Nebraska Newspapers

    THE OMAHA DAILY J3EE: FKIDAY, JUNE 1, 1900.
it
i
I A FLAG OF TRICE. !
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4. BY MARTHA McCULLOCII'WILl.lAA'.S.
A 4 4 S S S 'S 'V ., ,;, ,;, r.j A, ,;, ., A, .j, ?, ,j, ,j, (J Aj
(Copyright, im, by M. McC'ulloeh-Wllllnms)
Mjor miiiard eat In tho chimney corner
pulling big clourtg from his after dinner
elgar. Morris, his ton and heir, who had
come In lato to tho noon meal, was Just fill
ing himself a second gliss of wine. The
major chuckled Inly, but pretended to frown
is ho said:
''Youn laan, I've been hearing thlnca!
Thlngo that do not particularly please mo."
About me?" Morris asked. 'That Is a
pity Such a model son as I am known to
,', Vnal' the matter, governor?"
"No very crcat matter." tho major said,
jvlth an Indulgent laugh. "Still I wlih It
badn t happened. I'm not a bit straight
laced, You'll bear u Uncus I have tried to
rnlej you 11 wan, not a milksop-wlth, I
Way say. fnr nuccess. A man must have
his amusements. I have no thought of In
terfering with yours. All I tsk Is that they
shall Ho In good taste"
"You surely don't accuse mo of wasting
ny time on ugly women, sir?" Morris said,
lightly, though hU breath came, a little
Quicker. Tho major laughed again. There
ftas evqn a twinkle In his eye to ho raid:
"No, sir! That Is bo little a Hllllar.
rait I should certainly disown n son wb
showed It. Your river bend flame, M t,
bwan Hlnton, wculd do credit to a man o
twice your experience. Dcn't think I m a
to lecturo you about her. nclthor ku
your going with her to river bend pirtl v
or chumming with her worthless father, .Id
Nat- He Is an entertaining old vagrant
and Lord! hnw ho can flfh! llcflJcs ho It.
a ort of king among tho r or wliltca. You
rtntust get to know them you must Indeed
know all corts and condltbnn tf tho perplc
you may ono day aspiro to represent. The
proper study of a politician Is man ho hal
better be careful th ugh how he mixes It
with a study of woman. Ho cannot of
course leave tho ruling sex wholly out of It
tho thine in to study that sex at Jut the
proper angle"
"Thank you f:r nothing, governor.
You'vo boon setting mo tho examp'c tia!
Is so much better than precept, ever Hlncc
I was In short frocks," Morris said, gulp
ing hln wine. Then he walked to the
fireplace and began kicking the h ckory
logs wbl?h smoldered and sputtered thsrc,
though the windows were wide open and
the world outside warm and sunlit with
the warmth of lato May. Major Hllllard.
"who loved his land and bis son with almost
equal passion, let his eye range tho broad
acres of his estate, then brought them back
to Morris and said In a voice of pity:
"On my soul I'm sorry for those llln
ton girls. Handsome enatigh for duchesses,
every one, and then their gift! They truly
have music In th?lr souls, yet they would
bo better off without It."
"I don't know thty love It so. I be
llovc they love, too, tho distinction It gives
them." Morris said, looking carefully away
from his father. "They are proud of being
the only woman band ever seen here
about. Then when they play at tho balls
unci barbecues and falra of e-tirsr they arc
brought In contact with with bolter peo
ple than their own sort."
"There's the rub und thp pity of It,"
Major Hllllard sail thoughtfully: "This
contact with tho better sort will make their
own sort distasteful to them. They are big,
pplcndld animals, ns soft-hearted as they
nro underbred, as lnnocont as they are
Ignorant. I wonder. Indeed, that they can
toe old Nat's daughters he Is certainly a
tough citizen, It must bo they take after
ho mother, who Is of decent farming
stock. If only her girls wero kept quietly
nt home It Is likely they would marry
farmers LhcmecHMc and- bq happy oyer,
after. But hawked about as they are they
learn to flout tho de:ent youngsters who
would make them such excellent hus
bands; oven that, however. Is not the
worst. They will end by loving where love
may mean ruin."
"Old Nat will not listen to any talk of
marriage," Morris said, still looking away.
"You know ho lives easy, sln:e the g.rls
bring in so much money."
"I fancy whoever married one of them
would marry the whole family," Major Hll
llard raid. "And that brings me to my
grievance. Of course it is ridiculous I
dare, say you thought It was only a piece
of Innocent vaunting on the girl's part, but
you should have checked her. Dick Daly
lolls me at the last party you stood quiet
when Swan called hetBclf Mrs. Mori Is Hll
llard. For ourselves It does not matter
hut I have a feeling about It. You ought
to have rememberort that that was your
mother's name."
