The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-07-06

the road that encircled the great trees.
and up TO the rear portico, where
there was a joyous clam6r Of greet
ings. Where did all those people
come fromi Were they going to stay
there and would he have to he among
them7 All the men were dressed alike
and not one was dressed like him.
Panic assailed him, and once more he
looked at the clothes on the he'd. and
then without hesitation walked
through the hallway, and stopped on
the threshold Of the front door. A
quaint figure he made there, and for
the moment the gay talk and laughter
quite ceased. The story Of him al
ready had been told, and already was
sweeping from cabin to cabin to the
farthest edge Of the great plantation.
No son OF Powhatan could have stood
there with more dignity, and young
Harry Dale's face broke into smile
Of welcome. His father being indoors
he went forward with hand out
stretched.
II am your cousin Harry" he said.
and taking him by the arm he led him
on the round OF presentation.
Mrs. willoughby. may present my
cousin from KentuckyT
"This Is your cousin, Miss Katherine
Dale; another cousin, Miss Mary; and
this Is your cousin Hugh"
And the. young ladies greeted him
with frank, eager interest. and the
young gentlemen suddenly repressed
patronizing smiles and gav0 him grave
greeting, for II ever a rapier flashed
from a human head. 1t flashed from
the piercing black eye Of tnat little
Kentucky backwoodsman when his
cousin Hugh, with rather whimsical
smile, bowed with politeness that
was trifie too elaborate. Mrs. Gen
eral Willoughby guessed how the lads
heart was humping with the effort t.
conceal his embarrassment, and when
a tinge Of color spread on each side
Of his set mouth and his eyes began
to waver uncertainty. her intuition
was quick and kind.
Barbara" she asked. "have you
shown your cousin your ponies?"
The little girl saw her motive and
laughed merrily:
"why. I haven't had time to show
him anything Come on. cousin"
The boy followed her down the
steps in his nOiseless moccasins. along
a grass path between hedges of an
Client box, around an ell and past the
kitchen and toward the stables. At
the gate the little girl called imperi-
ously:
"Ephralm, bring one Of my ponies!"
And In moment out came sturdy
little slave whose head was all black
skin, black wool and white teeth. lead
Ing two creamy-white little horses
that shook the lads composure at last,
for he knew ponies as far back as he
could remember, hut he had never
seen the like Of them. His hand al
most trembled when he ran II over
their sleek coats. and unconsciously
he dropped into his Indian speech anu
did not know 1t until the girl asked
laughingly:
"why, what are you saying to my
poniesr
And he blushed, for the little girls
artless prattling and friendllness were
already beginning to make him quite
human.
"That's Injun talk" 4:
Hugh had followed them.
Barbara. your mother wants you,"
he said, and the little girl turned
toward the house. The stranger was
Ill at ease with Hugh and the latter
knew 1t.
1T must be very exciting where
you live"
"Howr
"Oh, fighting Indians and shooting
deer and turkeys and buffalo 1t must
be great fun"
Nobody does 1t for fun-it's mighty
hard work"
my uncle-yOur father-used to
tell us about his wonderful adven-
lures out there"
HE had no chance to tell me-"
"But yours must have been more
wonderful than his.
The boy gave a little grunt that was
q survival of his Indian life, aud
turned to go back to the house.
"But all this. suppose, Is as
strange to you"
"More."
Hugh was polite and apparently sim
cere In interest but the lad was
vaguely disturbed and he Quickened
his step. The porch was empty when
they turned the corner Of the house.
but young Harry Dale came running
down the steps. his honest face alight.
and caught the little Kentuckian by
the arm.
Get ready for supper, Hugh-come
on, cousin" he said. and led the
stranger to his room and pointed to
the clothes on the bed.
"Don't they fitf' he asked, smiling.
II don't know-I don't know how to
git into EN-"
Young Harry laughed jOyOusly.