SUBDUED 
 SOUTHERN 
 NOBILITY.
 
 SUBDUED 
 
 SOUTHERN NOBILITY : 
 
 A SOUTHERN IDEAL. 
 
 BY ONE OF THE NOBILITY 
 
 NEW VORK : 
 SHARPS PUBLISHING COMPANY.
 
 Entered acoordiTi? to Act of Congress, in the year 1833, by 
 
 suAKi-d PUBLISHING COMPANY, 
 in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 THE publishers have requested me to write a pre 
 face to this little volume, and that, too, without 
 assigning any valid reasons for so doing. I must 
 confess I see no necessity for one myself, only it may 
 be well to ask my readers to be charitable in their 
 criticisms. 
 
 The ideal to which I ask the reader s attention be 
 gins before the recent unpleasantness between the 
 North and South, continues during that gigantic 
 struggle for national existence, and ends before a final 
 reconstruction takes place. My readers are, there- 
 ; ore, brought face to face with some suppressed 
 historic facts that will be found interesting in con- 
 aection with the characters introduced. 
 
 It has been my object from beginning to end to 
 give facts rather than overdrawn fancies, and if I 
 have failed to make the book as interesting as my 
 readers may have expected, they have the assurance 
 of having received "more truth than poetry" for 
 their money. 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 207^380
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 IDLEFIELD. 
 
 THIS was an extremely large cotton plantation, 
 located in Northern Mississippi, and the situation 
 was all that could be desired in regard to scenery, 
 soil and climate, as well as position in a commercial 
 point of view. Broad fields of cotton spread in every 
 direction, fringed on one side by a bit of woodland. 
 To the north a hill arose in a gradual slope, being cul 
 tivated nearly to its summit. Southward spread a 
 wide, slightly undulating plain, and toward the west 
 ilowed a winding river, one of the tributaries of the 
 Mississippi. It was only slightly removed from the 
 line of the railroad leading to New Orleans, and there 
 fore there was no lack of means by which to transport 
 cotton to the greatest of Southern marts ; and as 
 there was always a large quantity to be conveyed 
 thither, it may readily be imagined there was great 
 wealth at Idlefield. 
 
 Considering this wealth and the extent of the plan 
 tation, the house was quite unpretentious in appear 
 ance. It covered much ground, but was only a story 
 and a half high. The rooms were large, and, especi 
 ally during the summer, only those upon the ground 
 floor were occupied, for the great heat of the upper 
 chambers, partially caused by the low walls, which 
 were ceiled with boards instead of plaster, rendered 
 them almost uninhabitable, except by one or two of 
 the house servants, whose comfort was not a matter 
 of serious consideration.
 
 2 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 To the left of the house was the parlor, which was 
 of immense size, with several windows and doors 
 opening upon the veranda, which encircled it on 
 three sides. The floor was covered with matting, 
 over which numerous rugs were thrown, of various 
 shapes, sizes and colors. Only the centre one was of 
 any value ; it was Turkish, and originally of softly- 
 blended hues, though now they were dingy from dust. 
 The furniture was irregular, consisting of cane-seat 
 and willow or bamboo chairs and rockers, with here 
 and there a heavy lounge or table of mahogany, the 
 shape even then old for fashion, yet almost too new to 
 merit the magic word antique, though belonging to a 
 class of furniture which will in all probability be in 
 demand, on account of scarcity, a few years hence. 
 
 The room was hung with an engraving or two, and 
 several colored prints and lithographs, whose chief 
 merit consisted in taking away a certain bareness 
 from the glaring white-washed walls. There were 
 also two or three good paintings, which had been 
 picked up in New Orleans. This room took up all 
 the space at the left of the great hall, which ran 
 through the house from front to rear, and was large 
 enough for a good-sized dwelling in itself. It was 
 covered with matting, and was usually strewn with 
 cool chairs, broad-brimmed straw hats and palm-leaf 
 t ;ms. 
 
 At the right of the hall, in front, was, what may 
 seem strange to Northern readers, a large bed 
 chamber. This floor was carpeted, and the chief 
 article of furniture it contained was a heavy old bed 
 stead of mahogany, with four huge round posts like 
 tree-trunks, but smooth and shining. They were 
 topped by an immense tester, from which hung 
 mosquito curtains, which were certainly entitled to the 
 name, not because they furnished the slightest protec 
 tion from insects of any sort, but from the fact that 
 they formed a hafbor or city of refuge for mosquitoes, 
 where they might prey in safety by night and sleep 
 with equal security by day, the rents in the curtains
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 3 
 
 affording both ingress and egress whenever desired. 
 This chamber had belonged to the mistress of the 
 house during her lifetime, and was also used as a sort 
 of family sitting-room. Back of it was the dining- 
 room, and to the right a wide wing containing two 
 more sleeping apartments, which had been used as 
 nursery and children s rooms years before, when the 
 house was enlivened by childish voices, mingled with 
 snatches of song from their negro nurses low, tink 
 ling, harmonious melodies which never failed to soothe 
 the infant listeners into slumber. 
 
 Now, however, there was little in the way of sound 
 to give life to Idlefield, except the laughter and chatter 
 of the negro children, who frolicked about the lawn and 
 rolled over the floor in the hall, for the cotton was 
 ripe and the negro cabins nearly deserted during the 
 day. Idlefield was not what it had once been, they 
 were wont to say, in regard to cheerfulness, though 
 even yet, in the early night-time, and especially when 
 the work was not so hard as to grind out the soul of 
 cheerfulness which usually inhabits the negro breast, 
 there were songs, laughter, and dancing to the music 
 of the violin, which, if not correctly, was certainly 
 played with melodious effect. 
 
 Colonel Gonzales, as his name indicated, was of 
 Spanish, or, more properly, of Cuban extraction, 
 though born at Idlefield. Passionate and indolent 
 by nature, yet possessing a by no means bad heart, 
 he was at times peevishly exacting, and at others 
 lazily lenient, sometimes severe, and again almost 
 kind, as his temper rose or fell. Upon the whole he 
 was not considered a bad master, as masters went in 
 those days, though he made it a rule to employ over 
 seers who would get the greatest amount of work 
 from his slaves without crippling or materially injur 
 ing them. Idlefield had been bequeathed him by his 
 father, together with a large number of slaves and a 
 goodly sum of money, and, lacking any extravagant 
 vices, he had added to his estate year after year. His 
 wife was gentle and kind-hearted, but had not enough
 
 4 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 energy to accomplish much besides dozing and reading. 
 Many a chastisement she saved her slaves, however, 
 not because her sympathy was especially enlisted in 
 their behalf, but chiefly because she could not bear any 
 undue commotion, and as her husband was devoted 
 to her, as a rule her wishes carried the day. To the 
 colonel s great disappointment his elder children 
 were all girls, and he longed for a son. Mrs. Gon- 
 zales was satisfied with daughters ; boys made so 
 much noise, she was wont to say, and she dreaded 
 noise. She paid little attention to her children, and 
 performed none of the duties which fell to the lot of 
 most planters wives ; and so a sort of overseer was 
 obtained to weigh out the corn-meal and bacon for 
 the negroes, and to also superintend the cutting out 
 and making of their simple garments. 
 
 At length, when his older daughters were upon the 
 eve of marriage, and his youngest one was ten years 
 old, a son was born a lively, handsome boy and 
 straightway the household fell into the habit of trying 
 to excel each other in their endeavors to spoil him, 
 Mrs. Gonzales rousing herself sufficiently to join them 
 in the attempt. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE SIAMESE. 
 
 Richard Gonzales, the heir of Idlefield, grew up self 
 ish and arrogant, accustomed to consider at all times 
 his will as absolute law. His sisters were wedded 
 one by one, each receiving a handsome marriage por 
 tion from her father, which was settled by due course 
 of law upon herself, to guard from poverty in later 
 years. From the time Rick was a year old the colonel 
 had his will made, in which he bequeathed Idlefield 
 and numerous other possessions to his idolized son. 
 When the boy was fifteen his mother died, and after 
 this Rick grew restless, seeming to long for change. 
 And, though it was a great sacrifice for the colonel to
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 5 
 
 make, he conceived the idea of sending him to a 
 Northern college, instead of employing tutors, as he 
 had formerly done. Rick had no love for the Yankees, 
 he was fond of saying, but he wished to see a little of 
 the world. Besides, since his mother s death the place 
 was intolerably lonely, for his sisters were now all 
 married and living some distance away. 
 
