing Penelope's WEBB"
oh she always comes back to it.
But she plays bridge, too; Rupert, l
hear your game is wonder. Arches
been learning, so he could play with
you"
Good for Archie,"-he shot a
glance and a smile at the lads REDEEM
ing face-'we'll have a game"
Lord, l wish he didn't look quite so
ladylike," he was grumbling within
as he dutifully made his way to his
aunt's presence.
The electric lights flooded the
fimsy railway table on which were
spread rows of small-sized cards. An
elderly lady of quality was musing
over the pasteboard rows. A lady of
quality-that was distinctly the phrase
to catch ones fancy at the first
glimpse of Mrs Winter Not an aged
lady, either, for even at so, that ele-
gantly nodded, slim figure, that abun
dance of silvery hair-parted in the
middle and growing thickly on each
side in natures own fashion, which art
can not counterfeit, as well as softly
puffed and massed above-that ex-
quisitely colored and textured skin,
strangely smooth for her years, with
tiny wrinkles of humor, to be sure,
about the eyes, but with cheeks and
skin unmarried; that fine, firmly carved
profile, those black eyebrows and
laSneS ana sui Dr1llldnt udTk eyes,
most of all that erect, alert, dainty
carriage, gave no impression of age;
but they all, and their accessories of
toilet and manner, and a little prim
touch of an older. more reticent day
in both dress and bearing, recalled the
last century phrase.
A soft gray bunch OF chinchilla fur
lay where she had slipped it on her
soft gray skirts; one hand rested in
the fur-her left hand-and on the
third finger were the only rings which
she wore, band Of gold, worn by 60
years, and a wonderful ruby, wherein
Cat least such was Rupert's phantasy)
a writhing flame was held captive by
its guard of diamond icicles. The
same rings admired by her nephew
ever since he was cadet-just the
same smiling, inscrutable, high-bred,
unchanging old dame!
Good evening, Aunt Rebecca; not
a day older!" said the colonel.
Good evening, BERTHE" returned the
lady, extending hand over the cards;
Cd 60