第6章

Nevertheless, as Colonel Courtland rode deliberately towards Dows'

Folly, as the new experiment was locally called, although he had not abated his romantic enthusiasm in the least, he was not sorry that he was able to visit it under a practical pretext.It was rather late now to seek out Miss Sally Dows with the avowed intent of bringing her a letter from an admirer who had been dead three years, and whose memory she had probably buried.Neither was it tactful to recall a sentiment which might have been a weakness of which she was ashamed.Yet, clear-headed and logical as Courtland was in his ordinary affairs, he was nevertheless not entirely free from that peculiar superstition which surrounds every man's romance.He believed there was something more than a mere coincidence in his unexpectedly finding himself in such favorable conditions for making her acquaintance.For the rest--if there was any rest--he would simply trust to fate.And so, believing himself a cool, sagacious reasoner, but being actually, as far as Miss Dows was concerned, as blind, fatuous, and unreasoning as any of her previous admirers, he rode complacently forward until he reached the lane that led to the Dows plantation.

Here a better kept roadway and fence, whose careful repair would have delighted Drummond, seemed to augur well for the new enterprise.Presently, even the old-fashioned local form of the fence, a slanting zigzag, gave way to the more direct line of post and rail in the Northern fashion.Beyond it presently appeared a long low frontage of modern buildings which, to Courtland's surprise, were entirely new in structure and design.There was no reminiscence of the usual Southern porticoed gable or columned veranda.Yet it was not Northern either.The factory-like outline of facade was partly hidden in Cherokee rose and jessamine.

A long roofed gallery connected the buildings and became a veranda to one.A broad, well-rolled gravel drive led from the open gate to the newest building, which seemed to be the office; a smaller path diverged from it to the corner house, which, despite its severe simplicity, had a more residential appearance.Unlike Reed's house, there were no lounging servants or field hands to be seen; they were evidently attending to their respective duties.

Dismounting, Courtland tied his horse to a post at the office door and took the smaller path to the corner house.

The door was open to the fragrant afternoon breeze wafted through the rose and jessamine.So also was a side door opening from the hall into a long parlor or sitting-room that ran the whole width of the house.Courtland entered it.It was prettily furnished, but everything had the air of freshness and of being uncharacteristically new.It was empty, but a faint hammering was audible on the rear wall of the house, through the two open French windows at the back, curtained with trailing vines, which gave upon a sunlit courtyard.

Courtland walked to the window.Just before it, on the ground, stood a small light ladder, which he gently put aside to gain a better view of the courtyard as he put on his hat, and stepped out of the open window.

In this attitude he suddenly felt his hat tipped from his head, followed almost instantaneously by a falling slipper, and the distinct impression of a very small foot on the crown of his head.

An indescribable sensation passed over him.He hurriedly stepped back into the room, just as a small striped-stockinged foot was as hastily drawn up above the top of the window with the feminine exclamation, "Good gracious me!"Lingering for an instant, only to assure himself that the fair speaker had secured her foothold and was in no danger of falling, Courtland snatched up his hat, which had providentially fallen inside the room, and retreated ingloriously to the other end of the parlor.The voice came again from the window, and struck him as being very sweet and clear:--"Sophy, is that YOU?"

Courtland discreetly retired to the hall.To his great relief a voice from the outside answered, "Whar, Miss Sally?""What did yo' move the ladder for? Yo' might have killed me.""Fo' God, Miss Sally, I didn't move no ladder!""Don't tell me, but go down and get my slipper.And bring up some more nails."Courtland waited silently in the hall.In a few moments he heard a heavy footstep outside the rear window.This was his opportunity.

Re-entering the parlor somewhat ostentatiously, he confronted a tall negro girl who was passing through the room carrying a tiny slipper in her hand."Excuse me," he said politely, "but I could not find any one to announce me.Is Miss Dows at home?"The girl instantly whipped the slipper behind her."Is yo' wanting Miss Mirandy Dows," she asked with great dignity, "oah Miss Sally Dows--her niece? Miss Mirandy's bin gone to Atlanta for a week.""I have a letter for Miss Miranda, but I shall be very glad if Miss Sally Dows will receive me, returned Courtland, handing the letter and his card to the girl.

She received it with a still greater access of dignity and marked deliberation."It's clean gone outer my mind, sah, ef Miss Sally is in de resumption of visitahs at dis houah.In fac', sah," she continued, with intensified gravity and an exaggeration of thoughtfulness as the sounds of Miss Sally's hammering came shamelessly from the wall, "I doahn know exac'ly ef she's engaged playin' de harp, practicin' de languages, or paintin' in oil and watah colors, o' givin' audiences to offishals from de Court House.

It might be de houah for de one or de odder.But I'll communicate wid her, sah, in de budwoh on de uppah flo'." She backed dexterously, so as to keep the slipper behind her, but with no diminution of dignity, out of a side door.In another moment the hammering ceased, followed by the sound of rapid whispering without; a few tiny twigs and leaves slowly rustled to the ground, and then there was complete silence.He ventured to walk to the fateful window again.