arder and lodger.
Thus, without further effort, he became the stay of her home and the
heir of her simple affections.

IX.

LAUNCELOT HALLIDAY

General Halliday was a distant cousin of Mrs. Garnet. He had commanded
the brigade which included Garnet's battalion, and had won fame. Garnet,
who felt himself undervalued by Halliday, said this fame had been won by
show rather than by merit. And in truth, Halliday was not so much a man
of genuine successes as of an audacity that stopped just short of the
fantastical, and kept him perpetually interesting.

"Launcelot's failures," said Garnet, "make a finer show than most men's
successes. He'd rather shine without succeeding, than succeed without
shining."

The moment the war ended, Halliday hurried back to his plantation, the
largest in Blackland. This county's sole crop was cotton, and negroes
two-thirds of its population. His large family--much looked up to--had
called it home, though often away from it, seeking social stir at the
State capital and elsewhere. On his return from the war, the General
brought with him a Northerner, an officer in the very command to which
he had surrendered. Just then, you may remember, when Southerners saw
only ruin in their vast agricultural system, many Northerners thought
they saw a new birth. They felt the poetry of Dixie's long summers, the
plantation life--Uncle Tom's Cabin--and fancied that with Uncle Tom's
good-will and Northern money and methods, there was quick fortune for
them. Halliday echoed these bright predictions with brave buoyancy and
perfect sincerity, and sold the conqueror his entire estate. Then he
moved his family to New Orleans, and issued his card to his many
friends, announcing himself prepared to receive and sell any shipments
of cotton, and fill any orders for supplies, with which they might
entrust him. The Government's pardon, on which this fine rapidity was
hypothecated, came promptly--"through a pardon broker," said Garnet.

But the General's celerity was resented. He boarded at the St. Charles,
and, famous, sociable, and fond of politics, came at once into personal
contact with the highest Federal authorities in New Orleans. The happy
dead earnest with which he "accepted the situation" and "harmonized"
with these men sorely offended his old friends and drew the fire of the
newspapers. Even Judge March demurred.

"President Garnet," John heard the beloved voice in front of him say,
"gentlemen may