e mountains of northern Georgia. No one
now living at Centerton could give any information about the grave on
the mountain-side. Drane visited it. It was now but a sunken spot
covered with a tangle of vines and weeds. The slab was still there, but
it was prone on the ground, face downwards, and was much worn and
defaced. Drane copied in his note-book all of the inscription that was
legible:

Ma-y Be--e

wif- -f

Mar---- Page

di-d h--e

o- w-y -o

K--t--k-

Ma-ch 9 1-82

-ged 22

CHAPTER XXI.

GILCREST'S ATTITUDE

Several weeks wore away, and still no one except Major Gilcrest, his
daughter, the Rogers family and James Drane was aware of the change in
Abner's worldly prospects. As to his business affairs, he felt no
uneasiness; for he knew that his interests in Virginia were being
looked after by Dr. Dudley; and in regard to the Henderson County land,
he agreed with Drane that as it was still in the hands of tenants,
nothing need be done at present towards making known his ownership. But
he became extremely impatient over the unsettled state of his love
affair.

Major Gilcrest, instead of growing more like his former self, became
sterner, if possible, and had little to do with his neighbors. Betsy,
strong in the belief that time would effect a favorable change in her
father's attitude, still pleaded with Abner not to speak with him.

James Drane was often at Oaklands, and Abner, aware of this, while he,
Betsy's betrothed husband, was prohibited from visiting her, grew more
and more moody and impatient, and sometimes in his despondency he
pictured the girl as listening with growing interest to Drane's
entertaining talk, and yielding more and more to his fascination.

"With her headstrong old father so set against me, and so confoundedly
wrapped up in Drane, it would be no great wonder if Betty were finally
stolen from me," thought Abner bitterly, one afternoon when he knew
that the lawyer was at Oaklands. He had little heart for social
gayeties of the neighborhood, although he sometimes went to these
gatherings in the hope of seeing Betsy. Yet these meetings amid a crowd
of young people were very unsatisfactory.

"I reckon Betsy holds herse'f above common fo'ks, now she's visitin'
'mong the big bugs," Abner heard Mrs. Rogers say one day in answer to
Lucy's remark that Betsy never came to see them now.

"No, ma," Susan ventured, "Betsy is not one to change.