The major was dark, with square Jaws,
black beetling brows, a firm chin, a thin
lipped, almost cruel mouth. His ton was
fair and blue-eyed, with a pure Greek pro
file. He had Indeed the faco of tho mother
who died when ho was born. But some
subtle Inner stirring brought uppermost the
race likeness, Indefinable yet beyond mis
take. It was n Hllllard of Hllllards who an
swered, slightly dropping his head as ho
spoke:
"I didn't forget, sir! Swan spoke tho
truth."
"The truth!" Major Hllllard reeled as
from a blow, covering his eyes with bis
bands. Morris' faco bad reaffirmed his
words. After a Irng minute tho father held
out his hand, saying steadily
"At least you show yourself oiy son. You
had the courage not to Ho to mo. You knew
I would bcllcvo you against tho wholo world
even against myself."
"That waa why I couldn't do It," Morris
said. Major Hllllard rcclel again, but Mor
ris did not offer to steady hint Tho two
were comrades, much more like close-Jcnlt
brothers than father and son. The major's
very life was bound up in his boy, wham
almost from the cradle he had treatol as
a man and an equal. Ho had aimed to teach
him beyond everything what It mean, to
have been born a gentleman and a Hllllard,
tho last of a lino of spotless gentlemen.
Ho had no mrro dreamed that Morris could
many beneath himself than that the sun
could drop out of the sky.
"Ymi niU3t love thki girl very deep
ly." ho ald at lnt, with his eyes on the
Hmouldcrlng fire. M rrts set his teih hard.
"Yes. I love her," he said vcr slowly.
"And awav frcm her I hate her almost as
much. I know all ou ran say iliut 6hi
Is ignorant, vain, vacuous, that sho known
nothing of the rejervcu and refinement
which should bc'ong to the wrman who
nhn'l take my mother's rdace. What Is the
good rf talking, though I am a m.m. Sho is
tho most bautllul woman In tho world.
And she loves me. Yes, she doty loves rac
madly. I might have made her anything I
chose. You have brought mo up to know
that a KOducer was worto than a mad dg
bide. Wherever Swan may go. there the
tr'ba of Hlnton will go likewise. Perhaps
tho best thing I can do Is is ask you for
money encugh to take the tribe and vanish."
"By the Lord! you hall not! I will nn
be left desolate! You shall not throw away
your life, your future, In thle fashion!" the
major roared, springing 'to his feet. "Mor
ris! Morris! Why did you keep all this dark?
You aro under enchantment, clean out your
mind! I say nothing against this poor girl
but tell mc, has tho marriage been made
public?"
.Vorrli shock his head: "Old Nat nuspe ts
but nobody knows, except the minister," he
said. "Tho people ot the pirty thought
Swan was only fooling as she was when sho
called herself Mro. Ben Isham. Ben Is mad
about her but she will hardly look at him
now."
"You aro sure of that?" Major Hllllard
asked. Morris smiled, half angrily, half
confidently.
"Swan would break her fiddle over his
!)tud If ho even looked lovo at her." he said.
"But tell me, governor, do you mean to
'Isotvn me? You would bo Justified In doing
t."
"fiod knowo perhaps I do not." Major
illllard mid. "But promise me. my son, to
ecp qulot for three days longer."
Thc shlftlersness of all tho river bend set
lemcnt reached It Mcwcrlng In the Hlnton
iot:ee. It was a tumble-down log structure,
ust on the edgo of the water. There was a
ow rail fenco about It. Where the gate
'hould havo been the rails wero stretched
ipart. "PC whites, they bound ter click
or po' white ways," old Nat Hlnton said to
Major Hllllard as that gentleman walked
lirough tho gap, upon the morning after
Morris" cnnfcsilon.
OU' Nat loined against the Jamb of tho
llg room door, hitching up the single-string
talltia th.it supported his patched trousers.
Ho was cntlrss and had ono shoe half off.
A stubby black plpo pat up a mighty reek
frrm one crrner of his mouth. He had
small, shrewd, far-sighted eyes. All tho
lower half cf his face was shrouded In a
llecco of beard that reached nearly to his
waist.
"Yes. po white ways," old Nat repeated.
"Them thar fine gals o' mine, now, Major,
ey thoy was yourn, you'd ruthcr sco 'cm
dead 'an carnln' good money, Jest a-tlcklln'
fiddle an' banjo strings. But, they likes
It, an' I likes hit. Tell ycr, 'twound take
cr heap cr money cf any feller wantcr ter
buy us outcn business now."
"How much?" Major Hllllard asked. He
had caught old Nat's drift and felt In
tuitively that old Nat sensed his own errand.
"Well!" old Nat's tone was reflective,
"Lemmo see! Hit would take cr big pile
yes, flr-ee! cr big one. The band's wuth
bcttern $200 a year ter me, my own self,
not countln" whut them air children wastes
on thar mammy, nn' flno things fer thar own
selves."
"I will give you $1,000 In hand and $1,000
a year for life If you'll take them all, go
away and nover come back." Major Hllllard
said. Old Nat laughed provoklngly.
"That does sound liberal," he said. "But
It ain't! O! no. it nln't, not a-tall! Way
It ain't half tho wuth o' tho dower right in
Wake Forest plantation not fayln' notbtn'
about all the money an' niggers."