 After Rick went to college the health of the colonel 
 gradually failed. He drooped the whole year through, 
 only rallying when his boy came home for vacation. 
 These were golden days for the lonely old man, who 
 brightened so much Rick never guessed how ill he 
 really was. He was never weary of listening to his 
 son s account of his triumphs at college, and the 
 honors he carried off, which Rick magnified, more for 
 the sake of giving his father pleasure than for his own 
 glorification. 
 
 Like most Southerners Rick s political sentiments 
 were of the fire-eating order. It was during the 
 administration of Pierce, and slavery had become 
 the political issue of the day The Whig party in 
 the North was Anti-slavery almost to a man, and, with 
 all philanthropists, opposed the Fugitive Slave Law ; 
 indeed, the deplorable state of the slaves, and the 
 many crying evils resulting from slavery, were so pain 
 fully apparent, only those who had a personal interest 
 in this flesh and blood traffic, and others who had 
 some point to gain by upholding them, could be found 
 to speak in praise of the institution. This feeling 
 among Whigs at the North was resented by the party 
 in the South, who at once changed views and went 
 over to the Democratic side. At the North there were 
 many Democrats ready to join the ranks in a crusade 
 against slavery, only for dislike of the old Whig 
 name. It was for this reason the Republican party 
 was formed, and the feeling between it and the slave 
 holders was bitter in the extreme. The South affected 
 and honestly a greater hatred of the North than ever 
 before. As yet, there was little hope for the success of the 
 Anti-slavery party. The Know-Nothing party spring-
 
 6 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 ing up about this time also thinned their ranks, and, 
 as may be supposed, party spirit ran high. It was 
 all a Northern man s life was worth to go down 
 South, except he strongly endorsed slavery, and even 
 then he was looked upon by nearly every one as 
 a spy. 
 
 During this time, however, the Northern colleges 
 were half filled with Southern students. The profes 
 sors and tutors, anxious to avoid all strife, anxious 
 above all that the schools should prosper, tried at 
 first to maintain a strict neutrality, as far as politics 
 were concerned. But this state of affairs failed to 
 satisfy the stormy Southern students, who must be 
 allowed to air their opinions at all times and in all 
 places, at whatever cost. The Northern boys were 
 likely to attend college in any case, and the South 
 erners must not be driven away So all the professors 
 who could, conscientiously or otherwise, favor South 
 ern sentiments did so. As a natural consequence, 
 the Southern portion of the students soon ruled, to a 
 great extent, a majority of the Northern colleges : 
 there were few exceptions among those where their 
 patronage was of importance. Nearly all the Southern 
 boys were the children of wealthy parents, and they 
 were furnished with an almost exhaustless supply of 
 spending money, which they scattered with lavish 
 hand. 
 
 Rick belonged to this class. He affiliated with few 
 except his Southern classmates, and held himself 
 loftily aloof from the Northern students, treating 
 even those who professed to sympathize with him in 
 sentiment in a condescending manner. He held, in 
 common with all other young Southerners, to a sort of 
 tradition that the Southern portion of the students 
 belonged to the nobility, and those of the North, on 
 the contrary, were of plebeian origin. Wherein the 
 nobility consisted he might possibly have been unable 
 to explain in a satisfactory manner, but it existed in 
 his own mind. He was more popular than could 
 have been expected, partly because he had some
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 7 
 
 noble qualities, but chiefly on account of his bestow 
 ing costly favors upon all who chose to follow in his 
 lead so he had no lack of satellites. 
 
 Alfred Hastings, a Virginian who had entered col 
 lege a year previous to Rick, and who was two years 
 his senior in age, was Rick s especial friend. Alfred 
 was less outspoken than Rick, and had a smooth, 
 plausible manner. He spent little money for a 
 Southerner, but after Rick s advent this was scarcely 
 remarked, for the two were always together. They 
 were dubbed "The Siamese," " Damon and Pythias," 
 and other names suggestive of brotherly regard. In a 
 confidential manner, one day, Alfred told his friend 
 that, though he belonged to one of the oldest families 
 in Virginia, his father s estate was heavily cumbered 
 with debt, and he had no lack of funds thereafter. 
 His story was quite true, yet he would never have 
 confided the fact to Rick except for the purpose of 
 receiving his aid. The warm intimacy which con 
 tinued between them from year to year was honest 
 upon Rick s part, but partially feigned by Alfred, 
 who, while he took pains to be considered the soul of 
 honor, was given to deceitful practices whenever he 
 felt confident of escaping discovery. Rick feared no 
 one. He stood high in his class without being obliged 
 to exert himself, while Alfred, with twice the amount 
 of study, barely held a much lower place. Rick had 
 everything he desired which money could buy, and, 
 possibly because there was never any occasion for 
 doing so, he would not stoop to deceit. 
 
 At the beginning of the last year Alfred went to 
 New York to spend the last days of his vacation, and 
 while there he renewed the acquaintance of a distant 
 cousin Rose Halbert who was orphaned, and resided 
 with an aunt ; this aunt, however, was not Alfred s 
 relative, Rose being her brother s child. Rose was 
 seventeen, still attending school, and had not, as yet, 
 made her debut in society. Still she was very sensible, 
 and allowed many privileges by her indulgent aunt. 
 She was a sprightly, original girl, with an exceedingly
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 charming manner, and better than all or at least so 
 Alfred thought she had a very comfortable sum of 
 money in her own right. At first, after going on to 
 college, Alfred did not speak to Rick concerning 
 Rose, but as the time wore on and the holiday week 
 approached he became more and more anxious to 
 spend it in New York, and yet his lack of funds 
 rendered it impossible. If he had confided in Rick 
 from the beginning, telling him he was in love with 
 Rose, the money would have been forthcoming for his 
 journey at once, and this book would never have been 
 written. But he did not. He was anxious to obtain 
 the wherewithal and yet make it seem as though con 
 ferring a favor upon Rick at the same time. He 
 thought the matter over, counting well the cost and 
 the risk he was running, and then he decided upon 
 his course 
 
 " Rick," he said carelessly, " how are you going to 
 spend your holiday vacation ?" 
 
 " I have been pretty busy," Rick replied, " and 
 have thought little about it. but I really think I d like 
 to go off on a sort of a lark What say you ?" 
 
 " I have but one objection and that is my everlast 
 ing, infernal, threadoare excuse lack of funds." 
 
 " There don t be a fool, Alfred, you know that is 
 no reason at all." 
 
 "Well then, to tell the truth, I d like you to go 
 with me to New York. I have a kind of fiftieth cousin 
 there We were like brother and sister when we were 
 children but a sort of coolr.ess sprang up after her 
 father and mother died and I had not seen her for a 
 long time until last vacation She s a jolly girl, and 
 her only faul*" is that she is a little given to Northern 
 sentiments upon the slavery question. But h^r heart 
 is all righ f .; its natural, you know, hearing nothing else 
 from her infancy, she should lean a trifle in that direc 
 tion. You see her grandmother was a Virginian born, 
 and that makes all the difference in the world." 
 
 " Are you hard hit, Alfred ?" 
 
 "No, indeed; would as soon think of marrying a
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 9 
 
 sister. To tell the truth I had a sort of hope that 
 you might take a fancy to her and so become my 
 cousin at some period in the near future." 
 
 " Very kind of you, I am sure, but, really, I have no 
 intention of taking an abolitionist for a wife." 
 
 " Well, of course you will please yourself about 
 that, and about going to New York too. But Rose is 
 not like the majority of Northern girls." (He meant 
 this for a great compliment.) 
 
 Rick, judging Northern girls by the rather bold- 
 appearing ones which always frequent college towns, 
 took it in the light of a compliment, too. 
 
 " I was thinking of going to New York in any 
 case," he said, "though I have formed no plans what 
 ever, having been too much occupied to do so. When 
 the time comes we will pack our things and be off, 
 and if we find your cousin as pleasant as you fancy, 
 we will see her often ; otherwise, we will keep to 
 ourselves. But no attempts at match-making, Alfred, 
 and, upon the whole, I prefer you would not represent 
 me as being unusually wealthy." 
 
 "Don t be afraid," laughed Alfred, "Rose will not 
 marry you whether or no, for I think she has no lack 
 of suitors. She is an heiress in a small way, and, 
 though not out in society, is already the recipient of 
 more than one eligible offer, as her aunt informed me." 
 
 "I am not afraid, my friend. As Miss Halbert is 
 your cousin, I know she is a lady, and I dare say I 
 shall admire her, unless she is Yankeeish in appear 
 ance and manner ; if so, I warn you I shall spend 
 little time in her society. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 ROSE. 
 
