one of its results."

"What is that?" asked Colonel Kenton quickly.

"As I came through town Bill Skelly, a mountaineer, shot at Arthur
Travers. It came out of hot words over the news from Charleston.
Nobody was hurt, and they've sent Skelly on his pony toward his
mountains."

Colonel Kenton's face clouded.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I fear that Travers will be much too free with
stinging remarks. It's a time when men should control their tongues.
Do you be careful with yours. You're a youth in years, but you're a man
in size, and you should be a man in thought, too. You and I have been
close together, and I have trusted you, even when you were a little boy."

"It's so, father," replied Harry, with affection and gratitude.

"And I'm going to trust you yet further. It may be that I shall give
you a task requiring great skill and energy."

The colonel looked closely at his son, and he gave silent approval to
the tall, well-knit form, and the alert, eager face.

"We'll have supper presently," he said, "and then we will talk with
visitors. Some you know and some you don't. One of them, who has come
far, is already in the house."

Harry's eyes showed surprise, but he knew better than to ask questions.
The colonel had carried his military training into private life.

"He is a distant relative of ours, very distant, but a relative still,"
continued Colonel Kenton. "You will meet him at supper. Be ready in a
half hour."

The dinner of city life was still called supper in the South, and
Harry hastened to his room to prepare. His heart began to throb with
excitement. Now they were to have visitors at night and a mysterious
stranger was there. He felt dimly the advance of great events.

Harry Kenton was a normal and healthy boy, but the discussions, the
debates, and the passions sweeping over the Union throughout the year
had sifted into Pendleton also. The news today had merely struck fire
to tinder prepared already, and, infused with the spirit of youth,
he felt much excitement but no depression. Making a careful toilet
he descended to the drawing room a little before the regular time.
Although he was early, his father was there before him, standing in his
customary attitude with his back to the hearth, and his hands clasped
behind him.

"Our guest will be down in a few minutes," said Colonel Kenton. "He
comes from Charleston and his name is Raymond Louis Bertrand. I will
explain how he is related