'ttly wife Is the only person who could
claim dower In Wake- Forest " Major Hll
llard said slowly. "And certainly I shall
never marry again. My son, although my
natural heir, has nothing but what I
choose to give him. It might happen that
I would chcooe to give, him nothing not
oven onough to keep him from starvation."
"But but you won't never, never do
that! O! Major, pleaso say you won't never
do that." a soft young voice cried from he
hind old Nat. Old Nat stepped sullenly
aside. "You better po cn In and talk your
talk out." he said. "You ain't no need tor
beat about tho brsh. I knowrd as torn as
I seen you comln' whut I had cusplclon d
was the fact so. Yer b'y Is my son-in-law
and you don't llko It. Well, now, whut air
ye poln' ter do about It?"
"All a man can do to save hl3 only s-n,"
Major Hllllard said, stepping wHn f e
dingy room, which even Swan Hlnton'
surpassing beauty could not Illumine out
of sordines. Swan was slender as a re:d,
yet had a figure of exquisite curves. Her
skin, under the dashes of sunburn, was of
a flno creamy pallor. Lips Intensely scar
let, curving to a true Cupid's bow, accented
tho pallor, as did her dark appealing oye,
and her crown of hair llko black flcss-rllk.
Her race, the nomad poor white, Is a sort
of human century plant. On?e perhaps In
each 100 years mysteriously It flowe's into
absolutely perfect beauty.
She stood slightly swaying and thrum
ming an old Spanish guitar. Major Hll
llard looked her over with a heart full of
murderous compassion. The appeal of h-r
beauty fully excused his son and took away
TELL YER 'TWOULD TAKE ER HEAP
UK MONEY IF ANY FELLER WANTED
TBR BUY US OUTEN BUSINESS NOW."
any llngetlng trace cf hardness toward him,
yet In so excusing made him all tho more
determined on rescue. In all his life beforo
he had never willfully hurt a woman. Now
that needs mum he hurt ono, be meant
to do his best to salve the wound.
"Swan you love my son?" he asked,
IcoUing her full In the eye.
"I I reckon ro," Swan said fumbling
with the' ribbon at her throat.
"That Is why you don't want hlra to bs
and io 1 married her. It seemed to me that i poor?" the major asked. Swan nodd d.
gulped, then sail tlawly: "He Morris
I mutt disgrace either your name, or your
training and I let tho name gx"
"You did not think of mo?" the major
said very low. Mcrrls covered his eyes and
groanod.
"Over and over and over," he said, "but
look back, governor, rememltfr what It Is
o bo 22. Fancy yourself loved, and loving;
fancy, too, leaving the wrman you loved !n
the re?kles?ncss of heartbreak, to throw her
felf Into the bottomless pit. Swan l! leud
and gay, and free, but she Is good. I kept
my head until wr41, until It happened that
1 kissed her. Then well, nothing mattered
bcildo keeping her alwas and enly mlno "
Major Hllllard's hands clinched hard upon
tho arms of his chair.
"Tell me wha' tu mean to ho said
llfeleosly. Morris smiled a dreary smile.
"I have not made a plan, governor," ho
said, "but bo certain of th's I shall not
bring Swan here. My mother's memory for-
ain't fl fen for that. He ain't to mo' fltten'n
a racer's fltten to be a mule. 'Taln't nlcs,
beln' po'. I know all about that"
"No! It Is not nice you don't want to
be poor all your life?" the major Inter
rupted. Swan shuddered a little and bwH
lowed hard. Suddenly t.he flung up her
head, bcr whole face mbtly hardened.
"No! I don't wantcr be po' always." ihe
sold; "ncr I don't mean ter be neither.
Ef I caln't have Morris and tho money"
"You'll take the monov," Major Hllllard
supplemented as she choked and grew si
lent. "That is very wle. I am s'ad In
deed to find you so sensible."
"1 ain't sensible I am drovo tor death,"
Svnn crIM. hiding her face In her hand.
For a minute gurty sots shook her whole
frame. All at on:e she dashed the tears
from her eyes, dropped her hands and aske-1,
watching Major Hllllard narrowly as ah
spoko; "Did Morris send you? Er did
you come on yo' own account"
"That has nothing to do with th case."
Major Hllllard t-ald diplomatically
"See here! 1 want Aggers. Sentiment's
good, but gimme dollars and cents " Old
Nat growled from tho dor. "Dollnrs an'
cents In er lump er big lump at that," he
went on. You may come yer soft sawder
over that there fool gal. but you don't como
It over me."
Major Hllllard looked at Swan as though
eld Nat had not spoken. "I will settle $10,
000 on you If you leave tho state and never
como back to It," he said, "and give your
father half as much tomorrow upon tho
samo condition."
"That ain't much for er high-toned gen
tlemanwhen Jest cr plain llkrly nigger's
wuth fifteen hundrej," old Nat began.
