e counsel of race--and--closer ties."

To his infinite astonishment, Miss Sally leaned forward in her chair
and buried her laughing face in both of her hands. When her dimples
had become again visible, she said with an effort, "Don't yo' think,
co'nnle, that as a peacemaker my cousin was even a bigger failure than
yo'self?"

"I don't understand," stammered Courtland.

"Don't yo' think," she continued, wiping her eyes demurely, "that if a
young woman about my size, who had got perfectly tired and sick of
all this fuss made about yo', because yo' were a No'th'n man, managing
niggers--if that young woman wanted to show her people what sort of a
radical and abolitionist a SO'TH'N man of their own sort might become,
she'd have sent for Jack Dumont as a sample? Eh? Only, I declare
to goodness, I never reckoned that he and Higbee would revive the
tomfooling of the vendetta, and take to shootin' each other at once."

"And your sending for your cousin was only a feint to protect me?" said
Courtland faintly.

"Perhaps he didn't have to be SENT for, co'nnle," she said, with a
slight touch of coquetry. "Suppose we say, I LET HIM COME. He'd be
hanging round, for he has property here, and wanted to get me to take it
up with mine in the company. I knew what his new views and ideas were,
and I thought I'd better consult Champney--who, being a foreigner, and
an older resident than yo', was quite neutral. He didn't happen to tell
YO' anything about it--did he, co'nnle?" she added with a grave mouth,
but an indescribable twinkle in her eyes.

Courtland's face darkened. "He did--and he further told me, Miss Dows,
that he himself was your suitor, and that you had refused him because of
the objections of your people."

She raised her eyes to his swiftly and dropped them.

"And yo' think I ought to have accepted him?" she said slowly.

"No! but--you know--you told me"--he began hurriedly. But she had
already risen, and was shaking out the folds of her dress.

"We're not talking BUSINESS co'nnle--and business was my only excuse for
coming here, and taking Sophy's place. I'll send her in to yo', now."

"But, Miss Dows!--Miss Sally!"

She stopped--hesitated--a singular weakness for so self-contained a
nature--and then slowly produced from her pocket a second letter--the
one that Courtland had directed to the company. "I didn't read THIS
letter, as I just told yo' co'nnle, for I reckon I know what's in it,
but I thought I'd bring it