; the town of Fairfax, named after his
ancestors, was crowning the plateau; the round-house for his
locomotives was almost complete, the wharves and landing docks
finished. And in all of these pictures, warm and glowing, there was
one which his soul coveted above all others--the return of the proud
days of the old Estate: the barns and outbuildings repaired; the
fences in order; Carter Hall restored to its former grandeur, and dear
Aunt Nancy once more in her high spring coach, with Chad standing by
to take her shawl and wraps. These things, and many others as rose
colored and inspiring, the Colonel saw night after night in the glow
and flash and sparkle of his wood fire.

No wonder then that Fitz kept hoping against hope; deluding him with
promises and keeping up his spirits with any fairy tale his conscience
would permit his telling or his ingenuity contrive.

To-night, however, Fitz's nerve seemed to have failed him. To the
Colonel's direct inquiry regarding the slight nibble of an English
syndicate--(that syndicate which some months later made the Colonel's
fortune and with which Fitz had buoyed up his hopes) the broker had
only an evasive answer. The Colonel noticed the altered tone and
thought he had divined the cause.

"You are tired out, Fitz. Isn't it so? I don't wonder when I think of
the vast commercial problems you are solvin' every day. Go upstairs,
my dear boy, and get into my bed for the night. I won't have you go
home. It's too cold for you to go out and the snow is driftin' badly.
I'll take the sofa here."

"No, Colonel, I think I'll toddle along home. I am tired, I guess. I
ought to be; I've had nothing but hard knocks all day."

"Then you shan't leave my house, suh; I won't permit it. Chad, go
upstairs and get Mr. Fitzpatrick's chamber ready for the night, and
Chad----"

Fitz laughed. "And have you sleep on that hair-cloth sofa, Colonel?"
and he pointed to the sagging lounge.

"Why not?--I've done it befo'. Come, I insist."

Fitz was on his feet now and with Chad's assistance was struggling
into his overcoat, which that attentive darky had hung over a
chairback that it might dry the easier.

"I'm going home, Colonel, and to bed," Fitz said in a positive tone.
"I shouldn't sleep a wink if I knew you were thrashing around on that
shake-down, and you wouldn't either. Good-night"; and holding out his
hand to his host, he gave me a tap on my shoulder as he passed my
chair and left the room, fol