Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-11-02

1 Na+N RtNH~1
powder, and with bloodstains on her
dainty feet. danced TO the music OF
her W improvised gayety. Drace saw
the ~carpetbag governor driving through
the street. surrounded by an escort OF
black and mulatto cavalry. From a
balcony came a gunshot, and an enor-
nous negro In white gloves. sitting
beside his political master. tumbled
out upon the ground but the carriage
did not halt in its speed, and the hoofs
OF the cavalry beat upon the murdered
wretch. In a doorway an old man sat
adding for his grandchildren TO dance
m the fiagstones.
"Oh. you'll find drama enough here
that hasn't been rehearsed." said
Shottle as they turned toward the old
st. Charles.
They appear to have set the stage
for us" Drace answered him. wonder
ing II ever again he should find the
girl with the torch of roses.
In connecting rooms and amidst the
luxury OF old French furnishings they
were quartered.
Leaving Drace writing a letter. Shot
tie vent out, but he soon returned with
more OF light than usually beamed
from the sad stretch OF his counte-
nance.
s'well. sir" he cried with astonish-
ing enthusiasm, II wan 90 tell you
that life is not composed entirely of
ingratitude. Last year when / was
down here / saw an old fellow about
TO get into trouble with a Mexican
r~oustnbout on the levee. I wasn't In
any particular hurry. so l stopped,
took up a piece of scantling and
knocked the Mexican Gown. II was no
particular trouble on my part, but the
old man took II as a favor and urged
me to eat dinner with him, which |
did, being broke at the time. Now
what does he dor I met him out there.
and he gives me two tickets for the
French ball at the st. Louis tonight"
"All right: we'll take II in."
II should say we will Why. there's
likely to be a half dozen duels ar
ranged for. WI can see them burst
ing into bloom. But you'll have to
liven up, you know. You are just a
triie stern, II strikes me. There is
too much of-of your mission showing
I'm your face. don't know OF any
thing better calculated to correct II
than an hour at the roulette wheel.
Suppose we go ove and give II q
Hope springs internal In the human
breast" Drace pnraphrased the poet.
"Just as well curb yourself. old feI-
low. I'm not going to feed your pas
A tap AT the door and Colonel Josh
announced himself from the outside.
To enter. he came In with a
sweeping bow. his beard and mustache
waxed. his hair darkened with dye.
10 II a tinge Of blue. He bore.
and with ceremonious hesitancy. an
invitation from Miss Lucy. She was
nj the delightful old home Of n rela-
tive where choice guests would a
that evening TO hear Prof. l.
Bannock Pettigrew read a paper on
the origin and character Of the an
Scythians.
I'm very sorry. Colonel" Drace
cheerfully lied. but we have another
engagement"
The Colonel gleefully replied that
he was put into a position Of deep re
yret. He knew that Captain Drace
would 80 much enjoy the professor :
HIS paper would not take up more than
lhree hours OF the evening. He would
mpart TO Miss Lucy that Captain
Drace found II impossible TO come. The
assured him that such was
he true situation and Frightening. the
g~laddened himself out of the
-oom.
The ballroom which Drace entered
hat night was as fantastic as a gyp
'y's vision. II seemed that all c~iviliza'
ion had lifted the lids OF its worm
chests TO array in whimsIc re
OF its former self. There was
poverty making itself neat In
I'D linen. and wal victims proud In
~hreadbare coats. In rag there Is his
Org. but no ancestry attached to cloth
from the mill. No unfriendly
we was supposed TO look upon this
.athering, no antagonistic politics per
TO view Ii. The walls were
in the coIors of France. and
.nshrined In a corner was a Confed
banner, Its staff splintered. Its
Odds darkened with sacred blood
AS Shottle no longer held the hope
4 raising a speculative tablestake. he
himself to the less interesting life
4 the dance. But not without mis-
APP The floor was smooth with war
rom the ends Of marriage-altar can
les: and Liberty's feet. more accus-
Dmed TO the rough mating. and
jagged carpets n the gambling-room.
from under him. Catching right
left in his fall. he came down with
bit OF lace in one hand and a comb
the other, while women shrieked
I the devasfafions he had wrought.
about the severest sufferer
screen her into a rptirfng-room. r~