, 1915-06-24
CHAPTER xIJI-contInued.

CHAPTER xIII-Continued.
They stood on the edge of a stony
ravine which widened at one end I o a
shallow marshy valley. The rocks
were covered with ay-gree feath-
cry creepers, enwound with curly yell
low tendrils of love-vine. Across the
ravtne, or a lower level, began a
grove of splendid trees tina marched
up into the long stretch of neglected
forest he had seen from the house.
You love it?" he asked, without
withdrawing his eyes.
I've loved 1t all my life. l love
everything about Damory Court.
Ruined as It is, it is still one of the
most beautiful estates in all Virginia.
There's nothing liner even in Italy.
Just behind us, where those hemlocks
stand, Is where the duel the children
spoke of was fought"
He turned his head. Tell me about
it," he said.
She glanced at him curiously. Didn't
o know? That was the reason the
place vas abandoned. Valiant, who
lived here. and the owner of another
plantation, who was named S~assoon,
quarreled. They fought, the story is,
under those big hemlock trees. Sas-
soon was killed"
He looked out across the distance;
he could not trust his face. And
Valiant?"
He wen away the same day and
never came back; he lived in New
York till he died. He was the father
of the courts present owner. You
never heard the story?"
NO" he admitted. It'll quite re-
Gently ! heard of Damory
Court"
That was the last duel ever fought
in Virginia. Dueling was a dreadful
custom. I'm glad it's gone. Aren't
your"
Yes" he said slowly, sit was a
thing that cut two ways. Perhaps Va
liant, II he could have had his choice
afterward, would rather have been ly-
ing there that morning than Sas-
soon"
II must have suffered. too she
agreed. 'or he wouldn't have exiled
himself as he did. | used to wonder
If 1t was a Observation-Disclosures they
Sou uaNt btth III lONt WIFI the same
woman"
But why should he 90 away?"
Il can't imagine, unless she had
really loved the other man. II SO, she
couldn't have borne seeing Valiant
afterward." She paused with q little
laugh. But then" she said, 1T may
have been nothing 80 romantic. Va
liant's grandfather, who was known. as
Devil-John, is said to have called a
man out because he rode past him
on the wrong side. Our ancestors In
Virginia, I'm afraid, didn't stand on
ceremony when they felt uppish."
He did not smile. He was looking
out once more over the luminous
stretch of fields, his side-face towards
her. Curious and painful questions
were running through his brain. With
an effort, he thrust these back and re.
called his attention to what she was
saying.
"You wonder, | suppose, that we
feel as we do toward these old estates,
and set store by them. and-yes, and
brag of them insufferably as we do.
But it's In our blood. You Northern.
ers think we're desperately con
ceited," she smiled, but it's true.
We're still as proud of our land, and
its old, old places, and love them as
well as Il ancestors ever did. Do
you wonder we resent their passing
to people who don't care for them In
the Southern way?"
But suppose the newcomers do
care for them?"
Her lips curled. "A young million.
aire who has lived all his life In New
York, to care for Damory Court! A
youth idiotlcally rich, brought up in a
su%perheated atmosphere Of noise and
money!"
He started u~ncontroilably. So that
was what she thought! He felt him.
self flushing. He had wondered what
would be his impression of the neigh
borhood and its people; their possible
opinion of himself had never occurred
to him.
You think there's no chance of his
choosing to stay here because he
actually likes it?"
Not the slightest" she said ipdif-
ferently.
You are so certain of this without
ever ha ing seen him?"
She glanced st him ~covertly. an