Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-02-19
CHAPTER vi.
Betty Sets Out for Tennessee,

side his father on the cabin roof o.
their keel-boat and watched the stars
| or the blurred line OF the shore where
| it lay against the sky, or the lights on
| other barges and RATS drifting as
they were drifting, with their wheat
and corn and whisky, 10 that CON-
mon market at the rivers mouth.
Bruce Darlington had seen tbs da-'
| OF barge and raft reach its zenith,
had heard the first steam packets
shrieking whistle, which sounded the
| death-knell of the ancient order,
| though the shifting of the trade was
slow matter and the glory OF the old
| did not pass over TO the new at once,
but fingered still in mighty fleets OF
RATS and keel-boats and IN the Ho-
OF the halr-horse, half-alligator breed
that nightly gathered in New Orleans.
After the reading OF the warrant
that morning, Charley Balaam had
shown Darlington the road to the
Forks, assuring him when they sep
arated that with little care and
decent use OF his eyes it would be
! possible to fetch up there and not
pass plumb through the settlement
without knowing where he was.
He was on his way to Fayetteville,
where he intended to spend the night,
and perhaps day or two In looking
around, when the meeting With Betty
and Murrell occurred. The girls face
remained with him. 1t was face he
would like to see again.
He was still thinking OF the girl
when he ate his supper that night at
| Cleggett's Tavern. Later in the bnr
he engaged his host In idle gossip. He
had met. gentleman and q lady on
the road that day! he wondered, as
he toyed with his glass, II it could
have been the Ferrises? Mounted?
Yes, mounted Then 1t was Ferris
| and his wife-or it might have been
| Captain Murrell and Miss Malroy.
| Miss Malroy did not live in that part
! OF the country; she was a friend OF
Mrs. Ferris, belonged in Kentucky or
| Tennessee, or somewhere out yonder
at any rate she was bringing her
visit to an end. for Ferris had IN
structed him to reserve O place for
her in the north-bound stage on the
morrow.
Darlington suddenly remembered
that he had thought % starting north
In the morning himself.
The stage left at six, and as Car
rington climbed to his seat the next
morning Mr.. Cleggett was advising
the driver to look sharp when ne
came TO the Barony road, as he was
to pick up party there. 1t was Car
rington who looked sharp. and almost
at the spot where he had seen Miss
MaIroy the day before he saw her
again, with Ferris and Judith and a
pile OF luggage bestowed by the way
side. Betty did not observe him as
the coach stopped. for she was In
tent on her farewells with her friends
There were hasty words OF advice
from Ferris, prolonged good-bys to
| Judith, ears--kisses-Thile place
was being made for her many boxes
and trunks. Darlington gathered that
she was going north to Washington;
that her final destination was some
point either on the Ohio or Missis-
sippi, and that her name was Betty.
| Then the door slammed and the stage
was in motion again.
All through the morning they swung
forward in the heat and dust and
glare, and at midday ratified into the
shaded main street OF sleepy village
and drew up before the tavern where
! dinner was waiting them. RS - -.
Betty saw Darlington when she
took her seat, and gave scarcely
perceptible start OF surprise. Then
| her face was flooded with a rich col.
or. This was the man who saw her
with Captain MurreIl. yesterday!
| There was, brief moment or irreso-
luton and then she bowed .coIdly. :;
1t was four days to Richmond. Four
days Of hot. dusty travel, four nights
of uncomfortable cross-road stations;
where Betty suffered sleepless nights
and the unaccustomed pangs OF early
rising. She occasionally found her
self wondering who Darlington was.
She approved OF the manner in which
he conducted himself. She liked a
man who could be unobtrusive.
The next morning he found himself
seated opposite her at breakfast. He
received another curt little nod, cool
and distant, as he took his seat.
You stop in Washington? said
Darlington.
Betty shook her head. NO, I am
going on to Wheeling"
You're fortunate in being SO near
ly home,' he observed. I'm going
on TO Memphis
Betty exclaimed: why, I am go
ing to Memphis, tool"
Are you? By canal to Cumber-
land. and then by stage over the Ma