sally dows-第7节

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Courtland　took　it　with　the　sickening　consciousness　that　for　the
last　five　minutes　he　had　been　an　unconscionable　ass。　　He　could　not
prolong　the　interview　after　she　had　so　significantly　risen。　　If　he
had　only　taken　his　leave　and　kept　the　letter　and　locket　for　a　later
visit；　perhaps　when　they　were　older　friends！　　It　was　too　late　now。
He　bent　over　her　hand　for　a　moment；　again　thanked　her　for　her
courtesy；　and　withdrew。　　A　moment　later　she　heard　the　receding　beat
of　his　horse's　hoofs　on　the　road。

She　opened　the　drawer　of　a　brass…handled　cabinet；　and　after　a
moment's　critical　survey　of　her　picture　in　the　dead　man's　locket；
tossed　it　and　the　letter　into　the　recesses　of　the　drawer。　　Then　she
stopped；　removed　her　little　slipper　from　her　foot；　looked　at　THAT；
too；　thoughtfully；　and　called　〃Sophy！〃

〃Miss　Sally？〃　said　the　girl；　reappearing　at　the　door。

〃Are　you　sure　you　did　not　move　that　ladder？〃

〃I　'clare　to　goodness；　Miss　Sally；　I　never　teched　it！〃

Miss　Sally　directed　a　critical　glance　at　her　handmaiden's　red…
coifed　head。　　〃No；〃　she　said　to　herself　softly；　〃it　felt　nicer　than
wool；　anyway！〃


CHAPTER　III。


In　spite　of　the　awkward　termination　of　his　visit；or　perhaps
BECAUSE　of　it；Courtland　called　again　at　the　plantation　within　the
week。　　But　this　time　he　was　accompanied　by　Drummond；　and　was
received　by　Miss　Miranda　Dows；　a　tall；　aquiline…nosed　spinster　of
fifty；　whose　old…time　politeness　had　become　slightly　affected；　and
whose　old　beliefs　had　given　way　to　a　half…cynical　acceptance　of　new
facts。　　Mr。　Drummond；　delighted　with　the　farm　and　its　management；
was　no　less　fascinated　by　Miss　Sally；　while　Courtland　was　now
discreet　enough　to　divide　his　attentions　between　her　and　her　aunt；
with　the　result　that　he　was　far　from　participating　in　Champney's
conviction　of　Miss　Miranda's　unimportance。　　To　the　freedmen　she
still　represented　the　old　implacable　task…mistress；　and　it　was
evident　that　they　superstitiously　believed　that　she　still　retained
a　vague　power　of　overriding　the　Fourteenth　Amendment　at　her
pleasure；　and　was　only　to　be　restrained　by　the　mediation　of　the
good…humored　and　sensible　Miss　Sally。　　Courtland　was　quick　to
see　the　value　of　this　influence　in　the　transition　state　of　the
freedmen；　and　pointed　it　out　to　his　principal。　　Drummond's　previous
doubts　and　skepticism；　already　weakened　by　Miss　Sally's　fascinations；
vanished　entirely　at　this　prospect　of　beneficially　utilizing　these
lingering　evils　of　slavery。　　He　was　convinced；　he　was　even
enthusiastic。　　The　foreign　investors　were　men　to　be　bought　out；　the
estate　improved　and　enlarged　by　the　company；　and　the　fair　owners
retained　in　the　management　and　control。　　Like　most　prejudiced　men；
Drummond's　conversion　was　sudden　and　extreme；　and；　being　a　practical
man；　was　at　once　acted　upon。　　At　a　second　and　third　interview　the
preliminaries　were　arranged；　and　in　three　weeks　from　Courtland's
first　visit；　the　Dows'　plantation　and　part　of　Major　Reed's　were
merged　in　the　〃Drummond　Syndicate；〃　and　placed　beyond　financial
uncertainty。　　Courtland　remained　to　represent　the　company　as
superintendent　at　Redlands；　and　with　the　transfer　of　the　English
investments　Champney　retired；　as　he　had　suggested；　to　a　smaller
venture　of　his　own；　on　a　plantation　a　few　miles　distant　which　the
company　had　been　unable　to　secure。

