t of C

. Yancey, late of the Confederate army, had been the colonel's guests at his hospitable house in Bedford Place for a period of

rules,-every guest under his roof, within one week of his arrival,

g taken possession of the only shake-down sofa on the lower floor, and the warlike major having plumped himself into the middle of the colonel's own bed not ten minutes after his

ek on one hand, and gave a groan of intense disgust, followed by certain gleeful chuckles, made the more expressive by the sly jer

bofe abed. Last I yeard from em

and shoes off, his face concealed by a newspaper. From beneath this sheet came, at regular intervals, a long-drawn sound like the subdued pu

cks that straggled over the white pillow; the paper rose and fell with a crinkling noise, keeping ti

d gently closed the door. I could now look the colonel in the face so f

, a grateful relief from the glare of the street, I tilted my chair against the dissipated wall

t last brought up a great tin pan, seated himself on the lower step, and proceeded to shell

ou always absorbed his meaning. Another was its relia

came t

kers. Can't have no fun yer naaway; sumpin' allers spiles it. But yer oughter seen de colonel dat day w'en he come ho

nd in the field." I encouraged this divergence, for I had been charged by Fitz to find out when these two recent additions to the household in Bedford Place int

n clo'es outen it? A pair ob carpet slippers, two collars, an' a lot ob chicken fixin's. Not a shirt to his back 'cept de one, he had on! Had to stay abed yisteddy till I i'oned it. Dar's one ob his collars on de line now. Dese yer Yanceys no 'count no way. Beats de lan' how de colonel can put up wid 'em, 'cept his faader was quality. You know de old

ay, Chad?" I asked, wishing to

ty comf'ble in de hole." And he

de month's up, railroad or no railroad. Dat was a week ago. Den de jedge tasted dat Madary

hutter opened overhead and

. And, Chad, bring an e

e'll be ye

had, without lifting

the blind closed again, he

t. I ain't caayin' no double drinks to

uest of his master's, no matter how unworthy, and it was not many minutes before he was picking over

ted by its delicate mouthpiece the street ga

rd the news, of co'se? No? Not about the great syndicate absorbin' the Garden Spots? My dear suh, she's floated! The

my office some time ago-to make a searchin' investigation into the mineral and agricultural resources of that section of my State, with a view to extendin' its railroad system. I quote, suh, the exact words: 'extendin' its railroad system.' Think, my dear Major, of the effect that a colossal financial concer

ucing a small tray, picked up the frosted tumbler and mounted t

step a hand stretched

hat I

Jedge, is Ma

Hon. I. B. Kerfoot settled himself on the top of the front steps with very

other just ended, his Honor presented precisely the same ou

n one hand he held a crumpled collar and a high, black silk stock; with the other he grasped the julep. His hair was tousled, his face shriveled up and pinched by his he

e major here did himself and me the honor of callin' upon you, but findin' that

over the edge of his tu

mained glued

y in Garden Spots, as some of my young friends call the secu'i

ning sleepily stolid until that peculiar gurgling sound, the death

the shutter agai

where's my julep? Ah, Major, hope I se

thout necessitating any additional movement of his body, caught Yanc

onel made a critical but silent examination

until seven. You will bot