Swan stopped him with n violent cuff and
rushed away in a passion ot tears.
The houso at Wako Forest stood quite
thrco miles from tho Tcnnessc river, e.
tho plantation ran down to the stream,
and Major Hllllard had his own landing.
In tho third year of the civil war a village
of white tents about it stretched far back
from tho water side. There was another
smaller village of them up around the house.
Tho fences were all swept away. Horses
fully accoutcred stood champing and danc
ing all about the lawns. Men clattered up
and down the broad veranda stepj, sooie with
swords clanking after them, more In undress
uniform, and a very few In the garb of ci
vilians. Not ono of tho original inhabitants
remained. Major Hllllard and Morris wero
both In the confederate army. Their hun
dreds of slaves had been sent further south
as soon as the fall of Fort Henry gave the
wholo river region Into federal control. Now
tho fortunes of war had mado Wako ForreM
the camping ground and base of operations
for a considerable federal column. Its aim
and object were secrets Jealousty guarded,
slnco It was knr.wn that Forrest's flying
horse, the most dreaded among all the en
emy, lay almost in full strength not so
many miles away.
CJtncral Bruton, the ranking federal offi
cer, wisely made his headquarterw upon tho
river bank, within range of the gunboats.
But his chlof lieutenant, Colonel Flowiow,
who wan really tho working soul of the
column, had quartered himself In the plan
tation house, and from It directed every
thing that went on. He was not a military
sybarite, yet made himself very comfortable
there, drinking the good wines in tho cellar
and smoking the best cigars In the major's
own (fecial locker. Tho camps were bcth
full of black vagrants contrabands in tho
phrane of that time. Bruton gave them ra
tions and listened sympathetically to their
stories. Ho had so many of them for
servants, Indeed, they wero In each ether's
way. Flowtow hated them, wholo and sev
eral. Brought up a lieutenant In the Ger
man army, ho had resigned, come to Amer
ica, engaged In business, dropped It at the
call to nrms, and gone into the fighting al
most purely from love of fighting.
"They cumber us theso blacks!" ho said
often. "They ruin d!f:lpl!ne, too. Then
how shall you keep army secrets when they
go In and out like the air?" But now oven
ho had taken one Into bis service. It hap
pened In this wise: Thrco days earlier he
had been reconnoltcrlng when his detach
ment was charged upon by a, single mounted
man, riding at full speeil, and crouching low
over the neck of the horse. The reason won
plain. Behind came half a dozen men In
gray, also mounted, spurring as for life and
rhootlng as thoy rode. It evenjed a miracle
that some bullet did not touch the fugitive.
The federal cavalry parted to let him
through no soon as they saw his face. He
was a mulatto, evidently a camp servant
making a daih for liberty, since he wore
over his Jean trousers a castoff gray over
coat. "Shoot mo, please! Don't send mo back,"
he said, riding straight up to-tho cclonel,
Flowtow eyed him u ralnutn then askcil
gruffly: "Why did you run away?"
For answer the mulatto flung off his coat
and bared his back. It wa3 marked all over
with cruel crimson welts. "Nobody ever
dared to touch mo bofo'." ho said. "1 was
a house nigger and I don't belong to the
man that done It."
"How camo you In the army?" Flowtow
atked, suspiciously. The negro locked full
in his eyes and said: "I went to take keer
of my muster's son. He he's dead now. I
wnnted to go and they tried to make mo
stav."
"Hump! Who in your master?" Flowtow
asked.
Majrr Hllllard that is, he used to be
major. He's colonel now under old Mr.
Forres. If he had been there nobody
wouldn't a-dared to touch me." the negro
said. "That'n how como I to know all this
country so well. I used to live at Wake
Fores'."
"So." The exclamation waa ono of
pleasure. "Then ycu may be worth keep
ing if you will be a true guide." Flow'ow
said, pursing hi ll' '''"" vrua'Iy "This
major he Is your father, too, eh?"
"I hears 'em say po," the negro 6ald,
looking down. "Please, sir, take mo to
wait on you. I can co.k."
"I may have bettor use for you." Flow
tow Interrupted. "Rldo you here bes'do mo
n little. If you serve me well you Bhall
havo money and frecdem. If," with a stern
lcok, "you try to trap me then I will cut
you alive Into little teony bits."
"I don't want money, only to be froo and
to learn readln' and wrltln'," the negro raid.
"As to trappln' you no nigger calnt do
that. You are too smart for even our white
folks."
So yellow Ned came to be free of Flow
tow's quarters, following the colonel like a
dog wherever be went, crouching pathntly
beside the hearth while Flowtow wrote or
talked, alert for any service, but seemingly
heedless cf all he heard. He hnd found an
old notebook and stub of pencil. The sen
try at the door had set hlra copies of Ict'e s
and figures. These he reproduced In a
thousand unheard of combinations. The
sentries, as they changed, were much
amused bv hla efforts and said one to an
other yellow Ned must bo crazy ou slmp'y
could not teach him that two and two made
four, or that a was not z.