 She lived in a street which had just been built up 
 in solid brown-stone blocks, and at that time it was 
 considered quite far up town, though now the location 
 is the reverse. Her uncle was a solid merchant, with
 
 10 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 a married daughter who resided in Europe, and two 
 sons one already settled and in business with his 
 father, the younger one, only sixteen, at school. 
 So Rose was the life of the house, and since she 
 showed unusual wisdom for her years she followed 
 to a great extent the bent of her own sweet will. 
 She was making grand preparations for the holidays, 
 and when she received a note from Alfred saying he 
 was coming to the city for the vacation, with a friend, 
 Rose answered at once, at her aunt s suggestion, invit 
 ing both to the house. Alfred, after again calculating 
 the risks, strongly urged an acceptance, but Rick de 
 murred, preferring to stop at a hotel at first, and then, 
 if hospitably urged, to accept the invitation. Alfred 
 decided to go to the house at once. He did so, and, 
 calling upon Rick at his hotel a few hours later, 
 brought him an invitation to dinner that evening, 
 which he accepted. 
 
 Rose was looking from her window when the car 
 riage containing the two young gentlemen stopped at 
 the door. Rick was tall, dark and distinguished- 
 looking; he already sported a slight moustache, which 
 college students, whenever possible, were just begin 
 ning to affect. He wore a fur-lined and trimmed 
 overcoat, and a sombrero hat, which was exceedingly 
 becoming to his style of face. He sat quietly within 
 the carriage until Alfred alighted, then he sprang out 
 with an easy, yet dashing grace, and tossed the driver 
 a gold coin. Then she looked no more, but turned 
 to the mirror to give the last touches to her toilet 
 before going down. Her aunt, Mrs. Beale, was 
 already in the drawing-room in conversation with the 
 two young men when Rose entered, and did not per 
 ceive her niece until she saw Rick rise. Then she 
 introduced them, and he saw a young girl, rather 
 slender as yet, but well-formed and graceful, with a 
 fair complexion, hazel-brown eyes and bronze-brown 
 hair. 
 
 Rick was always impressed by outward appearances 
 and surroundings. In all his life before, notwith-
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. II 
 
 standing his wealth, he had never entered a private 
 dwelling where the appointments were so artistic and 
 truly elegant. Mrs. Beale had a most stately bearing 
 and address, and as for Rose, though he might have 
 seen more beautiful girls, he acknowledged to himself 
 that he had never met any one so perfectly graceful. 
 
 " Her form is good," was his mental comment, as 
 she sat down quietly and joined in the conversation ; 
 " her face is sweet, particularly her mouth and smile. 
 But when you come to her head, how it is set upon 
 her shoulders, though ! The shape and poise are 
 simply perfect. And I hinted she might take it into 
 that pretty head to fancy me for a husband. What a 
 fool I was ! And what must Alfred think of me ?" 
 
 For the first time in his whole life he felt a sense of 
 humility creep over him. He wondered at himself a 
 trifle wondered he could feel so without being angry, 
 for, under the circumstances, the sensation was pleas 
 urable rather than annoying. And then Mr. Beale 
 and his son Charles came home, and, soon after, din 
 ner was announced. Again he was agreeably sur 
 prised, this time that the meal was so perfect in every 
 minute particular. The table-linen was spotless, the 
 china and glass were all that could be asked the first 
 rare in design, the latter like crystal. The silver was 
 massive, the edibles deliciously cooked and admirably 
 served, and, best of all, Rose was by his side. There 
 were but six at the table Mr. and Mrs. Beale sitting 
 at the opposite ends, with Rick at his host s right and 
 Rose between him and Mrs. Beale. Opposite Rose 
 sat Alfred, at his aunt s right hand, and Charlie was 
 opposite Rick. Not a breath of the all-absorbing 
 topic of the hour slavery was whispered, for the 
 host and hostess knew the sentiments of their guests, 
 and forbore to mention it. 
 
 Afterward, when they had retired to the drawing- 
 room, Rose sang and played for them, as she did 
 everything else, sweetly and gracefully. She even 
 knew many of the latest and best college songs, 
 having learned them for her cousin s benefit, and she
 
 12 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 now played an accompaniment to several, while Rick 
 sang them, all joining in the chorus. It was eleven 
 o clock before Rick thought of going, and then, when 
 they cordially invited him to return on the morrow 
 and make the house his home during the remainder 
 of his stay, he gladly accepted. 
 
 He came, and throughout his visit everything passed 
 off as smoothly and pleasantly as during the first even 
 ing. Rick dared not bring in any expensive Christmas 
 gifts for Christmas came the day after the one that 
 found him settled in the house but he bought two 
 choice books for his hostess and Rose, and nearly 
 filled the house with flowers. During the week he 
 escorted the whole family, with the exception of Mr. 
 Beale, to the theatre, and once, to his great delight, 
 he took Rose to the opera alone. Had be been less 
 happy he might have observed that Alfred appeared 
 ill at ease and annoyed at times, but he suspected 
 nothing, saw nothing, Alfred s seemingly candid avowal 
 at first, of only brotherly feeling toward Rose, and 
 hint that she might make a good wife for Rick, threw 
 him entirely off his guard. 
 
 Alfred wrestled with himself in those days for 
 mastery over his actions. His feelings were very 
 bitter toward Rick, and only a thorough hypocrite 
 could have disguised them completely ; but by a 
 strong effort, knowing how much he had at stake, he 
 managed to avert suspicion. He could not afford to 
 lose Rick more than he could afford to lose Rose. 
 He did not doubt, when the end came and Rose was 
 secure as his wife, that Rick would bear him everlast 
 ing enmity ; but he must keep him in the dark until 
 the last possible moment, he was altogether too useful 
 to be angered a day too soon. Not that he was posi 
 tively in love with Rose ; on the contrary, just at 
 present, his feeling toward her resembled hatred very 
 closely. But he did not know one other marriageable 
 young lady who could bring her husband such a sum 
 of money at once as she, and money he must have, 
 for his father had died since his entrance into college,
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 13 
 
 and something must he done right speedily, or his an 
 cestral home, which had been bequeathed him by his 
 father burthened with debt, would forever pass from 
 his hands. He must reduce the mortgages at once ; 
 they had been put off or pushed ahead until the fol 
 lowing autumn, when a portion of them at least must 
 be met. He brooded over his foolish behavior in 
 bringing Rose and Rick together. 
 
 "The only mistake I made," he said to himself, 
 " was in overrating my influence with her and under 
 rating Rick s powers of fascination. But how could I 
 dream that Rick would fancy a Northern girl ? I only 
 thought I would have him to pay the bills which I 
 seemed to run. Well, there is no use lamenting what 
 is past, I must try and counteract what has been done 
 in some way and see they do not meet in future. 
 The very worst feature of it all is, they are both en 
 gaged to spend the vacation with me or, rather, the 
 summer since, as Rick says, our lives are to be one 
 long vacation when this year is done. His may be, 
 but as for me I am only beginning the strife, unless 
 my plans are fulfilled ; but they must be !" 
 
 The next day, being the last of their visit, Alfred 
 sought to sow the seed of discord between Rick and 
 the family, particularly with Rose. So he began upon 
 the subject of slavery. He was in the drawing-room 
 with Rose, and he heard Rick coming down the stair 
 case. 
 
 "You are very well, Cousin Rose," he began, as 
 though they had been having a dispute upon the sub 
 ject ; " the only fault I have to find with you is that you 
 are such a dreadfully determined little abolitionist." 
 
 She smiled and glanced toward Rick, who had just 
 entered the room in time to hear Alfred s closing 
 words. 
 
 "Are abolitionists so dreadful, then ?" she asked. 
 
 "Very," returned Alfred ; "are they not, Rick ?" 
 
 " Some of them, no doubt, are," Rick replied, rather 
 evasively, and seeming for once unwilling to argue 
 the case.
 
 14 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 "But don t you think my cousin especially so,"" 
 Alfred persisted, " when her grandmother was a Vir 
 ginia lady and owned slaves ?" 
 
 " Am I answerable for my grandmother s acts ?" 
 coolly inquired Rose. 
 
 " No, but do you think you are right in condemning 
 them ?" 
 
 " Who said I condemned them ? No dolibt, in my 
 grandmother s time, slavery existed in a very mild 
 form. The subject had never been agitated, and pos 
 sibly the dear lady had not formed the habit of thinking 
 for herself. This I know : When she was married, 
 she brought several slaves to New York with her, and 
 afterward, long before the law was passed here liber 
 ating all slaves when they reached a certain age, she 
 set her s free. So my grandmother was, to a greater 
 extent than I am, an abolitionist. She was a practical 
 one, while I am entitled to the name only in theory." 
 
