sally dows-第12章
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bank； one little foot touching the road。 〃Yo' mustn't speak that
way to me；〃 she went on slowly； 〃because it's as much as yo'
company's wo'th； as much as OUR property's wo'th； as much maybe as
yo' life's wo'th！ Don't lift yo' comb； co'nnle； if you don't care
for THAT； others may。 Sit still； I tell yo'！ Well； yo' come here
from the No'th to run this property for moneythat's square and
fair business； THAT any fool here can understandit's No'th'n
style； it don't interfere with these fools' family affairs； it
don't bring into their blood any No'th'n taint； it don't divide
their clannishness； it don't separate father and son； sister and
brother； and even if yo' got a foothold here and settled down； they
know they can always outvote yo' five to one！ But let these same
fools know that yo' 're courtin' a So'th'n girl known to be 'Union'
during the wah； that girl who has laughed at their foolishness； let
them even THINK that he wants that girl to mix up the family and
the race and the property for him； and there ain't a young or old
fool that believes in So'th'n isolation as the price of So'th'n
salvation that wouldn't rise against yo'！ There isn't one that
wouldn't make shipwreck of yo'r syndicate and yo'r capital and the
prosperity of Redlands for the next four years to come； and think
they were doing right！ They began to suspect yo' from the first！
They suspected yo' when yo' never went anywhere； but stuck close to
the fahm and me。 That's why I wanted yo' to show yourself among
the girls； they wouldn't have minded yo' flirting with them with
the chance of yo' breaking yo' heart over Tave Reed or Lympy
Morris！ They're fools enough to believe that a snub or a jilt from
a So'th'n girl would pay them back for a lost battle or a ruined
plantation！〃
For the first time Miss Sally saw Courtland's calm blood fly to his
cheek and kindle in his eye。 〃You surely do not expect ME to
tolerate this blind and insolent interference！〃 he said； rising to
his feet。
She lifted her ungloved hand in deprecation。 〃Sit still； co'nnle。
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
