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Show Wvel of the American Spirit I C i f A t l"! lf I B Emerson Hough I I 0a.- f W 1 J"B 1 1 W 111 I I 111 Author of "The Mississippi Bubble" M Copyright 1909 hy The Bobbs-Morrill Co. JL. -HL JL JIL JSL $mk 3&apter vii. IfedUng Elisabeth. iJKn the two extremities of iffic destitute of succor and 'ifiwj 1,0 ''fV0't' of nloriIrc' ptlcn garret of litis coun-$iiot coun-$iiot doubt, yellowed with Jpml indistinguishable, lost ijfor relics of another day, jjeccords of that interview iMrango personalities, John !Utena von Rltz. in the ur-fgwhich ur-fgwhich I played the part KL was not at that, time jjnnve much more than a A'j'jature of tb- Interview, jathhigs now occupied my "liyery much in lovo with Srehill. tfttcrs I need to make some Iff father's plantation was jFoncs In Maryland. That IjIJIs lay across a low range and In another county from ftfamllles had long been fiL known ICIIsnbcth from Mvas a tall, slim girl, boon fcvto her father, old Daniel Rhcr mother she had lost JutUl young- Tho Chureh-mfn Chureh-mfn city establishment in lit- Washington Itself, al-Jfwras al-Jfwras not miiMi removed i&nlation in the old state JgKSbuhuisl, lids AVashlng-jtefcallcd, AVashlng-jtefcallcd, and It was vell Swith Its straight road ap-ifltK ap-ifltK great trees and Its imm whereby the load it-ylrun it-ylrun straight through the fjjear bevond and its tall :Vfand hospitable galleries, vringllnie enclosed f'n green. Vfilc that now, having fin-rliess fin-rliess of tlie ilay, or rather, IfElmhurst. home of Ellsa-'(ihunediate Ellsa-'(ihunediate Icccji. Inyself as well as I could gjfof my time, and flattered ijlobkcd in my little inlr-IvVtR inlr-IvVtR one such had figure 'HS tnl enough, and tfK'lth long hours afoot or Slibronzed to a good color, 1.3H1 not sliow on my race. .iflHt mysrlf In the lightness oHJlhe contentednoss of my WfoC life. In my general as-18 as-18 ln the world meant well that everything iu the BOfwell '" mo. Weill Churchill, it might ijl'if with a raryland cus-OT'eenenilly cus-OT'eenenilly been known as Jtj she never was called. SJlniinutive was applied lo fjjhgs. twice as large as sin, jatihnd ben mimed. Unity nosr; ICIIsabcth's was straight. Hetty runs fn .'Jyjnnd a trhort one; Kllsa-ywmd Kllsa-ywmd curved hut fit in and ,T strength and chnrltj 'jjfyspells round eyes, with AjCh'oVf tluni as though la fc'slty. the eves of Ellsa-'yj.p Ellsa-'yj.p her brows long and M:llcatcly line. A Betty g $va red hair lClisabi th's jnoat lights, and ro liquid 0 Ripost I i.;is d If posed to all il dense rather than thick. Betty would seem lo indicate a nature impulsive, impul-sive, gay. and 'free from care; on tho other hand. It was to be said of Elisabeth Elisa-beth t ha l she was lcicnl beyond her kind a trait which she got from ' her mother, a daughter of old Judge Henry Goooh. of our superior court. Vet, disposed dis-posed as she always was to bo logical In her conclusions, the great characteristic character-istic of Klisabcth was serenity, consld-' oration and charity. With will this, there appeared sometimes some-times at the surface of Kllsabeth's nature na-ture that lire and lightness and Impulsiveness Impul-siveness which she got from her Hither. Mr. Daniel Churchill. Whether she was wholly reserved and reasonable. or wholly warm and impulsive, I. long as I had known and loved her. never was quite sure. Something held mo awav. something called mc forward: so that 1 was always baffled, and yet alwavs eager. God wot. I suppose Ibis is the wav of women. At times I have been impatient with It. knowing my own mind well enough. At Jenst now. in my tight -strapped trousers, and my long bin- coat and mv deep embroidered waistcoat and mv high stock, my shining boots and mv tall beaver. I ..made my way on my well-groomed well-groomed horse up to tho gales or 61d Klinhurst: and as' I rode I pondered ami I dreamed. But Miss Elisabeth was not at home, il seemed. Her father. Mr. Daniel Churchill, rather portly and now just a trifle jed of face, met me instead. II was not an encounter for which I devoutly de-voutly wished, but one which I know It was the right of hoth or us to expect ere long. Seeing tho occasion propitious, I plunged at once In medlas res. Part or the time explanatory, again apologetic, apolo-getic, and yet again. J trust, assertive, although always blundering and red and awkward. I told th father of my Intended In-tended or my own wishes, mv prospcets and my plans. He listened to me gravelv and. it seemed to me. with none or that enthusiasm enthu-siasm which I would have welcomed. As l rny family, lie knew enough. As to my prospi-els, he questioned me. ly record was not unfamiliar to him. So. gaining coiilldence at last under the Insistence In-sistence or what I knew were worth v motives, and which certainlv were iire-slstible iire-slstible of themselves, so far as I was 'f