business
with Robert. We'll be back in time to dine with you at seven here at
the Club. Go out to the West End, Robert." And with his hand on the
spark he started the Cherry, and I was forced to sweep away from my
Buzz and my Uncle, the General Robert, into the traffic and away from
the Club of Old Hickory, which is named for a very great general of
America and is a club of much fashion and some bad behavior, my Buzz
has said to me.

"I really didn't mean to kidnap you and the car, youngster, but I've
had a pain under my left pocket all day, and I have got to operate on
it. A sudden impulse told me that it would be easier if I took you
with me to--to sort of stand by," said my beautiful Gouverneur
Faulkner in a grave tone of voice as I whirled him out the broad
avenue that led to the west end of the city.

"Oh, my Gouverneur Faulkner, is it that you are ill, perhaps to die by
a knife?" I exclaimed and for a second I let that wild Cherry run in a
very dangerous manner almost upon another large car in the act of
turning into the street.

"No, not that, Robert," he answered me quickly and he laid his hand on
my arm beside him for an instant as if to give a steadiness to me. "I
want you to take me out to the State Prison. I want to talk face to
face with a man who killed his own brother, in cold blood, it is said.
A pretty powerful influence is at me day and night for a reprieve and
I--I don't know what to do about it. It is a difficult case. If I went
in my official capacity to see the man it might give his friends undue
hopes; and suddenly I felt that I could run away from the whole bunch
at this hour of the day and see the man himself without anybody's
knowing it save the superintendent of the prison and myself. You don't
count, because in this case you are myself."

"Always I would be yourself to you, my reverenced Gouverneur
Faulkner," I made reply to him as I raised my eyes to his deep ones
that smiled down into them.

"I wonder if that is as good as it sounds, boy," asked my Gouverneur
Faulkner gently, as he looked down at me with both a laugh and a
sadness influencing the smile of his mouth. "Sometimes I badly need
two of myself. They are at me from waking to sleeping and I often feel
cut into little bits and I can't even say so. In fact, youngster, I'm
squealing to you more than I've let myself do since I became the chief
executive of this State of Harpeth. Now, turn off into this road and
go straight ahead.