of the General of that name so
conspicuous in the service of the South in the defense of their beloved
old Creole city before the hapless days of Butler, though he must
concede to General Butler that his vigorous administration of municipal
affairs had cleansed and quarantined the city as they had never seen it
done before. The similarity of name had suggested the--

"None whatever that I know of," said Loring, finding it necessary to
interpose; "and where is Mrs. Fletcher's?"

"Ah, to be sure. Mrs. Fletcher is the name of the lady who boarded there
awhile, but she has gone to Gate City. Mrs. Burton it is--a worthy soul.
Perhaps, indeed I think, a breath of air will do me good. I might walk
around there with you."

So despite the remonstrance in his sister's eyes and Loring's respectful
protest, the rector got his hat and linked his arm in that of the young
athlete on his left, and led forth into the gloaming, prattling all the
way. Soon they reached the cross street that led northward, parallel
with the bluff line at the west, and against the twilight of the
northern sky, the scattered houses, the few straggling saplings
hopefully planted along the gutter, even the silhouetted figure of a
long-legged dog, trotting across the road, were outlined sharp and,
clear, black against a lemon horizon that shaded away imperceptibly into
a faint violet. Long years after Loring could see the picture, and how,
right in the midst of it, there rose slowly into view two black dots,
the heads, evidently, of two pedestrians like themselves, ascending from
the north, with the whole wide Missouri valley at their backs, the
pathway he and his genially chatting conductor were threading from the
south, with only this gentle rise between them, perhaps fifty yards
away. It was interesting to the Engineer to watch the gradual
development of the shadows against the sky, coming slowly into view as
the fairies rise to sweet, thrilling melody, from underneath the stage
in the transformation scene of the last act of the pantomime and
spectacular drama beloved of our youth. Courteously inclining his ear to
the monologue at his right, he kept his keen eyes fixed upon those
coming figures. Slowly they rose, one that of a slender, dapper man, the
other that of a slender, graceful girl, and the long arms of the former
as they swung in sight were in energetic motion, in emphatic gesture.
Little by little the murmur at Loring's right dulled over his sens