sally dows-第11节

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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