It was mid May, four years from the
month when Colonel Hllllard had ssnt the
Hlntons away. Old Nat had come ba-k
I very soon after tho federal vle'ory. Ho
claimed. Indeed, to have a mysterious con
nection with those in authorl'y, and swag
gered amenc the other fisher foi- as to th
vengeance he meant to take cn the s'ave
holding aristocrats who had formerly so
oppressed him. A year of rlo'ons living
had wasted the Hllllard m"ney. Luce and
! Prude now chone to go their own way. hut
Swan came with her father because her
j mother camo perforce.
With tho wreck and remnant of the'r sul-
; den wealth old Nat had chartered a traoing
boat, ii miserable rcow-llke affair, which
was towed up or down stream as occa
sion served. Ostensibly it was a sut'er's
boat. In reality it engaged in all manner
of contraband trading. A cotton cargo, oace
safe under tho hatches, meant more profit
, than many weeks In camp. Old Nat had
planned to smugr'o such a cargo aboard
beforo the Lucy tied up at Wake Forcat
landing. He had slipped outside tho lines
tpylng where best to srlze It. letvlns ha
j wife and Swan In charge of the boat.
So'.dler villages gossip oven more than
ordinary villages. Everything et heidqua
ters Is scon the common property cf the
camp. Thus Swan came to know very soo i
all the particular of yellow Ned's arrival.
She pondered what sho hail houd a dsy,
th'n Just at nunset sevrtlcd her mother
by saying: "I'm going over to the ou -port.
Funny I never thought of It before
but there Is my chance to see the Inside o'
I Wake Forest,"
j There was no protest. Mr. Hlnton neTer
wasted breath In trying to turn Swan from
her purposes. But something, she knew
net what, made her kiss her daughter oacj
shjli. fearfully, cure, ai she fcit Swn
tremble at her louih, out of the fulnisii
of her mother heart.
"I wlh 1 could take )ou. tco. but th.it
would spoil everything," Swan said, paltirg
her cheek and almost running away. She
had rummaged out her old fiddle and put
on a short frock, much frilled and spangled,
which she had worn In the dtyj of the
band, tl was black and cimo tow in the
neck, so she throw over her shoulders a
blue artilleryman's cape, disposing ono end
so the scarlot lining would show. At th
very last she turned back and thrust some
thing deep Into her bosom, saying, with
lazy smiles: "You don't never know what
may come In handy when on go on a
'porstim hunt this time o' the year."
As she picked her way through tho com
pany stroats thcro were halls from every
hand cries of admiration. Invitations to
supper, banters for a tune. Just one but
she stajed for none of them. Words nhs
flung back In plenty; her tongue had gained
In license, in piquancy and point. A very
young officer, riotously full of beer, ran
out and trlc.l to kiss her in tho face of all,
but was rapped smartly over the ncso with
tho fiddle bow, and ran back howling with
rain.
As ehe camo to the outpost tho pickets
made u feint of halting her. She stu.-k
the fiddle under her chin, played three
the fiddle beneath her chin. Before Flow
tow could protest she had struck up, "Run,
Nigger. Run'" looking as she played
straight at Flowtow's new servant. With
out a break she gilded Into another strain,
almost an Improvlslon. full of swelling
chords and soft walling minors. She had
played it first upon her wedding night
Morris had snatched tho bow frr.m her
hands and had dragged her brcathlcssiy
away with him to find a minister.
"My hiss! I cannot wait!" Flowtow sal I,
clutching her bare shoulder. "Many things
Impend, Swanchen. Pay now good
measure, mind! When they are settled I
wilt hear what It is thou hast paid for."
"But maybo you'll be dead! Mister For
rest is a bad man a mighty bad old man,"
Swan said, fending her Hps. Flowtow
pushed her hands aside and tock a :ni
kiss. The next second a stunning blow
stretched him full length upon the floor.
As he sprang up, livid with rage, he saw
Swan struggling violently with tho mulatto,
who was gasping, and had tho blazing eyes
of n tanther.
"O! You Dutchman! I never thought
that little love pat would kno;k you down,"
sho crlod, "But look at this nigger, will
you trying to murder mc! Must bo he
thinks you're like his white folks too good
to be touched by the common sort. That's
what all the high-toned niggers think. I
know I used to live down south. Where
did you skeer him up, Dutchy? Did you
have him made special for your guardian
anrcl?"
'HOLD TIGHT. SWAN, NOW WE HAVE TO RIDE FOR OUR LIVES."
discordant bars, and raid: "Let mo
through or you'll hear worse than that."
All tho camp knew her she had Indeed tho
freedom of more than the army corps.
Sho was kind In slrkness or trouble, a good
comrade In health, square every man of
them would have staked hln llfo on that
and straight, for all her freedom, both of
speech and action. So she won easily to
Colonel Flowtow's door. Sho would havo
passed the sentry there, as she had paH3d
tho others, but that Flowtow himself was
Jusi coming out, with Yellow Ned, ns usual,
at hl heels.
