The Battle Ground

ike, came upon Betty bringing holly berries from the wood. She was followed by two sm

sed the boundary!" he exclaimed over his shoulder to the others. "Ride on, my lads, ride on! Don't

g down from his saddle; "I see in Miss Betty's eyes

from the other side, "for it's as plain as day that

an I answer?" she asked. "Only that I've been a mile after this holly for th

hat she'll trust it to me alone? Good morning, my boys, God be

"Shall we exchange burdens, O eater of 'possums?" he asked blandly. "Will you permit me t

e do look moughty glum, suh,

gh to draw tears. Come up, Prince Rupert, your highness

ert was led away, D

, with the gay deference he used toward women, as if a wor

ce over the white landscape, down the long turnpike, and across the broad meadow where a cedar tree waved li

one wall. "Now wait a moment," he cautioned, as he went over. "D

m. "Take your fence, my beauties," he called gayly to

d her cap and too

cruel," she complained, as she d

don't see why girls make themselves so smooth, anyway. That's what I

cried Betty, stop

rl where it oughtn't

," she answere

all I put it straight with this piece of holly?

Bill and Peyton have grown to be?" she questioned pleasantly. "There weren't any boys to be named after papa and Uncle Bill, so I called the dogs after them

ooking to where a flock of crows were flying over the dried spectres of carrot flo

," she said. "No, no, you mustn't chase them, Bill and Peyton, it isn't right, you see. Here, Jake, come and hold the d

nd sometimes they starve to death right out here. Papa says they are

s of my associates. I'm not fond of crows; but it is their voices rather than t

ve been feeding for years. I don't know anything that foxes like to eat except chickens, but I carry him a basket of potatoes

n her face. He fell to musing over her decisive little chin, the sensitive curves of her nostrils and s

n or earth that you don't like?

ike? Shall I re

her over his

s breast for secre

ill never b

me swear?" he g

stant moon," she

cious self'; what

made her self-conscious, ill at ease; the ve

I shall trust you with even so we

y torture me?

f alarm. "From fear of the

er with amazement. "Oh, don'

rcy upon your petitioner.

nd stood before him

o his throat, "but my cravats are from Paris-Charlie M

essed Betty. "Papa wears only

ather's stocks, I wonder? It's just pure envy-that's what i

Uncle Shadrach wouldn't wear it for worlds-he wears only papa's clothes,

clare," exclaimed

ttle later it was

tell you she didn't like

little startled. "Oh, Virg

you d

I d

ase," he said, and

ound Virginia and the young men, who had ridden over ahead of them, hanging evergreens for the approaching party. Jack Morson, from the

mistletoe above General Washington's portrait

Betty, throwing her armful of holly upon the fl

om him. "Diggs, you sluggard, what are you sitting there

that she really didn't think there was anything she could trust him with. "Of course, I don't mind your amusi

you call carrying a wagon load of brushwood amusement? Now, I'll gra

n terror; "if you shake the th

own cautiously. "Now, that's what I call

a, smiling, as he turned to her.

nd wondering if she really liked Jack Morson so very much. The girl was so bewitching in her r

"Save your favour for the man that deserves it-and look at me."

left," she said quickly;

faltered Diggs, from his c

ed the stairca

"Has the oyster opened his mouth

of, and it's time to get back, anyway. Well, loveliest of l

d. Did she like Dan so v

coming, and there are so many girls,-the Powells and the Harrisons and th

ake him do his duty by the County, a

to do my pleasure by myself. Now I give you fair warning, Virginia, if

ed Betty over her shoulder, "for this Betty doesn't

ith Peggy Harrison," and he went out to Prince Rupert, lifting his hat, as he mounted, to Miss Lydia, who stood at

thou'rt the

he four voices took up the air, and sent the

haste to ha

roud and ga

hair with g

other eyes

me love's smi

first, thou h

te turnpike, beneath the melting snow that rained dow

or, wrapped in his broadcloth cape, ta

he remarked, following them into the house. "You

ever bashful with the Major. "In fact, we

, he put the same question to his grandson. "They're delightful girls, are they not, my boy?" he ventured incautiously. "Yo