During　this　interval　Courtland　had　frequent　interviews　with　Miss
Sally；　and　easy　and　unrestrained　access　to　her　presence。　　He　had
never　again　erred　on　the　side　of　romance　or　emotion；　he　had　never
again　referred　to　the　infelix　letter　and　photograph；　and；　without
being　obliged　to　confine　himself　strictly　to　business　affairs；　he
had　maintained　an　even；　quiet；　neighborly　intercourse　with　her。
Much　of　this　was　the　result　of　his　own　self…control　and　soldierly
training；　and　gave　little　indication　of　the　deeper　feeling　that　he
was　conscious　lay　beneath　it。　　At　times　he　caught　the　young　girl's
eyes　fixed　upon　him　with　a　mischievous　curiosity。　　A　strange　thrill
went　through　him；　there　are　few　situations　so　subtle　and　dangerous
as　the　accidental　confidences　and　understandings　of　two　young
people　of　opposite　sex；　even　though　the　question　of　any　sentimental
inclination　be　still　in　abeyance。　　Courtland　knew　that　Miss　Sally
remembered　the　too　serious　attitude　he　had　taken　towards　her　past。
She　might　laugh　at　it；　and　even　resent　it；　but　she　KNEW　it；
remembered　it；　knew　that　HE　did；　and　this　precious　knowledge　was
confined　to　themselves。　　It　was　in　their　minds　when　there　was　a
pause　in　their　more　practical　and　conventional　conversation；　and
was　even　revealed　in　the　excessive　care　which　Miss　Sally　later　took
to　avert　at　the　right　moment　her　mischievously　smiling　eyes。　　Once
she　went　farther。　　Courtland　had　just　finished　explaining　to　her　a
plan　for　substituting　small　farm　buildings　for　the　usual　half…
cultivated　garden…patches　dear　to　the　negro　field…hand；　and　had
laid　down　the　drawings　on　the　table　in　the　office；　when　the　young
lady；　leaning　against　it　with　her　hands　behind　her；　fixed　her
bright　gray　eyes　on　his　serious　face。

〃I　vow　and　protest；　co'nnle；〃　she　said；　dropping　into　one　of　the
quaint　survivals　of　an　old…time　phraseology　peculiar　to　her　people；
〃I　never　allowed　yo'　could　just　give　yo'self　up　to　business；　soul
and　body；　as　yo'　do；　when　I　first　met　yo'　that　day。〃

〃Why；　what　did　you　think　me？〃　he　asked　quickly。

Miss　Sally；　who　had　a　Southern　aptitude　for　gesture；　took　one
little　hand　from　behind　her；　twirled　it　above　her　head　with　a
pretty　air　of　disposing　of　some　airy　nothing　in　a　presumably
masculine　fashion；　and　said；　〃Oh；　THAT。〃

〃I　am　afraid　I　did　not　impress　you　then　as　a　very　practical　man；〃
he　said；　with　a　faint　color。

〃I　thought　you　roosted　rather　high；　co'nnle；　to　pick　up　many　worms
in　the　mo'ning。　　But；〃　she　added　with　a　dazzling　smile；　〃I　reckon
from　what　yo'　said　about　the　photograph；　yo'　thought　I　wasn't
exactly　what　yo'　believed　I　ought　to　be；　either。〃