"You! What do you do hero?" ho said
roughly, catching her arm In a hard grip.
"Mo! O! I Just camo to find out If you
all were dead," Swan said Jauntily. "I
didn't know but 'Mister Forrest's crlttor
company' had slipped In and made crow's
meat of the lot."
"What Is that to vou? Women arc not
for fighting!" Flowtow said, still roughly.
Swnn laughed, an r.lry, happy laugh.
"No! Women aro for kissing," she said.
"I'll kiss you, Colonel Flowtow and play
a tune Into tho bargain If you'll do Juot
une little thing I want.""
"O! Ho! I nm to be bribed In face of tho
niticlcs of war," Flowtow roared. "Well,
bribe me, Swanchen. I will hear what it
Is about afterward."
"You shall take the tune first!" Swan
said, throwing off her cloak and setting
"Come again, wild Swanchen and you
shall hear!" Flowtow said. "Or, wait!
I shall come back before the midnight.
We will drink together and have much
games and you shull play. As for tho
man I will send him to company with his
horse. The darkness shall teach hlra bet
ter manners."
"Ho! I'll teach him myself!" Swan
said to tho sentry, as Flowtow gallopjd
off, stopping past him to tho eJgo of the
veranda. There sho begun to play gay,
rollicking tunes, that very shortly drsw
all the idlers about her. Presently she
flung down her fiddle, whirled about on tip
toe, and said, sniffing vigorously: "Walt
till I como back, everybody! I foel It In
my bones that there's things to drink
closo by."
Sho darted away, followed by a chorus of
uproarious laughter. But she did not seek
tho cellar. In half a mlnuto 'he had rja hed
n picketed horao and wa3 wishiperlng to tire
man standing beilde It: "Morris, get away
for Ood'o sake. Old man Nat will know
you ho hen como back ho Is coming hero
to see Flowtow this very night. Tha
was why I O, why didn't you keep qu'.ct?
What did a kits moro or lew matter?" Y u
have bought your freedom."
"Some things one cannot buy," Morris
said, breathing hard. "Swan. I shall stay
until you agree to go with me."
"You are crazy crazy as a loon!" te
cried. "Fitst to come here then all those
paper. I know what they ate. so will o.d
man Nat. lie taught you, remember, thi
Murrcl elan cipher, so you lould write all
rts of thing to me. Uo away, I tell you!
Flowtow will hsng ,iou at sun-up, as sure
as he finds out bow he has been fooled."
"If you w .11 nune with mo," Moirls said,
springing Into the saddle and ho.dlng out
his aims. Swnn thought a minute, then
waved him down. "1 muet ride and lead
you with n, halter," she sal), "or we shall
never get past the pickets. I will say I'm
. driving you out of camp, back to your own
I side, because 1 hate you. Then, when wo
aro outside "
"You will have to keep on," Morris said,
doggedly. Swan shivered faintly.
"We will settle that aa happens," she
said.
"You nro my wife still. 1 will never
let you go back," Morris said when tho Inst
picket was 200 yarda behind. Swan h d
slipped from the saddle and was unbind
ing his hands. Sho had driven him mer
cilessly, flourishing a silver mounted il;r
rltiger above his head. The pickets hal
laughed at her, but had not tried to stop
her. It was only ono of Swan's freaks anJ
Swan, In their eyes, could do no wrong.
Tho two halted In a broad clear foad.
The moon shotio so bright It was nearly ,v
light ns day. As tho Irst knn. came loos
there wns a stir in the hushi at the road
side old Nat' nmblliiK' mu'e spin g
through them and o'll Nat himself cried:
"So you've been a-splns--eh Morrs and
your wife's hulplng you out? Mlgh'y nice
game but I'll block It though 1 can't st i
you now. I owe your father a day In
harvest. 1 rerkon the time's comln when
I can ray In full."
The late wcrds came faint he had set the
mule off In a headlong gallop. Morris
sprang Into the saddle, leaned down and
snatched Swan up before him. She tried
to writhe out of his armR In thrco mlnutrs
at most tho mounted pickets would Lo after
him how could he eucapo with his horse
douhly weighted?
"Bo quiet! (live mo that pistol!" he said,
rii mouth close- to her car: "Weight!
You don't know Black Douglas as I do. They
coulo. not catch him Jaded. T'nlght hn is
a wlhl horse he ha3 had nothing but little
niggling trotn tlnco his run the other diy."
"There! I told you they were coming!"
Swon cried, ns they caught the sound of
shots behind and of hoofs gathering In
volume. Morris laughed grltnly and shook
his roins. Black Douglas knew what that
meant. He weuit away at a long stretching
galloa that quickened, quickened Into the
plunging full run. Ills head was low, his
atomaiii nlmrttt touched earth ns he
stretched himself In long, leaping boun t.
Now and again he snorted disdainfully on e
there was a keen whinny of defiance.
"Blord tells. Ho knows It Is a race."