enied. I asked him if we might not soon make an end of this. and. taking chances as they were, allow my wedding with Elisabeth u take place at no verv distant date. "Why. as to that, or course I do not know what my girl- will sav." went on Mr. Daniel Churchill, pursing up his Hps. "Oh. of course that," I answered; ".Miss Elisabeth and I" "The sltcnsifdcs!" he exclaimed. "I thought she told me everything." "I think Miss Elisabeth te.4 no one quite everything." l ventured. "I confess con-fess she has kept rim almost as much In the dark as youraelf. sir. But I onlv wanted to ask if. after I have seen her today, and if I should gain her consent to an i.nly day. you would not waive any objections on your own part and allow the matter to go forward as soon as possible?" In answer to this lie arose from his chair and stood looking out of the wln-dow. wln-dow. his back turned to mc I could not call his reception of my suggestion en-lliupia.sllc; en-lliupia.sllc; but at last ho turned. "I presume that our two families might send you young people a sack of meal or a side of bacon -now and then, as far as that is concerned." lie nald. I could not call this .speech joyous. "Thero are .nid to be riHks in any urion. sir." I ventured to Hay. "I admit 1 do not follow you in contemplating any rif-k wn lever. If cither you or your daughter doubts my loyalty or affection, then I should .say certainly it wcro wise to end all this: but" and I fancied I straightened perceptibly "I think that might perhups be left to iSIIss ISlisiabuth hcrfelf;' After all. Mr. Dan t'hurchill was obliged to yltld. as fathers hae been obliged from the beginning of the world. At last he told mo I might, take my fate iu my own hands and go my way. Trusjt the Insilel of lovers to bring them toi ethrr! I wa.s o,uUc .vjntbleni that at that hour I should find Elisabeth and her aunt in the big east room aL tho president's reception, the former looking on with her uncompromising eyes at. the llttlo pageant which on reception days regularly went forward there. My conclusion was correct. I round u. hoy to hold my horse In front of (."antler's cafe. Then I hastened Off across tho Intervening blocks and through the grounds of the Whit-! House, in which presently, having edged through Ihe throng in tho nntc-cbnmbcrs, 1 found myself in that Inane procession of Individuals who passed by In order, each to receive the limp handshake, the. mechanical bow and the perfunctory smile of rresldent Tyler rather a tall, slender-limbed, active man and of very-decent very-decent presence, although his thin, shrunken checks and his cold blue-gray eyo lefi little i-unlity of magnetism In Ills personality. It as not new to me, of course, Ibis pageant .although It never lacked of Interest. In-terest. There were iu the throng representatives repre-sentatives of all America as It was then, a strange, crude blending or reilncmcnl and vulgarity, or euso and poverty. oT luxury and thrift. A certain air of gloom at this time hung over official Washington, for the nilnd.s of all were still oppressed by. the memory of that fatal accident the explosion ex-plosion of the greal cannon "I'eacc-maker" "I'eacc-maker" on board tile war vessel J'rlnce-ton J'rlnce-ton which had killed Mr. rpshur, our secretary of slate, with others, and had. at one blow, come so near lo depriving llils government of Its head and Ids official of-ficial family; the number of prominent lives thus ended or endangered being appalling to. contemplate. It was this accident which had called Mr. Calhoun forward at a national Jiiiic.turo of the most extreme dellcacv and the utmost importance. In spite of the general mourning, however, the Informal receptions recep-tions at I lie White House were not wholly discontinued, and tho administration, administra-tion, unsettled as It was. and fronted bv the gravest of diplomatic pVoblems, made such show of dignity and even cheerfulness as It might. 1 considered Ji my ,,itv to pass in the long procession and to shake the hand of Mr. Tyler. Thai done. I ga.ed about the greal room, carefully scanning the different 11 1 lie groups which were accustomed accus-tomed to form after the ceremonial part of the visit was over. I saw many whom 1 knew. I forgot them; for In a fur corner, where a tlood of llgbl came through Ihe ! rail Ing vines that shielded the outer window, my anxious eves discovered dis-covered the object or mv (-nest. Kilsabeth It seemed to me I inui never known her so tulr as she was that morning In the great, east room of the While House. Klisaboth was rather taller than the uveiage woman, nnd or that splendid southern figure, slender hut strong, which makes perhaps the best representative or ' our, American beauty. She was verv I bravely arrayed today In her best pink-flowered pink-flowered lawn, made wide and full as was the custom of the time, hut not si) Inmslly gathered at the waist