Show e el I 1 U oua by op le read aj is the lieu ind isyou SYNOPSIS the time la is the luto vs coa or early oa and the scene it ft steamboat on tho the mississippi river all tile the pt the period lire are I 1 present and ana tile the il floating palace to 1 aa distinguished by merriment dancing and gallantry there tire are tile the customary drinking and gambling also virgil mace drace a young northern man Is on ills way dav south on a 11 mission of revenge lie he meets an eccentric character in tho the person perso 1 I of one liberty Bh Sh ottle wild who Is constantly tempting the goddess of chanco chance they agree to a singular pact drace seeing an opportunity to uso use Bh Sh ottlo ottle confides to him that his mission Is to tind a certain ex cst guerrilla estepho la vitte vette who had murdered dracos father it Is hla his determination to hung hang la vitte its aa high na as liaman haman drace falls in love with a striking young beauty on the boat beat the steamer reaches new orleans at that time in tile the turbulent throes of carpetbag covern government ment the young men attend tile the french ball and drace unexpectedly meets the ole girl she is ie accompanied by one boyco boyce apparently her flance fiance learns that the name of tile the girl la is Nr madlne la vitte drace passes an uneasy night torn by the suspicion that nadine Is the daughter of old estepho la vitte now an admitted outlaw now more than ever la Is he resolved to find where the girl lives and to find estepho draca and begin a search of the city drace takes a hand in A carpetbagger riot ile he catches A glimpse of one lie he la is sure Is nadine drace and get into bal bai standing with the authorities anil and are given until the next nett day to board a steamer bound north returning to tho the house where ho he thought henad glimpsed the th gr drace finds the tha place abandoned Sli ottle discovers that a case anse of wine on the he steamer Is addressed to estepho la yette at Far numa landing mississippi it Is the next stop atop below Beth bethnas pas landing Landin gand and general bethpage Beth paga page la 1 Li liberty betY shot ties uncle they decide to visit win him liberty goes broke again and swears off again on betti betting nir they are cordially received by the general and lifs hta wife drave draca penetrates into the wilder wilderness dis discovers dl coveri periwinkle boure and finds nadine alone she Is much alarmed and warns him her father will shoot him ile iio makes love to her and 1 to get him to go she agrees to meet him again the following thursday on hla his way home drace Is in accosted by three men who ask aik to be set across the river they overpower overpower power him and bind him with ropes led by tony they throw drace into an old cabin tony taunts drace and avows his love for nadine w while lowthe the others collect fuel tony sets fire to the cabin and the three RO im off oaf laug laughing hint I 1 CHAPTER VII VH Con continued contend tind 9 and then something touched his ahli hand something cold and swift A knife cut the ropes that hound bound him nod and in ills great and aden soy joy orate arnce almost lost his renson reason hot he did not cry out no word was wn spoken just one look joel and thed hen lie he her from tile flain flames Rs ns as they fled thron through gli the he door out through alio light firitz no the shadow of th the et trees ij as aad theu he poke goo god bless you ile ho had hold beld her 1 hand lending leading tier her it as they inn hut but now I in n tl the I 1 e slin div info from danger slie withdrew it f from ro lit him and when it he e reached again to ao take it sho she shook tier hor head no it must not be I 1 to told ld yon 0 o go quick hut you tou did not ago go quick enough i then tone lie he see your boat find with att the othera jio wait vyant for you rou I 1 run nut round around und I 1 ich him with the knife to sant lahb aln ai irlie fie hu lart rt jiin brave friend then in alit 1 sop see them carry cairy the bont abdat and 1 I aln chev have killed you yon and J lilon along to ib staat but then I 1 kinny you qu arcs in n lift boat all I 1 do then aeto ans to atch watch till they go e nd and then 1 I jo go tn it was not hard bard to do yo no you t she shil shaking king tier head 4 r 1 1 ange angels do donot not go into the afie fire T they hey do not belong there not I 1 tell you I 1 show you tho crooked way I 1 through tile the woods wooda and nut to th the die river tho the moon hafi P come and wo e call see igee if you yott inov ills hie any you yon are gife but if you do not you down and dle die in the ooze annd not I 1 n tile the flame fiame you would 1 elfae follow me DOW A ile ho fol followed towed herb her halm 1 hat hi the sho be alow to prolong the joy ur of this being lyeth fi her air blit bit she was aglia J walkIng OT vly swIftly Honlett mes khe ivoun t tea slight t rubout tn 0 o warn hal him of a mm dangerous place and once site sins smiled the moon full in tier her face