The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-10-23
CHAPTER IV-CoNr1NuEp.

fainteSt air OF color and a half laughing,
half superior disapprobatioa. When he
had finished she uttered plaintive little
sigh. "Yo' oughtn't to have said that,
cun'ei, but yO' and NE are too good friends
to let even that stand between US. And to
prove it 10 20 Pm going to forget it right
away, and SO are yO'."
but I cannot" be said quickly, ''if
could ] should be unworthy of even your
friendship. IL you must reject 1t do not
make me feel the shame Of thinking you
believe me capable of wanton tritling. l
know that this av0wal is abrupt to you. but
II isnot to me. You have known me only
for three months, but these three months
have been to me the realization Of three
years dreamingp AS she remained look
ing at him with bright. curious eyes, but
still shaking her fair head distTessedly, he
moved nearer and caught her hand in the
little pale lilac thread glove that was never
theless too wide for her small fingers, and
said appealingly: but why should you for
get it? Why must 1t be forbidden topic?
What is the barrier? Are you DO longer
free? Speak. Miss Dows-give me some
hope Miss BOWS ?-Sally?"
She had drawn herself away distressed,
protesting. her fair head turned aside. until
with a slight twist and narrowing of her
hand she succeeded in slipping it from the
glove which she left prisoner in his eager
clasp. There! Yo' can keep the glove,
eun'el," she said. breathing quickly. 'Sit
down! This is not the place nor the weather
for huskIng frolicsl Well yO' want to know
why yo' mustn't speak to me In that way.
Be still and I'll tell yo'."
She smoothed down the folds Of her
frocB, sitting sideways on the bank, one lit
tie foot touching the road. "Yo' mustn't
speak that way to me" she went on
slowly, because it's as much as yo' CON-
panY's wo'th, as much as our property 5
wo'th. as much maybe as yo' LIES wO'th.
Don't lift yo' comb. eun'el. II y0' don't,
care for that others may. Sit still, / tell yo'.
Well, yo' come bere from the Moth TO run
this property for money-thats square and
fair business that any fool here can under
stand. It's NO'thn style; Ii don't interiors
with these fools family affairs; it don't
bring into their blood any Moth n faint; it
don't divide their clannishness; it don't
separate father and SOD, sister and brother;
and even if yo' got foothOld here and set
tied down they know they can always out
vote yo' FIVE to one. But let these same
fools know that yo're couTtin'
So'th'n girl known to be Union
during the wah. that girl who has laughed
at their foOlishness; let him even think
that he wants that girl To mix up the family
and me race and the property for him. and
there amt young or old fool that believes
In S0'th'n isolation as the price OF S0'th'
salvation that wouldn't rise against vol
There isn't one that wouldn't make ship
wreck of yO'r syndicate and yO'r capital and
the property 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 farm
and me- That's why wanted yoG to show
yourself among the girls. They wouldn't
have minded yO' flirting with them with the
chance Of yo' breaking y0' heart over Tsye
Reed or Lympy Morris. They're fools
enough TO believe that snub or lilt from
a So'th'n girl would pay them hack Tor
lost battle or a ruined plantation"
For the first time Miss Sally saw Court
lands calm blood fly to his cheek and kin
die in his eve. You surely do not expect
me to tolerate this blind and insolent inter-
ference" be said. rising to bis feet
She lifted hel uDglOVed hand IN depreca-
ton. "Sit still, cun'el. YO've been SOL
der and yo' know what duty is. Well,
what's yo' duty TO yo' company"
at neither includes my private affairs
nor regulates the beating Of my heart. /
will resign"
"ADd leave me and Aunt MIRANDA ana
the plantation ?"
mo. The company will find another SUI
perintendent to look after your aunts
affairs aud carry out our plans. And you,
Sally-yOu will let me find you home and
fortune North? There is work for me
thera-there is room for you among my peo-
pie"
She shook her head slowly, with sweet
but superior smile. mo, cun'el. | didn't
believe in the wRh. but tie least could do
was to stand by my folks and share the
punishment that | knew was coming from
II. ] despise this foolishnesS as much as
Coma
cun'el. wont ask yo' to forget this, and
yo'-FH believe yo' meant il. but yo'n
promise me- yO' won't speak OF II again as
long as yo' are with the company and Aunt
Miranda and me- There mustn't be more
there mustn't even seem to be moIe-be-
"But then may hope?" he said. eagerly
graspng her hand.
81 promise nothing-for yO' must not even
have that excuse for speaking OF this again,
either from anything do or may seem TO
DO. She stopped. released her hand, as her
eyes were suddenly fixed on the distanre.
Then she said with a slight smile, but
without the least embarrassment or impa-
thence: There's Mr.. Champney coming
here now. l reckon he's looking to see II
that wreath is safe"
CORTLAND looked up quickly. He could
see the straw hat of the young Englishman
lust above the myrtle bushes in path in
terseetiug the avenue. faint shadow
crossed his face.
LET me know one thing more" he said
hurriedly. II know have no right to ask
the question - but has = has has Mr..
Champney anything to do with your de-
cisI0nP
She smiled brightly. "Yo' asked just now
IL yo' could have the same chance as he and
Chef Brooks had. Well, pooh Chef Is dead
dead and Mr.. Champney-well-wait and
see" She lifted her voice and called. Mr..
I'LL mi
briskly toward them; his face betrayed a
slight surprise, but no dis omhture. as ne
recognized her companion.
"Oh, Mr. Champney." said Miss Sally,
paintively, "Pve lost my glove somewhere
near pooh Brooks tomb in the hollow.
Wont you 60 and fetch 1t. and come bach
here TO take me home? The scun'el has got
TO 20 ana see his sick nlggers in the hos
pital." Champney lifted his hat, nodded
genially to CORTLAND, and disappeared be-
low the expresses on the slope. ~ o.
mustn't be mad" she said, turning In ex-
PLANTATION to her companion put we nave
been here too long already, and it's better
that should be seen coming home with him
han yo'."
"Then this sectional interference does
not touch him? ?" said CORTLAND, bitterly.
No. He's an EDglishman; his father was
known friend of the Confederacy ana
bought their cotton bonds.
She stopped, gazed into Courtland's face
with pretty but vague Impotence and a
slight pouting Of her lips.
''Cun'el?"
Miss Sally"
"Yo' say yo' had known me for three
years before w saw me. Well. we met once
before we ever spoke to each other"
Courtland looked in heF laughing eyes
with admiring wonder.
"When?" he asked.
1.-THE first day 80 camel 70 moved the
ladder when / was on the cornice and
walked on yo' head. And like a gentle
man. yo' never said a word about it. l
reckon / stood on yo' head for five minutes.
Not as long as that" said CORTLAND,
laughing, ''if remember rightly"
YES" said Miss Sally with dancing eyes.
81, So'th'n girl, actually set my fout on
the head of No'th'n scum of q cun'cl,
MyP
''Let that satisfy your friends, then"
mol l want to apologize. Sit down,
eun'el"