have seen her in her red dress to-day. You don't half realize what a t

ed and rubbed hi

re the wind blows anyway, and you have my congratulations on either hand. I shan't deny that we old folks had a leani

the pace was becoming a little too impetuous. "I only wish she

not vanity, sir; and there's never been a Lightfoot yet that couldn't catch a woman's ey

to the gilt-framed mirror above the mantel. "If there's any of your blood in me, it makes for

jor, smiling in his turn. "We are not a proud people, my boy; but we've always fought lik

nformed her with a touch of pomposity: "That it was Virginia, not Betty, after all. But we'll make the

this flower of speech with

tfoot, that the boy has begun alr

he means-I see what he means. Why, he told me he wished I could have see

his wife, coolly. "But did he have the face to tel

d he tell, I'd like to know, before he tells his grandfather?" and with a final "pooh, pooh!" he retur

room with Champe, was busily sor

you want them," he generously concluded. "I believe, af

ning on his heel. "Have the skies fallen,

on't care a jot for the fashions. You may have all these

one and examined

as he did so, "your han

OVE IN

ly impartial. He could not honestly assert that she had danced with him oftener than with Morson, or a dozen others, but he had a pleasant feeling that even when she shook her head and said, "I cannot," her soft eyes added for her, "though I really wish to." There was something almost pitiable, he told himself in t

tongue. There were hot words with Diggs, who hinted that Virginia was not the beauty of the century, and threats of blows with Morson,

nearest duck pond. You've both gone over your depth in the Governor's Madeira, and I advise you to keep quiet until y

" demanded Morson, in a fury. "Bear witness

f you shake your fist at me again, I'll pit

ing at the wall, when Diggs caught hi

ake a beast of your

wheeled his horse about and started up the turnpike. "You've let Beau get out

at his saddle bow. He let the reins fall loosely on Prince Rupert's neck, and as the hoofs rang on the frozen road, thrust his hands for warmth into his coat. In another dress, with his dark

, her coral necklace glowing deeper pink against her slim white throat. Mistletoe and holly hung over her, and the light of the candles shone brighter where her radiant figure passed. He caught the soft flash of her shy brown

the crooked stair and across the white panels of the parlor, and with a leap, his heart went after her. He saw Great-aunt Emmeline lean down from her faded canvas as if to toss her a

he rather thought he should have the dogs in and let her be Diana, with a spear instead of an a

pe shattered his visions by shooting a

fellow think, won't you

t thinking?" jeered Dig

it mooning, oh, n

life," sang Morson, striking an attitu

"you ought to be thankful if you h

quired Morson, on the point

ined Champe, coolly, as they tu

d before the fire asleep; and as the young

rs, hit's ter-mor

"The fire makes my head spin like a top. Here, come and pull off

d brushed it carefully; then he

up. "Seems like you don' teck no cyar yo' clothes, nohow, Marse Dan. I'se de wuss dress somebody

t's my second best evening suit you're after, you may take it; but I tel

est they had never inspired before. "I d'clar you sutney does set hard," he remark

airily; "and now get out of

ed it was to toss with feverish rose

breakfast; but he met his grandfather's geni

an embarrassed laugh; "to wear the heart upon

," responded the Major. "There's nothing so becoming

s day of love-making was over, and his eye could hold

," she replied briskly; "but be careful, Mr. Lightfoot, or you will put notions into the boys'

ou, Molly," gallantly retorted the Major, "and

om Aunt Molly," said Champe, affectionately; "b

" admitted the Major, "and I've

tn't let them teach you how to flatter, Mr. Morson," she said warningly, as she

macy, dear madam," returned Jack Morson, as he helped himself

ed Dan. "He means that we love you

Morson," she said amiably, "and a compliment to my housekeeping never

ily. "I've always held that there was nothing in a man who c

of Mrs. Lightfoot he rose and went out into the hall. An hour

rginia. Would she be upon the portico or in the parlour? Was she still in pink or would she wear the red gown of yesterday? Whe