as some and so serving not wholly lo conceal her natural comeliness of figure 'I icr .bonnet 1 she had removed. I could see tho sunlight sun-light on the ripples; of her brown hair and the shadow.; which lav above . her eyes as she turned to race me, and the slow pink which crept Into her checks DlgnlHcd nlwaxs, and ruserved wan Elisabeth Churchill. But now I hope II was not wholly conceit which Id t(l reel that perhaps the warmth, the glow of .the air caught while riding under the open sky. the sight of ihe. manv budding roses or our city, the scent or Ihe blossoms blos-soms which even then came throurrh the lattiee-lhe meeting even with mv-self mv-self so lately returned- something in east or this had caused nn awukening In her girl's heart. Something, i 1 do not know what, gave her greetlnrr to mc more warmth than was usual with her My own heart, eager enough to break bounds, answered in ci(i We stood blushing like ehihlren as our hands touched forgolten In that assemblage assem-blage of Washington's pomp and clrciim-sta clrciim-sta ncc. "How do. yon doV" was all I could llnd to say.1 And "How do you do?" -was all I could catch for answer, nlthough 1 saw. In a fleeting way. a glimpse of a dimple hid In Elisabeth's cheek. fjlie never showed it save when pleased. I have never seen a dimple like thai of Elisabeth's. Absorbed, we almost forgot, Aunt Hettv .Jennings stout, radiant, snuhnoscd, ureh-browed ureh-browed and curious, Elisabeth's chaperon On the whole. 1 wus glad Aunt Ucttv Jon-nlngs Jon-nlngs was there. "Aunt Betty." said J, as I took her baud: "Aunt Betty, have wo told you Elibiiheth nnd I?" ' I saw Ellsubeth straighten In perplox-M perplox-M doubt or honor, but 1 wont on. "Wis, Elisabeth and 1 -" '"You denr children!" gurgled Aunt Belly. "Congrntulato us both!' I demanded, und I put Elisabeth's hand, covered with my own, into the short and chubby lingers lin-gers of thai estimable lady. Whenever Elisabeth attempted lo open her Hps I opened initio before, and 1 so overwhelmed over-whelmed denr Aunt Betty Jennings with protestations of my regard for her. my interest Iu her family, her other nieces, her chickens.- her kittens, her home I so (iitleteil all her questions by assertions asser-tions and demands and exclamations, and declarations that Mr. Daniel Church-Ill Church-Ill had given his consent, that 1 swear for the moment even Elisabeth believed that what I hud said was Indeed true. At least. I ran testify she made no formal for-mal denial, alt hough the dimple was now frightened out of sight. Admirable Aunt Betty Jennings! She forestalled every assertion 1 made, herself her-self bubbling nnd blushing in sheer delight. de-light. Kor ild she Jack in charity. Tapping me with her fan lightly, she exclaimed: "You rogue! I know that yon two want to bo alone; that Is what you want. Now 1 am going away Just flown the room. You will rldo homo with us affer a time, I am sure?" Adorable Aunt Betty Jennings! Elisabeth Elisa-beth and 1 looked at her comfortable back 'for some moments before I turned, laughing, to look Elisabeth In tho eyes. "You had no right " began she, her face growing pale. "Every right!" said I. and managed to find a plnco for our two hands under cover of tho wide flounces of her figured fig-ured lawn as wc stood, both blushing. "I have every right. 1 have truly Just seen your father. 1 have Just como from him." She looked at mc Intently, glowing, happily. "I could nol wait any longer," I went on. "Within a ivcck I am going to have an ofllcc of my own. Let us wait no longer. I have waited long enough. Now " I babbled on. and shu listened. U was strange place enough for a betrothal, betroth-al, but there at least 1 said the words .which bound mo; and In the look Elisabeth Elisa-beth gave mc J saw her answer. Her eyes were wide and straight and solemn. She did not smile. As we stood, with small opportunity and perhaps less Inclination for much conversation, my eyes chanced to turn toward the main entrance door of tho cast room. I saw. pushing through, a. certain page, n young boy of good fnmlly. who was employed by Mr. Calhoun as messenger. He knew mo perfectly well, as he did almost every one else In Washington, Wash-ington, nnd with precocious intelligence his gaze picked me out In all that throng. "Is that Tor me?" I asked, as ho extended ex-tended his missive. "Yes," he nodded. "Mr. Calhoun told me to find you and to give you this at once." I turned to Elisabeth. "If you will pardon inc'."' I said. Sho made way for nie to pass to a curtained window, and there, turning my back and using such socrecv as I could. 