Mortis said, patting the satin fchoulder. With
one arm ho held Swan cloto against hla
breast. Her weight, thus over tho withers,
hardly told on tho gallant beast. They had
left tho chaso a mile behind. Morris wai
about to pull tip and turn Black Douglas'
nose a mlnuto to the wind whon they heard
fcabres Jingling down n cross road 100 yards
dead ahead.
"There Is Flowtow himself," Morris said
under his breath. "Hold tight. Swan now
we have got to ride for our lives "
He had neither whip nor spur. Ho must
trust solely to tho speed and courage and
intelligence of his horse. He flicked tho
reins gently and gave a soft, low whistle.
Black Douglas reared as he heard It then
lunged forward and tore along the road,
devouring It as flame devours dry stubble.
He shot past the crossroad's mouth while
Flowtow and his men were thirty yards
awny from It. They cried "Halt!" and fired
after him. Tho shots only urged hlra to
keep at his best speed; so did the thunder
of their hcofs behind.
Flowtow was nearly as well mounted,
but his horse had been ridden hard before
tbe chase began. Still ho pressed for
ward, urging his gray with whip and spur
beyond the freed of all but two of tho
b'st horRPd troopers. They had emptied
their carbines without effect. Flowtow had
a revolver, but the range was too great
hesldes he had recognized Swan as he
flew past, and yearned to overtake her a- A
tear her bodilj from tho arms of the man
who had tricked him
Rage over the tricking wholly nwalluwcd
up apprehension He knew the chise led
htm straight toward the confelerat' linos.
On. on he rode, the wind finding I.i his
ears, his eyes fixed In stralnlug a;e on
1 the space between him and his quarry It
lessened In a little while he would . om
, up with the black would last" the tavago
t sweetness of vengeance They could net a
second time es;apc him thoic audacious
ones! He could not doubt now that tho
woman had been full partner In tbe schema.
He gained on them swiftly. They wero
Just thirty yards In front -he rose In his
stirrups to cry halt after thrin. But tho
cry was drowned In a louder noise the
blurring boom of cavalry guns heavily
charged. The flash came straight In front,
a little way down the road L'ndervolclng
, the sound, he caught the muffled murmur
of many men nptlnglng suddenly to arms
It was not a picket post, but a vanguard
he had surprised. Wrathfully he tired his
six shots In air. then wheeled and rode for
life toward his own camp.
"Morris! O, thank the Lord, wo didn't
touch you," the captain of tho guard
said as Morris leaped from Black Douglas.
Morris had no word for him! Swan lay
i Inert In his arms and he felt her head
drop prone against his shoulder, and knew
that the bullet which had stilled her heart
was Intended for his own.
The next day but one I'olonel Hllllard
walked Into General Forrest's headquarters
to rt.ay: "My dear general, please to
send In a flag of truce. My son's wife has
died very suddenly. We wish to bury
her at Wake Forrest beside his mother "
As he spoke, so It wns done.
A Very Itriuiirl.nlilr ltemeilj.
"It Is with a good deal of pleasure and
ratlsfncllnn that I recommend Chamber
lain's Colic, Cholera and Diarrhoea
Remedy," says Druggist A. W. Sawtcl'o
of Hartford. Conn. "A lady et!tomcr sow
ing the remedy exposed for sale on my
show case said to mc 'I really bcllcvo
that medicine saved my life Ihe past sum
mer while at tho shore,' and she becamo so
enthuslartlc over Its merits that 1 at
once made up my mind to recommend it
in the future. Recently a gentleman camo
Into my store so overcome with colic palnJ
I that he sank at once to tho flour. I gvo
'him a dose of this remedy, which he'iid
him. I repeated the dose, anl In tlftccn
mln'ttes he left my store smilingly Inform
ing mo that he felt as well as over."
Mciimrlrn nf n Willi I.
Detroit Free Press: "Did you ever try to
danco with a foreigner?" asked ii Loulsvillo
gentleman who had been traveling abroad.
"I did once," he continued, "and that ex
perience was moro than enough for mc It
happened at a iball nt Mustaphn, nt tha
Hotel St. Georges. I asked an Austrian
countess to waltz, and when we stnrttM I
suppesed wo would danco In the leisurely
American fashion.
"Tho countess had a different Idea In her
head. She preferred to whirl madly, like
a dervish, on n space that could be covered
with a parasol, and, on account cf her su
perior strength, I clung to her and wo began
to spin.
"Finally, when It seemed to me that wo
were performing our antics on the celling
with our heads banging down, I could stand
It no longer, and, gasping for breath, sug
gested that we sit down. I saw two chairs
galloping around the room and prepared to
catch them on tho next lap. We steered for
them, I clinging helplessly to the athletic
woman, and then we sank down. I sat dazed
and almost insensible until I was aroused
by the countess saying:
" 'Excuse me, but we are sitting cn the
6amo chair.' "
.'intKMM-nt Annlnst Police Officer.
mil rr m.... i t..ja .
