sally dows-第6节

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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