sally dows-第7章
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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 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…humor
