boat for Louisville.
The lovers planned to meet at her aunt's, the Colonel's oldest sister.
The tearful good-bys had been said to Mother and sisters and brother.

The Colonel had not spoken, but he had business on the boat before she
cast her lines from the shore.

The daughter drew him into her stateroom and slipped her arms around his
neck. Few words were spoken and they were broken.

"Please, Father--please?--I love you--please--"

"No."

"I'm no longer a child. I'm a woman. You're a real man and you know I
could have no respect for myself if I should yield my life's happiness
to a whim--"

The old Colonel stroked her shoulder:

"I understand. You're a chip off the old block. You're just as stubborn
as I am. And--I--won't--eat--my--words."

With firm hand, he drew away and hurried from the boat.

The Taylor clan of Kentucky gathered for the wedding in force. The
romance appealed to their fancy. They loved their high-spirited,
self-poised little kinswoman and they liked the tall, modest, young
officer she had chosen for her husband. The stern old Colonel was not
there, but his brother and his three sisters and all their tribe made
merry at the wedding feast.

On the deck of the lazy river steamer, the bride and groom slowly
drifted down the moonlit shimmering way to the fields of Mississippi.

The bride nestled close to her lover's side in the long sweet silences
too deep for words.

He took her hand in his at last, and said tenderly:

"I've something very important to tell you now, my dear--"

"I'm not afraid--"

"You trust me implicitly?"

"Perfectly--"

"You have given up all for me," he went on evenly, "I'll show your
father what I can do for you--"

"You love me--it's enough."

"No. I have resigned my commission in the army. I have given up my
career. We'll live only for each other now and build our nest in the far
sunny South beyond the frost line."

A little smothered cry was her answer. And then her head slowly sank
with a sob on his breast.

XI

THE FAIRY BELLS

They built their home on the banks of the great river where the tide
sweeps in graceful curve, all but completing the circle of an enchanted
isle.

From the little flower-veiled porch through festoons of lacing boughs
gleamed the waters of the huge curved mirror held by Nature's hand. The
music from the decks of the steamers floated up on the soft air until
music and perfume of flowers seemed one.

In the c