Looking out at the landscape, I was conscious again, of a blurring sort of 'flitter,' that came either from the light of the ponderous-swinging sun-stream, or was the result of the incredibly rapid changes of the earth's surface.

The "wild Jay-Hawkers of Kaintuck" were coming over into Virginia to get Flitter Bill's store, for they were mountain Unionists and Bill was a valley rebel and lawful prey.

Flitter Bill had reappeared on the stoop with a piece of white paper in his hand.

He was about to slap Mayhall on the shoulder and call him "pardner," when Flitter Bill coughed, and Mayhall lifted his chin.

A few minutes later both Mayhall and Flitter Bill saw him shaking his head, as he started homeward toward the Gap.

Flitter Bill knew thatthat he could get together every loafer between the county-seat of Wise and the county-seat of Leebut he only said encouragingly: "Good!" "An' we air to pertect the propertyI am to pertect the property of the Confederate citizens of the valleythat means you, Misto Richmond, and this store.

And, to Flitter Bill's wonder, the captain stalked out to the stoop, announced his purpose with the voice of an auctioneer, and called for volunteers then and there.

The captain beckoned Flitter Bill inside the store.

Flitter Bill dropped his blinking eyes to the paper in his hand that bore the commission of Jefferson Davis and the Confederate States of America to Mayhall Wells of Callahan, and went back into his store.

That blast rang down the valley into Flitter Bill's ears and startled him into action.

Technically, thereafter, the general was purveyor for the Army of the Callahan, but to the captain himself he wasgallingly to the purveyorsimple Flitter Bill.

An indignant murmur rose up and down valley and creek bottom against the outrages, and one angry old farmer took a pot-shot at Captain Wells with a squirrel rifle, clipping the visor of his forage cap; and from that day the captain began to call with immutable regularity again on Flitter Bill for bacon and meal.

"Flitter Bill Richmond, I had no idee o' disbandin' the Army of the Callahan, but do you know what I did aim to do?"

" The negro gave a swift glance to his master, and Flitter Bill feebly waved acquiescence.

Flitter Bill heard the din as he stood by his barn door.

"They've gobbled the army," said Flitter Bill, and he, too, fled like a shadow down the valley.

"I stayed all night down the valley," said Flitter Bill.

"I ketched this nigger in my corn-fiel' this mornin'," said Hence, simply, and Flitter Bill glared, and without a word went for the blacksnake ox-whip that hung by the barn door.

For the last time, next morning he rode down to Flitter Bill's store.

"By the way, I have something here for you which Flitter Bill asked me to give you.

But he rode on just then and presented himself for the last time at the store of Flitter Bill.

" Now just above the selfish layers of fat under Flitter Bill's chubby hands was a very kind heart.

Mayhall Wells, beaten, disgraced, driven from home on charge of petty crimes, of which he was undoubtedly guilty, but for which Bill knew he himself was responsibleMayhall on his way into exile and still persuading himself and, at that moment, almost persuading him that he meant to pay that little debt of long agowas too much for Flitter Bill, and he proceeded to lielying with deliberation and pleasure.

And Flitter Bill muttered to himself: "Atter he's gone long enough fer these things to blow over, I'm going to bring him back and give him another chanceyes, damme if I don't git him back.

Like the handwriting of the order that lifted Mayhall like magic into power, the handwriting of this order, that dropped him like a stonewas Flitter Bill's own.