The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-09-14

mOtner Wnen IN the village OF WASH
ington she waltzed with Lafayette.
During a lull in the music-measured
capering a tall. handsome young man,
garbed In the fashion of the day,
passed with long and careless strides
from one end of the saloon and out
toward the upper deck.
Admiring eyes were bent upon him;
and one lady turned to her partner
and said:
"Oh. please. Colonel, tell me who he
is"
The Colonel placed his right hand
on the bosom Of his ruffled shirt and
bowed. Miss Lucy" he said, at would
be one of the satisfactions of my life
| to crafty your more than natural
curiosity. but that pleasure is denied
me. can't tell you who he Is"
And then-because the Colonel had
sighed his own sentimental distress in
the presence of Miss Lucy and because
her curiosity concerning the young
stranger stirred Jealous qualm-he
added: "He looks like n Yankee to
me-"
| The young man was a Yankee. And
because he was journeying to the
South upon a grim and terrible mis-
sion, the gayeties of the ballroom had
grated upon him and he had sought
the solitude of the upper deck. Yet
1t was this moment that Fate chose
to bring him face to face with one
who was to change the whole course
of his life.
For as he turned into a long pas
sageway. aflame with light but de
serted, there suddenly entered at the
far end girl thrilling in litheness and
almost barbaric in dress. In swift un-
consciousness Of him she approached,
a great handful of roses in red glare
hiding her features. She lowered her
hand; he caught full view of her face !;
and 1t seemed to him that his heart
ceased to beat, like a pendulum caught
and halted, then thrown again into
motion. She did not look at him as
he slowly passed her. He gazed into
her eyes as she bent them upon the
roses held out in front Of her; and
then he wheeled about to follow her.
She turned into a cross-passage, was
gone: he ran to the entrance. but she
had vanished.
In the young mans heart was a
struggle to call her. but there was no
| appropriate word; and then sobered,
the Yankee smiled at himself. But the
smile did not balm his delicious
wounds, and he continued his search
into the ballroom. There were many
handsome women, bellies Of proud vii
lagos, but to none did he give sec
ond glance. Again he passed out to-
ward the upper deck.
For a time he stood gazing down
upon the never-solved mystery Of night
on the Mississippi. The fiddles were
going again. and he heard slippered
feet whispering over the floor, but II
seemed to him that this scene of gay
ETY. was forced, like melancholy
laugh; it reminded him of n book Of
poems in tatters, of love-letter In
faded ink.
Built about one of the smokestacks
was shanty of boards called the
"dog house." Turning corner of the
shanty, the young man stumbled
|
resentment.
'T beg your pardonw
"I should say you dow A young
fellow of unusual height and of hui
morous slimness came forth out Of the
shadow. The boat was landing, and
turpentine-torch on the shore re-
vealed him, pale and long Of face,
with collar cut low and chin standing
high.
"Yes, sir" he added, "and although
1t may not be necessary on this occa-
sion, yet II you knew who 1 am. you
would apologize some more"
"Ah, you don't sayl" replied the
Yankee, smiling. "And as you seem
to be fond Of the music Of apology.
will you please tell me who you are"
.I can do that easy enough, but /
don't wish to frighten you"
"You are considerate. But the fact
is I rather enjoy the sensation Of
fright"
"Then tremble: I am Liberty Shot
tle."
"What, you don't mean that you are
really Liberty Shottlel"
"I swear it."
"well, welll And now will you
please enlighten me as to who Liberty
Shottle is? And why do you suppose
that people who have heard Of you,
tremble in your presence7 What have
you doneT
"Sir, modesty puts a clamp on me.
=. And now would you mind tell
ing me your name?'
"Not at all. My name is Virgil
Drace."
"You don't say7 Well, well But
never heard of you, either" Now they
laughed. the Joyous and unsuspicious