The Washington herald., 1915-09-05

lily. No sub.
At exactly the same time both Carterets
smiled and extended hand for the watch
Uncle Jake's wrinkled. black face lost the
expression of amusement into which he had
vainlv twisted it. He knew that he was being
teased, and that it made little real difference, as
far as its safety went. into which of those out
stretched hands he placed the fanHly treasure.
But it seemed to him that not only his own
pride and LOYALTY but much of the Virginia
Carterets' was at stake. He had heard down
South during the war about that other branch
of the family that lived in the North ard fought
on the yuther side and it had always grleved
him. He had followed his old marsters' for
tunes from stately luxury through war to al
most poverty. And now, with the last relic and
reminder of him. blessed by "old missus,' and
intrusted implicitly to his care, he had come ten
thousand miles (as it seened) to deliver it into
the hands of the one who was to wear it and
wind it and cherish it and listen to it tick off
the unsullied hours that marked the lives of the
Carterets-of Virginia
His experience and conception of the Yam
KEGS had been impression of tyrants-''low-
down, common trash'-in blue LAYING waste
with fire and sword. He had seen the smoke of
many burning homesteads almost as grand
Carteret Hall ascending to the drowSy Southern
skies. And now he face to face with one of
then-and he could not distinguish him from
his Young marster" whom he had come to find
ard bestow upon him the emblem of his king
ship-even as the arm clothed in white sante.
mystic wonderful' laid Excalibur in the right
hand of Arthur He saw before him two Young
men, easy. kind, courteous, welcoming. either OF
whom might have been the he sought
Troubled. bewildered, sorely grieved at his
weakness of Judgment. old Jake abandoned his
loyal subterfuges. His right hand sweated
against the buckskin cover of the watch. He
was deeply Inundated and chastened. Serious
w. now, his prominent. yellow-wf1ite eyes close
" scanned the two young men. At the end OF
his scrutiny he was conscious of but one differ
ence between them. One a narrow black
tie with a white pearl stickpin. The Others
-four hand" was a narrow blue one pinned
with black pearl
And then, to old Jake's relief, there came
sudden distraction. Drama knocked at the
door with mperious knuckles and forced Com
edv to the wings, and Drama peeped with a
smiling but set face over the footlights
Percival, the hater of mill supplies, brought
in card. which he handed. with the manner of
one bearing a cartel. to Blue-Tie
"'Olivia De Ormond," read Blue-Tie from
the card. He looked inquringly at his cousin.
"Why not have her in" said Black-Tie,
and bring matters to a conclusion:'
"Uncle Jake" said one of the Young men,
would YOU mind taking that chair over there
in the corner for while \ lady is coming in
ON some business. Well take up your case
afterward'
The lady whom Percival ushered in was
Young and petulantly, decidedly, freshly, con-
sciously and Intentionally pretty. She was
dressed with such expensive plainness that she
made YOU consider lace and ruf1es as mere tat
tiers and rags But one great ostrich plume
that she wore would have marked her anywhere
in the army of beauty as the wearer of the
merry helmet of Navarro.
Miss De Ormond accepted the swivel chair
at Blue-Tie' desk. Then the gentlemen drew
leather upholstered seats conveniently near, and
spoke of the weather.
Yes said she, Il noticed it was warmer.
But I mustn't take up too much of your time
during business hours That is she continued,
unless we talk business"
She addressed her words to Blue Tie, with
charming smile.
Very WE'LL" said he You don't mind my
cousin being present, do YOU: We are gen.
orally rather confidential with each other-espe-
cially in business matters.
ooh no. caroled Miss De Ormond. I'D
rather he did hear. He knows all about it,
anyhow In fact. he's quite material witness
because he was present when you-when it
happened. | thought YOU might want to talk
things over before-well, before any action is
taken, as l believe the lawyers say.
Have you anything in the way OF propo-
sition to make asked Black-Tie.
Nc. n, Or,,,o,J Iool-ed renertiyely at the