54-40 or Fight

life would be destitute of succor and the

cords of that interview between two strange personalities, John Calhoun and Helena von Ritz, in the arrangement of which I played the part above described. I was not at tha

l; for her mother she had lost when she was still young. The Churchills maintained a city establishment in the environs of Washington itself, although that was not much removed from their plantation in the old State of Maryland. Elmhurst, this Washington estate was called, and it was well known there, with its straight road approaching and its great t

t, thin with long hours afoot or in the saddle, bronzed to a good color, and if health did not show on my face, at least I felt it myself in the lightness of my step, in the contentedness of m

curved, but firm and wide enough for strength and charity as well. Betty spells round eyes, with brows arched above them as though in query and curiosity; the eyes of Elisabeth were long, her brows long and straight and delicately fine. A Betty might even have red hair; Elisabeth's was brown in most lights, and so liquid smooth that almost I was disposed to call it dense rather than thick. Bett

er she was wholly reserved and reasonable, or wholly warm and impulsive, I, long as I had known and loved her, never was quite sure. Something held me away, something called me

waistcoat and my high stock, my shining boots and my tall beaver, I made my way on my we

devoutly wished, but one which I knew it was the right of both of us to expect ere long. Seeing the occasion propitious, I plunged at once in medias res. Part of the time explanato

record was not unfamiliar to him. So, gaining confidence at last under the insistence of what I knew were worthy motives, and which certainly were irresistible of themselves, so fa

Churchill, pursing up his lips. He looked not wholly lovable to me, as he sat in his

," I answered; "Mis

claimed. "I thought sh

rk as yourself, sir. But I only wanted to ask if, after I have seen her to-day, and if I should gain her consent to an

t of the window, his back turned to me. I could not call his r

oung people a sack of meal or a side of bacon now

call this sp

whatever. If either you or your daughter doubts my loyalty or affection, then I should say certainly it were wise to end

have been obliged from the beginning of the world. At last h

find Elisabeth and her aunt in the big East Room at the president's reception, the former looking on w

edged through the throng in the ante-chambers, I found myself in that inane procession of individuals who passed by in order, each to receive the limp handshake, the mechanical bow and the perfunctory smit

World men representative of an easier and more opulent life, who did not always trouble to suppress their smiles at us. Moving among these were ladies from every state of our Union, picturesque enough in their wide flowered skirts and their flaring bonnets and their silken mitts, each rivalling the other in the elegance of her mien, and all unconsciously outdone in charm, perhaps, by some demure Quakeress

had, at one blow, come so near to depriving this government of its head and his official family; the number of prominent lives thus ended or endangered being appalling to contemplate. It was this accident which had called Mr. Calhoun forward at a national juncture of the most extreme delicacy a

e different little groups which were accustomed to form after the ceremonial part of the visit was over. I saw many whom I knew. I forgot them; for in a fa

he best representative of our American beauty. She was very bravely arrayed to-day in her best pink-flowered lawn, made wide and full, as was the custom of the time, but not so clumsily gathered at the waist as some, and so serving not wholly t

of our city, the scent of the blossoms which even then came through the lattice-the meeting even with myself, so lately returned-something at least of this had caused an awakening in her girl's heart. Something, I say, I do not know what, ga

r answer, although I saw, in a fleeting way, a glimpse of a dimple hid in Elisabeth's cheek

. On the whole, I was glad Aunt Betty Jennings was there. When a soldier approaches a point of danger, he does not despi

k her hand; "Aunt Betty, have

en in perplexity, doubt

lisabet

ldren!" gurgl

Aunt Betty Jennings with protestations of my regard for her, my interest in her family, her other nieces, her chickens, her kittens, her home-I so quieted all her questions by assertions and demands and exclamations, and declarations tha

or did she lack in charity. Tapping me with her fan lightly, she exclaimed: "You rogue! I know that you two want to be a

ed at her comfortable back for some moments before

-" began she, her

er of the wide flounces of her figured lawn as we stood, both blushing. "I hav

e intently, glo

a week I am going to have an office of my own. Let

there at least I said the words which bound me; and in the look Elisabeth gave me

of the East Room. I saw, pushing through, a certain page, a young boy of good family, who was employed by Mr. Calhoun as messenger. He knew

I asked, as he ext

oun told me to find you and

de way for me to pass to a curtained window, and there, turnin

ked me to be ready to start for Canada that night on business connecte

ssage from my chief. She looked at it. He

"I have been gone on this sort of business long enough. What do you

oom, and with it our problems, our duties, our dangers. I knew, better than most, that there were real dangers before th

from you again. Listen, then-" I raised a hand as she would have spoken. "Go home with your Au

she panted. I saw

o-night before I go. Before eight

u be back?" s

wife shall wait there at Elmh

s young. Ardor appealed to her. Life stood before he

a gentleman whom I did not recognize. On his arm there leaned a woman, a beautiful woman, clad in a costume of flounced and rippling velvet of a royal blue which made her the most

ognition which she showed. At first she did not see that I was accompanied. She bent to me, as though to adjust h

ured "There is t

s to be a meeting-" She had ti

seen-that little flash of recognition on the face of Helena von Ritz! She heard a whisper pass. Moreover, with a woman's uncanny facility in detail, she took in every item of the oth

ages of loss of sleep no more than she, I was fortunate. She was radiant, as she pa

hat lady," said Eli

professional of all to smile in th

do not kno

d I, my dear girl?" Ah

she resembles a certain lady of whom we have he

said. "And, please, do not quarrel with

n't you know you were telling me one time about the little brooch you were going to bring me-an Indi

girl at my side saw that written on my face which now, within the very

och to-night, if you will promise me now to be ready

he less sweet, none the less alluring, but more logical and questioning, had taken its old place again. She put both her hands on my arm now an

ome to-night. Bring me m

o that, Elisabeth, yo

e whisper

throng I heard the word, low as it was. I

arm, in that of Aunt Betty, and they were passing toward the mai