People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-07-21

y
given yo'self away For if 20 have
those soldiers down here, yo'1 have a
row, sure! Don't move, connie, you
may not care for that-it's in y0ur line.
But folks will say that the soldiers
weren't sent to prevent ri0tirg, but
that Connie CORTLAND was using his
old comrades to keep order on his
property at gov'ment expense. Hol'
on. Hol on! connie" said the little
figure, rising and waving its pretty
arms with a mischievous stimulation of
terrified depreciation. Don't shoot.
Of course yo' didn't mean that but
that's about the way that so'th'n men
will put it to yo'r government. For"
she continued, more gently yet, with
the shrewdest twinkle in her gray
eyes, ''if yo' really thought the niggers
might need federal protection, yo'd
have let me write to the commandant to
send an escort-not to 90 but to Cato
that he might be able to come back in
safety. Yo'd have had yo'r soldiers;
I'd have had back my nigger-which"
(demurely) 'yo' don't seem to worry
yo'self much about, co'nnle;-and there
isn't so'th'n man would have object
ed. But" still more demurely, and af-
fcctedly smoothing out her crisp skirt
with her little hands, ''yo' haven't been
troubling me much with yo'r counsel
lately"
A swift and utterly new comprehen-
sion swept over CORTLAND. For the
first time in his knowledge of her he
had suddenly grasped what was per-
haps the true conception of her char
acter! Looking at her clearly now he
understood the meaning of those plant
graces, so unaffected and yet always
controlled by the reasoning of an I'M
biased intellect; her frank speech and
plausible intonations. Before him stood
the true-born daughter of long race
of politicians! All that he had heard of
their dexterity, tact and eXpediency rose
here incarnate, with the added grace of
womanhood. A quick sense of relief
perhaps a dawning of hope-rushed
upon him.
But now will this insure Cato's
safety hereafter, or give protection to
the o.hers?" he said, fixing his eyes
upon her
The future won't concern 70 much,
connie, if, as yo' say here yJur resig-
nation is sent in, and your successor APP
pointed" she replied, with more gray
ity than she had previously shown.
But you do not think | will leave yoE
in this uncertainty" he said, passion
ately. He stopped suddenly. His brow
darkened. Il forgot" he added, coldly,
you will be well protected. Your
cOusia-will give you the counsel of race
-and-closer ties"
To his infinite establishment Miss
Sally leaned forward in her chair and
buried her laughing face in both her
hands. When her dimples became again
visible, she said, with an effort: Don't
yo' think, connie, that as a peacemaker
my cousin was even a bigger failure
than yoself?"
Il don't understand" stammered
CORTLAND.
Don't yo' think, she continued, wip-
ing her eyes demurely, that if a young
woman, about my size, who had got
perfectly tired and sick of all this
fuss made about yo' because yo' were
no'th'n man managing niggers,
if that young woman wanted to show
her people what sort of radical and
abOlitionist a SO'th'a man of their own
sort might become, she'd have sent for
Jack Dumont as sample? Eth? Only,
/ declare to goodness! Inever reckoned
that he and Higbee would revive that
tom-fooling of the vendetta, and take
to shootin' each other at once"
And your sending for your cousin
was only feint to protect me" said
CORTLAND, family.
Perhaps he didn't have to be sent
for, connie she said, with a slight
touch of cOquctry. Suppose we say
let him come. He'd been hanging round,
for he has property here and wanted to
get me to take it up with mine in the
company. knew what his new views
and ideas were, and thought I'd bet
ter consult Champney, who, being for
eigner, and an older resident than yo',
was quite neutral. He didn't happen
to tell go, connie, anything about it,
did he?" she added, with a grave mouth
but an indescribable twinkle in her
eyes.
Courtland's face darkened. "He did
and he further told me, Miss Bows,
that he, himself, was your sutton, and
that you had refused him because of the
objections of your people"
She raised her eyes to his swiftly and
dropped them.
"And you think ought to have ac-
cepted him?" she said, slowly.
mol but-you know-you told me"
he began, hurriedly, but she had already
risen. and was shaking out the folds of
her dress.
"We're not talking business, connie
and business was my only excuse for
coming here and taking Sophy's place.
I'll send her in to yo' now"
But, Miss Dows.-MiSs Sally!'
She stopped hesitated-a singular
weakness for so self-contained nature
and then slowly produced from her
pocket a second letter-the one that
CORTLAND had directed to the company.
Il didn't read this letter, as just told
yo', connie, for l reckon know what's
- 4 Al II