The Washington herald., 1920-11-12
AN O. HENRY STORY
"7he Guardian of the Acolade"

awful thing that was about to
happen.
"Marse Robert" he began. his
voice quavering a little with the
stress of his feelings. "you member
de day dey-all rode de tunnament
at Oak Lawn? De day. sub, dat
you win in de ridin'. and you crown
Miss Lucy de queen?"
Tournament" said Mr.. Robert.
taking his cigar from his mouth.
Yes. / remember very well the
but what the deuce are you talking
about tournaments here at midnight
for? Go long home, Bushrod. Il
believe you're sleepwalking."
Miss Lucy fetch you on deshoul-
der" continued the old man, never
needing. ''wid a s'ord. and say: I
: mex you a knight. sub Robert
rise up. pure and fearless and Wild
| out reproach.' Dat what Miss Lucy
say. OATS been a long time ago,
but me nor you amt forgot il. And
den dar's another time we amt for
got-de time when Miss Lucy lay on
her las bed. She sent for Uncle
Bushrod. and she say: Uncle Bush
rod. when / die. want you to take
good care of Mr. Robert. Seem like
$50 Miss Lucy say-'he listen to
you mo- dan to anybody else. He
apt to be mighty fractions some
times. and maybe he cuss you when
you try to 'suade him but he need
somebody what understand him to
be round wild him. He am like a
little child sometimes'-so Miss Lucy
say. wild her eyes shinin. in her po'.
thin face-'but he always BEEN
dem was her woEds-'my knight.
pure and fearless and widout re-
proach.'"
. Mr. Robert began to mask. as was
his habit, a tendency to soft-heart
edness with a spurious anger.
."You-you old windbag!" he
. growled through a cloud of swirling
; cigar smoke. II believe you are
crazy. told you to go home. Bush
rod. Miss Lucy said that, did she!
: Well. we haven't kept the scutcheon
very clear. Two years ago last
, week. wasn't it. Bushrod, when she
: died? Confound 1t, Are you going
, to stand there all night Cabling like
coffee-colored ganderT
. The train whistled again. Now I,
was at the water tank. a mile away
!, "Marse Robert" said Uncle Bush
: rod. laying his hand on the satchel
that the banker held. For Gawd's
4 sake. don take dis wild you.
} knows what's in IL. j knows where
, iyou got II in de bank. Dom kyar
it wild you, Dey's big trouble in dat
: walise forfMiss Lucy and Miss Lucy's
child's chillun. Hits bound TO de
, stroy de name of Weymouth anc
|, bow dem dat own It wild shame and
! lttriberlation. Marse Robert. yo'
can kill dis ole niger ef you will
but don't take away his er valise
If l ever crosses over de Jordan
what I gwine to say to Miss Luo!
e when she AK me: Uncle Bushrod
y wharfo' didn' you take good car
of Mr.. Robertr"
Robert Weymouth threw ava,
g his cigar and shook free one arr
with that peculiar gesture that al
e ways preceded his outbursts @
= irascibility. Uncle, Bushrod bowe
e his head to the expected storm, bu
E. he did not finch. If the house c
t Weymouth was to fall he would faI
with 1t. The banker spoke. an
e Uncle Bushrod blinked with SUI
n prise. The storm was there, but
n was suppressed to the quietness c
5, a summer breeze.
"Bushrodk said Mr.. Robert, in
/ lower voice than he usually en-
r. ployed. you have overstepped a
n bounds. You, have presumed upo
,f the leniency with which you haN
a been treated to meddle unpardor
ably. So you know what is in tn
,t satchel! Your long and faithf
service Is some excuse, but -
home. Bushrod-not another, word
' But Bushrod grasped the sstch
with a firmer hand. The headligl
of the train was now Tightening u
y, shadows about the station. IL
- roar was increasing. and folks we
| stirring about at the track side.
u 'Marse Robert. gimme dis 'er' wallis
,e 'Tain't goin' TO be long tell v
N gwine to see Miss Lucy and has
= give an account OF our doin's.
ne ole Niger man won't be 'spected
n say much mo- dan he done all
s. could by de family dat owned hi
ne Rut de weymouths, dey must 81
III dey been Twin pure and fearle
at and widout reproach. Gimme I
an valise. Marse Robert-Tm gwine
ID. take It back to the bank and 10
d. II Up in de vault .s--ssS \
he The train Was standing at q