Yo' 've been a soldier； and yo' know what duty is。 Well！ what's
yo' duty to yo' company？〃
〃It neither includes my private affairs nor regulates the beating
of my heart。 I will resign。〃
〃And leave me and Aunt Miranda and the plantation？〃
〃No！ The company will find another superintendent to look after
your aunt's affairs and carry out our plans。 And you； Sallyyou
will let me find you a home and fortune North？ There is work for
me there； there is room for you among my people。〃
She shook her head slowly with a sweet but superior smile。 〃No；
co'nnle！ I didn't believe in the wah； but the least I could do was
to stand by my folks and share the punishment that I knew was
coming from it。 I despise this foolishness as much as yo'； but I
can't run away from it。 Come； co'nnle； I won't ask yo' to forget
this； mo'； I'll even believe yo' MEANT it； but yo' 'll promise me
yo' won't speak of it again as long as yo' are with the company and
Aunt Miranda and me！ There mustn't be morethere mustn't even
SEEM to be morebetween us。〃
〃But then I may hope？〃 he said； eagerly grasping her hand。
〃I promise nothing； for yo' must not even have THAT excuse for
speaking of this again； either from anything I do or may seem to
do。〃 She stopped； released her hand； as her eyes were suddenly
fixed on the distance。 Then she said with a slight smile； but
without the least embarrassment or impatience： 〃There's Mr。
Champney coming here now。 I reckon he's looking to see if that
wreath is safe。〃
Courtland looked up quickly。 He could see the straw hat of the
young Englishman just above the myrtle bushes in a path intersecting
the avenue。 A faint shadow crossed his face。 〃Let me know one
thing more；〃 he said hurriedly。 〃I know I have no right to ask the
question； but hashashas Mr。 Champney anything to do with your
decision？〃
She smiled brightly。 〃Yo' asked just now if yo' could have the
same chance he and Chet Brooks had。 Well； poor Chet is dead； and
Mr。 Champneywell！wait and see。〃 She lifted her voice and
called； 〃Mr。 Champney！〃 The young fellow came briskly towards
them； his face betrayed a slight surprise； but no discomfiture； as
he recognized her companion。
〃Oh； Mr。 Champney；〃 said Miss Sally plaintively； 〃I've lost my
glove somewhere near pooah Brooks's tomb in the hollow。 Won't you
go and fetch it； and come back here to take me home？ The co'nnle
has got to go and see his sick niggers in the hospital。〃 Champney
lifted his hat； nodded genially to Courtland； and disappeared below
the cypresses on the slope。 〃Yo' mustn't be mad；〃 she said；
turning in explanation to her companion； 〃but we have been here too
long already； and it's better that I should be seen coming home
with him than yo'。〃
〃Then this sectional interference does not touch him？〃 said
Courtland bitterly。
〃No。 He's an Englishman； his father was a known friend of the
Confederacy； and bought their cotton bonds。〃
She stopped； gazing into Courtland's face with a pretty vague
impatience and a slight pouting of her lip。
〃Co'nnle！〃
〃Miss Sally。〃
〃Yo' say yo' had known me for three years before yo' saw me。 Well；
we met once before we ever spoke to each other！〃
Courtland looked in her laughing eyes with admiring wonder。
〃When？〃 he asked。
〃The first day yo' came！ Yo' moved the ladder when I was on the
cornice； and I walked all ever yo' head。 And； like a gentleman；
yo' never said a word about it。 I reckon I stood on yo' head for
five minutes。〃
〃Not as long as that；〃 said Courtland laughing； 〃if I remember
rightly。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Miss Sally with dancing eyes。 〃I； a So'th'n girl；
actually set my foot on the head of a No'th'n scum of a co'nnle！
My！〃
〃Let that satisfy your friends then。〃
〃No！ I want to apologize。 Sit down； co'nnle。〃
〃But； Miss Sally〃
〃Sit down； quick！〃
He did so； seating himself sideways on the bank。 Miss Sally stood
beside him。
〃Take off yo' hat； sir。〃
He obeyed smilingly。 Miss Sally suddenly slipped behind him。 He
felt the soft touch of her small hands on his shoulders； warm
breath stirred the roots of his hair； and thenthe light pressure
on his scalp of what seemed the lips of a child。
He leaped to his feet； yet before he could turn completely rounda
difficulty the young lady had evidently calculated uponhe was too
late！ The floating draperies of the artful and shameless Miss
Sally were already disappearing among the tombs in the direction of
the hollow。
CHAPTER V。
The house occupied by the manager of the Drummond Syndicate in
Redlandsthe former residence of a local lawyer and justice of the
