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contending sensations。 She had given it to please HIM； why should
HE question the manner； or torment himself with any retrospective
thought？ He would have given worlds to have been able to accept it
lightly or gallantly；with any other girl he could； but he knew he
was trembling on the verge of a passionate declaration； the
magnitude of the stake was too great to be imperiled by a levity of
which she was more a mistress than himself； and he knew that his
sentiment had failed to impress her。 His pride kept him from
appealing to her strangely practical nature； although he had
recognized and accepted it； and had even begun to believe it an
essential part of the strong fascination she had over him。 But
being neither a coward nor a weak； hesitating idealist； when he
deliberately took his seat beside her he as deliberately made up
his mind to accept his fate； whatever it might be； then and there。
Perhaps there was something of this in his face。 〃I thought yo'
were looking a little white； co'nnle；〃 she said quietly； 〃and I
reckoned we might sit down a spell； and then take it slowly home。
Yo' ain't accustomed to the So'th'n sun； and the air in the hollow
WAS swampy。〃 As he made a slight gesture of denial； she went on
with a pretty sisterly superiority： 〃That's the way of yo' No'th'n
men。 Yo' think yo' can do everything just as if yo' were reared to
it； and yo' never make allowance for different climates； different
blood； and different customs。 That's where yo' slip up。〃
But he was already leaning towards her with his dark earnest eyes
fixed upon her in a way she could no longer mistake。 〃At the risk
of slipping up again； Miss Dows；〃 he said gently； dropping into her
dialect with utterly unconscious flattery； 〃I am going to ask you
to teach me everything YOU wish； to be all that YOU demandwhich
would be far better。 You have said we were good friends； I want
you to let me hope to be more。 I want you to overlook my
deficiencies and the differences of my race and let me meet you on
the only level where I can claim to be the equal of your own
peoplethat of loving you。 Give me only the same chance you gave
the other poor fellow who sleeps yonderthe same chance you gave
the luckier man who carried the wreath for you to put upon his
grave。〃
She had listened with delicately knitted brows； the faintest touch
of color； and a half…laughing； half…superior disapprobation。 When
he had finished； she uttered a plaintive little sigh。 〃Yo'
oughtn't to have said that； co'nnle； but yo' and me are too good
friends to let even THAT stand between us。 And to prove it to yo'
I'm going to forget it right awayand so are yo'。〃
〃But I cannot；〃 he said quickly； 〃if I could I should be unworthy
of even your friendship。 If you must reject it； do not make me
feel the shame of thinking you believe me capable of wanton
trifling。 I know that this avowal is abrupt to you； but it is not
to me。 You have known me only for three months； but these three
months have been to me the realization of three years' dreaming！〃
As she remained looking at him with bright； curious eyes； but still
shaking her fair head distressedly； he moved nearer and caught her
hand in the little pale lilac thread glove that was； nevertheless；
too wide for her small fingers； and said appealingly： 〃But why
should YOU forget it？ Why must it be a forbidden topic？ What is
the barrier？ Are you no longer free？ Speak； Miss Dowsgive me
some hope。 Miss Dows！Sally！〃
She had drawn herself away； distressed； protesting； her fair head
turned aside； until with a slight twist and narrowing of her hand
she succeeded in slipping it from the glove which she left a
prisoner in his eager clasp。 〃There！ Yo' can keep the glove；
co'nnle；〃 she said； breathing quickly。 〃Sit down！ This is not the
place nor the weather for husking frolics！ Well！yo' want to know
WHY yo' mustn't speak to me in that way。 Be still； and I'll tell
yo'。〃
She smoothed down the folds of her frock； sitting sideways on the
bank； one little foot touching the road。 〃Yo' mustn't speak that
way to me；〃 she went on slowly； 〃because it's as much as yo'
company's wo'th； as much as OUR property's wo'th； as much maybe as
yo' life's wo'th！ Don't lift yo' comb； co'nnle； if you don't care
for THAT； others may。 Sit still； I tell yo'！ Well； yo' come here
from the No'th to run this property for moneythat's square and
fair business； THAT any fool here can understandit's No'th'n
style； it don't interfere with these fools' family affairs； it
don't bring into their blood any No'th'n taint； it don't divide
their clannishness； it don't separate father and son； sister and
brother； and even if yo' got a foothold here and settled down； they
know they can always outvote yo' five to one！ But let these same
fools know that yo' 're courtin' a So'th'n girl known to be 'Union'
during the wah； that girl who has laughed at their foolishness； let
them even THINK that he wants that girl to mix up the family and
the race and the property for him； and there ain't a young or old
fool that believes in So'th'n isolation as the price of So'th'n
salvation that wouldn't rise against yo'！ There isn't one that
wouldn't make shipwreck of yo'r syndicate and yo'r capital and the
prosperity of Redlands for the next four years to come； and think
they were doing right！ They began to suspect yo' from the first！
They suspected yo' when yo' never went anywhere； but stuck close to
the fahm and me。 That's why I wanted yo' to show yourself among
the girls； they wouldn't have minded yo' flirting with them with
the chance of yo' breaking yo' heart over Tave Reed or Lympy
Morris！ They're fools enough to believe that a snub or a jilt from
a So'th'n girl would pay them back for a lost battle or a ruined
plantation！〃
For the first time Miss Sally saw Courtland's calm blood fly to his
cheek and kindle in his eye。 〃You surely do not expect ME to
tolerate this blind and insolent interference！〃 he said； rising to
his feet。
She lifted her ungloved hand in deprecation。 〃Sit still； co'nnle。
Yo' 've been a soldier； and yo' know what duty is。 Well！ what's
yo' duty to yo' company？〃
〃It neither includes my private affairs nor regulates the beating
of my heart。 I will resign。〃
〃And leave me and Aunt Miranda and the plantation？〃
〃No！ The company will find another superintendent to look after
your aunt's affairs and carry out our plans。 And you； Sallyyou
will let me find you a home and fortune North？ There is work for
me there； there is room for you among my people。〃
She shook her head slowly with a sweet but superior smile。 〃No；
co'nnle！ I didn't believe in the wah； but the least I could do was
to stand by my folks and share the punishment that I knew was
coming from it。 I despise this foolishness as much as yo'； but I
can't run away from it。 Come； co'nnle； I won't ask yo' to forget
this； mo'； I'll even believe yo' MEANT it； but yo' 'll promise me
yo' won't speak of it again as long as yo' are with the company and
Aunt Miranda and me！ There mustn't be morethere mustn't even
SEEM to be morebetween us。〃
〃But then I may hope？〃 he said； eagerly grasping