ht. For many years before the rebellion a Federal
arsenal had been located at Patesville. Seized by the state troops upon
the secession of North Carolina, it had been held by the Confederates
until the approach of Sherman's victorious army, whereupon it was
evacuated and partially destroyed. The work of destruction begun by
the retreating garrison was completed by the conquerors, and now only
ruined walls and broken cannon remained of what had once been the chief
ornament and pride of Patesville.

The front of Dr. Green's spacious brick house, which occupied an
ideally picturesque site, was overgrown by a network of clinging vines,
contrasting most agreeably with the mellow red background. A low brick
wall, also overrun with creepers, separated the premises from the
street and shut in a well-kept flower garden, in which Tryon, who knew
something of plants, noticed many rare and beautiful specimens.

Mrs. Green greeted Tryon cordially. He did not have the doctor's
memory with which to fill out the lady's cheeks or restore the lustre
of her hair or the sparkle of her eyes, and thereby justify her
husband's claim to be a judge of beauty; but her kind-hearted
hospitality was obvious, and might have made even a plain woman seem
handsome. She and her two fair daughters, to whom Tryon was duly
presented, looked with much favor upon their handsome young kinsman;
for among the people of Patesville, perhaps by virtue of the prevalence
of Scottish blood, the ties of blood were cherished as things of value,
and never forgotten except in case of the unworthy--an exception, by
the way, which one need hardly go so far to seek.

The Patesville people were not exceptional in the weaknesses and
meannesses which are common to all mankind, but for some of the finer
social qualities they were conspicuously above the average. Kindness,
hospitality, loyalty, a chivalrous deference to women,--all these
things might be found in large measure by those who saw Patesville with
the eyes of its best citizens, and accepted their standards of
politics, religion, manners, and morals.

The doctor, after the introductions, excused himself for a moment.
Mrs. Green soon left Tryon with the young ladies and went to look after
luncheon. Her first errand, however, was to find the doctor.

"Is he well off, Ed?" she asked her husband.

"Lots of land, and plenty of money, if he is ever able to collect it.
He has inherited two estates."

"He's a good