1 broke tho seal. Tho "message was brief. To bo equally brief I may suy pimply that It asked mc lo be ready to start for Canada that night on business connected with tho department depart-ment of slate! Of reusonr. or explanations It gave none. 1 turned to Elisabeth and. held out tho message from my elder. She looked at it. Her eyes widened. "Nicholas!" she cxln lined. "Elisabeth." said I. turning to her swlftlv. "I will agree to nothing which will send inc away from you again. Listen then " I raised a hand as she would have spoken. "Go homo with your Aunt Bet tv as soon as you can. Toll your father that tonight at six I ahull be there. Be ready!" "What do you moan?" sho panted. I saw her throat flutter. "I mean that wc must bo married tonight to-night before 1 go. Beforo eight o'clock I must be on the train." "When will you be, back?" she whispered. whis-pered. "How can T toll? When I go. my wire shall wail here at Elmhnrst, instead of my sweetheart." Sho turned ui way from me, contemplative. contempla-tive. She, too, wns young. Ardor appealed ap-pealed to her. Llfo stood before her. beckoning, as to me. What could the girl do or say? I placed her hand on my arm. A o started toward the door, intending to pick up Aunt Jennings on our way. As wo advanced, a group boforc us broke apart. 1 stood aside to make way for a gentleman whom I did not recognise. On his arm there leaned a woman, a beautiful woman, clad In a costume of flounced nnd rippling velvet ol a royal blue which made her the most striking J figure- in the great room. Hers wns a personality nol easily to he overlooked in anv company, her face one not readily read-ily to bo equaled. It was the Baroness Helena von Kits! We met face to face. I presume It would have been too much lo ask oven of her to suppress tho sudden Hash of recognition which she showed At first she did not sec thai I was accompanied, fllie bent to me, as though to adjust her gown. and. without a change. Iu the expression of her face, spoke lo me in an undertone no one olso could hear. "Wall!" she murmured. "There is to be a meeting" Sim had time for no more as she swept by. Alns. thai mere moments should spell ruin as well as happlnoss! This new women whom I had wooed and found, this new Elisabeth whose hand' lay on my arm. saw what no one olso would I have mcoii that little Hash of recognl- 1 tlou on the face of Helena von Ititz' 1 Hho lieu rd ti whisper p.i-s. Morcoier, f with a woman'; uncanny facility in detail, de-tail, she took In every Item of the other's oth-er's costume. For myself. I could see nothing of the costume now save one object a, barbaric brooch of double shells and beaded fastenings, which clasped the light laces at her throat. Tho 'baroness had perhaps slept as Utile as J tho night before. If J showed the ravages of loss of sleep no more than she. I was fortunate. Hhe wa.s radiant, ra-diant, as she passed forward with her escort for place in I he line which had not yet dwindled away. "You seem to "know that Isdv," said Elisabeth to me gently. "Did I so sepni?" I answered. "It is professional of all to smile in the east room at a. reception." said I. "Then you do not know (he ladv?" "Indeed, no. Why should I. mv dear girl?" Ah. how hot my face was! "I do nol know." said Elisabeth "Only In a way she resembles a certain lady of whom we have heard rather more than enough here In Washington." "Put aside silly gossip. Elisabeth." 1 said. "And. please, do not quarrel with me. now that I am so happy. Tonight" "N'icliolas," she said, -leaning just a little forward and locking her bands more deeply In my arm. "don't you know yon were telling me one time about the little brooch yon were going lo bring me. nn Indian thing yon said it should he my my wedding present? Hon't you remember remem-ber that? Now. I was tjilnklng " I stood blushing red as though detected In the utmost villainy. And Ihe girl at my side saw that written on my facfj which now, within the very moment, (lt had become her right to question! I turned lo her suddenly. "Elisabeth." said I, "you shall have your little brooch tonight, if you will promise me now to he ready and waiting for ni(- at six. i will have the license." ft seemed to me that this new self of Elisabeth's warmer, yielding, adorable was slowly going nwey from me again. H and that her 'old -self, none the less sweet H none the lcs- ji liming, but more logical H and questioning, had taken its old plaro H again. She put both Iit hands on nn' H arm ikw and looked me fairly in the ""H fiircf where the color still proclaimed H some sort of guilt on my prut, although " my heart wns clean and innocent as "H "Nicholas.1" she said, ''come tonight. H Bring me my little Jewel and bring " """ "The minister! If I do that. Elisabeth. you will marry me then?" ""H "Yes!" she whispered soflly. ""H Amid all the din and babble of that j"H motley throng I heard the word, low as It was. I have never heard a voice like 1 Elisabeth's. An instant later. I knew not quite how, "H her hand was away from my arm. i i "H that of Aunt Betty, and they were pass- ""H lux toward the main door, leaving mc ""H standing with joy and doubt mingled in (To Be Continued.) "jH |
