The Adair County news., 1922-09-19
CHAPTER XVIII

wounds, went home to Red Oaks. 1t
was not long before, with gentle in
quiry, he had pieced out the full story
of Barbara and 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 treachery, and the girl listened
with Mortified silence, for she would
as 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 go
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.
81 have never understood about my
self and-and that man." she said.
''and / never will"
81 do" said the general gently, "and
1 understand you through my sister
who was so like you. Erskine's father
was as indignant as Harry is now,
and l 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 marriage,
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 ipcredulous.
"Yes," he went on, "the white woman
whom he found In the Indian village
was his mother"
Father She lifted her head
quickly, leaned back with hands
caught tight in front of her, looked VI
into his face-her own crimsonine
and paling as she took in the full
meaning Of it all. Her eyes dropped.
Then" she said slowly, that In
dian girl-Early Morn-is his half
sister. Oh, OH" A great pity flooded
her heart and eyes. "Why didn't Ers
kline take them away from the In
dians?"
His mother wouldn't leave them
And Barbara understood.
"POor Erskine" she whispered, anC
her tears came. Her father Leaned
back and for a moment closed hi
eyes. -. B..
There is more" he said finally
"Erskine's father was the eldes
brOther-and Red Oaks"
The girl sprang o her feet, startled
agonized. shamed: Belongs to Ers
kine," she finished with her face In
her hands. "God pity me-" she whis-
pered, 81 drove him from, his own
home"
"No," said the old general with a
deep, but sooner or later it had to be
done.
Look herep' He pulled an old
piece of paper from his pocket and
handed It to her. Her wide eyes fell
upon a rude boyish scrawl and a rude
drawing of a buffalo pierced by an
arrow:
"It make me laugh. have no use.
l give hole dam plantashun Barbara. y
"Oh!" gasped the girl and then
where is hep
waiting at Williamsburg to get his
discharge" She rushed swiftly down
the steps, calling:
"Ephraim! Ephraim
And ten minutes later the happy
grinning Ephraim, mounted on the
thoroughbred, was speeding ahead of
a whirlwind of dust with little
scented note in his battered SLOUGH
hat:
''YOu said you would come when.
ever 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
mOllOuI6SS Ou Tie pOISH. anu liCAS
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 she was opposite giant
magnolia. Where the shadow of il
touched the light on the grass, she
had last seen Grey's white face ant
scarlet breast. With a shudder she
turned back. The night whitened
A catbird started the morning chorus
The dawn came and with it Ephraim
The girl waited where she was Eph
rain took of his battered hat.
''Marse Erskine done gone, Mis-
Barbary," he said brokenly. "H'
done gone two days.T
The girl said nothing, and there th'
old general found her still motion
less-the torn bits of Ersline,s scrawl
ing deed scattered about her feet.
4aaaA-aA 49,