sally dows-第17节

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to　his　judgment。　　He　made　no　personal　charges；　mentioned　no　names；
asked　for　no　exemplary　prosecution　or　trial　of　the　offenders；　but
only　demanded　a　safeguard　against　a　repetition　of　the　offense。　　His
next　letter；　although　less　formal　and　official；　was　more　difficult。
It　was　addressed　to　the　commandant　of　the　nearest　Federal　barracks；
who　was　an　old　friend　and　former　companion…in…arms。　　He　alluded　to
some　conversation　they　had　previously　exchanged　in　regard　to　the
presence　of　a　small　detachment　of　troops　at　Redlands　during　the
elections；　which　Courtland　at　the　time；　however；　had　diplomatically
opposed。　　He　suggested　it　now　as　a　matter　of　public　expediency　and
prevention。　　When　he　had　sealed　the　letters；　not　caring　to　expose
them　to　the　espionage　of　the　local　postmaster　or　his　ordinary
servants；　he　intrusted　them　to　one　of　Miss　Sally's　own　henchmen；　to
be　posted　at　the　next　office；　at　Bitter　Creek　Station；　ten　miles
distant。

Unfortunately；　this　duty　accomplished；　the　reaction　consequent　on
his　still　weak　physical　condition　threw　him　back　upon　himself　and
his　memory。　　He　had　resolutely　refused　to　think　of　Miss　Sally；　he
had　been　able　to　withstand　the　suggestions　of　her　in　the　presence
of　her　handmaidsupposed　to　be　potent　in　nursing　and　herb…lore
whom　she　had　detached　to　wait　upon　him；　and　he　had　returned
politely　formal　acknowledgments　to　her　inquiries。　　He　had
determined　to　continue　this　personal　avoidance　as　far　as　possible
until　he　was　relieved；　on　the　ground　of　that　BUSINESS　expediency
which　these　events　had　made　necessary。　　She　would　see　that　he　was
only　accepting　the　arguments　with　which　she　had　met　his　previous
advances。　　Briefly；　he　had　recourse　to　that　hopeless　logic　by　which
a　man　proves　to　himself　that　he　has　no　reason　for　loving　a　certain
woman；　and　is　as　incontestably　convinced　by　the　same　process　that
he　has。　　And　in　the　midst　of　it　he　weakly　fell　asleep；　and　dreamed
that　he　and　Miss　Sally　were　walking　in　the　cemetery；　that　a　hideous
snake　concealed　among　some　lilies；　over　which　the　young　girl　was
bending；　had　uplifted　its　triangular　head　to　strike。　　That　he
seized　it　by　the　neck；　struggled　with　it　until　he　was　nearly
exhausted；　when　it　suddenly　collapsed　and　shrunk；　leaving　in　his
palm　the　limp；　crushed；　and　delicately　perfumed　little　thread　glove
which　he　remembered　to　have　once　slipped　from　her　hand。

When　he　awoke；　that　perfume　seemed　to　be　still　in　the　air；　distinct
from　the　fresh　but　homelier　scents　of　the　garden　which　stole
through　the　window。　　A　sense　of　delicious　coolness　came　with　the
afternoon　breeze；　that　faintly　trilled　the　slanting　slats　of　the
blind　with　a　slumberous　humming　as　of　bees。　　The　golden　glory　of　a
sinking　southern　sun　was　penciling　the　cheap　paper　on　the　wall　with
leafy　tracery　and　glowing　arabesques。　　But　more　than　that；　the　calm
of　some　potent　influenceor　some　unseen　presencewas　upon　him；
which　he　feared　a　movement　might　dispel。　　The　chair　at　the　foot　of
his　bed　was　empty。　　Sophy　had　gone　out。　　He　did　not　turn　his　head
to　look　further；　his　languid　eyes　falling　aimlessly　upon　the　carpet
at　his　bedside　suddenly　dilated。　　For　they　fell　also　on　the
〃smallest　foot　in　the　State。〃

