sally dows-第13章

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usual　hesitation　of　his　manner　seemed　to　have　increased。　　A　long
sigh　trilled　the　limp　leaves　of　the　ailantus　and　as　quickly
subsided。　　A　few　heavy　perpendicular　raindrops　crashed　and
spattered　through　the　foliage　like　molten　lead。

〃You've　just　escaped　the　shower；〃　said　Courtland　pleasantly。　　He
had　not　seen　Champney　since　they　parted　in　the　cemetery　six　weeks
before。

〃Yes！II　thought　I'd　like　to　have　a　little　talk　with　you；
Courtland；〃　said　Champney。　　He　hesitated　a　moment　before　the
proffered　chair；　and　then　added；　with　a　cautious　glance　towards　the
street；　〃Hadn't　we　better　go　inside？〃

〃As　you　like。　　But　you'll　find　it　wofully　hot。　　We're　quite　alone
here；　there's　nobody　in　the　house；　and　this　shower　will　drive　any
loungers　from　the　street。〃　　He　was　quite　frank；　although　their
relations　to　each　other　in　regard　to　Miss　Sally　were　still　so
undefined　as　to　scarcely　invite　his　confidence。

Howbeit　Champney　took　the　proffered　chair　and　the　glass　of　julep
which　Courtland　brought　him。

〃You　remember　my　speaking　to　you　of　Dumont？〃　he　said　hesitatingly；
〃Miss　Dows'　French　cousin；　you　know？　　Wellhe's　coming　here：　he's
got　property　herethose　three　houses　opposite　the　Court　House。
From　what　I　hear；　he's　come　over　with　a　lot　of　new…fangled　French
ideas　on　the　nigger　questionrot　about　equality　and　fraternity；
don't　you　knowand　the　highest　education　and　highest　offices　for
them。　　You　know　what　the　feeling　is　here　already？　　You　know　what
happened　at　the　last　election　at　Coolidgevillehow　the　whites
wouldn't　let　the　niggers　go　to　the　polls　and　the　jolly　row　that　was
kicked　up　over　it？　　Well；　it　looks　as　if　that　sort　of　thing　might
happen　HERE；　don't　you　know；　if　Miss　Dows　takes　up　these　ideas。〃

〃But　I've　reason　to　supposeI　mean；〃　said　Courtland　correcting
himself　with　some　deliberation；　〃that　any　one　who　knows　Miss　Dows'
opinions　knows　that　these　are　not　her　views。　　Why　should　she　take
them　up？〃

〃Because　she　takes　HIM　up；〃　returned　Champney　hurriedly；　〃and　even
if　she　didn't　believe　in　them　herself；　she'd　have　to　share　the
responsibility　with　him　in　the　eyes　of　every　unreconstructed　rowdy
like　Tom　Higbee　and　the　rest　of　them。　　They'd　make　short　work　of
her　niggers　all　the　same。〃

〃But　I　don't　see　why　she　should　be　made　responsible　for　the
opinions　of　her　cousin；　nor　do　I　exactly　knew　what　'taking　him　up'
means；〃　returned　Courtland　quietly。

Champney　moistened　his　dry　lips　with　the　julep　and　uttered　a
nervous　laugh。　　〃Suppose　we　say　her　husbandfor　that's　what　his
coming　back　here　means。　　Everybody　knows　that；　you　would；　too；　if
you　ever　talked　with　her　about　anything　but　business。〃

A　bright　flash　of　lightning　that　lit　up　the　faces　of　the　two　men
would　have　revealed　Champney's　flushed　features　and　Courtland's
lack　of　color　had　they　been　looking　at　each　other。　　But　they　were
not；　and　the　long　reverberating　crash　of　thunder　which　followed
prevented　any　audible　reply　from　Courtland；　and　covered　his
agitation。

For　without　fully　accepting　Champney's　conclusions　he　was　cruelly
shocked　at　the　young　man's　utterance　of　them。　　He　had　scrupulously
respected　the　wishes　of　Miss　Sally　and　had　faithfullyalthough
never　hopelesslyheld　back　any　expression　of　his　own　love　since
their　conversation　in　the　cemetery。　　But　while　his　native
truthfulness　and　sense　of　honor　had　overlooked　the　seeming
insincerity　of　her　attitude　towards　Champney；　he　had　never
justified　his　own　tacit　participation　in　it；　and　the　concealment　of
his　own　pretensions　before　his　possible　rival。　　It　was　true　that
she　had　forbidden　him　to　openly　enter　the　lists　with　her　admirers；
but　Champney's　innocent　assumption　of　his　indifference　to　her　and
his　consequent　half　confidences　added　poignancy　to　his　story。
There　seemed　to　be　only　one　way　to　extricate　himself；　and　that　was
by　a　quarrel。　　Whether　he　did　or　did　not　believe　Champney's　story；
whether　it　was　only　the　jealous　exaggeration　of　a　rival；　or　Miss
Sally　was　actually　deceiving　them　both；　his　position　had　become
intolerable。

