sally dows-第5节

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laths　for　the　vines　outside；　because　we　couldn't　spare　carpenters
from　the　factory。　　But；〃　she　added；　with　a　faint　accession　of
mischief　in　her　voice；　〃yo'　came　to　talk　about　the　fahm？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Courtland；　rising；　〃but　not　to　interrupt　the　work　on
it。　　Will　you　let　me　help　you　nail　up　the　laths　on　the　wall？　　I
have　some　experience　that　way；　and　we　can　talk　as　we　work。　　Do
oblige　me！〃

The　young　girl　looked　at　him　brightly。

〃Well；　now；　there's　nothing　mean　about　THAT。　　Yo'　mean　it　for
sure？〃

〃Perfectly。　　I　shall　feel　so　much　less　as　if　I　was　enjoying　your
company　under　false　pretenses。〃

〃Yo'　just　wait　here；　then。〃

She　jumped　from　the　sofa；　ran　out　of　the　room；　and　returned
presently；　tying　the　string　of　a　long　striped　cotton　blouse
evidently　an　extra　one　of　Sophy'sbehind　her　back　as　she　returned。
It　was　gathered　under　her　oval　chin　by　a　tape　also　tied　behind　her；
while　her　fair　hair　was　tucked　under　the　usual　red　bandana
handkerchief　of　the　negro　housemaid。　　It　is　scarcely　necessary　to
add　that　the　effect　was　bewitching。

〃But；〃　said　Miss　Sally；　eying　her　guest's　smartly　fitting　frock…
coat；　〃yo'　'll　spoil　yo'r　pooty　clothes；　sure！　　Take　off　yo'r　coat
don't　mind　meand　work　in　yo'r　shirtsleeves。〃

Courtland　obediently　flung　aside　his　coat　and　followed　his　active
hostess　through　the　French　window　to　the　platform　outside。　　Above
them　a　wooden　ledge　or　cornice；　projecting　several　inches；　ran　the
whole　length　of　the　building。　　It　was　on　this　that　Miss　Sally　had
evidently　found　a　foothold　while　she　was　nailing　up　a　trellis…work
of　laths　between　it　and　the　windows　of　the　second　floor。　　Courtland
found　the　ladder；　mounted　to　the　ledge；　followed　by　the　young　girl；
who　smilingly　waived　his　proffered　hand　to　help　her　up；　and　the　two
gravely　set　to　work。　　But　in　the　intervals　of　hammering　and　tying
up　the　vines　Miss　Sally's　tongue　was　not　idle。　　Her　talk　was　as
fresh；　as　quaint；　as　original　as　herself；　and　yet　so　practical　and
to　the　purpose　of　Courtland's　visit　as　to　excuse　his　delight　in　it
and　her　own　fascinating　propinquity。　　Whether　she　stopped　to　take　a
nail　from　between　her　pretty　lips　when　she　spoke　to　him；　or　whether
holding　on　perilously　with　one　hand　to　the　trellis　while　she
gesticulated　with　the　hammer；　pointing　out　the　divisions　of　the
plantation　from　her　coign　of　vantage；　he　thought　she　was　as　clear
and　convincing　to　his　intellect　as　she　was　distracting　to　his
senses。

She　told　him　how　the　war　had　broken　up　their　old　home　in　Pineville；
sending　her　father　to　serve　in　the　Confederate　councils　of
Richmond；　and　leaving　her　aunt　and　herself　to　manage　the　property
alone；　how　the　estate　had　been　devastated；　the　house　destroyed；　and
how　they　had　barely　time　to　remove　a　few　valuables；　how；　although
SHE　had　always　been　opposed　to　secession　and　the　war；　she　had　not
gone　North；　preferring　to　stay　with　her　people；　and　take　with　them
the　punishment　of　the　folly　she　had　foreseen。　　How　after　the　war
and　her　father's　death　she　and　her　aunt　had　determined　to
〃reconstruct　THEMSELVES〃　after　their　own　fashion　on　this　bit　of
property；　which　had　survived　their　fortunes　because　it　had　always
been　considered　valueless　and　unprofitable　for　negro　labor。　　How
at　first　they　had　undergone　serious　difficulty；　through　the
incompetence　and　ignorance　of　the　freed　laborer；　and　the　equal
apathy　and　prejudice　of　their　neighbors。　　How　they　had　gradually
succeeded　with　the　adoption　of　new　methods　and　ideas　that　she
herself　had　conceived；　which　she　now　briefly　and　clearly　stated。
Courtland　listened　with　a　new；　breathless；　and　almost　superstitious
interest：　they　were　HIS　OWN　THEORIESperfected　and　demonstrated！

〃But　you　must　have　had　capital　for　this？〃

Ah；　yes！　that　was　where　they　were　fortunate。　　There　were　some
French　cousins　with　whom　she　had　once　stayed　in　Paris；　who　advanced
enough　to　stock　the　estate。　　There　were　some　English　friends　of　her
father's；　old　blockade　runners；　who　had　taken　shares；　provided　them
with　more　capital；　and　imported　some　skilled　laborers　and　a　kind　of
steward　or　agent　to　represent　them。　　But　they　were　getting　on；　and
perhaps　it　was　better　for　their　reputation　with　their　neighbors
that　they　had　not　been　BEHOLDEN　to　the　〃No'th。〃　　Seeing　a　cloud
pass　over　Courtland's　face；　the　young　lady　added　with　an　affected
sigh；　and　the　first　touch　of　feminine　coquetry　which　had　invaded
their　wholesome　camaraderie：

