come along the road with patents and samples。 She got one of those
lightning…rod and wire…fence men to show her how to put up an arbor
for her trailing roses。 Why； when I first saw YOU up on the
cornice； I thought you were some other chap that she'd askeddon't
you knowthat is； at first； of course！you know what I meanha；
by Jove！before we were introduced； don't you know。〃
〃I think I OFFERED to help Miss Dows；〃 said Courtland with a
quickness that he at once regretted。
〃So did HE； don't you know？ Miss Sally does not ASK anybody。
Don't you see？ a fellow don't like to stand by and see a young lady
like her doing such work。〃 Vaguely aware of some infelicity in his
speech； he awkwardly turned the subject： 〃I don't think I shall
stay here long； myself。〃
〃You expect to return to England？〃 asked Courtland。
〃Oh； no！ But I shall go out of the company's service and try my
own hand。 There's a good bit of land about three miles from here
that's in the market； and I think I could make something out of it。
A fellow ought to settle down and be his own master；〃 he answered
tentatively； 〃eh？〃
〃But how will Miss Dows be able to spare you？〃 asked Courtland；
uneasily conscious that he was assuming an indifference。
〃Oh； I'm not much use to her； don't you knowat least not HERE。
But I might； if I had my own land and if we were neighbors。 I told
you SHE runs the place； no matter who's here； or whose money is
invested。〃
〃I presume you are speaking now of young Miss Dows？〃 said Courtland
dryly。
〃Miss Sallyof coursealways；〃 said Champney simply。 〃She runs
the shop。〃
〃Were there not some French investorsrelations of Miss Dows？
Does anybody represent THEM？〃 asked Courtland pointedly。
Yet he was not quite prepared for the naive change in his
companion's face。 〃No。 There was a sort of French cousin who used
to be a good deal to the fore； don't you know？ But I rather fancy
he didn't come here to look after the PROPERTY；〃 returned Champney
with a quick laugh。 〃I think the aunt must have written to his
friends； for they 'called him off；' and I don't think Miss Sally
broke her heart about him。 She's not that sort of girleh？ She
could have her pick of the State if she went in for that sort of
thingeh？〃
Although this was exactly what Courtland was thinking； it pleased
him to answer in a distrait sort of fashion； 〃Certainly； I should
think so；〃 and to relapse into an apparently business abstraction。
〃I think I won't go in；〃 continued Champney as they neared the
house again。 〃I suppose you'll have something more to say to Miss
Dows。 If there's anything else you want of ME； come to the office。
But SHE'LL know。 Andererif you'reerstaying long in this
part of the country； ride over and look me up； don't you know？ and
have a smoke and a julep； I have a boy who knows how to mix them；
and I've some old brandy sent me from the other side。 Good…by。〃
More awkward in his kindliness than in his simple business
confidences； but apparently equally honest in both； he shook
Courtland's hand and walked away。 Courtland turned towards the
house。 He had seen the farm and its improvements； he had found
some of his own ideas practically discounted； clearly there was
nothing left for him to do but to thank his hostess and take his
leave。 But he felt far more uneasy than when he had arrived； and
there was a singular sense of incompleteness in his visit that he
could not entirely account for。 His conversation with Champney had
complicatedhe knew not whyhis previous theories of Miss Dows；
and although he was half conscious that this had nothing to do with
the business that brought him there； he tried to think that it had。
If Miss Sally was reallyaadistracting element to contiguous
man； it was certainly something to be considered in a matter of
business of which she would take a managerial part。 It was true
that Champney had said she was 〃not that sort of girl；〃 but this
was the testimony of one who was clearly under her influence。 He
entered the house through the open French window。 The parlor was
deserted。 He walked through the front hall and porch； no one was
there。 He lingered a few moments； a slight chagrin beginning to
mingle with his uneasiness。 She might have been on the lookout for
him。 She or Sophy must have seen him returning。 He would ring for
Sophy； and leave his thanks and regrets for her mistress。 He
looked for a bell； touched it； but on being confronted with Sophy；
changed his mind and asked to SEE Miss Dows。 In the interval
between her departure and the appearance of Miss Sally he resolved
to do the very thing which he had dismissed from his thoughts but
an hour before as ill…timed and doubtful。 He had the photograph
and letter in his pocket； he would make them his excuse for
personally taking leave of her。
She entered with her fair eyebrows lifted in a pretty surprise。
〃I declare to goodness； I thought yo' 'd ridden over to the red
barn and gone home from there。 I got through my work on the vines
earlier than I thought。 One of Judge Garret's nephews dropped in
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