 Rick laughed ; he could not have helped it, or told 
 the reason why he was glad Rose had the best of the 
 argument. He seemed arrayed against himself. Not 
 that he was at all won over to her way of thinking ; 
 he was simply so much in love he could not oppose 
 her in anything. But Alfred was determined he should 
 commit himself. 
 
 "Rick," he said, "have you turned coward? Why 
 don t you undertake to explain the subject of slavery 
 to Cousin Rose? I have heard you make it out a 
 divine institution so often, and at college no one 
 dares oppose you upon this point. I am unable to 
 account for your silence." 
 
 "If I am silent," he said, "it is because I fancy 
 Miss Halbert does not care to hear me enlarge upon 
 the subject. I was born on a plantation which has its 
 hundreds of slaves. My father is a slaveholder, my 
 grandfather was one ; indeed, if I outlive my father 
 (who I hope may be spared for many years) I shall 
 be a slaveholder myself. It is natural that I, born 
 and bred in the South, should believe in slavery; it 
 is equally natural that Miss Halbert, born and bred
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 15 
 
 in the North, should be opposed to it. The name 
 sounds badly to those who do not understand the in 
 stitution, and it is not strange that tender-hearted 
 people should object to it." 
 
 " But I learned my aversion to slavery in the 
 South," said Rose, and Alfred, who feared his attempt 
 to get the two to quarrel had failed, now leaned for 
 ward in breathless interest, feeling like patting Rose 
 upon the head for her last remark. 
 
 "Indeed," Rick said, though in a gentle tone. " I 
 am surprised at this. Will you tell me how it was ?" 
 
 " I was at Riverton, Cousin Alfred s home," she re 
 plied ; "it was during my last visit there, five years 
 or more ago. I saw little to disgust me with slavery 
 there, for I was a child, and not, perhaps, a thought 
 ful one. The slaves seemed comparatively happy, 
 being usually all smiles, at least in my presence. A 
 friend of my aunt lived upon the estate adjoining ; 
 she often came to Riverton, and petted me so much I 
 thought her perfection itself. I was accustomed to 
 going home with her to spend several days at a time, 
 and I was soon on the best of terms with her serv 
 ants, particularly her maid, who was a really beautiful 
 mulatto woman, called Sue. Mrs. Thornton had no 
 children of her own, but her husband was devoted 
 to her, and her will was law at all times. Sue had 
 three children three bright, pretty little things 
 and her husband was one of uncle s slaves. I had 
 seen Mrs. Thornton slap her in the face with one 
 breath and give her a pair of gold earrings the 
 next, and after that I was a little afraid of her 
 myself. One day Mr. Thornton came home I have 
 since thought he was intoxicated and seeing Sue 
 in the hall he called her, and when she came he 
 reached out his hand and patted her under the chin. 
 I shall never forget poor Sue s frightened face, nor 
 the stormy scene that followed. Mrs. Thornton was 
 looking over the head of the staircase, and she rushed 
 down and caught Sue by her curly hair and beat her 
 in the face with her clenched hand. I ran up and hid
 
 l6 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 in the closet, I was so frightened. Mrs. Thornton 
 sent at once for a man who was stopping at the near 
 est town ; it was said he was a slave-trader. I sup 
 pose he was, for he came, and in spite of Mr. 
 Thornton s remonstrances, he was obliged to sell Sue; 
 and the man took her away that very night, away from 
 her husband and children I can hear the poor things 
 scream yet. I heard the man promise Mrs. Thornton 
 he would sell her hundreds of miles away, and I sup 
 pose he did. I was so excited I set out without bon 
 net or wrap for Riverton, and begged my uncle to go 
 and buy poor Sue; but I was laughed at for my pains. 
 I was so shocked that I went to my room and to 
 bed, being too ill to rise for a week or more, and I 
 raved constantly in my sleep of the dreadful sight I 
 had witnessed. From that day to this I have been an 
 abolitionist, and Mrs. Thornton made me one. I 
 could never endure to look upon that woman s face 
 afterward." 
 
 " I have never witnessed anything like this in my 
 lifetime," Rick said, " for it is a very unusual case. I 
 don t wonder at the effect it had upon your opinions 
 or your mind. No doubt slavery has its dark sides, 
 but it has its bright ones, too, like almost every other 
 situation in life." 
 
 " But the happiness of a slave is so insecure," said 
 Rose. "A sudden death, aye, a sudden whim even, 
 upon the part of their owner and they are sep 
 arated at once and forever from all that is dear to 
 them." 
 
 " Only in rare cases," said Rick. " The death of 
 my grandfather made no difference to his slaves, and 
 i trust the death of my father will affect them quite 
 as little." 
 
 " But if you were to die soon after your father, 
 what then ?" she asked quickly. 
 
 " They would be scattered, no doubt, to a certain 
 extent among my sisters." 
 
 " Suppose you had no sisters ?" 
 
 "Then I should say, God help the slaves. But
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 17 
 
 death affects families at the North, does it not, and 
 jealousy, too ?" 
 
 " Often, no doubt ; but not so terribly as it does 
 the poor Southern slaves." 
 
 " Perhaps not ; we will not argue further, with your 
 permission, only let me say, Miss Halbert, I do not 
 wonder, under the circumstances, at the opinions you 
 hold. I only hope that your next visit among slave 
 holders and slaves may give you an opportunity of 
 seeing the brightest side of slave-life." 
 
 " I hope so, indeed, though even that would scarcely 
 change my opinion. I am to spend the coming sum 
 mer at Riverton, and I certainly hope to find Cousin 
 Alfred s servants happy." 
 
 "Then I shall have the pleasure of meeting you 
 there," said Rick, " for I have promised Alfred a visit 
 at the same time." 
 
 " Indeed !" and her face showed the pleasure she 
 felt, for she was strongly interested in him, and 
 fancied in the goodness of her girlish heart that he 
 might readily be converted to her creed, at least so 
 far as to be induced to make out free papers for each 
 of his slaves, to take effect at his death. 
 
 Alfred was not quite satisfied with the turn the 
 argument had taken, for he did not wish Rick to 
 know of Rose s promised visit to Riverton, and he 
 determined to favor leaving for college early on the 
 following morning, to prevent farther mischief. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 RIVERTON. 
 
 Alfred s father had died quite suddenly, during 
 his son s vacation, a year and a half previously. He 
 knew the tangled state of his affairs, and calling 
 Alfred, who was his eldest child, to his bedside, 
 had a long and serious conversation with him. 
 
 " My son," he said, " I have struggled to clear the 
 estate from debt, but in vain ; each year finds me
 
 iS SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 more and more involved. Perhaps fate will be more 
 kind to you. I am about to make my will, and I want 
 to acquaint you with my intentions. There are your 
 mother and the two younger children to be provided 
 for. If I leave Riverton to you, I must leave you 
 also the care of these helpless ones. I think I will 
 leave your mother and Ida each a home here until 
 they marry for your mother may marry again with 
 a small annuity to each, your mother s to continue 
 during her lifetime and Ida s to cease with her mar 
 riage. As to James, I will also leave him a home, and 
 a slight annuity until he becomes of age. This will 
 be quite a burthen to you, and you may not feel equal 
 to the undertaking. I only propose it because I 
 cannot bear to see the estate pass into the hands of 
 strangers. If it were sold to-day, with all its servants, 
 the mortgages could be paid and quite a handsome 
 sum would be left besides ; but I have had a feeling 
 against parting with any of my slaves, and they are 
 not so profitable here as farther South. So the place 
 has become overrun with them there are nearly 
 twice as many as are needed. Still I strongly advise 
 you, if you sell at all, to part with as few as possible. 
 Are you willing to take the estate with all the encum 
 brances ?" 
 
 " Yes, father," Alfred said, " I will take it, and 
 clear it from debt before ten years more have passed. 
 Be comforted, it shall not pass into the hands of 
 strangers." 
 
 The will was made, the annuities being as light as 
 possible, Mr. Hastings feeling that Alfred s generosity 
 would supply all that was needed in case there was 
 any deficiency. Two days after, Mr. Hastings died. 
 Alfred determined to finish his collegiate course ; but 
 not being quite of age at his father s death, the settle 
 ment of the estate was postponed until the following 
 summer. Then he hoped to have Rick with him, for he 
 well knew that if he showed him the true state of the 
 case he would loan him freely enough for his present 
 needs ; but Colonel Gonzales was quite ill, and Rick
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 19 
 
 was obliged to hasten home, promising to make the 
 visit in the following summer. So Alfred sold a few 
 slaves to make up what he needed for his college ex 
 penses, and to settle up affairs until he returned to 
 stay, with as little compunction as he would have 
 parted with a lot of cattle. His mother regretted the 
 act, but she was too much a slave to her son s whims 
 to oppose him in anything. When this was done, 
 Alfred returned to college, laying his plans to obtain 
 some help from Rick, but to secure a rich wife as a 
 final relief. The next summer Rick was called home 
 on account of visits from distant friends, after having 
 spent a single week in Riverton. But during that 
 time he loaned Alfred a sum sufficient to carry him 
 through the coming year, his last at college, and 
 Alfred finished his vacation by visiting Rose, when he 
 fancied he saw his way quite clear. 
 
