sally dows-第6部分

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in　time　to　help　me　with　the　last　row。　　Yo'　needn't　have　troubled
yo'self　to　send　up　for　me　for　mere　company　manners；　but　Sophy　says
yo'　looked　sort　of　'anxious　and　particular'　when　yo'　asked　for　me
so　I　suppose　yo'　want　to　see　me　for　something。〃

Mentally　objurgating　Sophy；　and　with　an　unpleasant　impression　in
his　mind　of　the　unknown　neighbor　who　had　been　helping　Miss　Sally　in
his　place；　he　nevertheless　tried　to　collect　himself　gallantly。

〃I　don't　know　what　my　expression　conveyed　to　Sophy；〃　he　said　with　a
smile；　〃but　I　trust　that　what　I　have　to　tell　you　may　be　interesting
enough　to　make　you　forget　my　second　intrusion。〃　　He　paused；　and
still　smiling　continued：　〃For　more　than　three　years；　Miss　Dows；　you
have　more　or　less　occupied　my　thoughts；　and　although　we　have
actually　met　to…day　only　for　the　first　time；　I　have　during　that
time　carried　your　image　with　me　constantly。　　Even　this　meeting；
which　was　only　the　result　of　an　accident；　I　had　been　seeking　for
three　years。　　I　find　you　here　under　your　own　peaceful　vine　and　fig…
tree；　and　yet　three　years　ago　you　came　to　me　out　of　the　thunder…
cloud　of　battle。〃

〃My　good　gracious！〃　said　Miss　Sally。

She　had　been　clasping　her　knee　with　her　linked　fingers；　but
separated　them　and　leaned　backward　on　the　sofa　with　affected
consternation；　but　an　expression　of　growing　amusement　in　her　bright
eyes。　　Courtland　saw　the　mistake　of　his　tone；　but　it　was　too　late
to　change　it　now。　　He　handed　her　the　locket　and　the　letter；　and
briefly；　and　perhaps　a　little　more　seriously；　recounted　the
incident　that　had　put　him　in　possession　of　them。　　But　he　entirely
suppressed　the　more　dramatic　and　ghastly　details；　and　his　own
superstition　and　strange　prepossession　towards　her。

Miss　Sally　took　the　articles　without　a　tremor；　or　the　least
deepening　or　paling　of　the　delicate；　faint　suffusion　of　her　cheek。
When　she　had　glanced　over　the　letter；　which　appeared　to　be　brief；
she　said；　with　smiling；　half…pitying　tranquillity：

〃Yes！it　WAS　that　poor　Chet　Brooks；　sure！　　I　heard　that　he　was
killed　at　Snake　River。　　It　was　just　like　him　to　rush　in　and　get
killed　the　first　pop！　　And　all　for　nothing；　too；pure　foolishness！〃

Shocked；　yet　relieved；　but　uneasy　under　both　sensations；　Courtland
went　on　blindly：

〃But　he　was　not　the　only　one；　Miss　Dows。　　There　was　another　man
picked　up　who　also　had　your　picture。〃

〃YesJoyce　Masterton。　　They　sent　it　to　me。　　But　you　didn't　kill
HIM；　too？〃

〃I　don't　know　that　I　personally　killed　either；〃　he　said　a　little
coldly。　　He　paused；　and　continued　with　a　gravity　which　he　could　not
help　feeling　very　inconsistent　and　even　ludicrous：　〃They　were　brave
men；　Miss　Dows。〃

〃To　have　worn　my　picture？〃　said　Miss　Sally　brightly。

〃To　have　THOUGHT　they　had　so　much　to　live　for；　and　yet　to　have
willingly　laid　down　their　lives　for　what　they　believed　was　right。〃

〃Yo'　didn't　go　huntin'　me　for　three　years　to　tell　ME；　a　So'th'n
girl；　that　So'th'n　men　know　how　to　fight；　did　yo'；　co'nnle？〃
returned　the　young　lady；　with　the　slightest　lifting　of　her　head　and
drooping　of　her　blue…veined　lids　in　a　divine　hauteur。　　〃They　were
always　ready　enough　for　that；　even　among　themselves。　　It　was　much
easier　for　these　pooah　boys　to　fight　a　thing　out　than　think　it　out；
or　work　it　out。　　Yo'　folks　in　the　No'th　learned　to　do　all　three；
that's　where　you　got　the　grip　on　us。　　Yo'　look　surprised；　co'nnle。〃

