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ore money。 After the fright Jonas Wilkerson had given her； she would never rest easy until she and Frank had some money ahead。 And even if no emergency developed； Frank would need to make more money； if she was going to save enough for next year’s taxes。 Moreover； what Frank had said about the sawmill stuck in her mind。 Frank could make lots of money out of a mill。 Anybody could； with lumber selling at such outrageous prices。 She fretted silently because Frank’s money had not been enough to pay the taxes on Tara and buy the mill as well。 And she made up her mind that he had to make more money on the store somehow； and do it quickly； so he could buy that mill before some one else snapped it up。 She could see it was a bargain。
If she were a man she would have that mill； if she had to mortgage the store to raise the money。 But； when she intimated this delicately to Frank； the day after they married； he smiled and told her not to bother her sweet pretty little head about business matters。 It had come as a surprise to him that she even knew what a mortgage was and； at first； he was amused。 But this amusement quickly passed and a sense of shock took its place in the early days of their marriage。 Once； incautiously； he had told her that “people” （he was careful not to mention names） owed him money but could not pay just now and he was； of course； unwilling to press old friends and gentlefolk。 Frank regretted ever mentioning it for； thereafter； she had questioned him about it again and again。 She had the most charmingly childlike air but she was just curious； she said； to know who owed him and how much they owed。 Frank was very evasive about the matter。 He coughed nervously and waved his hands and repeated his annoying remark about her sweet pretty little head。
It had begun to dawn on him that this same sweet pretty little head was a “good head for figures。” In fact； a much better one than his own and the knowledge was disquieting。 He was thunderstruck to discover that she could swiftly add a long column of figures in her head when he needed a pencil and paper for more than three figures。 And fractions presented no difficulties to her at all。 He felt there was something unbecoming about a woman understanding fractions and business matters and he believed that； should a woman be so unfortunate as to have such unladylike comprehension； she should pretend not to。 Now he disliked talking business with her as much as be had enjoyed it before they were married。 Then he had thought it all beyond her mental grasp and it had been pleasant to explain things to her。 Now he saw that she understood entirely too well and he felt the usual masculine indignation at the duplicity of women。 Added to it was the usual masculine disillusionment in discovering that a woman has a brain。
Just how early in his married life Frank learned of the deception Scarlett had used in marrying him； no one ever knew。 Perhaps the truth dawned on him when Tony Fontaine； obviously fancy free； came to Atlanta on business。 Perhaps it was told him more directly in letters from his sister in Jonesboro who was astounded at his marriage。 Certainly he never learned from Suellen herself。 She never wrote him and naturally he could not write her and explain。 What good would explanations do anyway； now that he was married？ He writhed inwardly at the thought that Suellen would never know the truth and would always think he had senselessly jilted her。 Probably everyone else was thinking this too and criticizing him。 It certainly put him in an awkward position。 And he had no way of clearing himself； for a man couldn’t go about saying he had lost his head about a woman—and a gentleman couldn’t advertise the fact that his wife had entrapped him with a lie。
Scarlett was his wife and a wife was entitled to the loyalty of her husband。 Furthermore； he could not bring himself to believe she had married him coldly and with no affection for him at all。 His masculine vanity would not permit such a thought to stay long in his mind。 It was more pleasant to think she had fallen so suddenly in love with him she had been willing to lie to get him。 But it was all very puzzling。 He knew he was no great catch for a woman half his age and pretty and smart to boot； but Frank was a gentleman and he kept his bewilderment to himself。 Scarlett was his wife and he could not insult her by asking awkward questions which； after all； would not remedy matters。
Not that Frank especially wanted to remedy matters； for it appeared that his marriage would be a happy one。 Scarlett was the most charming and exciting of women and he thought her perfect in all things—except that she was so headstrong。 Frank learned early in his marriage that so long as she had her own way； life could be very pleasant； but when she was opposed— Given her own way； she was as gay as a child； laughed a good deal； made foolish little jokes； sat on his knee and tweaked his beard until he vowed he felt twenty years younger。 She could be unexpectedly sweet and thoughtful； having his slippers toasting at the fire when he came home at night； fussing affectionately about his wet feet and interminable head colds； remembering that he always liked the gizzard of the chicken and three spoonfuls of sugar in his coffee。 Yes； life was very sweet and cozy with Scarlett—as long as she had her own way。
When the marriage was two weeks old； Frank contracted the grippe and Dr。 Meade put him to bed。 In the first year of the war； Frank had spent two months in the hospital with pneumonia and he had lived in dread of another attack since that time； so he was only too glad to lie sweating under three blankets and drink the hot concoctions Mammy and Aunt Pitty brought him every hour。
The illness dragged on and Frank worried more and more about the store as each day passed。 The place was in charge of the counter boy； who came to the house every night to report on the day’s transactions； but Frank was not satisfied。 He fretted until Scarlett who had only been waiting for such an opportunity laid a cool hand on his forehead and said： “Now； sweetheart； I shall be vexed if you take on so。 I’ll go to town and see how things are。”
And she went； smiling as she smothered his feeble protests。 During the three weeks of her new marriage； she had been in a fever to see his account books and find out just how money matters stood。 What luck that he was bedridden！
The store stood near Five Points； its new roof glaring against the smoked bricks of the old walls。 Wooden awnings covered the sidewalk to the edge of the street； and at the long iron bars connecting the uprights horses and mules were hitched； their heads bowed against the cold misty rain； their backs covered with torn blankets and quilts。 The inside of the store was almost like Bullard’s store in Jonesboro； except that there were no loungers about the roaring red…hot stove； whittling and spitting streams of tobacco juice at the sand boxes。 It was bigger than Bullard’s store and much darker。 The wooden awnings cut off most of the winter daylight and the interior was dim and dingy； only a trickle of light coming in through the small fly…specked windows high up on the side walls。 The fl