 At Easter it was impossible to prevent Rick from 
 making a flying trip to New York. Alfred pleaded 
 lack of time, but when he found Rick was decided 
 upon going in any case, he prepared to accompany 
 him. As he anticipated, it resulted in even a greater 
 degree of friendliness than had been expressed be 
 fore, both Mr. and Mrs. Beale seeming to be as fond 
 of Rick as was Rose herself. As the close of the year 
 approached, Alfred wrote his mother saying that in 
 view of the sentiments of his cousin Rose he would 
 prefer having her visit deferred until toward Septem 
 ber, for he would be obliged to part with all extra 
 servants, and under the circumstances it would be far 
 pleasanter for all to have her visit delayed until busi 
 ness affairs were disposed of. He suggested that his 
 mother should write Rose at the last moment, tell her 
 that the weather was warm and oppressive, and there 
 was some fever about, and, all things considered, al 
 though she greatly regretted it, her visit would be 
 safer if postponed for a few weeks. 
 
 Rose received the letter, reading it regretfully, but 
 could only acquiesce ; it being so affectionate she 
 suspected nothing. She sat down and wrote a short
 
 20 SUBDUED SOUTHERN MOBILITY. 
 
 note to Alfred, telling him of the letter, and that, in 
 consequence, she was going to Niagara at once with 
 tier aunt, whose health was somewhat delicate. She 
 therefore would not be home when he passed through 
 the city, but would be down to Riverton about the 
 middle of August, if all was well. Then she wished 
 to be remembered to Mr. Gonzales, and closed in a 
 cool matter-of-fact way. 
 
 Alfred read the portion of her letter which told of 
 iier trip to Niagara aloud to Rick, also of her intended 
 arrival in Riverton, but substituted July for August, 
 and omitted the compliments altogether. Rick was 
 neither piqued nor especially hurt at being forgotten, 
 though he said to himself that some little message 
 would have been gratefully received. But after all 
 Alfred s plan did not work so well as he had hoped, 
 for Colonel Gonzales wrote Rick saying it was his 
 desire to see him for a few days he would detain 
 him only a little while, and then he should visit 
 Riverton. 
 
 This was to be regretted, certainly. He hoped to 
 have Rick and the assistance of his purse until it was 
 time for Rose to come, then Rick might leave as soon 
 as he chose. Somehow Rose must be hindered from 
 coming until he had gone. Then each were to be told 
 the other had been careless about a meeting ; he would 
 then devote himself to Rose and take her by storm. 
 Now he must do without Rick at the beginning, and 
 no one could tell what the end would be. He went 
 home when the year was over, having graduated but 
 with few honors. He was not in a happy frame of 
 mind, but he began settling up the estate at once. 
 All the slaves who were not absolutely needed were 
 sold without mercy and scattered far and wide, to take, 
 as he expressed it to his mother, the sharp edge off the 
 mortgages, to pay up the interest, and cancel the last 
 one, which was pressing. All this was accomplished, 
 and then he breathed more freely ; there was a load 
 off his mind. It left him with a light purse, but he 
 calculated upon Rick s generosity to bridge him over
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 21 
 
 till Rose should be won. Then he began writing to 
 Rose, without asking the privilege, in a friendly way. 
 He spoke of his responsibilities, of his efforts in be 
 half of his beloved Riverton, but did not state in 
 what direction these efforts lay. He spoke of the 
 responsibility he felt in assuming the guardianship of 
 so many people, and that, as he looked into it more 
 and more, he began to feel that slavery was far from 
 right. He begged her, however, not to mention his 
 sentiments, as by expressing them publicly he would 
 be shunned or persecuted by his Southern friends. 
 " It will not do to speak openly of such things now," 
 he said, " and especially until after Rick s visit, for he 
 is so radical in his views upon the subject of slavery ; 
 but it will not hinder me from disposing of my slaves 
 as I please when I die, if not before." 
 
 It had not, indeed, prevented him from realizing a 
 good, round sum for several of them, but poor little 
 Rose knew nothing of this. She was so sorry for 
 poor Alfred, and wrote him a most encouraging letter 
 on account of his noble sentiments. She was sorry 
 Mr. Gonzales did not concur with him in opinion ; she 
 had thought better things of him. And then, of 
 course, Alfred wrote again, thanking her for all her 
 goodness to him, which was all the encouragement he 
 had. As to Rick, she must not expect too much of 
 him, for he was never known to contradict a lady in 
 his life. He was something of a favorite in ladies 
 society, for he had such a devoted, almost chivalrous 
 manner; but then he meant little by that, as his pro 
 verbial fickleness proved. After this he praised his 
 friend faintly in other ways, and when the letter came 
 to Rose she read it and sighed a little, lying awake 
 half the night to think it over, trying to be brave and 
 not sob over it, but feeling very sore at heart that 
 she had been so mistaken in her estimate of Rick s 
 character. She confided the last to Alfred in her 
 next letter, and he smiled when he read it, and mut 
 tered to himself that Riverton was surely safe.
 
 22 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 DOLORES. 
 
 Colonel Gonzales had been spending the winter 
 in Cuba. He spoke Spanish fairly, and his physi 
 cian recommended the climate as probably beneficial, 
 for he was very ill indeed. He took with him his 
 own body servant, who gave him some trouble on 
 account of not understanding the language. While 
 he was able to be about he fared well enough, but he 
 was prostrated with sickness soon after his arrival, 
 and he suffered greatly because Jake could not com 
 prehend the doctor s directions. As soon as he par 
 tially recovered he sent Jake home and employed a 
 Cuban slave to attend him. When quite himself 
 again he sought out a friend of his father, or, rather, 
 the son of his father s friend, a Senor Ambrosio, who 
 resided in Havana, and who received Colonel Gon 
 zales with much warmth, urging him to make his 
 house his home during the remainder of his stay. 
 Senor Ambrosio had a beautiful daughter, to whom 
 the Colonel became greatly attached, in a fatherly 
 sort of a way. Falling ill a second time, Dolores 
 nursed him tenderly and carefully back to health, and 
 he felt upon his recovery that she had saved his life. 
 She seemed to have a special genius for nursing, her 
 touch and step being light, her presence strengthful 
 and soothing, and particularly so to the feeble old man 
 who had missed a woman s care so long. After this 
 he had no serious illness ; it seemed as if the senorita 
 checked every slight attack in the beginning, always 
 knowing just what to do and doing it at once, for he 
 obeyed her like a child. Her skill was taxed in 
 another direction during the early spring. Senor 
 Ambrosio was taken seriously ill alarmingly so and 
 Dolores took her stand at his bedside. Faithfully 
 she nursed and watched him, but it was all in vain, 
 for he died after being confined to his bed only a 
 veek. Before he passed away he sent for Colonel 
 Gonzales and had a private understanding with him
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 23 
 
 concerning Dolores, though its exact nature the 
 Colonel never disclosed. When he returned home in 
 May, however, he brought the sefiorita with him. 
 
 There was quite a commotion among the slaves at 
 Idlefield when the colonel returned. The senorita 
 was shown through the house and allowed to take 
 her choice of rooms. To every one s surprise she 
 took one upon the second floor the largest ; but 
 Colonel Gonzales felt she could not be made 
 comfortable there on account of the heat, and so 
 advised. 
 
 " I prefer it," she said in her soft voice, which 
 showed a tinge of foreign accent, though she spoke 
 English fluently and had a graceful command of 
 either language. "I am accustomed to the heat, and 
 in this room I shall have what I sometimes dearly 
 prize solitude." 
 
 So it was put in the best possible order for her, and 
 whenever the colonel was away she would always sit 
 there by a window which overlooked the hills at the 
 north and gaze upon them with dreamy solemn eyes 
 for hours. Here, too, she sat in the evening before 
 retiring, always looking out over the hills and seem 
 ing to be solving some problem which, though it 
 might not trouble her greatly, was nevertheless ever 
 present in her mind. When Colonel Gonzales was at 
 home she always took her meals with him, and chatted 
 pleasantly the whole morning long. In the afternoon 
 she took a siesta, usually playing upon the piano 
 for an hour or two afterward, and when tea was 
 over there was more chatting with the colonel until 
 bed-time. If he chanced to be ill she devoted her 
 whole time to him, often sitting up all night cheer 
 fully, with Jake near at hand, usually asleep upon the 
 floor in the hall just outside the door. 
 