〃I　didn't　expect　you　would　look　at　itquite　ininthat　way；〃
said　Courtland　awkwardly。

〃I　am　sorry　I　disappointed　yo'　after　yo'　'd　taken　such　a　heap　o'
trouble；〃　returned　the　young　lady　with　a　puzzling　assumption　of
humility　as　she　rose　and　smoothed　out　her　skirts；　〃but　I　couldn't
know　exactly　what　yo'　might　be　expecting　after　three　years；　if　I
HAD；　I　might　have　put　on　mo'ning。〃　　She　stopped　and　adjusted　a
straying　tendril　of　her　hair　with　the　sharp　corner　of　the　dead
man's　letter。　　〃But　I　thank　yo'；　all　the　same；　co'nnle。　　It　was
real　good　in　yo'　to　think　of　toting　these　things　over　here。〃　　And
she　held　out　her　hand　frankly。

Courtland　took　it　with　the　sickening　consciousness　that　for　the
last　five　minutes　he　had　been　an　unconscionable　ass。　　He　could　not
prolong　the　interview　after　she　had　so　significantly　risen。　　If　he
had　only　taken　his　leave　and　kept　the　letter　and　locket　for　a　later
visit；　perhaps　when　they　were　older　friends！　　It　was　too　late　now。
He　bent　over　her　hand　for　a　moment；　again　thanked　her　for　her
courtesy；　and　withdrew。　　A　moment　later　she　heard　the　receding　beat
of　his　horse's　hoofs　on　the　road。

She　opened　the　drawer　of　a　brass…handled　cabinet；　and　after　a
moment's　critical　survey　of　her　picture　in　the　dead　man's　locket；
tossed　it　and　the　letter　into　the　recesses　of　the　drawer。　　Then　she
stopped；　removed　her　little　slipper　from　her　foot；　looked　at　THAT；
too；　thoughtfully；　and　called　〃Sophy！〃

〃Miss　Sally？〃　said　the　girl；　reappearing　at　the　door。

〃Are　you　sure　you　did　not　move　that　ladder？〃

〃I　'clare　to　goodness；　Miss　Sally；　I　never　teched　it！〃

Miss　Sally　directed　a　critical　glance　at　her　handmaiden's　red…
coifed　head。　　〃No；〃　she　said　to　herself　softly；　〃it　felt　nicer　than
wool；　anyway！〃


CHAPTER　III。


In　spite　of　the　awkward　termination　of　his　visit；or　perhaps
BECAUSE　of　it；Courtland　called　again　at　the　plantation　within　the
week。　　But　this　time　he　was　accompanied　by　Drummond；　and　was
received　by　Miss　Miranda　Dows；　a　tall；　aquiline…nosed　spinster　of
fifty；　whose　old…time　politeness　had　become　slightly　affected；　and
whose　old　beliefs　had　given　way　to　a　half…cynical　acceptance　of　new
facts。　　Mr。　Drummond；　delighted　with　the　farm　and　its　management；
was　no　less　fascinated　by　Miss　Sally；　while　Courtland　was　now
discreet　enough　to　divide　his　attentions　between　her　and　her　aunt；
with　the　result　that　he　was　far　from　participating　in　Champney's
conviction　of　Miss　Miranda's　unimportance。　　To　the　freedmen　she
still　represented　the　old　implacable　task…mistress；　and　it　was
evident　that　they　superstitiously　believed　that　she　still　retained
a　vague　power　of　overriding　the　Fourteenth　Amendment　at　her
pleasure；　and　was　only　to　be　restrained　by　the　mediation　of　the
good…humored　and　sensible　Miss　Sally。　　Courtland　was　quick　to
see　the　value　of　this　influence　in　the　transition　state　of　the
freedmen；　and　pointed　it　out　to　his　principal。　　Drummond's　previous
doubts　and　skepticism；　already　weakened　by　Miss　Sally's　fascinations；
vanished　entirely　at　this　prospect　of　beneficially　utilizing　these
lingering　evils　of　slavery。　　He　was　convinced；　he　was　even
enthusiastic。　　The　foreign　investors　were　men　to　be　bought　out；　the
estate　improved　and　enlarged　by　the　company；　and　the　fair　owners
retained　in　the　management　and　control。　　Like　most　prejudiced　men；
Drummond's　conversion　was　sudden　and　extreme；　and；　being　a　practical
man；　was　at　once　acted　upon。　　At　a　second　and　third　interview　the
preliminaries　were　arranged；　and　in　three　weeks　from　Courtland's
first　visit；　the　Dows'　plantation　and　part　of　Major　Reed's　were
merged　in　the　〃Drummond　Syndicate；〃　and　placed　beyond　financial
uncertainty。　　Courtland　remained　to　represent　the　company　as
superintendent　at　Redlands；　and　with　the　transfer　of　the　English
investments　Champney　retired；　as　he　had　suggested；　to　a　smaller
venture　of　his　own；　on　a　plantation　a　few　miles　distant　which　the
company　had　been　unable　to　secure。

