to settle them up as expeditiously
as possible. The cotton mill project was dropped, and existing
contracts closed on the best terms available. Fetters paid the old
note--even he would not have escaped odium for so bare-faced a
robbery--and Mrs. Treadwell's last days could be spent in comfort and
Miss Laura saved from any fear for her future, and enabled to give
more freely to the poor and needy. Barclay Fetters recovered the use
of one eye, and embittered against the whole Negro race by his
disfigurement, went into public life and devoted his talents and his
education to their debasement. The colonel had relented sufficiently
to contemplate making over to Miss Laura the old family residence in
trust for use as a hospital, with a suitable fund for its maintenance,
but it unfortunately caught fire and burned down--and he was hardly
sorry. He sent Catherine, Bud Johnson's wife, a considerable sum of
money, and she bought a gorgeous suit of mourning, and after a decent
interval consoled herself with a new husband. And he sent word to the
committee of coloured men to whom he had made a definite promise, that
he would be ready to fulfil his obligation in regard to their school
whenever they should have met the conditions.

* * * * *

One day, a year or two after leaving Clarendon, as the colonel, in
company with Mrs. French, formerly a member of his firm, now his
partner in a double sense--was riding upon a fast train between New
York and Chicago, upon a trip to visit a western mine in which the
reorganised French and Company, Limited, were interested, he noticed
that the Pullman car porter, a tall and stalwart Negro, was watching
him furtively from time to time. Upon one occasion, when the colonel
was alone in the smoking-room, the porter addressed him.

"Excuse me, suh," he said, "I've been wondering ever since we left New
York, if you wa'n't Colonel French?"

"Yes, I'm Mr. French--Colonel French, if you want it so."

"I 'lowed it must be you, suh, though you've changed the cut of your
beard, and are looking a little older, suh. I don't suppose you
remember me?"

"I've seen you somewhere," said the colonel--no longer the colonel,
but like the porter, let us have it so. "Where was it?"

"I'm Henry Taylor, suh, that used to teach school at Clarendon. I
reckon you remember me now."

"Yes," said the colonel sadly, "I remember you now, Taylor, to my
sorrow. I didn't keep my word about Jo