t over; the air had again become close and
suffocating. Courtland remained brooding in his chair. Whether he could
accept Champney's news as true or not, he felt that he must end this
suspense at once. A half-guilty consciousness that he was thinking more
of it in reference to his own passion than his duty to the company
did not render his meditations less unpleasant. Yet while he could
not reconcile Miss Sally's confidences in the cemetery concerning the
indifference of her people to Champney's attentions with what Champney
had 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 seldom
finds fault with his mistress for deceiving his rival, and is as little
apt to consider the logical deduction that she could deceive him also,
as Othello was to accept Brabantio's warning, The masculine sense of
honor which might have resented the friendship of a man capable of such
treachery did not hesitate to accept the love of a woman under the same
conditions. Perhaps there was an implied compliment in thus allowing her
to take the sole ethical responsibility, which few women would resist.

In the midst of this gloomy abstraction Courtland suddenly raised his
head and listened.

"Cato."

"Yes, sah."

There was a sound of heavy footsteps in the hall coming from the rear of
the house, and presently a darker bulk appeared in the shadowed doorway.
It was his principal overseer--a strong and superior negro, selected
by his fellow-freedmen from among their number in accordance with
Courtland'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 the
present," said Courtland in a tone of quiet but positive authority.

"Are dey goin' to bring back de ole 'patter rollers,'* sah?" asked the
man 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's
manner. "But if they did you must comply with the local regulations
unless they conflict with the Federal laws, when you must appeal to the
Federal authorities. I prefer you should avoid any trouble until you are
sure."

"I reckon they won't try any games on me," said the negro with a short
laugh.

Courtland looked at him intently.

"I thought as much! You're carrying arms, Cato! Hand them