He　started　to　his　elbow；　but　a　soft　hand　was　laid　gently　yet　firmly
upon　his　shoulder；　and　with　a　faint　rustle　of　muslin　skirts　Miss
Sally　rose　from　an　unseen　chair　at　the　head　of　his　bed；　and　stood
beside　him。

〃Don't　stir；　co'nnle；　I　didn't　sit　where　I　could　look　in　yo'r　face
for　fear　of　waking　yo'。　　But　I'll　change　seats　now。〃　　She　moved　to
the　chair　which　Sophy　had　vacated；　drew　it　slightly　nearer　the　bed；
and　sat　down。

〃It　was　very　kind　of　youto　come；〃　said　Courtland　hesitatingly；　as
with　a　strong　effort　he　drew　his　eyes　away　from　the　fascinating
vision；　and　regained　a　certain　cold　composure；　〃but　I　am　afraid　my
illness　has　been　greatly　magnified。　　I　really　am　quite　well　enough
to　be　up　and　about　my　business；　if　the　doctor　would　permit　it。　　But
I　shall　certainly　manage　to　attend　to　my　duty　to…morrow；　and　I　hope
to　be　at　your　service。

〃Meaning　that　yo'　don't　care　to　see　me　NOW；　co'nnle；〃　she　said
lightly；　with　a　faint　twinkle　in　her　wise；　sweet　eyes。　　〃I　thought
of　that；　but　as　my　business　wouldn't　wait；　I　brought　it　to　yo'。〃
She　took　from　the　folds　of　her　gown　a　letter。　　To　his　utter
amazement　it　was　the　one　he　had　given　his　overseer　to　post　to　the
commandant　that　morning。　　To　his　greater　indignation　the　seal　was
broken。

〃Who　has　dared？〃　he　demanded；　half　rising。

Her　little　hand　was　thrust　out　half　deprecatingly。　　〃No　one　yo'　can
fight；　co'nnle；　only　ME。　　I　don't　generally　open　other　folks'
letters；　and　I　wouldn't　have　done　it　for　MYSELF；　I　did　for　yo'。〃

〃For　me？〃

〃For　yo'。　　I　reckoned　what　yo'　MIGHT　do；　and　I　told　Sam　to　bring　ME
the　letters　first。　　I　didn't　mind　what　yo'　wrote　to　the　company
for　they'll　take　care　of　yo'；　and　their　own　eggs　are　all　in　the
same　basket。　　I　didn't　open　THAT　one；　but　I　did　THIS　when　I　saw　the
address。　　It　was　as　I　expected；　and　yo'　'd　given　yo'self　away！　　For
if　yo'　had　those　soldiers　down　here；　yo'　'd　have　a　row；　sure！
Don't　move；　co'nnle；　YO'　may　not　care　for　that；　it's　in　YO'R　line。
But　folks　will　say　that　the　soldiers　weren't　sent　to　prevent
RIOTING；　but　that　Co'nnle　Courtland　was　using　his　old　comrades　to
keep　order　on　his　property　at　Gov'ment　expense。　　Hol'　on！　　Hol'　on！
co'nnle；〃　said　the　little　figure；　rising　and　waving　its　pretty　arms
with　a　mischievous　simulation　of　terrified　deprecation。　　〃Don't
shoot！　　Of　course　yo'　didn't　mean　THAT；　but　that's　about　the　way
that　So'th'n　men　will　put　it　to　yo'r　Gov'ment。　　For；〃　she
continued；　more　gently；　yet　with　the　shrewdest　twinkle　in　her　gray
eyes；　〃if　yo'　really　thought　the　niggers　might　need　Federal
protection；　yo'　'd　have　let　ME　write　to　the　commandant　to　send　an
escortnot　to　YO；　but　to　CATOthat　HE　might　be　able　to　come　back
in　safety。　　Yo'　'd　have　had　yo'r　soldiers；　I'd　have　had　back　my
nigger；　which〃demurely〃yo'　don't　seem　to　worry　yo'self　much
about；　co'nnle；　and　there　isn't　a　So'th'n　man　would　have　objected。
But；〃　still　more　demurely；　and　affectedly　smoothing　out　her　crisp
skirt　with　her　little　hands；　〃yo'　haven't　been　troubling　me　much
with　yo'r　counsel　lately。〃