During　this　interval　Courtland　had　frequent　interviews　with　Miss
Sally；　and　easy　and　unrestrained　access　to　her　presence。　　He　had
never　again　erred　on　the　side　of　romance　or　emotion；　he　had　never
again　referred　to　the　infelix　letter　and　photograph；　and；　without
being　obliged　to　confine　himself　strictly　to　business　affairs；　he
had　maintained　an　even；　quiet；　neighborly　intercourse　with　her。
Much　of　this　was　the　result　of　his　own　self…control　and　soldierly
training；　and　gave　little　indication　of　the　deeper　feeling　that　he
was　conscious　lay　beneath　it。　　At　times　he　caught　the　young　girl's
eyes　fixed　upon　him　with　a　mischievous　curiosity。　　A　strange　thrill
went　through　him；　there　are　few　situations　so　subtle　and　dangerous
as　the　accidental　confidences　and　understandings　of　two　young
people　of　opposite　sex；　even　though　the　question　of　any　sentimental
inclination　be　still　in　abeyance。　　Courtland　knew　that　Miss　Sally
remembered　the　too　serious　attitude　he　had　taken　towards　her　past。
She　might　laugh　at　it；　and　even　resent　it；　but　she　KNEW　it；
remembered　it；　knew　that　HE　did；　and　this　precious　knowledge　was
confined　to　themselves。　　It　was　in　their　minds　when　there　was　a
pause　in　their　more　practical　and　conventional　conversation；　and
was　even　revealed　in　the　excessive　care　which　Miss　Sally　later　took
to　avert　at　the　right　moment　her　mischievously　smiling　eyes。　　Once
she　went　farther。　　Courtland　had　just　finished　explaining　to　her　a
plan　for　substituting　small　farm　buildings　for　the　usual　half…
cultivated　garden…patches　dear　to　the　negro　field…hand；　and　had
laid　down　the　drawings　on　the　table　in　the　office；　when　the　young
lady；　leaning　against　it　with　her　hands　behind　her；　fixed　her
bright　gray　eyes　on　his　serious　face。

〃I　vow　and　protest；　co'nnle；〃　she　said；　dropping　into　one　of　the
quaint　survivals　of　an　old…time　phraseology　peculiar　to　her　people；
〃I　never　allowed　yo'　could　just　give　yo'self　up　to　business；　soul
and　body；　as　yo'　do；　when　I　first　met　yo'　that　day。〃

〃Why；　what　did　you　think　me？〃　he　asked　quickly。

Miss　Sally；　who　had　a　Southern　aptitude　for　gesture；　took　one
little　hand　from　behind　her；　twirled　it　above　her　head　with　a
pretty　air　of　disposing　of　some　airy　nothing　in　a　presumably
masculine　fashion；　and　said；　〃Oh；　THAT。〃

〃I　am　afraid　I　did　not　impress　you　then　as　a　very　practical　man；〃
he　said；　with　a　faint　color。

〃I　thought　you　roosted　rather　high；　co'nnle；　to　pick　up　many　worms
in　the　mo'ning。　　But；〃　she　added　with　a　dazzling　smile；　〃I　reckon
from　what　yo'　said　about　the　photograph；　yo'　thought　I　wasn't
exactly　what　yo'　believed　I　ought　to　be；　either。〃

He　would　have　liked　to　tell　her　then　and　there　that　he　would　have
been　content　if　those　bright；　beautiful　eyes　had　never　kindled　with
anything　but　love　or　womanly　aspiration；　that　that　soft；　lazy；
caressing　voice　had　never　been　lifted　beyond　the　firesid