 This was how Rick found matters when he came 
 home from school. He met Dolores at the tea-table, 
 where she presided with rare grace. She was dressed 
 in black, though not in what could be called mourn 
 ing, for it was a rich, glossy silk, and as was then the
 
 24 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 fashion, especially in warm climates, her neck and 
 shoulders were bare. She had a superbly rounded 
 form, a pale olive-tinted complexion, dazzling white 
 teeth, full red lips, dark wavy hair, and magnificent 
 black eyes. Rick was wonderfully impressed with 
 her strange beauty. She wore no jewels, except that 
 her bodice was clasped in front with a brooch, in 
 which an immense carbuncle blazed like a coal of fire ; 
 about it were set four large pearls, one on either side, 
 and making the shape of the brooch like a diamond. 
 
 Rick closely watched her, scarcely knowing whether 
 to be displeased or glad. It seemed scarcely right 
 for his father to bring this beautiful creature to his 
 home when there was no other woman to receive or 
 care for her, and she was far too young and fair to 
 be exposed to the tongue of scandal. When tea was 
 over she said to the colonel : 
 
 " I will play while you go out upon the veranda 
 and chat with your son." 
 
 "You are always so thoughtful, child," he said in 
 answer, and then she swept away with a graceful, 
 gliding movement into the parlor, which was quite 
 dark, and began to play. Rick sat near his father in 
 a rustic chair, and as before, whenever he returned, 
 began recounting the struggles and honors of the 
 past year. 
 
 For a few moments the old man seemed to listen 
 eagerly, as he had been wont to do, and then his 
 questions ceased ; even his answers and nods of as 
 sent grew fainter, until he was silent altogether. Rick 
 moved nearer and found he had dropped asleep. 
 
 " He is weaker than I thought," he said. " I am 
 glad I shall not need to leave him any more. Only 
 for Rose I believe I would give up my visit to River- 
 ton." 
 
 He sat and listened to Dolores playing, almost feel 
 ing his eyelids grow heavy with slumber, too, for she 
 played low, soft melodies, in which at times a vein of 
 monotony appeared, yet it was so sweet he could have 
 .vished her to repeat the strain again and again, when
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 25 
 
 her fingers wandered into other harmonious musings. 
 Sometimes a strangely thrilling bar was introduced 
 suddenly, as though the keys were sobbing; the wind 
 seemed sighing next, there was a rumble of faint 
 thunder, a pattering sound of rain, and in the midst 
 a clock struck nine ; afterward the rain ceased, the 
 wind sank into a breeze and faintly died away, and 
 all was still. A moment after Dolores appeared at 
 the window. 
 
 " What were you playing ?" Rick asked, in a low tone. 
 
 " Evening Memories, " she said. 
 
 " I never heard it before ; how very sweet it is !" 
 
 " Do you think so ? A friend in Cuba composed it. 
 I do not think it has appeared in print. Has your 
 father gone to sleep ?" 
 
 "Yes," he answered. 
 
 " Poor old man ! it is really too bad ; he will not 
 feel well when he wakes, I fear. I did not think he 
 would fall asleep when you were here or I would not 
 have played." 
 
 " Has he been very ill ?" 
 
 "He is often, and recently I think he grows weaker 
 with each attack, however light it may be." 
 
 " He is so old," said Rick. "And yet I never fully 
 realized before that I am the child of his old age. I 
 fear he has been more ill than I knew, and am thank 
 ful he has been spared to me so long. I could not 
 have borne it if he had died while I was away !" 
 
 The old man stirred uneasily, and Dolores came 
 and spoke to him gently, asking if he were tired. 
 
 " You will not rest well here," she said, " and the 
 night air is growing chill. Shall I not call Jake and 
 have him help you to bed ? And then if you are 
 wakeful I will play for you." 
 
 "Yes," he said, " I will go. I believe, my boy, I fell 
 asleep while you were talking ; pardon me, Rick. It 
 was because she was playing Dolores often plays me 
 to sleep." 
 
 Jake now made his appearance, and Rick rose and 
 gave his father his arm.
 
 20 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 " Shall I play, or do you prefer quiet ?" asked 
 Dolores, as she preceded them into the hall. 
 
 " Play for me, Dolorita," he said. " Good night, 
 my girl." 
 
 " Buenos noches, tenga // " she answered, and a 
 moment later the piano was murmuring a low, word 
 less song. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 FOR THE LAST TIME. 
 
 The next day the colonel remained in bed. He war 
 not very ill, but he seemed listless and weary, and he 
 could not bear either Rick or Dolores out of his sight. 
 To do Rick justice, though he did long for the sighx 
 of Rose Halbert s face, the thought that he coulo 
 leave his father never entered his mind. He wrote to- 
 Alfred that his father was ill, and it was extremely 
 doubtful if he could come to Riverton at all, bidding 
 him give his regrets to Miss Halbert and say how 
 sorry he was not to be able to meet her. 
 
 " If father recovers," he said by way of a post 
 script, " you may expect me for a short while later in 
 the season, though even that is doubtful." 
 
 Alfred read the letter and made up his mind in a mo 
 ment to write, urging Rose to come on at once. By this 
 time there was a very friendly feeling existing between 
 him and Rose, caused chiefly by his letters, which had 
 been carefully worded and prepared with the design 
 of producing this effect. She seldom mentioned Rick 
 in hers now, and she always thought of him with a 
 little pang of regret. When her aunt praised him it 
 gave her sincere pleasure, and she resolved Mrs. Beale 
 should never know how deceitful he was. When she 
 received Alfred s letter urging her to come on, as the 
 season was more healthful than was expected, she 
 made immediate preparations for going, and arrived 
 early in August. 
 
 Two weeks later, the colonel having rallied and
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 27 
 
 seeming quite himself again, Rick decided to pay a 
 short visit to Riverton, solely upon Miss Halbert s ac 
 count. As for Dolores she was a puzzle to Rick. 
 At first he was inclined to be jealous of her influence 
 over his father, and decided if there had not been 
 such a vast difference between their ages that the 
 Colonel might have made a fool of himself and mar 
 ried the girl. But after watching them closely for 
 some time he felt he had been unjust. Dolores was 
 like a devoted daughter only, and Rick came at last 
 to accept her as a blessing to his father, even though 
 she seemed, in some unaccountable manner, to stand 
 nearer his heart than did Rick. 
 
 " Perhaps I was selfish to go away and leave him 
 when he was so old," he said, " and this is a sort of 
 punishment to me on account of my undutiful be 
 havior. I am glad he has had some one to comfort 
 him, and will not murmur even if I have lost the first 
 place in his heart. Perhaps it is all for the best, and 
 will give me more leisure to devote to Rose." 
 
 "Come back soon, my son," the old man said as he 
 bade him " Good-by." 
 
 " I will not go at all if you bid me stay," Rick said, 
 the tears coming into his eyes. 
 
 "Go, my boy," the Colonel answered, earnestly. 
 " I will not be alone, but if I am taken ill I will send 
 for you without a moment s delay." 
 
 He went, determined to lose no time in learning his 
 fate of Rose, for he could not tarry long. It was true 
 he was rather young, only just twenty-one, but he 
 appeared older than he really was, and since his edu 
 cation was completed and he had no lack of means 
 there was no reason why he should not marry at once, 
 for Idlefield needed a mistress. 
 
 Alfred met him at the railroad station with open 
 arms, giving him a wordy welcome, mingled with an 
 unusual amount of flattery, which Rick would have 
 resented from another source, but now he received 
 with only a quiet disclaimer. Riverton was really a 
 fine old mansion, with a grove of catalpa and syca-
 
 28 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY". 
 
 more trees set about it, and as they neared the house 
 they saw through the foliage the flutter of light 
 dresses and heard a low murmur of women s voices. 
 As soon as they were discovered, Ida, Alfred s sister 
 of ten years, rushed out to meet them as they alighted 
 at the veranda on one side of the house, and a servant 
 came up to lead the horses away. Then Mrs. Hast 
 ings turned and gave Rick a graceful, lady-like 
 welcome, and after, Rick turned for a greeting from 
 Rose. 
 
