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Maw popped in； and that I skedaddled to join Masters。 Of course；〃
she added quickly； tightening her hold of the master as he made a
sudden attempt at withdrawal； 〃I didn't let on to Masters WHY I
wanted him to promise； or that you were there。〃
〃Cressy；〃 said Ford； irritated beyond measure； 〃are you mad； or do
you think I am？〃
The girl's face changed。 She cast a half frightened； half
questioning glance at his eyes and then around the darkening aisle。
〃If we're going to quarrel； Jack；〃 she said hurriedly； 〃don't let's
do it BEFORE FOLKS。〃
〃In the name of Heaven；〃 he said； following her eyes indignantly；
〃what do you mean？〃
〃I mean；〃 she said； with a slight shiver of resignation and scorn；
〃if youoh dear！ if IT'S ALL going to be like THEM； let's keep it
to ourselves。〃
He gazed at her in hopeless bewilderment。 Did she really mean that
she was more frightened at the possible revelation of their
disagreement than of their intimacy？
〃Come；〃 she continued tenderly； still glancing； however； uneasily
around her； 〃come！ We'll be more comfortable in the hollow。 It's
only a step。〃 Still holding him by her braid she half led； half
dragged him away。 To the right was one of those sudden depressions
in the ground caused by the subsidence of the earth from hidden
springs and the uprooting of one or two of the larger trees。 When
she had forced him down this declivity below the level of the
needle…strewn forest floor； she seated him upon a mossy root； and
shaking out her skirts in a half childlike； half coquettish way；
comfortably seated herself in his lap； with her arm supplementing
the clinging braid around his neck。
〃Now hark to me； and don't holler so loud；〃 she said turning his
face to her questioning eyes。 〃What's gone of you anyway； nigger
boy？〃 It should be premised that Cressy's terms of endearment were
mainly negro…dialectical； reminiscences of her brief babyhood； her
slave…nurse； and the only playmates she had ever known。
Still implacable； the master coldly repeated the counts of his
indictment against the girl's strange indifference and still
stranger entanglements； winding up by setting forth the whole story
of his interview with her mother； his forced defence of the barn；
Seth's outspoken accusation； and their silent and furious struggle
in the loft。 But if he had expected that this daughter of a
Southwestern fighter would betray any enthusiasm over her lover's
participation in one of their characteristic feudsif he looked
for any fond praise for his own prowess； he was bitterly mistaken。
She loosened her arm from his neck of her own accord； unwound the
braid； and putting her two little hands clasped between her knees；
crossed her small feet before her； and； albeit still in his lap；
looked the picture of languid dejection。
〃Maw ought to have more sense； and you ought to have lit out of the
window after me；〃 she said with a lazy sigh。 〃Fightin' ain't in
your lineit's too much like THEM。 That Seth's sure to get even
with you。〃
〃I can protect myself；〃 he said haughtily。 Nevertheless he had a
depressing consciousness that his lithe and graceful burden was
somewhat in the way of any heroic expression。
〃Seth can lick you out of your boots； chile；〃 she said with naive
abstraction。 Then； as he struggled to secure an upright position；
〃Don't git riled； honey。 Of course you'd let them kill you before
YOU'D give in。 But that's their best holtthat's their trade！
That's all they can dodon't you see？ That's where YOU'RE not
like THEMthat's why you're not their low down kind！ That's why
you're my boythat's why I love you！〃
She had thrown her whole weight again upon his shoulders until she
had forced him back to his seat。 Then； with her locked hands again
around his neck； she looked intently into his face。 The varying
color dropped from her cheeks； her eyes seemed to grow larger； the
same look of rapt absorption and possession that had so transfigured
her young face at the ball was fixed upon it now。 Her lips parted
slightly； she seemed to murmur rather than speak：
〃What are these people to us？ What are Seth's jealousies； Uncle
Ben's and Masters's foolishness； Paw and Maw's quarr'ls and
tantrums to you and me； dear？ What is it what THEY think； what
they reckon； what they plan out； and what they set themselves
againstto us？ We love each other； we belong to each other；