peacewas not large； but had an imposing portico of wooden Doric
columns； which extended to the roof and fronted the main street。
The all…pervading creeper closely covered it； the sidewalk before
it was shaded by a row of broad…leaved ailantus。 The front room；
with French windows opening on the portico； was used by Colonel
Courtland as a general office； beyond this a sitting…room and
dining…room overlooked the old…fashioned garden with its detached
kitchen and inevitable negro cabin。 It was a close evening； there
were dark clouds coming up in the direction of the turnpike road；
but the leaves of the ailantus hung heavy and motionless in the
hush of an impending storm。 The sparks of lazily floating
fireflies softly expanded and went out in the gloom of the black
foliage； or in the dark recesses of the office； whose windows were
widely open； and whose lights Courtland had extinguished when he
brought his armchair to the portico for coolness。 One of these
sparks beyond the fence； although alternately glowing and paling；
was still so persistent and stationary that Courtland leaned
forward to watch it more closely； at which it disappeared； and a
voice from the street said：
〃Is that you； Courtland？〃
〃Yes。 Come in； won't you？〃
The voice was Champney's； and the light was from his cigar。 As he
opened the gate and came slowly up the steps of the portico the
usual hesitation of his manner seemed to have increased。 A long
sigh trilled the limp leaves of the ailantus and as quickly
subsided。 A few heavy perpendicular raindrops crashed and
spattered through the foliage like molten lead。
〃You've just escaped the shower；〃 said Courtland pleasantly。 He
had not seen Champney since they parted in the cemetery six weeks
before。
〃Yes！II thought I'd like to have a little talk with you；
Courtland；〃 said Champney。 He hesitated a moment before the
proffered chair； and then added； with a cautious glance towards the
street； 〃Hadn't we better go inside？〃
〃As you like。 But you'll find it wofully hot。 We're quite alone
here； there's nobody in the house； and this shower will drive any
loungers from the street。〃 He was quite frank； although their
relations to each other in regard to Miss Sally were still so
undefined as to scarcely invite his confidence。
Howbeit Champney took the proffered chair and the glass of julep
which Courtland brought him。
〃You remember my speaking to you of Dumont？〃 he said hesitatingly；
〃Miss Dows' French cousin； you know？ Wellhe's coming here： he's
got property herethose three houses opposite the Court House。
From what I hear； he's come over with a lot of new…fangled French
ideas on the nigger questionrot about equality and fraternity；
don't you knowand the highest education and highest offices for
them。 You know what the feeling is here already？ You know what
happened at the last election at Coolidgevillehow the whites
wouldn't let the niggers go to the polls and the jolly row that was
kicked up over it？ Well； it looks as if that sort of thing might
happen HERE； don't you know； if Miss Dows takes up these ideas。〃
〃But I've reason to supposeI mean；〃 said Courtland correcting
himself with some deliberation； 〃that any one who knows Miss Dows'
opinions knows that these are not her views。 Why should she take
them up？〃
〃Because she takes HIM up；〃 returned Champney hurriedly； 〃and even
if she didn't believe in them herself； she'd have to share the
responsibility with him in the eyes of every unreconstructed rowdy
like Tom Higbee and the rest of them。 They'd make short work of
her niggers all the same。〃
〃But I don't see why she should be made responsible for the
opinions of her cousin； nor do I exactly knew what 'taking him up'
means；〃 returned Courtland quietly。
Champney moistened his dry lips with the julep and uttered a
nervous laugh。 〃Suppose we say her husbandfor that's what his
coming back here means。 Everybody knows that； you would； too； if
you ever talked with her about anything but business。〃
A bright flash of lightning that lit up the faces of the two men
would have revealed Champney's flushed features and Courtland's
lack of color had they been looking at each other。 But they were
not； and the long reverberating crash of thunder which followed
prevented any audible reply from Courtland； and covered his
agitation。
For without fully accepting Champney's conclusions he was cruelly
shocked at the young man's utterance of them。 He had scrupulously
respected the wishes of Miss Sally and had faithfullyalthough
never hopelesslyheld