〃Yo'　ought　to　have　found　us　out　BEFORE；　co'nnle。〃

For　an　impulsive　moment　Courtland　felt　like　telling　her　then　and
there　the　story　of　his　romantic　quest；　but　the　reflection　that　they
were　standing　on　a　narrow　ledge　with　no　room　for　the　emotions；　and
that　Miss　Sally　had　just　put　a　nail　in　her　mouth　and　a　start　might
be　dangerous；　checked　him。　　To　this　may　be　added　a　new　jealousy　of
her　previous　experiences；　which　he　had　not　felt　before。
Nevertheless；　he　managed　to　say　with　some　effusion：

〃But　I　hope　we　are　not　too　late　NOW。　　I　think　my　principals　are
quite　ready　and　able　to　buy　up　any　English　or　French　investor　now
or　to　come。〃

〃Yo'　might　try　yo'　hand　on　that　one；〃　said　Miss　Sally；　pointing　to
a　young　fellow　who　had　just　emerged　from　the　office　and　was
crossing　the　courtyard。　　〃He's　the　English　agent。〃

He　was　square…shouldered　and　round…headed；　fresh　and　clean　looking
in　his　white　flannels；　but　with　an　air　of　being　utterly　distinct
and　alien　to　everything　around　him；　and　mentally　and　morally
irreconcilable　to　it。　　As　he　passed　the　house　he　glanced　shyly　at
it；　his　eye　brightened　and　his　manner　became　self…conscious　as　he
caught　sight　of　the　young　girl；　but　changed　again　when　he　saw　her
companion。　　Courtland　likewise　was　conscious　of　a　certain
uneasiness；　it　was　one　thing　to　be　helping　Miss　Sally　ALONE；　but
certainly　another　thing　to　be　doing　so　under　the　eye　of　a　stranger；
and　I　am　afraid　that　he　met　the　stony　observation　of　the　Englishman
with　an　equally　cold　stare。　　Miss　Sally　alone　retained　her　languid
ease　and　self…possession。　　She　called　out；　〃Wait　a　moment；　Mr。
Champney；〃　slipped　lightly　down　the　ladder；　and　leaning　against　it
with　one　foot　on　its　lowest　rung　awaited　his　approach。

〃I　reckoned　yo'　might　be　passing　by；〃　she　said；　as　he　came　forward。
〃Co'nnle　Courtland；〃　with　an　explanatory　wave　of　the　hammer　towards
her　companion；　who　remained　erect　and　slightly　stiffened　on　the
cornice；　〃is　no　relation　to　those　figures　along　the　frieze　of　the
Redlands　Court　House；　but　a　No'th'n　officer；　a　friend　of　Major
Reed's；　who's　come　down　here　to　look　after　So'th'n　property　for
some　No'th'n　capitalists。　　Mr。　Champney；〃　she　continued；　turning
and　lifting　her　eyes　to　Courtland　as　she　indicated　Champney　with
her　hammer；　〃when　he　isn't　talking　English；　seeing　English；
thinking　English；　dressing　English；　and　wondering　why　God　didn't
make　everything　English；　is　trying　to　do　the　same　for　HIS　folks。
Mr。　Champney；　Co'nnle　Courtland。　　Co'nnle　Courtland；　Mr。　Champney！〃
The　two　men　bowed　formally。　　〃And　now；　Co'nnle；　if　yo'll　come　down；
Mr。　Champney　will　show　yo'　round　the　fahm。　　When　yo'　've　got
through　yo'll　find　me　here　at　work。〃

Courtland　would　have　preferred；　and　half　looked　for　her　company
and　commentary　on　this　round　of　inspection；　but　he　concealed　his
disappointment　and　descended。　　It　did　not　exactly　please　him　that
Champney　seemed　relieved；　and　appeared　to　accept　him　as　a　bona　fide
stranger　who　could　not　possibly　interfere　with　any　confidential
relations　that　he　might　have　with　Miss　Sally。　　Nevertheless；　he　met
the　Englishman's　offer　to　accompany　him　with　polite　gratitude；　and
they　left　the　house　together。

In　less　than　an　hour　they　returned。　　It　had　not　even　taken　that
time　for　Courtland　to　discover　that　the　real　improvements　and　the
new　methods　had　originated　with　Miss　Sally；　that　she　was　virtually
the　controlling　influence　there；　and　that　she　was　probably　retarded
rather　than　assisted　by　the　old…fashioned　and　traditional
conservatism　of　the　company　of　which　Champney　was　steward。　　It　was
equally　plain；　however；　that　the　young　fellow　was　dimly　conscious
of　this；　and　was　frankly　communicative　about　it。

〃You　see；　over　there　they　work　things　in　a　different　way；　and；　by
Jove！　they　can't　understand　that　there　is　any　other；　don't　you
know？　　They're　always　wigging　me　as　if　I　could　help　it；　although
I've　tried　to　explain　the　nigger　business；　and　all　that；　don't　you
know？　　They　want　Miss　Dows　to　refer　her　plans　to　me；　and　expect　me
to　report　on　them；　and　then　they'll　submit　them　to　the　Board　and
wait　for　its　decision。　　Fancy　Miss　Dows　doing　that！　　But；　by　Jove！
they　can't　conceive　of　her　AT　ALL　over　there；　don't　you　know？〃

〃Which　Miss　Dows　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Courtland　dryly。

〃Miss　Sally；　of　course；〃　said　the　young　fellow　briskly。　　〃SHE
manages　everythingher　aunt　included。　　She　can　make　those　niggers
work　when　no　one　else　can；　a　word　or　smile　from　her　is　enough。　　She
can　make　terms　with　dealers　and　contractorsher　own　terms；　too
when　they　won't　look　at　MY　figures。　　By　Jove！　she　even　gets　points
out　of　those　traveling　agents　and　inventors；　don't　you　know；　who
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　a