Colonel Carter of Cartersville

Importan

ked in the left-hand corner "Important," and in the right-ha

prepared to leave tow

RT

cker. I followed him through the narrow hall and into the dining-room. He had a duplicate, also mark

an, Fitz?" I asked, sp

old wind-bag Klutchem had been worrying him, I heard, and the colonel sat down on him hard. But he had forgotten all abo

s,

onel sick th

big as yo' han'. He wa'n't sick, 'cause I yerd him sing

aunt Nancy had been taken ill on her way home to Virginia, and the doctor

out into the dreary yard. The hands of the clock in the tall tower outline

suddenly stricken do

ead in the tunnel, cut short our quandary, and the colonel's

e both blurted out, op

? Where are

is hat with great deliberation on the hall table, he drew off his glo

armed, and quite prepared for

d into his inside pocket, a

in my office this mornin'? You know how brutally I was assaulted, and how entirely without provocation on my part? I am a

dignity opened one of the l

RD PLACE

reflecting upon a great commercial enterprise to which I have lent my name. This was accompanied by a familiarity as coarse as it was unw

erewith inform you that I am ready at an hour's notice to meet

ck will wait upon you and arrange the details. I name Maj

he honor

edient

CARTER, Late

ed out Fitz. "You are

fice this afternoon. This is a copy." Fitz s

select some early hour in the mornin'. In that case, Fitz, I shall have to rely on you alone, as Major Ya

is own head, as if the situation

e Kerfoot, informing him of the nature of the "crisis," and notifying him of his (the colon

ncey summoning him at once "to duty

e preserved in an affair of this kind Nawth

Street by nine o'clock to-morrow, unless he is ass enough to get scared, get out a warrant, and clap you

quences of what he considered a most stupendous piece of folly. He could not, he said, sit in judgment on other gentlemen.

s affair spoil our ap'tites. Nothing can now occur until the mornin', and we have ample time befo'

and the thrusting in of Chad's head that it was quit

face to indicate it. On the contrary, every wrinkle was twisted into curls and curves of hilarity. He even went so far during dinner as to correct h

e, Chad, it w

ohn's coat, an' I wrop it round Cap'in Loynes when he was ca'aied to his

are right. The captain alw

time was the one in which I met Major Howard, a prominent member of the Fairfax County bar. Some words in the heat of debate led to a blow, and the next mornin' the handkerchief was droppe

said Fitz, rep

yers of our State. Vehy good friend of mine

ntensified when there was a rap at the front door, followed by a certain consequent disappointment when Chad announced the return of a

scap, spread the nib of a quill pen on his thumb nail, and beckone

d if I should fall, there are some things that must be atten

, and bent his e

Caarter Hall, Caartersville, V

scratc

the sound mind," sa

" continued

another challenge?" s

,-"but a few partin' instructions which will

reached a new paragraph beginning with, "All bonds, stocks, and shares, whether founders', preferred, or common, of the corporation known as the Cartersville and Warrento

at stock. Not trans

ged my word to take it, and so fa

became "the exclusive property of Ann Carter, spinster." Then followed a clause gi

nto which he plunged the old family seal. Fitz and I duly witnessed it, and then the colonel, with the air of a man whose min

of his face. All his severe dignity, all the excess of responsibility and appa

ed the stairs to his bedroom. In a few minutes he returned, carrying in both hands a mysterious-looking box. This he placed with great

and bearing in the centre of the top a lozenge-shaped silver tablet eng

d, with butts like those of the pirates in a play, and they lay in a bed of faded red velvet surrounded by ramrods, bullet-moulds, a green pill-box labeled "G. D. Gun C

g some ancestor's life; then he rang the bell for Chad, and consigned the case to that hilarious dar

e moufs clean if you want dese dogs to bark right;" and he bore away the battery, followed by the c

ustr

equences of the colonel's rash act than in increasing the facilities for bloods

d up for violating the law of the State, I should go bail and Fitz employ the lawyer, when we were

mmanding tone: "Stand wher

Don't shoot y

Over his head he held the stub of a candle flickering in the night wind. This he moved up and down in obedience to certain mysterious soun

isible was the glowing

onel?" we both a

e an ebony Statue of Liberty, and pointed s

left," cam

nce, and sent his magnified shadow scurrying up t

Now s

the tall candlestick, and then said from out one side of hi

hand, made a clear leap, and landed out of range among the broken flower-pot

te sure of myself I should have sent for you. I used to snuff a candle at