The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1922-10-12

eHAPTER XVII

and General Dale, still weak, from
wounds, went home to. Red Oaks. II
was not iohg before, with gentle In
Quiry. hS had pieced out the full story
Of Barbara ana Erskine and Dane
Grey, and wisely he waited his chance
with each phase. Of the, situation.
Frankly he told her first. Of Grey's
dark treaehery. and the girl listened
with horrined silence, for she would
n soon have distrusted that beloved
father as the heavenly Father in her
prayers. She left him when he
finished the story and he let her 70
without another word. All day she
was in her room and at sunset she
gave him her answer, for she came
to him dressed In white, knelt by his
chair, and put her head In his lap.
And there was rose in her hair.
II have never understood about my
self and-and that man." she said.
"and never will"
81 do" said the general gently, "and
I understand you through my sister
who was 80 like you. Erskine's father
was as indignant as Harry is now,
and I am trying to act. toward you as
my father did toward her." The girl
pressed her lips to one Of his hands.
II think I'd better tell you the whole
story now," said General Dale, and
he told Of Erskine's father, his Wild
ness and his wanderings, his marric -
and the capture Of his wife and the
little son by the Indians, all of which
she knew, and the girl wondered why
he should be telling her again. The
general paused:
"You know Erskine's mother was
not killed. He found her." The girl
looked up amazed and incredulous.
"Yes." he went on, "the white woman
when he found In the Indian village
was his mother"
"Fatheri" She lifted her head
quickly. leaned back with hands
caught tight in front of her, looked up
into his face-her own crimsoning
and paling az she took In tiie full
meaning Of 1t all. Her eyes dropped.
'"Then." she said slowly, "that In
dian girl-Early NIorn-is his half
sister. Oh. OH" A great pity flooded
her heart and eyes. "Why didn't Frs
kline take them away from the In
dians7"
"His mother wouldn't leave them"
And Barbara understood.
poor Erskine I" she whispered, and
her tears came. Her father leaned
back and for a moment closed his
eyes
There Is more" he said finally.
'Erskine's father was the eldest
brother-and Red Oaks"
The girl sprang to her feet, startled,
ARonizad. shamed: "Belon1s tn Frs.
kline" she finished with he. face In
her hands. God pity me-" she whis-
pered, II drove him from his own
home.'
"No." said the old general with q
gentle smile. He was driving the barb
deep, but sooner or later it had to be
done.
"Look here!" He pulled an old
piece Of paper from his pocket and
handed It to her. Her wide eyes fell
upon Q rude boyish scrawl and q rude
drawing Of a buffalo pierced by an
arrow:
1T make me laugh. have no use.
give hole dam plantashun Barbara"
"Oh" gasped the girl and then
"where is her
waiting at Williamsburg to get his
discharge" She rushed swiftly down
the steps. calling.
"Ephraiml Ephraim!"
And ten minutes later the happy,
grinning Ephraim, mounted on the
thoroughbred, was speeding ahead Of
Z whirlwind Of dust with q little
scented note I'm his battered sleuch
hat:
"YOu said you would come when
ever I wanted you. want you to
come now. BARBARA"
The girl would not go to bed, and
the old general from his window saw
her like some white spirit Of the night
motionless on the porch. And there
through the long hours she sat. Once
she rose and started down the great
path toward the sundial, moving
slowly through the flowers and moon
light until sne was opposite q giant
magnolia. Where the shadow of 1t
touched the light on the grass, she
had last seen Grey's white face and
scarlet breast. With shudder she
turned back. The night whitened.
A catbird started the morning chorus
The dawn came and with II Ephraim
The girl waited where she was. Eph-
rain took of his battered hat.
'Marse Erskine done gone, Miss
Barbary," he said brokenly. HE
done gone two days"
The girl said nothing, and there the
old general found her still motion,
less-the torn bits Of Erskine's scrawl
ing deed scattered about her feet
CHAPTER XIX