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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…humored and sensible Miss Sally。 Courtland was quick to
see the value of this influence in the transition state of the
freedmen； and pointed it out to his principal。 Drummond's previous
doubts and skepticism； already weakened by Miss Sally's fascinations；
vanished entirely at this prospect of beneficially utilizing these
lingering evils of slavery。 He was convinced； he was even
enthusiastic。 The foreign investors were men to be bought out； the
estate improved and enlarged by the company； and the fair owners
retained in the management and control。 Like most prejudiced men；
Drummond's conversion was sudden and extreme； and； being a practical
man； was at once acted upon。 At a second and third interview the
preliminaries were arranged； and in three weeks from Courtland's
first visit； the Dows' plantation and part of Major Reed's were
merged in the 〃Drummond Syndicate；〃 and placed beyond financial
uncertainty。 Courtland remained to represent the company as
superintendent at Redlands； and with the transfer of the English
investments Champney retired； as he had suggested； to a smaller
venture of his own； on a plantation a few miles distant which the
company had been unable to secure。
During this interval Courtland had frequent interviews with Miss
Sally； and easy and unrestrained access to her presence。 He had
never again erred on the side of romance or emotion； he had never
again referred to the infelix letter and photograph； and； without
being obliged to confine himself strictly to business affairs； he
had maintained an even； quiet； neighborly intercourse with her。
Much of this was the result of his own self…control and soldierly
training； and gave little indication of the deeper feeling that he
was conscious lay beneath it。 At times he caught the young girl's
eyes fixed upon him with a mischievous curiosity。 A strange thrill
went through him； there are few situations so subtle and dangerous
as the accidental confidences and understandings of two young
people of opposite sex； even though the question of any sentimental
inclination be still in abeyance。 Courtland knew that Miss Sally
remembered the too serious attitude he had taken towards her past。
She might laugh at it； and even resent it； but she KNEW it；
remembered it； knew that HE did； and this precious knowledge was
confined to themselves。 It was in their minds when there was a
pause in their more practical and conventional conversation； and
was even revealed in the excessive care which Miss Sally later took
to avert at the right moment her mischievously smiling eyes。 Once
she went farther。 Courtland had just finished explaining to her a
plan for substituting small farm buildings for the usual half…
cultivated garden…patches dear to the negro field…hand； and had
laid down the drawings on the table in the office； when the young
lady； leaning against it with her hands behind her； fixed her
bright gray eyes on his serious face。
〃I vow and protest； co'nnle；〃 she said； dropping into one of the
quaint survivals of an old…time phraseology peculiar to her people；
〃I never allowed yo' could just give yo'self up to business； soul
and body； as yo' do； when I first met yo' that day。〃
〃Why； what did you think me？〃 he asked quickly。
Miss Sally； who had a Southern aptitude for gesture； took one
little hand from behind her； twirled it above her head with a
pretty air of disposing of some airy nothing in a presumably
masculine fashion； and said； 〃Oh； THAT。〃
〃I am afraid I did not impress you then as a very practical man；〃
he said； with a faint color。
〃I thought you roosted rather high； co'nnle； to pick up many worms
in the mo'ning。 But；〃 she added with a dazzling smile； 〃I reckon
from what yo' said about the photograph； yo' thought I wasn't
exactly what yo' believed I ought to be； either。〃
He would have liked to tell her then and there that he would have
been content if those bright； beautiful eyes had never kindled with
anything but love or womanly aspiration； that that soft； lazy；
caressing voice had never been lifted beyond the fireside or
domestic circle； that the sunny； tendriled hair and pink ears had
never inclined to anything but whispered admiration； and that the
graceful； lithe； erect figure； so independent and self…contained；
had been satisfied to lean only upon his arm for support。 He was
conscious that this had been in his mind when he first saw her； he
was equally conscious that she was more bewilderingly fascinating
to him in her present inaccessible intelligence and practicality。
〃I confess；〃 he said； looking into her eyes with a vague smile； 〃I
did not expect you would be so forgetful of some one who had
evidently cared for you。〃
〃Meaning Mr。 Chet Brooks； or Mr。 Joyce Masterton； or both。 That's
like most yo' men； co'nnle。 Yo' reckon because a girl pleases yo'
she ought to be grateful all her lifeand yo'rs； too！ Yo' think
different now！ But yo' needn't act up to it quite so much。〃 She
made a little deprecating gesture with her disengaged hand as if to
ward off any retaliating gallantry。 〃I ain't speaking for myself；
co'nnle。 Yo' and me are good enough friends。 But the girls round
here think yo' 're a trifle too much taken up with rice and
niggers。 And looking at it even in yo'r light； co'nnle； it ain't
BUSINESS。 Yo' want to keep straight with Major Reed； so it would
be just as well to square the major's woman folks。 Tavy and Gussie
Reed ain't exactly poisonous； co'nnle； and yo' might see one or the
other home from church next Sunday。 The Sunday after that； just to
show yo' ain't particular； and that yo' go in for being a regular
beau； yo' might walk home with ME。 Don't be frightenedI've got a
better gown than this。 It's a new one； just come home from
Louisville； and I'll wear it for the occasion。〃
He did not dare to say that the quaint frock she was then wearing
a plain 〃checked〃 household gingham used for children's pinafores；
with its ribbons of the same pattern； gathered in bows at the smart
apron pocketshad become a part of her beauty； for he was already
hopelessly conscious that she was lovely in anything； and he might
be impelled to say so。 He thanked her gravely and earnestly； but
without gallantry or effusion； and had the satisfaction of seeing
the mischief in her eyes increase in proportion to his seriousness；
and heard her say with affected concern： 〃Bear up； co'nnle！ Don't
let it worry yo' till the time comes；〃 and took his leave。
On the following Sunday he was present at the Redlands Episcopal
Church； and after the service stood with outward composure but some
inward chafing among the gallant youth who； after the local
fashion； had ranged themselves outside the doors of the building。
He was somewhat surprised to find Mr。 Champney； evidently as much
out of place as himself； but less self…contained； waiting in the
crowd of expectant cavaliers。 Although convinced that the young
Englishman had come only to see Miss Sally； he was glad to share
his awkward isolation with another stranger； and greeted him
pleasantly。 The Dow