from the corner of a rosewood sofa. As she lay back in the firelight she was like a drowsy kitten that had just awakened from a nap. Though less radiant, her beauty was more appealing, and as she stared at him with her large eyes blinking, he wanted to stoo

ary at Chericoke and aroused the Major from his

"I might as well go out and hang myself. I don't know w

ndmother's out of earshot, I'd as well confess that I've been through it more than once. Cheer

o be. "Oh, I dare say, there've been fools enough before me,"

seback, with Zeke and Big Abel riding behind their masters, he declared irritably that the whole system of

orson, pleasantly. "So cheer up, Beau,

up the broad drive to the portico. Betty and Virginia were in the library; an

a fell from her bosom to the snow beneath. In an instant Jack Morson was off his horse and the flower was in his

nd turned Prince Rupert toward the road. When he looked back from beneath the silver poplars, the girls were stil

goes out when the wind blows, you know, she says it's dreadful for the complexion. Once when she had to come back fro

tty, gayly, and she added in the same tone, "so M

. "He had seen me give Dan a white rose on Christmas Eve

ated Betty, slowly. Her face was

cked it up. I was just going to take it to you because it looked so lovely in your hair, when Dan came along and he would have it, whether or no. But you don'

then she stooped and kissed Virginia's brow. "Oh, no, I don't min

replenishing the fire. "You may go down, Petunia," she said as she entered. "I am goin

er draws?" inquired Petunia

idly, rolling up her ribbons with shaking fingers, and carefully folding her clothes into compact squares. Ever since her childhood she had always begun to work at her chest of drawers when any sudd

figure of Dan, as he stood upon the threshold with the powdering of snow upon his hair, rose suddenly to her eyes, and she flinched before the careless humour of his smile. It was her own fault, she told herself a little bitterly, and because it was her own fault she could bear it as she

she carded a lapful of wool. Her cracked old voice, still with its plaintive sweetness, came fai

ne wid trouble, by e

done wid trou

er wid de angels, by e

atter wid de an

e softly into the room, and stop

ht, Betty," she exclaimed in surprise.

ty, indifferently; "but if I a

rked Virginia, and added, "you've put a

said Betty, folding

slide on de golden

e chi

de on de golden s

ah, in the ad

her window garden," observed Virginia, che

"I'm not afraid of the cold, you know, and I'm so tired sitting still,"

h's voice followed her across the

milk w'ite ponies, by

e milk w'ite po

hall and leaped upon her as she crossed the portico. Then, as she went down the d

gaunt crows were still flying back and forth over the meadows, but she did not have corn for them to-day. Had sh

gle at her heart. There was nothing to cry over, she told herself again, nothing even to regret. It was h

hated that shallow gayety, she told herself, but for the tenderness that lay beneath it-since jest as he might at his own scars, when had he ever made mirth of another's? Had she not seen him fight the battles of free Levi? and when Aunt Rhody's cabin was in flames did he not bring out one of the negro babies in his coat? That d

ed glow was burning in the west, and she wanted to hold out her hands to it for warmth. Her next thought was that a winter sunset soon died out, an

ed, grizzled-haired old negro, who wrung his meagre living from a blacksmith's trade, bearing alike the scornful pity of his white neighbours and the withering contempt of his black ones. For twenty years he had moved f

answered timidly, fingering

ough the winter, and he had worn the

matism?" asked

d the girl was passing by when some newer pathos in his solitary figure staye

his race leaped to his eyes. "Dar, now, is you ever hyern de likes er dat? Mah'ed! Cose

eated the girl

said Uncle Levi, proudly; "she warn' nuttin' but

e?" asked Betty

together, and shifted the

el' han', young miss, en I 'uz Marse Bolling's body sarvent, so w'en dey sot me loose, dey des sol

iskly homeward. As she walked she was asking herself, in a wonder greater than her own l