A　swift　and　utterly　new　comprehension　swept　over　Courtland。　　For
the　first　time　in　his　knowledge　of　her　he　suddenly　grasped　what
was；　perhaps；　the　true　conception　of　her　character。　　Looking　at　her
clearly　now；　he　understood　the　meaning　of　those　pliant　graces；　so
unaffected　and　yet　always　controlled　by　the　reasoning　of　an
unbiased　intellect；　her　frank　speech　and　plausible　intonations！
Before　him　stood　the　true…born　daughter　of　a　long　race　of
politicians！　　All　that　he　had　heard　of　their　dexterity；　tact；　and
expediency　rose　here　incarnate；　with　the　added　grace　of　womanhood。
A　strange　sense　of　reliefperhaps　a　dawning　of　hopestole　over
him。

〃But　how　will　this　insure　Cato's　safety　hereafter；　or　give
protection　to　the　others？〃　he　said；　fixing　his　eyes　upon　her。

〃The　future　won't　concern　YO'　much；　co'nnle；　if　as　yo'　say　here
yo'r　resignation　is　sent　in；　and　yo'r　successor　appointed；〃　she
replied；　with　more　gravity　than　she　had　previously　shown。

〃But　you　do　not　think　I　will　leave　YOU　in　this　uncertainty；〃　he
said　passionately。　　He　stopped　suddenly；　his　brow　darkened。　　〃I
forgot；〃　he　added　coldly；　〃you　will　be　well　protected。　　Your
COUSINwill　give　you　the　counsel　of　raceandcloser　ties。〃

To　his　infinite　astonishment；　Miss　Sally　leaned　forward　in　her
chair　and　buried　her　laughing　face　in　both　of　her　hands。　　When　her
dimples　had　become　again　visible；　she　said　with　an　effort；　〃Don't
yo'　think；　co'nnle；　that　as　a　peacemaker　my　cousin　was　even　a
bigger　failure　than　yo'self？〃

〃I　don't　understand；〃　stammered　Courtland。

〃Don't　yo'　think；〃　she　continued；　wiping　her　eyes　demurely；　〃that
if　a　young　woman　about　my　size；　who　had　got　perfectly　tired　and
sick　of　all　this　fuss　made　about　yo'；　because　yo'　were　a　No'th'n
man；　managing　niggersif　that　young　woman　wanted　to　show　her
people　what　sort　of　a　radical　and　abolitionist　a　SO'TH'N　man　of
their　own　sort　might　become；　she'd　have　sent　for　Jack　Dumont　as　a
sample？　　Eh？　　Only；　I　declare　to　goodness；　I　never　reckoned　that　he
and　Higbee　would　revive　the　tomfooling　of　the　vendetta；　and　take　to
shootin'　each　other　at　once。〃

〃And　your　sending　for　your　cousin　was　only　a　feint　to　protect　me？〃
said　Courtland　faintly。

〃Perhaps　he　didn't　have　to　be　SENT　for；　co'nnle；〃　she　said；　with　a
slight　touch　of　coquetry。　　〃Suppose　we　say；　I　LET　HIM　COME。　　He'd
be　hanging　round；　for　he　has　property　here；　and　wanted　to　get　me　to
take　it　up　with　mine　in　the　company。　　I　knew　what　his　new　views　and
ideas　were；　and　I　thought　I'd　better　consult　Champneywho；　being　a
foreigner；　and　an　older　resident　than　yo'；　was　quite　neutral。　　He
didn't　happen　to　tell　YO'　anything　about　itdid　he；　co'nnle？〃　she
added　with　a　grave　mouth；　but　an　indescribable　twinkle　in　her　eyes。

Courtland's　face　darkened。　　〃He　didand　he　further　told　me；　Miss
Dows；　that　he　himself　was　your　suitor；　and　that　you　had　refused　him
because　of　the　objections　of　your　people。〃

She　raised　her　eyes　to　his　swiftly　and　dropped　them。

〃And　yo'　th