Coniston, Book III.

ise. As the train slowed down, she leaned a little out of the window and looked at the shabby houses and shabby streets revealed by the flickering lights in the lamp

s life before, as a Lincoln elector, Jethro was g

e, genially. "Train late? You've

of some of the dust of their journey, followed the colored hallboy up the stairs. Jethro stood poring over the register, when a disti

Sena

represent Jethro's state) turned and stared, and

laimed, "upon my word

ingt

d, but he did not a

en can I see t

why, to-night, if you like. I'm going to the White H

ternoon-t-to-mo

e swallow-tail coat and stove-pi

ng to look like an old man; but that milk-and-crackers diet seem

t time

erstand you, Jethro; you don't do things like other men. Do I sme

re a few men were taking their ease after su

re we can talk

and shut the door," answered th

ing to the dining room, and she heard the gentleman say as he took his departure:-"I have

atter out of her mind, and the three went into the almost empty dining room. There they were served with elaborate attention by a darky waiter who had, in some mysterious way, learned Je

Ephraim, that these people were all of the male sex, and on the other hand the guests of the hotel were apparently used once in a while to see a lady from the country seated there. At any rate, Cynthia was but a young girl, and her two companions, however unusual their appearance, were clearly most respectable. Jethro, his h

eve!" exclaimed the s

rad

to his feet and dropped the cigar, which th

sy Beard!" His eye travelled around Amasa's figure. "Wouldn't a-knowed you, I swan, I wouldn't. Why

ight, and even Jethr

phraim's hand and incidentally to the cigar, whic

3," said Ephr

a's edification, when her attention was distracted by the entrance of a street band of wind instruments. As the musicians made their way to another corner and began tuning up, she glanced mischievously at Jethro, for she knew his peculiarities by heart. On

held on to himself until the refrain, when he began to squirm, and as soon as the tune was done and the scattering applause had died down, he reached over and grabbed Mr. Amasa Beard by the knee. Mr. Beard did not immediately respond, being at that moment behind logworks facing a rebe

it for that noise-h-h

s knee and stared at Jethro with his mouth

noise?" h

thro. "H-how much do th

iend of Comrade Prescott's. "By gum!" said Mr. Beard, "I thought for a minute a rebel chain-shot had took my leg off.

the price? Er-you say tw

ly. Veteran as he was, Jethro's appearanc

dollars is

. Beard, seating himself

ed at the sight of his figure, a titter ran around the walls, but Jethro was oblivious to these things. He drew a great calfskin wallet from an inside pocket of his coat, a

the performance?" he sa

said the man, nod

ight-I want to pay what

said the leader, finding his E

ng-everything to-nig

spread ou

whole evening," sai

the bill into the man's palm; "but don't you c

to obey, and he gathered up his followers and led the way silently out of the hotel. Roars of laughter and ap

rovingly. "I'm going to take Eph Prescott down the s

arted arm in arm with Ephraim. Jethro was looking at Cynthia, who was staring toward the desk at the other end of the corridor, he

thy?" he asked, sinking i

the distinguished party arrive at the desk, preceded by a host of bell-boys with shawls and luggage. On the other hand, some of the distinguished party had watched the proceeding of paying off the band with no little amusement. Miss Janet Duncan had giggled audibly, her mother had smiled, while her father and Mr. Worthington had pretended to be deeply occupied wit

ad to see you. I was going to steal away to Brampton for a couple of days before the term opened, and

were about to begin; that the generals themselves were on the ground, and that he was holding treasonable parley with the enemy. The situation appealed to Jethro, es

s much for a year. You hate music, don't you? I hope you'll forgive

at noise, Bob, y

ow that helped some and played the guitar. It was pretty bad," he adde

t was meant for a

urn his attention entirely to her. "I was for slipping

way?" repea

s afterward. We didn't get away till after nine, an

?" asked

"he didn't know

temples, but by habit and instinc

rence to him where you had be

ground. This new and self-possessed Cynthia was

not like a lie; he knew that his father would have been angry if he had heard he had gone to Co

at the far end of the corridor. Bob turned in time to see Janet Duncan swing on her heel and follow

mountains and great stretches of plain. My father met us in Chicago, and we came here. I don't know why, because Washington's dead at thi

young man of short stature, with a freckled face and close-cropped, curly red hair, come into the corridor by another

, while still ten feet away, "I'm awfully glad to see you, up

Mr. Duncan," an

ere here?" demanded Mr

saw me," said

s to see you right away. I'm going to be in Washington a day or t

ith me," said Bob, not

ong," said Mr. D

n. "I'm not going walking with either of you," she said "I have another en

Both the young men ask

ty of chances," she a

, who did not seem to know that they were there, and then they made their wa

he hotel. He seemed preoccupied, and heedless of the salutations he received; but when he caught sight of Jethro he cro

nator, "what's the r

rd of any row,

ington for?" demanded the

o, "vacation-to show my g

n '70. I don't object to wading through a swarm of bees to get a little

honey?" a

his brow, and then he stole a look at

e of yours right up to the handle. What's all th

d of any troubl

matter to him,-it didn't seem much to me,-the bees began to fly pretty thick, I can tell you. I saw right away that somebody had been s

ant say?" Je

es soldiers, he hasn't any use for the kind that want to lie down and make the government support 'em. I'll tell you what I found out. Worthington and Duncan wired the President this morning, and they've gone up to the Whit

think he wasn't going to answer him at all. In his

see the President again

"he wants me to walk over with him to see t

you leave the

d the senator, v

attention to an old s

t Jethro, and a twink

as been known t

attention to an old

ator's eyes

I have been

nt of the White House at eleven o'clo

t, and took no pains to

lder, "I'm willing to bet a few thousand do