tell nio me ho he inquired well then what hat has passed tonight I 1 hope doe docs not change was st ayt for thursday the igind was beginning to rise and site was walking faster thursday you conic come old cepho tind had n not ot cot boino e homo hoin when the creole girt girl reached the house in it tile swamp sho she sat down to think nad and to listen to ills foOt footstep Atell lie did not come and undressing she bho luy lity down mused a long time and slept A knocking on tile door and stephos voice called tier her tile sun ito he was high but tile the beetle gel eho sleep soon she came out ont and ile ho drew her to him filin and pressed his r cheek against the colt coil of tier her hair they sill sat where the house threw its cool shale slowly he fie rocket rocked in ills his his big looking up ut at tile alio cane that hid his home tilts this air he good iio bomea through suit salt marsh front from the lie quit gulf with not tile the malaria you bloom always like the flower nut but fattier when do wo we leave ier here Q it must not bo be that lint wo we are I 1 here to live nit nil the time ila I 1 the little bird to leave the nest to try tier her wings wl ts that Is tho the way ivay of birds und and soon I 1 suppose you will wish to marry some borne one fine mal niep and leave your old faither fifth er no it Is in not that I 1 love you but it Is lonely here and mr air boyco lie la is a 11 fine young man if you marry him you would not ao 90 much leavo leave tile me I 1 seo see lim jilin often lie buy from froin me ine the mules cs mid and cattle which I 1 brill g down from tho hilll wily why you no wish to marry him hill allut hut I 1 do not love jilin him you would soon learn he Is ft alne young inan I 1 owe him much mile and ho he know much about my business that dint he would keep quiet about if it he wils of the family fanelly fa nilly and ho he would take you often to tile lie city and give you rich dresses and diamonds my dresses they aro are fine enough I 1 have tho the diamonds too but you must L know now that I 1 get lonesome here I 1 clin dumiot not piny with the book till all theotime the time you atre going again to buy cattle in the are atre you yon not 1 I will buy them yes and you must on thursday 10 go tp to tile the hills hillsr yes on n the thursday I 1 will go lie ile flo fell asleep for lie ho was tired and rhen the sun suit canie came about she jahe drew his chair into the shade I to ito opened his eyes patted her hand and slept again she heard a slight blight sound bound and looking sav bonez coining through the ille cane swiftly she advanced toward jilin with hand upraised cautioning him you yi must trusi make no noise HO he IS in asleep but I 1 have bome to tell jilin him that tile the carpetbagger spy avy he gone eone to corno come back not again go away and you can come coma back and tell blin no I 1 stay and talk to you stephos voice called out tonea ton conic I 1 urn ant here site dill did not wish to hear them anik she looked at tile the portuguese and mused us as she walked away you do not ilot know you scorpion plon how close you como to tho stab your time owe will come and aad I 1 watch you CHAPTER vill VIII it was waa a long time before dram drace found a 0 bont boat to set him film over to the opposite chore it was wan so into when lie ife reached the Beth bethpage page place that lie he did not so go up to his room the house was so co quiet the hounds themselves asleep that lie he stole into the garden to pass the remainder ot of the lie night on n W couch in in jhb house the air was heavy with arith roses breathing in through the lattice and as lie he straight bredl ene dout out grateful for repose aeils thought encile came to him til ale 10 they call death but to me ine it will W car be red and 1 I have looked into ltd red and wast was not Ithan I 1 haink lc G guil ul that lie he save gave lie that strength streng lh hut but what if a meKI melodrama ramn I 1 at the hie breakfast brcik fost table cycle with mother upbraided up braided drace tor for out for fear of arousing the houie afterward priece and the new beneral ral strolled troll cd out nut under the treed ry tile wity way 1 I 1 tile the general suld salil pres enly 11 1 I inive have an to deliver in an address before a 1 fea teachers chers nic eting in natchez and I 1 should much ll aleto eto have you bear me company ve ie can leave this thir evening fin the file black ti rywk livic and reach there early la in the ni morning ornIng id like very anch fi to go nn answered D dancel 4 rac e but bt can we get bilick before thursday ensile it wednesday I borning an y tiling Import rint for thursday ol in no an old fellow down at fhe he terry ferry wants me ire to go fishing with him blin thil aday ond and I 1 rave him blin my w word ord hut adl beon be on and most remarkable jbf old dillap amin full of fun fua quite iii a charne ter you ine incon ain old spence but tire ire you rod nure bure it Is 1 not that pretty daughter fai b