The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1910-07-21
CHAPTER v.

CHAPTER ".
T HIS trouble has driven Tom
pretty near crazy" went
W on the Judge, land I've put
or his and my daughter
AIMS wedding until we've settled Mr..
Kirby, for the fact is / don't want her
to take any chances Of being a widow
o young. sir"
do the ladies know what is going
forwardT
mo. ana l cannot impress that fact
upon you too strongly. sir. They be-
neve ana are to be kept in the belief
that f Colonel MORGAN accepts our in
Vitation, which no doubt he viii do,
we + all merely making a pleasure
3aunt to the Randall plantation. We
treat the whole affair In that light, sir
la visit In honor OF Colonel Moreau,
DO that the f4mily may make his ac-
quaintance at last and show some
measu Of their gratitude to him for
shooting down the despoiler Of their
father"
The entrance Of Nine. Davezac pro-
hlbited further discussion OF the sub
ject
"Ah." she exclaimed suspiciously,
"the gentlemen talk secrets already!
N. Aaron" she added graciously, "you
and / have not met for many years"
"A great loss to me-" he CALAMITY
replied. kissing her pronered hand
"a happy meeting. madame. The
Judge and l." he continued unblush.
lngly, were discussing plans for the
probable entertainment OF Colonel Mo-
reau."
"Then you must % talk Of gloomy
subjects. as l saw you were doing"
she replied. mo denials, please, for
1t fs always when / see two heads to-
gether In this house it must be that
they talk Of their hatred for that poor
Eugene Kirby"
"Poor, madame?' echoed Aaron,
turning in amazement to Judge Pley-
dell.
ST should nave warned you, SIR"
explained the latter, that my dear old
friend has retained her sgtimentality
with her youth" Considering that
Nine. Davezac was past f1fty-6ve, this
was indeed a doubly remarkable per-
Torrance.
did you know this Kirby. ma
dame?" gravely inquired Aaron.
mo. monsieur, never; but / knew
his father, and l cannot make myself
to feel about the son as do all these
others. / know his reputation, NJ.
Aaron. But just think-a boy who
had ro one to watch him, no one to
care! He drifts with bad companions:
he must live somehow. Oh, I could
believe he became a gambler, but that
one with such blood In him could do
what you all believe he has done-it
Am impossible
"But. madame" protested Aaron,
''this gentleman, this stranger. Colonel
Moreau"-
"Ah," she quickly interrupted, 81
think Colonel Moreau acted from the
highest motive. None of this family
has a greater wish to make his &C
q~uatntance and thank him than have
L. But / am still sure there was some
thing he did not see something be
did not understand, something which
would take the stain from the action
OF that poor young man. Yes; you
think me a fool. you laugh at me-" she
added as both gentlemen smiled IRON
ically. 'but it is what / think. and it
ts good 10 see some one laugh in this
house ven If it is at my expense"
AS she turned to leave an old negro
entered and announced that the
French niggehs' would serv coffee
In fifteen minutes.
Wait Group" commanded Nine.
Davezac. Tnen, ADDRESSING the two
gentlemen, she added: Listen. This
negro belonged one time to the father
Of Eugene Kirby. Group. tell the gen.
tlemen what you have told me once
OF that time your young NJ. Kirby has
fall from the oak tree"
well, sub, It were like dis heah,"
began the odd negro, turning to Judge
Pleydell. "'Twere long time ago, 10
Marse Randall done buy me to keep
me from bein' sold at auction. Den ]
blOng TO ole Marse Kirby, what's been
long dead and gone. Dat liz Marse
Gene Kirby I'm dem days round do
place all de niggehs done know him by
do name OF TET Marse Come Cheer
Up, kase dat what de lfT' boy allus say
10 Greetin'. But de way what de nick
name got 6xed on him An dis: He SIGH
tendah hahted lad seem lahk he jest
KANT STAN TO- to have nobody I'm trou--
BILE nohah. An one day a LIP yaIler,
no count, orhery brown pickaninny
done elm up in de ghabranches OF q
tree TO TO rob de aigs outen a mockin'
builds mes. LIT Marse Gene Kirby
he ketch sight OF him up dere, an he
ho1ler To- him to come down. He say:
What yo' doin' up dere, pickaninny?
Don yo' know dat ole motheh mockin'
huhd nnmo hack fin1 do most rohha1