. l . .nj .. uuwu iutu; luua
entered formal Judgment or ouster ngalns:
I AsUtnnt Chief of Police Ptncek nnd In
spectors Hcldelmeyer, llartnclt nnd Knlas.
Thl action was In nccordnnco with tho
decision rendered by Judgo Tuley last week
sustaining the Chicago civil service law tho
court deiidlnc that the police orllclnls
named were holding o.nco In violation of
the oj crniions of that law.
I SPEAKING GOOD ENGLISH . s "-tJsw
tf3 A Guage of Intel igcnce
Aa one acquires the slime of the street on a muddy day, eo one gathers the
slang of the street by contact with careless people.
P A Good Dictionary is an Armor Against Ignorance
The public is possibly prejudiced in favor of old style, old time,
antiquated and worn out dictionaries.
THE STANDARD DICTIONARY
BY FUNK & WACNALLS.
i'p accepted every whore by scholars because it satisfies them. It is in fact, as well as name, "Standard. "
T-ie arrangement is n nv the style different the scholarship superior the plan most cotnpleto
and it is here that "'Ihe Standard" shows its sup eriority over other works of the sort.
O
lie important feature
not to be overlooked is
The Price
One large volume, in elegant
sheep binding. The regular
price is 12.00 and you may never
have another opportunity.
The publisher?, Messrs. Funk & "Wagnalls of 2sTew York, spent nearly one million dollars in preparing this
work, but the public apprec ates it most heartily. Hero are some ot the testimonials:
SrV
N ATI' 11 12 London. Knglnnrt. ,T. Norman LocUyor. the noted astron
omer, editor, tnys: "it pnsson tin- wit of man to sucspst nn.vtliltti:
wli'tii ought to have boon done that has not been tlono to make this
dictionary u Mteccss."
TUB DAILY POST. London, Knpland, adds: "It Is a monument to
American industry no less than tho great White City uy Lake MUitl-
Dlt .1. V. lALMi::i. writes: "I do not hesitate to say that t'ie
STANDARD DK'TIONAKY is triumphantly the Vot "t all KiijIMi
won! boohs: that In Its surprising comitlett'iiess aud iU'cumey It Is with
out a peer."
HIvNHY M. STANLEY, tho African explorer, says: "It comes
neatest to my Idea of a tirst-ciass dictionary." ' ,
BOSTON DAILY HKHALD claims that "The STANDARD DIC
TIONARY will And Its way everywhere by Its abundant and original
merits."
NUW YORK II Kit A LD states: "We are free to pronounce It the
most complete dictionary yet printed."
A. CON AN DOYLH, London, Kns.: "It has becomo quite a Joke
with us that we cannot trip up this dictionary. We have several
times been sure that we would, but have always failed,"
HDWARD KVHKKTT II ALU:
f.ble."
"It Is the blessing of our breakfast
i
I'DMl'ND (i. STKDMAN: "It h the most Inclusive and scholarly
of recent KngUsh dictionaries In not more than two volumes."
The ATIIKNAKl'M, Iondon. Kngland: "Its vocabulary Is the
most encyclopedic that has ever been compiled. , . its treatment of
compounds Is systematic. . . Tho editor has nchleved a hlghljw
credltnble measure of success," '
Till: LONDON TIM US. April .1. ISIKi: "The merits of the Stand
ard Dictionary are Indisputable and are abundantly attested by a
lat e number of itiilinpeachab'.- authorities, . . Should command
a wide anl deserved popularity."
Til": .lOl'RNAL OF UDI t'ATION, noston: "In thoroup!mes,
con" lit s. ini-.tii'.v. typ-isptaphy, stylo and Illustration It rli '
c-";i ii t' ism :"vi urn iat: Is admiration. It will make die u i.. I
Its () htor n' d nil wh ) write nit. at praise It evermore."
TKU NUW YURI; II Kit ALU: "Tho work Is adm i !' tr
every point of view. Is entirely tip to date . . . We ure I : . i
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which the mouern tendency to popularize knowledge has risen to the
highest level yet reached,"
TIIU BOSTON DAILY II URALD; "It Is a monument of the
highest character which the publishers of this work have reared In
honor of the Hngllsh language."
TIID SI'NDaY SCHOOL TIMES, Philadelphia: "Continual use
of the ilrst volume, since Its Issue, has shown tho work to be a
weighty, thorough, rich, nccurate, authoritative nnd convenient ad
dltlon to lexicographical material. Tho collaborative method reaches
high water mark and produces bold, original, Independent and scl.o!
urly results."
THU NUWLY ULUCTUD CHANCELLOR OF NKRRASKA I NI
VURSITY, PROI'USSOU J. HUN.IAMIN ANDREWS, savs: "I be
lleve that this dictionary fulfills the highest Ideal of its' project-irs.
It Is an outandont new product and not, like our old dliilniMrles,
the result of patching nnd amendment, little by little, the different
pieces often added by many, manv minds."
!308 FarnamSt. MEGEATH STATIONERY CO. OMAHA.
w -rr. r. m. y. r.
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