The Ordway new era., 1914-06-05

made with one quick knife-slAsh and
head nearly bald. net on neck that
would not have disqualified . year
ling OK a
On this particular morning neither
the major nor the doctor was in evi-
dence. the former having gone out
early, and the latter being at the mo-
ment in his once, as the brassy buxz
OF telephone from time to time an
nounced. Two Of the green wicker
rocking-chairs on the porch. however,
were in agitant commotion. Mrs. Ma
son was receiving caller In the per
son OF Mrs. Napoleon Clifford.
After all these years!" the visitor
was saying in her customary italics.
(The broad "a" which lent dulcet
softness to the speech of her hostess
was scorned by Mrs. Poly. her own
"a's" being as narrow as the needle
through which the rich man reaches
heavenly I'VE came here from Rich
mond when was a bride-that's
twenty-one years ago-and Damory
Court was forsaken then. And think
what condition the house must be In
now! Cared for by an agent who
comes every other season from New
York. Trust q man to do work like
thatw III
I'm glad . Valiant il to occupy it."
remarked Mrs Mason in her sweet
fute-like voice. ut would be sad to
see any one else there. For after all.
the Valiants were gentlemen"
Mrs. Clifford smiled. Would you
have called Devil-John Valiant gen.
tleman! Why. he earned the name
by the dreadful things he did. My
grandfather used to say that when his
wife lay sick-he hated her. you know
The would gallop his horse with all
his hounds full-cry after him under
her windows. Then that CHASTITY story
Of the slave he pressed to death in the
hogshead Of tobacco"
| Il know" acquiesced Mrs. Mason.
| He was q cruel man and wicked. too.
I Yet Of course he was gentleman. In
the South the test Of q gentleman has
never been what he does. but who he
| Is. But his grandson. Beauty Valiant,
who lived at Damory Court thirty
years ago. wasn't his type at all. He
was only twenty-five when the duel
occurred" H.sL 5,..A
| H16 uubb u6Vc pccu UEilliAutp bAlu
the visitor. ito have founded that
great corporation. It's pity the son
didn't take after him. Have you seen
the papers latelyf It seems that
though he was to blame for the wreck
ing Of the concern they can't do any
thing to him. Some technically in
the law. suppose. But II man IL
only rich enough they can't convict
him Of anything Why he should sud-
denly make up his mind to come down
here can't see. With that old af-
fair Of his fathers behind him, /
should think he'd prefer Patagonia"
Il take It, then. madam" Doctor
Southall's forbiddins voice rose from
the doorway. that you are familiar
with the circumstances OF that old af.
fair. a. you term IT,"
The lady bridled. Her passages at
arms with the doctor did not invaria-
bly, tend to sweeten her disposition.
I'm sure l only know what people
say" she said.
Peopler" snorted tho doctor iras-
chilly. "Just another name for . COM
munity that's perfect sink of mean
ness and malice. II one believed all
he heard here he'd quit speaking To
his own grandmother"
"You will admit. suppose" said
Mrs. Clifford with some spirit, that
| the name Valiant isn't what 1t used
to be In this neighborhoodf"
II will. madam" responded the doc
tor. when Valiant left this place "a
mark Of good taste. I've always eonsid.
cred ~ he left It the worse, II possi-
BILE. for his departure. Your remark.
however. would seem to imply do
merit on his part. Was he the only
man who ever happened to be at the
lucky end OF battle-ground"
Then II isn't true that Valiant was
dead shot and Sassoon intoxicated?''
Madam" said the doctor. II have
no wish to discuss the details OF that
unhappy incident with you or anybody
else. I WAS one Of those present. but
the circumstances you mention have
never been descanted upon by me-"
Il see by the papers" said Mrs. Gif.
ford. with an air Of resignediy chang.
ing the subject, they've been investi.
eating the failure Of the Valiant Cor.
poration. Tho son seems to be get.
ting the sharp end Of the stick. Per.
haps he's coming down here because
they've made It 80 hot for him In
New York. Well. I'm afraid he'll nnd
this county disappointing" 81
He will that!" agreed the doctor
savagely. mo doubt he imagines he's
coming to q kindly countryside of gen.
tle-born people with souls and imagi
nations: he'll find he's lit In section
that's entirely too ready to hack at his
fathers name and prepared in ad
: vance to call him Northern scum and
turn up its nose ut his accent-a com
, munity so full Of dyed.in-the-wool
snobbery that It would make Boston
, look like a poor-white barbecue. Tn
+ sorry for himi"