He　would　have　liked　to　tell　her　then　and　there　that　he　would　have
been　content　if　those　bright；　beautiful　eyes　had　never　kindled　with
anything　but　love　or　womanly　aspiration；　that　that　soft；　lazy；
caressing　voice　had　never　been　lifted　beyond　the　fireside　or
domestic　circle；　that　the　sunny；　tendriled　hair　and　pink　ears　had
never　inclined　to　anything　but　whispered　admiration；　and　that　the
graceful；　lithe；　erect　figure；　so　independent　and　self…contained；
had　been　satisfied　to　lean　only　upon　his　arm　for　support。　　He　was
conscious　that　this　had　been　in　his　mind　when　he　first　saw　her；　he
was　equally　conscious　that　she　was　more　bewilderingly　fascinating
to　him　in　her　present　inaccessible　intelligence　and　practicality。

〃I　confess；〃　he　said；　looking　into　her　eyes　with　a　vague　smile；　〃I
did　not　expect　you　would　be　so　forgetful　of　some　one　who　had
evidently　cared　for　you。〃

〃Meaning　Mr。　Chet　Brooks；　or　Mr。　Joyce　Masterton；　or　both。　　That's
like　most　yo'　men；　co'nnle。　　Yo'　reckon　because　a　girl　pleases　yo'
she　ought　to　be　grateful　all　her　lifeand　yo'rs；　too！　　Yo'　think
different　now！　　But　yo'　needn't　act　up　to　it　quite　so　much。〃　　She
made　a　little　deprecating　gesture　with　her　disengaged　hand　as　if　to
ward　off　any　retaliating　gallantry。　　〃I　ain't　speaking　for　myself；
co'nnle。　　Yo'　and　me　are　good　enough　friends。　　But　the　girls　round
here　think　yo'　're　a　trifle　too　much　taken　up　with　rice　and
niggers。　　And　looking　at　it　even　in　yo'r　light；　co'nnle；　it　ain't
BUSINESS。　　Yo'　want　to　keep　straight　with　Major　Reed；　so　it　would
be　just　as　well　to　square　the　major's　woman　folks。　　Tavy　and　Gussie
Reed　ain't　exactly　poisonous；　co'nnle；　and　yo'　might　see　one　or　the
other　home　from　church　next　Sunday。　　The　Sunday　after　that；　just　to
show　yo'　ain't　particular；　and　that　yo'　go　in　for　being　a　regular
beau；　yo'　might　walk　home　with　ME。　　Don't　be　frightenedI've　got　a
better　gown　than　this。　　It's　a　new　one；　just　come　home　from
Louisville；　and　I'll　wear　it　for　the　occasion。〃

He　did　not　dare　to　say　that　the　quaint　frock　she　was　then　wearing
a　plain　〃checked〃　household　gingham　used　for　children's　pinafores；
with　its　ribbons　of　the　same　pattern；　gathered　in　bows　at　the　smart
apron　pocketshad　become　a　part　of　her　beauty；　for　he　was　already
hopelessly　conscious　that　she　was　lovely　in　anything；　and　he　might
be　impelled　to　say　so。　　He　thanked　her　gravely　and　earnestly；　but
without　gallantry　or　effusion；　and　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing
the　mischief　in　her　eyes　increase　in　proportion　to　his　seriousness；
and　heard　her　say　with　affected　concern：　〃Bear　up；　co'nnle！　　Don't
let　it　worry　yo'　till　the　time　comes；〃　and　took　his　leave。

On　the　following　Sunday　he　was　present　at　the　Redlands　Episcopal
Church；　and　after　the　service　stood　with　outward　composure　but　some
inward　chafing　among　the　gallant　youth　who；　after　the　local
fashion；　had　ranged　themselves　outside　the　doors　of　the　building。
He　was　somewhat　surprised　to　find　Mr。　Champney；　evidently　as　much
out　of　place　as　himself；　but　less　self…contained；　waiting　in　the
crowd　of　expectant　cavaliers。　　Although　convinced　that　the　young
Englishman　had　come　only　to　see　Miss　Sally；　he　was　glad　to　share
his　awkward　isolation　with　another　stranger；　and　greeted　him
pleasantly。　　The　Dow