Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1922-09-15
EKI!lustrated by RHLivin8Stone

he strroked her hair until she grew a little calmer.
 "What's the matter, little daugh- ter?"
 "I-I-don't know"
 "I understood. You were quite right to send him away, but you did not want him harmed"
 "I-I-didn't want anybody harmed" "I know. It's too bad, but none : of us seem quite to trust him."
 That's It," she sobbed; q don't, either, and yet"
 "I know. I know. My little girl must be wise and brave, and maybe 1t will all pass and she will be glad. But she must be brave. Mother Is not we'll and she must not be made un- happy too. She must not know. Can't my little girl come back to the house now? She must be hostess and this Is Erskine's last night" She looked up, brushing away her tears.
 His last night?" An, wise old colonel!
 "Yes-he goes tomorrow to join Cap tain Clark at Williamsburg on his foolish campaign in the Northwest. We might never see him again."
 "Oh, father"
 "Well, it isn't that bad, but my It. tie girl must be very nice to him. He seems to be very unhappy, too"
 Barbara looked thoughtful, but there was no pretense of not under standing.
 'Tm sorry," she said. She took her fathers arm, and when they reached the steps Erskine saw her smiling. And smiling, almost gay, she was at supper, sitting with ex- quisite dignity in her mothers place. IOf Erskine, who sat at her right, she asked many questions about the com ing campaign. Captain Clark had said he would go with hundred men Ii he could get no more. The rallying point would be the fort fin Kentucky where he had first come back to his own people, and Dave Yandell would be captain of company. He himself was going as guide, though he hoped to act as soldier as well. Perhaps they might bring back the Hair Buyer, General Hamilton, prisoner to Williamsburg, and then he would join Harry and Hugh fin the mi litia # the war came south and Virginia were invaded. as some prOphesied, by TarletOn's White Rangers. who had been ravaging the CarOlinas. After supper the little lady excused herself with a smiling courtesy to go to her mother, and Ersklne found himself in the moonlight on the big portico with Colonel Dale alone. "Erskine," he said, ''you make 1t very difficult for me to keep your secret. Hugh alone seems to suspect l he must have got the idea from l Grey, but I have warned him to say nothing. The others seem not to have thought of the matter at all. It was a boyish impulse of generosity which you may regret"
 "Never," interrupted the boy. "l have no useless than ever now" f Nevertheless" the colonel went on "I regard myself as merely your steward, and must tell you one thing Mir. Jefferson, as you know. is always at open war with people like us. His hand is against coach and four, silver plate, and aristocrat. He is fighting now against the law that gives prop
 erty to the eldest son, and he will pass
 the bill His argument is. rather anus
 ing. He says if you will show him that
 the eldest son eats more, wears more
 and does more work than his brothers
 he will grant that that son is en
 titled to more. He wants to blot ou
 all distinctions of class. He can
 do that, but he will pass this bill"
 "I hope he will" muttered Erskine. | Barbara would not accept you
 sacrifice nor would any of us, and i
 is. only fair that I should warn yo' that some day, If you should chang your mind, and were no longer liv ing, you might be too late" "Please don't, Uncle Harry. It 1 done-done. Of course. 1t wasn't fai for me to consider Barbara alone, bu
 she will be fair and you understand {. 1 wish you would regard the whOl
 matter as though didn't exist" "I can't do that. my boy. am you steward and when you want anythin . you have only to let me know Erskine shook his head.
 "I don't want anything-I need yer little, and when I'm In the woods. a h expect ito be most of the time, nee , nothing at all." Colonel Dale rose. Il 'I wish you would go to college [ Williamsburg for year or two k better fit yourself-in case" , "I'd like to gO-to learn to fence if smiled the boy, and the colonel smile 6 too.
 d "You'n certainly need to know tha l. If you are going to be as reckless
 you were today" Erskine's ey |, darkened.
 Q "Uncle Harry, you may think T
 fOolish but I don't like or trust Gre ,s What was he doing with those Britt