 Though at times abrupt and even violent in his 
 conversation with gentlemen, Rick had a pleasing and 
 deferential manner in addressing ladies. It might 
 have been cultivated instead of natural, and often 
 was, without doubt, insincere, but it won him many 
 friends. To-day, however, though the words he 
 spoke to Rose came from his very heart, they were 
 received by her with a certain coldness of manner 
 quite unusual with her, though scarcely decided 
 enough to permit him to remark it, much less inquire 
 the cause. He could not be sure wherein this cold 
 ness consisted, but it did exist, continuing throughout 
 the evening. It was sufficiently perceptible to forbid 
 an immediate proposal upon his part, and his spirits 
 somewhat dampened in their ardor he retired to rest 
 at last, giving scant attention to Alfred s stream of 
 light talk, which had no further effect than to put him 
 to sleep at last. 
 
 He woke early in the morning, and though he 
 deemed it wise to defer a proposal he was still un 
 daunted in his determination of winning the hand of 
 Rose. Perhaps, he argued, he had offended her in 
 some trivial matter, or possibly as he had not writ 
 ten her she might think he was only amusing himself 
 by flirting when she was in sight and forgetting her 
 altogether when absent. If this were the case he 
 would prove to her that his love was straightforward 
 and earnest, and this done he did not fear the result. 
 
 A week passed, and though Rose s manner changed 
 slightly toward him it was still in some degree for-
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 29 
 
 bidding and grew to be a puzzle. It seemed as 
 though she did care for him at times, yet against her 
 own judgment and will. Something must be very 
 wrong, but what? Rick shrank from speaking to 
 Alfred about it, for his love was the most sacred thing 
 he had ever experienced. He could not bear to men 
 tion it to any one until he had spoken to her ; and then 
 Alfred and Mrs. Hastings both seemed so unsuspect 
 ing, as though it had never occurred to them that 
 Rick could love Rose. A more devoted host and 
 hostess he had never met, as one of them was always 
 with him. They loaded him with attentions, but Rick 
 would rather have had one word from Rose than 
 volumes of their compliments. 
 
 Impatient in most things, in this new, strange de 
 light of love Rick was most patient and gentle. At 
 length he grew grave and anxious, wonderfully so for 
 him, and then Miss Halbert s manner changed ; she 
 was no longer distant and forbidding, but friendly and 
 gentle altogether. Rick observed this change with 
 unbounded delight. His only difficulty was that he 
 could never see her a moment alone. Just at this 
 time, however, Alfred was called to a neighboring 
 town upon business, and Mrs. Hastings, who had been 
 faithfully guarding the two all the morning, was sud 
 denly called away by an accident to one of the slaves. 
 
 Rose was about to follow her, but Rick gently de 
 tained her. 
 
 " Stay," he said, " it is the first moment I have had 
 you all to myself since I came here." 
 
 Rose paled a trifle. 
 
 " Do you fear me ?" he asked. " Have I ever been 
 so unfortunate as to offend you in any manner ?" 
 
 " Oh, no !" she answered, quickly. " And I have 
 observed with much concern how sad you have grown 
 of late. Is it anxiety for your father s health ? Alfred 
 said so." 
 
 " I have had much to bear this summer," Rick re 
 plied. " First, my father s health has caused me 
 great alarm, and only for the pleasure of meeting
 
 30 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 you here I would not have left him. But I found 
 you grave and distant ; you seemed to grudge me 
 every word, and you seldom deigned to give me a 
 smile. This more than anything else has grieved me." 
 
 " I did not dream " she began, and then little 
 
 Ida rushed into the room to tell them that Alfred had 
 come. 
 
 He had, indeed, and he entered hastily a moment 
 later, his face expressing deep alarm. 
 
 " Rick," he said, " my dear fellow, I have a tele 
 gram for you. I sincerely hope " 
 
 But Rick interrupted him with an impatient gesture. 
 He put out his hand and said simply, with white lips 
 and a low, strange voice, which was almost a whisper : 
 
 " The telegram !" And Alfred, awed a trifle, gave 
 it without another word. 
 
 " He is not dead/ he said, as though speaking to 
 himself, when he had torn it open and read its con 
 tents "thank God for that!" Then turning to Rose 
 he added, " my father is very ill indeed, and I must 
 go to him at once." 
 
 Rose had no opportunity to answer him, for both 
 Alfred and his mother broke out in profuse utterances 
 that were evidently meant to be consolatory ; but Rick 
 did not seem to hear them, for in their midst he 
 darted up to his room and began hastily to toss his 
 things into his trunk. Alfred followed, and as he 
 appeared in the room Rick turned hurriedly about. 
 
 " When does the first train leave ?" he asked. 
 " Because if I am obliged to hurry in order to catch it 
 I ll get you to send my traps after me." 
 
 "There is plenty of time," Alfred said. "The 
 train starts in just an hour and a half. That will give 
 you an opportunity to pack up and eat your dinner 
 before you go." 
 
 " Eat ?" Rick said, and then he went on with his 
 packing. 
 
 At first he thought only of his father, but now there 
 came a longing for one moment alone with Rose, in 
 which he might give her a hint of his intentions
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 3f 
 
 toward her ; but no opportunity occurred. Instead, 
 Alfred followed him about like a shadow, bewailing 
 the necessity of Rick s leaving so hurriedly, hoping 
 nothing serious would occur, and urging Rick to bear 
 up in admonitions which rendered his trouble un 
 bearable and nearly drove him wild. He was obliged 
 to bid Rose good-by before them all, but he managed 
 also to say to her that he would write her soon after 
 his arrival at Idlefield. Then with a quick, loving 
 glance, and a gentle but warm and lingering pressure 
 of the hand, he bade her adieu. 
 
 " I am very sorry for you," she said, in a low tone, 
 returning, though ever so slightly, the pressure of his 
 hand. And then Rick rushed away that no one might 
 see how her simple words unmanned him. 
 
 Alfred drove him to the depot, bade him cheer up, 
 and saw him set out upon his journey. The country 
 was not at that time covered with a network of rail 
 roads, therefore to travel this distance was some 
 thing of an undertaking, it being accomplished by- 
 rail, boat and stage. When it was nearly over at last, 
 and he arrived at the station nearest Idlefield, he 
 found Sol, his own body servant, awaiting him. 
 
 "Fank de Lo d, Mas r Rick !" he said devoutly, 
 "you s home at last." 
 
 " How is father ?" asked Rick anxiously. 
 "Well, sah, Mammy tole me to tell yer as how 
 Miss Dolory lowed he ain t no wuss ; but he is bin. 
 powerful bad all long, pore ole Mas r." 
 
 Rick breathed more freely, and taking the reins 
 in his own hands urged the horses to their utmost 
 speed, and in an hour s time stood by his father s 
 bed-side. The old colonel s face brightened when his 
 son entered the room. The tears came to his eyes, 
 and he feebly put out his hand to meet Rick s loving 
 clasp, that seemed to give new life to the withered 
 veins of the almost nerveless arm that thrilled with 
 the young, warm pressure. 
 
 "I knew you would come," h said, in a weak 
 voice. " My boy, I could not die until I saw you
 
 32 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 once more, for I have something to tell you some 
 thing I wish vou to do when I am gone." 
 
 " Why, father," returned Rick, trying to speak 
 cheerfully, " you must not die at all. I m not going 
 to leave you ever again." He turned and gave his 
 hand to Dolores, saying, " I thank you for your kind 
 care of him." 
 
 A look of perfect content crossed the sick man s 
 face and he reached for Rick s hand again. Rick 
 gave it, sitting down upon the bedside, and his father 
 soon sank in a refreshing sleep. Dolores stole out of 
 the room softly, she looked pale and tired, but Rick 
 sat for hours, never moving for fear of disturbing the 
 sleeper. At last his father stirred, and opening his 
 eyes they rested upon his son s in loving content. 
 
 "I have slept so well," he said. "Ah, Rick! your 
 coming has done me a world of good already. I feel 
 as though I might take some toast and tea." 
 
 " And so do I," said Rick, " now I find you so well, 
 for I have eaten little since I started." 
 
 Tea and toast were ordered, and after the colonel 
 had taken a small quantity Dolores came down and 
 sat with him, while Rick went out to partake of a 
 hearty meal which Mammy had ordered for him. 
 When he returned to the sick chamber the colonel 
 spoke. 
 
 " I have not been up for two or three days," he 
 said, " but now I feel quite strong and would like to 
 take the air. It is not late yet, is it, Rick ?" 
 
 " No, it is scarcely six o clock and the sun is 
 brightly shining. Would you like us to put you in 
 your big chair and take you out upon the veranda to 
 watch the sunset while the sefiorita plays for us ?" 
 
 " Yes, Rick, I would like to sit as we did the night 
 you first came home ; it would rest me so, I know." 
 
