The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-03-25

nlmSeII SlltlUS OH TuSt1C-DenCn
smoking and behind him the candle
lighted library window with Beauty
Valiant pacing up and down, waiting
for daylight There was sun
lighted stretch between two hemlocks,
with Southall and he measuring the
ground-the grass all dewy sparkles
and an early robin teetering on 4
thorn-bush. Eight - nine - ten i he
caught himself counting the PAGES.
He wiped his forehead. Between
the hemlocks now were two figures
facing each other, one twitching un.
certainly, the other palely rigid; and
at one side, held screen.wise, a raised
umbrella. In some ghostly way he
could see right through the latter
see the doctors hand gripping the
handle. his own, outstretched beyond
it's edge, holding handkerchief ready
to flutter down. A silly subterfuge
those umbrellas, but there must be NO
actual witnesses TO the final act of q
"gentlemens meeting! A silly code
the whole Of it, now happily out
grown! The scene blurred into a sim
gle figure huddling down-huddling
down
Which did she lover" The major
shook his head helplessly. 1t was.
after all, only the echo. become all
at once audible on q shallow woman's
lips. OF question that had always
haunted him. 1t had first come to him
on the heels Of that duel, when he
had stood, somewhat later that hate
ful morning, holding q saddled horse
before the big pillared porch It had
whispered itself then from every NOV
ing leaf. "Sassoo' or Valiant!' II
she had loved Sassoon, of what use the
letter Valiant was 30 long penning in
the library? Buff it were Valiant
she loved? The man who, having
sworn not to lift his hand against the
other had broken his sacred word to
her! Who had stained the unwritten
code by facing an opponent maddened
with liquor! Yet, what was there
woman might not condone in the ono
man? Would she read, forgive and
send for him?
The major laughed out suddenly,
harshly, in the quiet room. and looked
down as II he expected to see that
letter still lying in his hand. But the
laugh could not still regular pulsins
sound that was In his ears-elfin like
the voices, but as distinct-the sound
OF horses hoofs going from Damory
Court.
he had heard those hoof-beats echo
10 his brain for thirty years!
q
TIL the sun was high John Valiant
lay on his back in the fragrant grass.
meditatively watching a bucaneering
chlcken-hawk draw widening circles
against the blue and listening to the
vibrant tattoo of a "pecker-wood" on
a 1ar'away tree, and the timorous wet
whistle OF a bob-white. The whole
place was very quiet now. For Just
one thrilling moment it had burgeoned
Into sound and movement: when the
sweaty horses had stood snorting and
stamping in the yard with the hounds
scampering between their legs and the
riding-coats winking like rubies in the
early sunshine!
Had she recognized him as the
smudged tinkerer of the stalled car?
She saw me drop that wretched brute
through the window" he chuckled. II
could take oath to that. But she didn't
give me away, true little sport that
she was. And she won't. I can't
think OF any reason, but know. Was
she angry? wonder!"
At length he rose and went back
to the house. With a bunch Of keys
he had found he went to the stables,
after some difficulty gained access,
and propped the crazy doors and win
dows open to the sun. The building
was airy and well-lighted and con-
tanned dozen roomy box.stalls, q
spacious loft and carriage.house
The straw bedding had been unre-
moved, mice-gnawed sacking and
rotted hay lay in the managers, and the
warped harness, hanging on it's pegs,
was a smelly mass of mildew and
decay. He found stick, moved away
the festooning cobwebs, and moved
the debris piece-meal.
"There!' he said with satisfaction.
There's place for the motor-if
Uncle Jefferson ever gets it here"
1t was noon when he returned, after
wash-up in the lake, to the meal
with which Aunt Daphne, in a costume
dimly suggestive Of bran-meal poul.
tice with a gingham apron on, regaled
him. Fried chicken, corn-bread so
soft and fluffy that it had to be lifted
from the pan with spoon, Drowned
potatoes, and to his surprise, fresh
milk. "Ah done druv ouah OIL cow
ovah, suh," explained Aunt Daphne.
Case she gotter be milked, er she
run dry ez de Red Sea TO- de chillon