hla to that attral you yon have havo to bo be A iwo careful roy my son wo we my may walh lilt men inen out of 0 our social running hut but not with wol women liell ali ah cycle I 1 mr arnce tins just consented to give tilt me ills boiu PADY to Nut elite tile tho black Ilaw lia binl played a Wel welcome cOille ond find tile capt aill cattle came town down the plunk plant to conduct tho the general on oil board irom n quiet lazy and almost deserted landing tile place leaped into the till full throb or of life negroes and shiftless whites came front from their hovels to guzo upon the cingle splendor of this journeying palace an anil tile lie three shell man linin stopped stepped ignore o to gather up dollars dinner was n state ocen occasion slon aind nater it tho the ball then their state rooms then morning ornIng in aind the address wils to be delivered in tile afternoon noon tind whon when ill the little clime coroa the 0 lenoral led hint over to tho hill to henr hear tho the speech imprisoned jilin him without hall in a 0 corner and there lie he lini lial to sit the address was long academic and dull and tile the sufferer mused 1 I dont seo see why ever called you oil it remarkable character everybody came about the general 0 0 baijo ills hand youn women told him that they find never been so thrilled mace lied to aliu too swore hlin hini nit an orator lot let us walk ON alone sald said tho the general slowly nt at farst hut flut after n time the old gentleman struck ft brisker pace toN toward vald tile the river now my iny boy na s weve got through with those beaters of dust out of old carpets well have sonic some fun f jill 0 old I 1 I 1 colonel wanted me to so go homo home with illin him and lie he tins a delightful house a gracious wife and handsome daughter but I 1 find to decline ive stood about us as much now OR as I 1 can wella yell go down to old tobe masons tavern under tile the hill tobe Is 1 a 0 gentle old follow fellow never killed but three men 11 tit 0 tavern ansas tou tough h it it 8 river men inen could make it built of logs bricks stone and clapboards clapboard it looked like nn nit architectural stagger trying to climb the hill in tilt the main room was the bar well ill bo be knocked in the head forn steer I 1 old OIL tolle tobo cried out stump ing toward award tile Gen general erni 1 I 1 seed you since the iziver tuck fire well well I 1 Th chinkin inkin about you the other day glad to shake your liand hand mr arnce set right down tobe im glad to see you yott suld said the general and fetch us its about two quarts of that lint summer grape wine let lei tile me tell you about it arnce we have iii a wild grope grape here lieret that hn t gets alpo apo along in august auga tt lils its much larger antl Is 1 not sour pour like lie fox grape irenne and its vine likes to climb about it sassafras sapling and then you see nn nit umbrella of grapes now dont a word till youve had a 90 good nd taste of it tobe makes it himself and liell hell fetch us ua some tit at least twenty five years yeara old hero here we tire the wine was na its red da blood cool and yet warm its flavor was the rip ened sweetness of the spirit of 0 autumn it ans ns as mellow ns as the scent of the apple nt harvest time I what do you think of it heyl hey undo uncle Il howard oward are you sure that tills this was not made by bacchus instead of tobel good my boyl boy 1 enjoying yourself yours elfr yes im doing flue general Gener nl you see I 1 cant express myself as well os OR you can I 1 no as much to draw f from roin bouvo not only book knowl edge hut but exper experience lenee worth wore more socially than oil all the libraries la in tho the world you lilt hit it oft of well but what Is better than it till all moral freedom this habip hero here Is rough with one log leg slightly drawn these chairs wo we sit it in bottomed with strips of hickory bark would bo be lied nt at a sheriffs sale lut but sir murk alark antony in hi lila first arst tri triumph melph ills charlot drawn by lions was not ni more ore regal than wo we are nt at this moment enthroned and with moral freedom pour out for ns as alint sumo same antony said scant not my cups clips tob e where aheren that old scoundrel who used to play the Trav traveler elf tobe stumped ill his way over fr from frn n tho the bar you mean old slithers tile he man antin become of biln elmr I 1 Noth lit and I 1 reckon lies hes pl ilyin right now nov flown i nt it Cad mims mans joint that ought to lie he wiard off the earth want him need turn film send beni W a 1 hoy oy over after him old slithers bald and wrIn wrinkled klod came with ills his homp homod mado fiddle tho the general greeted him warmly intro etro deuced him blin to fo drace and the he most moat comfortable chair in tho the house provid cl ca him ho fie sat down to play the famous old tune and 16 to recite the dialogue am improvising proff sing where ills memory memo ailed balled him that my daar datar dk orace was la vette tto TO DID XI B |