to the river
where I belong."

Norton turned on him quickly.

"You don't mean you've abandoned the notion of turning planter?" he
demanded in surprise.

"Well, yes. What's the use of my trying my hand at a business I don't
know the first thing about?"

"I wouldn't be in too big a hurry to decide finally on that point,"
urged Norton.

"It has decided itself," said Carrington quietly.

But Norton was conscious of a subtle change in their relation.
Carrington seemed a shade less frank than had been habitual with
him; all at once he had removed his private affairs from the field of
discussion. Afterward, when Norton considered the matter, he wondered
if it were not that the Kentuckian felt himself superfluous in this new
situation that had grown up.

Charley Norton's features recovered their accustomed hue, but he did not
go near Belle Plain; with resolute fortitude he confined himself to
his own acres. He was tolerably familiar with certain engaging little
peculiarities of Mr. Ware's; he knew, for instance, that the latter was
a gentleman of excessively regular habits; once each fortnight, making
an excuse of business, he spent a day in Memphis, neither more nor less.
Norton told himself with satisfaction that Tom was destined to return to
the surprise of his life from the next of these trips. This conviction
was the one thing which sustained Charley for some ten days. They were
altogether the longest ten days he had ever known, and he had about
reached the limit of his endurance when Betty's groom arrived with
a letter which threw him into a state of ecstatic happiness. The
sober-minded Tom would devote the morrow to Memphis and business.
This meant that he would leave Belle Plain at sun-up and return after
nightfall.

"You may not like Tom, but you can always count on him," said Norton.
Then he ordered his horse and rode off in the direction of Raleigh,
but before leaving the house, he scribbled a line or two to be handed
Carrington, who had gone down to the nearest river landing.

It was nightfall when the Kentuckian returned, Hearing his step in the
hall, Jeff came from the dining-room, where he was laying the cloth for
supper.

"Mas'r Charley has rid to Raleigh, Sah," said he; "but he done lef' this
fo' me to han' to yo"--extending the letter.

Carrington took it. He guessed its contents. Breaking the seal he read
the half dozen lines.

"To-morrow--" he muttered under his breath, and slowly tore the s