without their help or their hindrance。 From the time we first saw
each other it was so； and from that time Paw and Maw； and Seth and
Masters； and even YOU and ME； dear； had nothing else to do。 That
was love as I know it； not Seth's sneaking rages； and Uncle Ben's
sneaking fooleries； and Masters's sneaking conceit； but only love。
And knowing that； I let Seth rage； and Uncle Ben dawdle； and
Masters trifleand for what？ To keep them from me and my boy。
They were satisfied； and we were happy。〃
Vague and unreasoning as he knew her speech to be； the rapt and
perfect conviction with which it was uttered staggered him。
〃But how is this to end； Cressy？〃 he said passionately。
The abstracted look passed； and the slight color and delicate
mobility of her face returned。 〃To end； dandy boy？〃 she repeated
lazily。 〃You didn't think of marrying medid you？〃
He blushed； stammered； and said 〃Yes；〃 albeit with all his past
vacillation and his present distrust of her； transparent on his
cheek and audible in his voice。
〃No； dear；〃 she said quietly； reaching down； untying her little
shoe and shaking the dust and pine needles from its recesses； 〃no！
I don't know enough to be a wife to you； just now； and you know it。
And I couldn't keep a house fit for you； and you couldn't afford to
keep ME without it。 And then it would be all known； and it
wouldn't be us two； dear； and our lonely meetings any more。 And we
couldn't be engagedthat would be too much like me and Seth over
again。 That's what you mean； dandy boyfor you're only a dandy
boy； you know； and they don't get married to backwood Southern
girls who haven't a nigger to bless themselves with since the war！
No；〃 she continued； lifting her proud little head so promptly after
Ford had recovered from his surprise as to make the ruse of
emptying her shoe perfectly palpable； 〃no； that's what we've both
allowed； dear； all along。 And now； honey； it's near time for me to
go。 Tell me something goodbefore I go。 Tell me that you love me
as you used totell me how you felt that night at the ball when
you first knew we loved each other。 But stopkiss me first
there； once morefor keeps。〃
CHAPTER XI。
When Uncle Ben； or 〃Benjamin Daubigny； Esq。；〃 as he was already
known in the columns of the 〃Star；〃 accompanied Miss Cressy
McKinstry on her way home after the first display of attention and
hospitality since his accession to wealth and position； he remained
for some moments in a state of bewildered and smiling idiocy。 It
was true that their meeting was chance and accidental； it was true
that Cressy had accepted his attention with lazy amusement； it was
true that she had suddenly and audaciously left him on the borders
of the McKinstry woods in a way that might have seemed rude and
abrupt to any escort less invincibly good…humored than Uncle Ben；
but none of these things marred his fatuous felicity。 It is even
probable that in his gratuitous belief that his timid attentions
had been too marked and impulsive； he attributed Cressy's flight to
a maidenly coyness that pleasurably increased his admiration for
her and his confidence in himself。 In his abstraction of enjoyment
and in the gathering darkness he ran against a fir…tree very much
as he had done while walking with her； and he confusedly apologized
to it as he had to her； and by her own appellation。 In this way he
eventually overran his trail and found himself unexpectedly and
apologetically in the clearing before the school…house。
〃Ef this ain't the singlerest thing； miss；〃 he said； and then
stopped suddenly。 A faint noise in the school…house like the sound
of splintered wood attracted his attention。 The master was
evidently there。 If he was alone he would speak to him。
He went to the window； looked in； and in an instant his amiable
abstraction left him。 He crept softly to the door； tried it； and
then putting his powerful shoulder against the panel； forced the
lock from its fastenings。 He entered the room as Seth Davis；
frightened but furious； lifted himself from before the master's
desk which he had just broken open。 He had barely time to conceal
something in his pocket and close the lid again before Uncle Ben
approached him。
〃What mouut ye be doin' here； Seth Davis？〃 he asked with the slow
deliberation which in that locality meant mischief。
〃And what mouut YOU be doin' here； Mister Ben Dabney？〃 said Seth；
resuming his effrontery。
〃Well；〃 returned Uncle Ben；