The Winslow mail., 1922-12-15

glad now to know that I will be your
! wife. And | am strong and can work"
Lord bless you, but you won't have
! to work"
/ His arms were about her, her cheek
against his, and with happiness the
| world was glowing.
IT'LL Thursday. !" he cried as he
dipped his paddle.
'Till Thursday" she echoed as she
watched him go.
'Erili Thursday" ]" muttered the sinis-
| ter voice of old Stepho, who had ap-
preached softly through the under
: growth at the sound of voices, and had
overheard their parting But when he
i, came to Periwinkle house, he gave no
sign to Nadine that he had overheard
only talked of Monsieur Boyce and
the fine dresses he would buy for her
when she was his wife.
1t was long past noon when Drace
| reached the river.
The General had gone over into an
other parish to attend stock sale.
Tycie said and when she had looked
at Drace more closely, at his torn
! clothes. his muddy shoes, she sighed
and sat down beside him where on the
| rustic bench he had dropped to rest
before going to his room.
| Virgil" she said, "there is some
! thing troubling you. Now, you needn't
| tell me that it is business. l know
| what business is. | know all of its
/ tricks; but | also know love and all
! of its tricks. Virgil, you are in love.
| Let me hope that it is not that Nina
/ Spence. She isn't worthy of you; and
/ besides, she doesn't belong to us. She
| is not of our world. Virgil, 1 am so
/ sorry"
! She put her hand on his arm, and he
took it and affectionately kissed it.
! "Aunt Tycie, never saw the girl
| you speak of. am in the-the throes,
| you might say, and have been-was
before l got here but not with her.
"But is it with anyone I know?"
'You have seen her, 1 have heard"
ooh, you must tell me. 1t shall be
sacred with me. If you only knew how
people tell me their affairs of the heart.
Even old Colonel Josh has told me.
| Now, why won't you?"
II shall tell you, but [ must put you
on your honor. 1 said that you have
seen her. You have; you spoke Of
her Nadine"
"Oh. Virgil But her father!"
"Yes. / know. But let me tell you
my story.
He told of his love- not of his IA
theirs death-told her nothing of his
oath; she listened enraptured; and
when he had finished, she mothered
him with her arms about his neck.
About ten o'clock next day, While
the family sat in the shade, up to the
gate drew resplendent carriage,
drawn by two black horses and driv
en- by a negro in livery. Out stepped
man as tall as Lincoln and wearing
hat as high as his. His raiment flashed
like the varnish of his equipage. Drace
recognized him as he came through the
gate, taking off his gloves, and the
General cried out:
"Tycie, I wish I may die dead if it
isn't Liberty Shottlen ~
Colonel Shottle, at your service"
replied Liberty. bowing and gesturing
| with his gloves in his hand.
"Well, Liberty" cried his aunt Civ
ing him a hug of welcome.
The General and Drace grasped him,
stroked his velvety raiment, urging
him to a seat.
"Why all this, Colonel Shottle?"-
from the General. "You don't mean to
tell me that you have sold your jute-
stock?"
"Uncle Howard, sir, first issue orders
to have my carriage stored, my horses
stabbed and my driver quartered,
please"
The order was issued, and they sat
waiting for Shottle to explain his
| transformation.
"A simple story" he began, stretch
ing out his legs. But do not fOrestall
me. Poker, dice, roulette, faro, haz-
ard-all of them failed"
"And this comes of legitimate in
vestment ~ Tycie cried. II knew it
would. Oh, I knew it just had to come.
Now tell us about it.
"It was an investment Aunt Tycie.
But let me not forestall myself l left
here on boat, got broke. Finally
reached Tampa, Florida"
away down there, Liberty Prom
Tycie.
Patience, my dear aunt. Tampa,
and broke. After day of hope with
its throat cut from ear to ear, l got
on boat bound for Havana. The
Spanish captain gave me passage for
service. He was studying English and
I agreed to explain to him certain
niceties of our mother tongue, you I'M
derstand: and l am sure that, reaching
port, he knew more about gambling