〃I　must　remind　you；　Champney；〃　he　said；　with　freezing　deliberation；
〃that　Miss　Miranda　Dows　and　her　niece　now　represent　the　Drummond
Company　equally　with　myself；　and　that　you　cannot　expect　me　to
listen　to　any　reflections　upon　the　way　they　choose　to　administer
their　part　in　its　affairs；　either　now；　or　to　come。　　Still　less　do　I
care　to　discuss　the　idle　gossip　which　can　affect　only　the　PRIVATE
interests　of　these　ladies；　with　which　neither　you　nor　I　have　any
right　to　interfere。〃

But　the　naivete　of　the　young　Englishman　was　as　invincible　as　Miss
Sally's　own；　and　as　fatal　to　Courtland's　attitude。　　〃Of　course　I
haven't　any　RIGHT；　you　know；〃　he　said；　calmly　ignoring　the　severe
preamble　of　his　companion's　speech；　〃but　I　say！　hang　it　all！　even
if　a　fellow　has　no　chance　HIMSELF；　he　don't　like　to　see　a　girl
throw　herself　and　her　property　away　on　a　man　like　that。〃

〃One　moment；　Champney；〃　said　Courtland；　under　the　infection　of　his
guest's　simplicity；　abandoning　his　former　superior　attitude。　　〃You
say　you　have　no　chance。　　Do　you　want　me　to　understand　that　you　are
regularly　a　suitor　of　Miss　Dows？〃

〃Y…e…e…s；〃　said　the　young　fellow；　but　with　the　hesitation　of
conscientiousness　rather　than　evasion。　　〃That　isyou　know　I　WAS。
But　don't　you　see；　it　couldn't　be。　　It　wouldn't　do；　you　know。　　If
those　clannish　neighbors　of　hersthat　Southern　setsuspected　that
Miss　Sally　was　courted　by　an　Englishman；　don't　you　knowa　poacher
on　their　preservesit　would　be　all　up　with　her　position　on　the
property　and　her　influence　over　them。　　I　don't　mind　telling　you
that's　one　reason　why　I　left　the　company　and　took　that　other
plantation。　　But　even　that　didn't　work；　they　had　their　suspicions
excited　already。〃

〃Did　Miss　Dows　give　that　as　a　reason　for　declining　your　suit？〃
asked　Courtland　slowly。

〃Yes。　　You　know　what　a　straightforward　girl　she　is。　　She　didn't
come　no　rot　about　'not　expecting　anything　of　the　kind；'　or　about
'being　a　sister　to　me；'　and　all　that；　for；　by　Jove！　she's　always
more　like　a　fellow's　sister；　don't　you　know；　than　his　girl。　　Of
course；　it　was　hard　lines　for　me；　but　I　suppose　she　was　about
right。〃　　He　stopped；　and　then　added　with　a　kind　of　gentle
persistency：　〃YOU　think　she　was　about　right；　don't　you？〃

With　what　was　passing　in　Courtland's　mind　the　question　seemed　so
bitterly　ironical　that　at　first　he　leaned　half　angrily　forward；　in
an　unconscious　attempt　to　catch　the　speaker's　expression　in　the
darkness。　　〃I　should　hardly　venture　to　give　an　opinion；〃　he　said；
after　a　pause。　　〃Miss　Dows'　relations　with　her　neighbors　are　so
very　peculiar。　　And　from　what　you　tell　me　of　her　cousin　it　would
seem　that　her　desire　to　placate　them　is　not　always　to　be　depended
upon。〃

〃I'm　not　finding　fault　with　HER；　you　know；〃　said　Champney　hastily。
〃I'm　not　such　a　beastly　cad　as　that；　I　wouldn't　have　spoken　of　my
affairs　at　all；　but　you　asked；　you　know。　　I　only　thought；　if　she
was　going　to　get　herself　into　trouble　on　account　of　that　Frenchman；
you　might　talk　to　hershe'd　listen　to　you；　because　she'd　know　you
only　did　it　out　of　business　reasons。　　And　they're　really　business
reasons；　you　know。　　I　suppose　you　don't　think　much　of　my　business
capacity；　colonel；　and　you　wouldn't　go　much　on　my　judgment
especially　now；　but　I've　been　here　longer　than　you　and〃he　lowered
his　voice　slightly　and　dragged　his　chair　nearer　Courtland〃I　don't
like　the　looks　of　things　here。　　There's　some　devilment　plotting
among　those　rascals。　　They're　only　awaiting　an　opportunity；　a
single　flash　would　be　enough　to　set　them　in　a　blaze；　even　if　the
fire　wasn't　lit　and　smouldering　already　like　a　spark　in　a　bale　of
cotton。　　I'd　cut　the　whole　thing　and　clear　out　if　I　didn't　think　it
would　make　it　harder　for　Miss　Dows；　who　would　be　left　alone。〃

〃You're　a　good　fellow；　Champney；〃　said　Courtland；　laying　his　hand
on　the　young　man's　shoulder　with　a　sudden　impulse；　〃and　I　forgive
you　for　overlooking　any　concern　that　I　might　have。　　Indeed；〃　he
added；　with　an　odd　seriousness　and　a　half　sigh；　〃it's　not　strange
that　you　should。　　But　I　must　remind　you　that　the　Dowses　are
strictly　the　agents　and　tenants　of　the　company　I　represent；　and
that　their　rights　and　property　under　th