by Bret Harte
young fellow, but with the hesitation ofconscientiousness rather than evasion. "That is--you know I WAS. Butdon't you see, it couldn't be. It wouldn't do, you know. If thoseclannish neighbors of hers--that Southern set--suspected that MissSally was courted by an Englishman, don't you know--a poacher on theirpreserves--it would be all up with her position on the property and herinfluence over them. I don't mind telling you that's one reason why Ileft the company and took that other plantation. But even that didn'twork; they had their suspicions excited already."
"Did Miss Dows give that as a reason for declining your suit?" askedCourtland slowly.
"Yes. You know what a straightforward girl she is. She didn't come norot about 'not expecting anything of the kind,' or about 'being a sisterto me,' and all that, for, by Jove! she's always more like a fellow'ssister, don't you know, than his girl. Of course, it was hard lines forme, but I suppose she was about right." He stopped, and then added witha kind of gentle persistency: "YOU think she was about right, don'tyou?"
With what was passing in Courtland's mind the question seemed sobitterly ironical that at first he leaned half angrily forward, in anunconscious attempt to catch the speaker's expression in the darkness."I should hardly venture to give an opinion," he said, after a pause."Miss Dows' relations with her neighbors are so very peculiar. And fromwhat you tell me of her cousin it would seem that her desire to placatethem is not always to be depended upon."
"I'm not finding fault with HER, you know," said Champney hastily. "I'mnot such a beastly cad as that; I wouldn't have spoken of my affairs atall, but you asked, you know. I only thought, if she was going to getherself into trouble on account of that Frenchman, you might talk toher--she'd listen to you, because she'd know you only did it out ofbusiness reasons. And they're really business reasons, you know. Isuppose you don't think much of my business capacity, colonel, and youwouldn't go much on my judgment--especially now; but I've been herelonger than you and"--he lowered his voice slightly and dragged hischair nearer Courtland--"I don't like the looks of things here. There'ssome devilment plotting among those rascals. They're only awaiting anopportunity; a single flash would be enough to set them in a blaze, evenif the fire wasn't lit and smouldering already like a spark in a bale ofcotton. I'd cut the whole thing and clear out if I didn't think it wouldmake it harder for Miss Dows, who would be left alone."
"You're a good fellow, Champney," said Courtland, laying his hand onthe young man's shoulder with a sudden impulse, "and I forgive you foroverlooking any concern that I might have. Indeed," he added, with anodd seriousness and a half sigh, "it's not strange that you should. ButI must remind you that the Dowses are strictly the agents and tenants ofthe company I represent, and that their rights and property under thattenancy shall not be interfered with by others as long as I am here.I have no right, however," he added gravely, "to keep Miss Dows fromimperiling them by her social relations."
Champney rose and shook hands with him awkwardly. "The shower seems tobe holding up," he said, "and I'll toddle along before it starts afresh.Good-night! I say--you didn't mind my coming to you this way, did you?By Jove! I thought you were a little stand-offish at first. But you knowwhat I meant?"
"Perfectly, and I thank you." They shook hands again. Champney steppedfrom the portico, and, reaching the gate, seemed to vanish as he hadcome, out of the darkness.
The storm was not yet over; the air had again become close andsuffocating. Courtland remained brooding in his chair. Whether he couldaccept Champney's news as true or not, he felt that he must end thissuspense at once. A half-guilty consciousness that he was thinking moreof it in reference to his own passion than his duty to the companydid not render his meditations less unpleasant. Yet while he couldnot reconcile Miss Sally's confidences in the cemetery concerning theindifference of her people to Champney's attentions with what Champneyhad just told him of the reasons she had given HIM for declining them,I am afraid he was not shocked by her peculiar ethics. A lover seldomfinds fault with his mistress for deceiving his rival, and is as littleapt to consider the logical deduction that she could deceive him also,as Othello was to accept Brabantio's warning, The masculine sense ofhonor which might have resented the friendship of a man capable of suchtreachery did not hesitate to accept the love of a woman under the sameconditions. Perhaps there was an implied compliment in thus allowing herto take the sole ethical responsibility, which few women would resist.
In the midst of this gloomy abstraction Courtland suddenly raised hishead and listened.
"Cato."
"Yes, sah."
There was a sound of heavy footsteps in the hall coming from the rear ofthe house, and presently a darker bulk appeared in the shadowed doorway.It was his principal overseer--a strong and superior negro, selectedby his fellow-freedmen from among their number in accordance withCourtland's new regime.
"Did you come here from the plantation or the town?"
"The town, sah."
"I think you had better keep out of the town in the evenings for thepresent," said Courtland in a tone of quiet but positive authority.
"Are dey goin' to bring back de ole 'patter rollers,'* sah?" asked theman with a slight sneer.
* The "patrol" or local police who formerly had the surveillance of slaves.
"I don't know," returned Courtland calmly, ignoring his overseer'smanner. "But if they did you must comply with the local regulationsunless they conflict with the Federal laws, when you must appeal to theFederal authorities. I prefer you should avoid any trouble until you aresure."
"I reckon they won't try any games on me," said the negro with a shortlaugh.
Courtland looked at him intently.
"I thought as much! You're carrying arms, Cato! Hand them over."
The overseer hesitated for a moment, and then unstrapped a revolver fromhis belt, and handed it to Courtland.
"Now how many of you are in the habit of going round the town armed likethis?"
"Only de men who've been insulted, sah."
"And how have YOU been insulted?"
"Marse Tom Highee down in de market reckoned it was high time fancyniggers was drov into de swamp, and I allowed that loafers and beggarshad better roost high when workin' folks was around, and Marse Tom saidhe'd cut my haht out."
"And do you think your carrying a revolver will prevent him and hisfriends performing that operation if you provoked them?"
"You said we was to pertect ourse'fs, sah," returned the negro gloomily."What foh den did you drill us to use dem rifles in de armory?"
"To defend yourselves TOGETHER under orders if attacked, not to singlythreaten with them in a street row. Together, you would stand somechance against those men; separately they could eat you up, Cato."
"I wouldn't trust too much to some of dem niggers standing together,sah," said Gate darkly. "Dey'd run before de old masters--if they didn'trun to 'em. Shuah!"
A fear of this kind had crossed Courtland's mind before, but he made nopresent comment. "I found two of the armory rifles in the men's cabinsyesterday," he resumed quietly. "See that it does not occur again! Theymust not be taken from the armory except to defend it."
"Yes, sah."
There was a moment of silence. Then it was broken by a sudden gust thatswept through the columns of the portico, stirring the vines. The broadleaves of the ailantus began to rustle; an ominous pattering followed;the rain had recommenced. And as Courtland rose and walked towards theopen window its blank panes and the interior of the office were suddenlyilluminated by a gleam of returning lightning.
He entered the office, bidding Cato follow, and lit the lamp abovehis desk. The negro remained standing gloomily but respectfully by thewindow.
"Cato, do you know anything of Mr. Dumont--Miss Dows' cousin?"
The negro's white teeth suddenly flashed in the lamplight. "Ya! ha! Ireckon, sah."
"Then he's a great friend of your people?"
"I don't know about dat, sah. But he's a pow'ful enemy of de Reeds andde Higbees!"
/> "On account of his views, of course?"
"'Deed no!" said Cato with an astounded air. "Jess on account of devendetta!"
"The vendetta?"
"Yes, sah. De old blood quo'll of de families. It's been goin' on overfifty years, sah. De granfader, fader, and brudder of de Higbees waskilled by de granfader, fader, and brudder of de Doomonts. De Reedschipped