The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-06-09

so that the family may make his ac- Quaintance at last and show some
 measure of their gratitude to him for
 shooting down the despoiler of their father"
 The entrance of Mime. Davezac pro- hibited further discussion of the sub ject.
 "Ah," she exclaimed suspiciously,
 ''the gentlemen talk secrets already M. Aaron," she added graciously, "you
 and have not met for many years" "A great loss to me- he gallantly replied, kissing her proffered hand. "A' happy meeting, madame. The judge and l." he continued uhblush- probable entertainment of Colonel Mo reau.r
 "Then you must not talk of gloomy subjects, as 1 saw you were doing" she replied "No denials, please, for it is always when I 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.
 sI should have warned you, sir,' explained the latter, ''that my dear old
 friend has retained her sentmentality
 with her youth" Considering that
 Mime. Davezac was past fifty-five, this
 was indeed doubly remarkable per formance.
 "Did you know this Kirby, ma
 dame?" gravely inquired Aaron. "No, monsieur, never; but I knew
 his father, and I cannot make myself
 to feel about the son as do all these others. l know his reputation, M.
 Aaron. But just think-a boy who had no one to watch him, no one to
 care! He drifts with bad companions; he must live somehow. Oh, could
 believe he became gambler, but that i one with such blood in him could do what you all believe he has done-it l is impossible
 "But, madame" protested Aaron,
 ''this gentleman. this stranger, Colonel
 Moreau"-
 "Ah," she quickly interrupted. "I
 think Colonel Moreau acted from the highest motive. None of this family has a greater wish to make his ac- Quaintance and thank him than have I. But I am still sure there was some thing he did not see, something he did not understand, something which would take the stain from the action of that poor young man. Yes; you think me fool. you laugh at me-" she added as both gentlemen smiled iron ically. ''but 1t is what I think, and it l is good to see some one laugh in this
 house even if it is at my expense" As she turned to leave an old negro entered and announced that the
 French niggehs" would serve coffee | in fifteen minutes.
 "Wait. Group" commanded Mime. Davezac Then, 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 l fall from the oak tree"
 "Well. suh, it were like dis heah,'
 began the old negro. turning to Judge | Pleydell. "'Twere long time ago, 'fo
 Marse Randall done buy me to keeI me from bein' sold at auction. Den
 b'long to ole Marse Kirby, what's been long dead and gone. Dat lfP Marse
 Gene Kirby in dem days round dc
 place all de niggehs done know him by
 de name of 'Li'l' Marse Come Cheer | Io lo
 fo' greetin'. But de way what de nick.
 name got fixed on him is dis: He sich
 tendah hahted lad seem lahk he jest
 kain't stan fo' to have nobody in trou
 ble nohah. An one day a i'r yaller
 no count, ornery brown pickaninny done clim' up in de high branches of 8
 tree fo' to rob de aigs outen a mockin' |