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“I think it’s wonderful；” said Scarlett shortly。 “I only wish we’d had ‘paying guests’ at Tara for the last year instead of free boarders。 Maybe we wouldn’t be so poor now。”
“Scarlett； how can you say such things？ Your poor mother must be turning in her grave at the very thought of charging money for the hospitality of Tara！ Of course； Mrs。 Elsing was simply forced to it because； while she took in fine sewing and Fanny painted china and Hugh made a little money peddling firewood； they couldn’t make ends meet。 Imagine darling Hugh forced to peddle wood！ And he all set to be a fine lawyer！ I could just cry at the things our boys are reduced to！”
Scarlett thought of the rows of cotton beneath the glaring coppery sky at Tara and how her back had ached as she bent over them。 She remembered the feel of plow handles between her inexperienced； blistered palms and she felt that Hugh Elsing was deserving of no special sympathy。 What an innocent old fool Pitty was and； despite the ruin all around her； how sheltered！
“If he doesn’t like peddling； why doesn’t He practice law？ Or isn’t there any law practice left in Atlanta？”
“Oh dear； yes！ There’s plenty of law practice。 Practically everybody is suing everybody else these days。 With everything burned down and boundary lines wiped out； no one knows just where their land begins or ends。 But you can’t get any pay for suing because nobody has any money。 So Hugh sticks to his peddling。 。。。 Oh； I almost forgot！ Did I write you？ Fanny Elsing is getting married tomorrow night and； of course； you must attend。 Mrs。 Elsing will be only too pleased to have you when she knows you’re in town。 I do hope you have some other frock besides that one。 Not that it isn’t a very sweet frock； darling； but—well； it does look a bit worn。 Oh； you have a pretty frock？ I’m so glad because it’s going to be the first real wedding we’ve had in Atlanta since before the town fell。 Cake and wine and dancing afterward； though I don’t know how the Elsings can afford it； they are so poor。”
“Who is Fanny marrying？ I thought after Dallas McLure was killed at Gettysburg—”
“Darling； you mustn’t criticize Fanny。 Everybody isn’t as loyal to the dead as you are to poor Charlie。 Let me see。 What is his name？ I can never remember names—Tom somebody。 I knew his mother well； we went to La…Grange Female Institute together。 She was a Tomlinson from LaGrange and her mother was—let me see。 。。。 Perkins？ Parkins？ Parkinson！ That’s it。 From Sparta。 A very good family but just the same—well； I know I shouldn’t say it but I don’t see how Fanny can bring herself to marry him！”
“Does he drink or—”
“Dear； no！ His character is perfect but； you see； he was wounded low down； by a bursting shell and it did something to his legs—makes them—makes them； well； I hate to use the word but it makes him spraddle。 It gives him a very vulgar appearance when he walks—well； it doesn’t look very pretty。 I don’t see why she’s marrying him。”
“Girls have to marry someone。”
“Indeed； they do not；” said Pitty； ruffling。 “I never had to。”
“Now； darling； I didn’t mean you！ Everybody knows how popular you were and still are！ Why； old Judge Carlton used to throw sheep’s eyes at you till I—”
“Oh； Scarlett； hush！ That old fool！” giggled Pitty； good humor restored。 “But； after all； Fanny was so popular she could have made a better match and I don’t believe she loves this Tom what’s…his…name。 I don’t believe she’s ever gotten over Dallas McLure getting killed； but she’s not like you； darling。 You’ve remained so faithful to dear Charlie； though you could have married dozens of times。 Melly and I have often said how loyal you were to his memory when everyone else said you were just a heartless coquette。”
Scarlett passed over this tactless confidence and skillfully led Pitty from one friend to another but all the while she was in a fever of impatience to bring the conversation around to Rhett。 It would never do for her to ask outright about him； so soon after arriving。 It might start the old lady’s mind to working on channels better left untouched。 There would be time enough for Pitty’s suspicions to be aroused if Rhett refused to marry her。
Aunt Pitty prattled on happily； pleased as a child at having an audience。 Things in Atlanta were in a dreadful pass； she said； due to the vile doings of the Republicans。 There was no end to their goings on and the worst thing was the way they were putting ideas in the poor darkies’ heads。
“My dear； they want to let the darkies vote！ Did you ever hear of anything more silly？ Though—I don’t know—now that I think about it； Uncle Peter has much more sense than any Republican I ever saw and much better manners but； of course； Uncle Peter is far too well bred to want to vote。 But the very notion has upset the darkies till they’re right addled。 And some of them are so insolent。 Your life isn’t safe on the streets after dark and even in the broad daylight they push ladies off the sidewalks into the mud。 And if any gentleman dares to protest； they arrest him and— My dear； did I tell you that Captain Butler was in jail？”
“Rhett Butler？”
Even with this startling news； Scarlett was grateful that Aunt Pitty had saved her the necessity of bringing his name into the conversation herself。
“Yes； indeed！” Excitement colored Pitty’s cheeks pink and she sat upright。 “He’s in jail this very minute for killing a negro and they may hang him！ Imagine Captain Butler hanging！”
For a moment； the breath went out of Scarlett’s lungs in a sickening gasp and she could only stare at the fat old lady who was so obviously pleased at the effect of her statement。
“They haven’t proved it yet but somebody killed this darky who had insulted a white woman。 And the Yankees are very upset because so many uppity darkies have been killed recently。 They can’t prove it on Captain Butler but they want to make an example of someone； so Dr。 Meade says。 The doctor says that if they do hang him it will be the first good honest job the Yankees ever did； but then； I don’t know。 。。。 And to think that Captain Butler was here just a week ago and brought me the loveliest quail you ever saw for a present and he was asking about you and saying he feared he had offended you during the siege and you would never forgive him。”
“How long will he be in jail？”
“Nobody knows。 Perhaps till they hang him； but maybe they won’t be able to prove the killing on him； after all。 However； it doesn’t seem to bother the Yankees whether folks are guilty or not； so long as they can hang somebody。 They are so upset”—Pitty dropped her voice mysteriously—“about the Ku Klux Klan。 Do you have the Klan down in the County？ My dear； I’m sure you must and Ashley just doesn’t tell you girls anything about it Klansmen aren’t supposed to tell。 They ride around at night dressed up like ghosts and call on Carpetbaggers who steal money and negroes who are uppity。 Sometimes they just scare them and warn them to leave Atlanta； but when they don’t behave they whip them and；” Pitty whispered； “sometimes they kill them and leave them where they’ll be easily found with