 Calling Jake to assist, Rick tenderly lifted his 
 father into the chair, and with his dressing-gown 
 wrapped closely about him they drew him out where 
 the rays of the setting sun shone upon him, while 
 Dolores played softly within. The servants gathered
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 33 
 
 about, smiling to see how much better " pore ole 
 Mas r " seemed since Rick was home once more, and 
 then one by one they stole away again. 
 
 " You will be kind to our people when I am gone, 
 Rick ?" 
 
 "Yes, father." 
 
 " Sometimes I think I have been too strict, espe 
 cially in former days. They need a little recreation, 
 you know, and an hour more or less taken from labor 
 will scarcely be missed. Your mother was good to 
 them always." 
 
 " And I will try to be, father, do not fear." 
 
 There was a long pause. The twilight was begin 
 ning to close in ; the piano was giving forth sweet 
 and low melodies, like a soft wind-harp. 
 
 " Most of all," the Colonel spoke slowly, " I 
 wish you to be good to her." 
 
 "Father," very earnestly, " do not be troubled. If 
 you leave me I will remember what you have said ; 
 nay, more than this, if I think you have left anything 
 unsaid I will try and do all as I believe you would 
 wish me to do." 
 
 " God bless you, Rick !" and then there was a 
 pause. 
 
 The piano keys were sobbing now. The red light 
 in the west faded, and what seemed like a flush upon 
 the old man s cheek, with it died away. He leaned 
 back in his chair. 
 
 " Dolores often plays me to sleep," he said. 
 
 Mammy came out with a blanket, which Rick 
 wrapped about him. He glanced up with a smile but 
 did not speak, and then slowly he seemed to drift 
 away into the land of dreams. 
 
 " Are you not tired, father ?" Rick gently asked at 
 length ; but the old man was slumbering peacefully 
 and did not reply. The music ceased and Dolores 
 came out on the veranda. 
 
 " Is not the night air too cool for him ?" she asked. 
 
 " I almost fear so," Rick answered softly, "but you 
 have played him to sleep. Shall I draw his chair into
 
 34 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 the house or shall we let him slumber on for a few 
 moments ?" 
 
 She went up to the old man s side and felt his fore 
 head, his face, his hands. 
 
 "The night air cannot harm him," she said ; "you 
 may draw his chair within but he will not wake. 
 Yes, I have played him to sleep, but it is for the last 
 time." 
 
 " As I live he is dead !" says Rick, who immedi 
 ately summoned the servants to remove him to his 
 chamber, where in due time he was laid out. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 A REVELATION. 
 
 Upon the day following the funeral Rick sat alone 
 in his father s chamber, his own now. He felt lonely 
 and dispirited, too much so to attempt a letter to Rose. 
 He could not look into the future, for when he at 
 tempted it he could see but a little way ; beyond all 
 seemed shut out as by a dark pall. The novelty of 
 being master of so large and rich a domain had not 
 the least exhilarating effect upon him, and he could 
 think of but few things to be thankful for. One was 
 that his father had been spared until his return, the 
 other that Rose seemed to feel so kindly toward him 
 when he left Riverton. As to Alfred, he could hardly 
 tell how it was he had grown almost distasteful to 
 him. Still he suspected nothing ; he was more in 
 clined to think it might be that his own love for Rose, 
 and despondency because of her seeming coldness, 
 had put his own soul out of tune until everything 
 jarred upon it which was not favorable in prospering 
 his suit with her. 
 
 Only one of his sisters had been present at the 
 funeral ; the others lived too far away to permit them 
 to arrive in time, and the one who was enabled to do 
 so had left on the evening of the same day, her home
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 35 
 
 duties being pressing on account of illness there. 
 Rick had seen so little of his sisters in the past five 
 years they seemed almost like strangers to him. As 
 for Dolores, though he felt grateful to her for her care 
 of his father, though he admired her strange beauty 
 and wonderful skill at the piano, he found no pleas 
 ure in conversation with her. She disliked to speak 
 English, and he was not familiar enough with Spanish 
 to converse freely in the tongue, so they really had 
 spoken little together. His thoughts now turned to 
 her and he wondered how he could dispose of her, as 
 he felt it was not right for her to remain alone with 
 him at Idlefield. While busy with this thought there 
 was a tap at the open door, and the seiiorita came in 
 at his bidding. She came forward slowly, after bow 
 ing slightly, and laid a small parcel in his hand. 
 Rick observed how white she looked ; even her lips 
 were pale, and though they seemed unsteady while 
 she spoke there was no trace of tears in her eyes. 
 
 " Here are two papers," she said, " which your 
 father bade me deliver to you in person. They are 
 written in Spanish, and they concern me alone. What 
 they contain no living person beside me has any idea. 
 I could have withheld them from you, for it was 
 greatly to my interest to do so ; but he preferred you 
 should know, and I will not disobey him now he is 
 dead ; and then, too, he told me I could trust you." 
 
 " Thanks," he answered, taking the packet from 
 her hand. " I am not good, sefiorita I am not good 
 at all ; yet I think I have never been so base as to 
 disappoint any one who has trusted in me." 
 
 " He trusted in you," she said ; " but, remember, I 
 do not. In giving these papers to you I run a great 
 and vital risk. Not that I think you base," she con 
 tinued, as he was about to interrupt her, " but you are 
 human, and all humanity is frail." 
 
 " You are nervous," he said, " and though I do not 
 understand you I feel certain you do me wrong. Sit 
 down ; I assure you there is nothing you need fenr 
 from me more than you feared from my father."
 
 36 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 " Thanks, I cannot sit down, I have no further 
 message. I will go, and when you have read what I 
 have brought you I am sure you will send for me." 
 
 " One moment, please. Since my father s death you 
 take all your meals in your room. Is it because you 
 prefer it, or do you feel I consider your presence a 
 restraint ?" 
 
 " I prefer it for the present," she answered. 
 
 "Consult your own convenience in this, as in every 
 thing. One thing more " for her foot was upon the 
 threshold, she seemed determined to avoid him "do 
 you not find your chamber too warm for comfort?" 
 
 " It is at the north side of the house, therefore quite 
 cool. It has two large windows, for at the top the 
 wall is high. Besides, I like warmth. I am accus 
 tomed to it. More than this, your father would not 
 have placed me in an uncomfortable room." 
 
 Rick watched her while she spoke, her teeth seem 
 ing to flash with whiteness in direct contrast to her 
 dark eyes. Her beauty, which was decidedly of the 
 Spanish type, was never more dazzling than to-day. 
 
 " She is perfectly beautiful," he thought ; " but I 
 would never fall in love with her nor she with me." 
 Then aloud he answered her statement of a moment 
 before. " No, father would never place you in any 
 uncomfortable position knowingly. He cared greatly 
 for your comfort, and he was right, for a daughter 
 could not have been more kind to him. But I thought 
 it might seem very lonely there now, for to ne, since 
 he is gone, the house seems almost haunted." 
 
 " It is encantado ! Si^por ciestof" she cried quickly. 
 
 "The loneliness seems indeed dreadful," said Rick, 
 " and I feel at times as though I would go wild. I 
 think if you were to play for me it would exorcise the 
 spirits, at least it would soothe me into peace." 
 
 " I will play," she answered, seeming rather relieved 
 than otherwise at the request, and then she glided 
 away. 
 
 "She is a strange creature!" he muttered, " be 
 wildering almost ; but then I do not choose to be
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 37 
 
 bewildered. And to be honest, she seems averse to 
 my company. There was a certain courage in her 
 words aud manner when she said these papers placed 
 her somewhat in my power, and though she did not 
 believe in me she would not withhold them. What 
 shall I do with her ? Surely she cannot remain here 
 even if Rose should come. Perhaps the papers 
 Dolores brought me may direct me, but I cannot read 
 them now." 
 
 He rose, put them away under lock and key, lighted 
 a cigar and puffed away so fiercely the room soon be 
 came one deep cloud of smoke. The music at first 
 sounded weird and strange, as though it might woo 
 the spirits rather than frighten them away ; then it 
 changed, growing softer while Rick listened ; he be 
 gan to smoke more slowly, at last tossing the cigar 
 away. A gentler expression came over his face. 
 
 " I will do it now," he said, " and the music will 
 inspire me with eloquence, perhaps, which may reach 
 her heart." 
 
 Taking pen, ink and paper he began to write. 
 First a letter to Alfred was indited, in which he 
 briefly told of his father s death and burial. Then he 
 wrote more at length to Rose, telling her of his love 
 for her, and desiring to make her his wife. " I know 
 of our difference of opinion in regard to slavery," he 
 said, "but I promise you to do nothing in regard to 
 my slaves to which you object. In this, as in all other 
 things, I can deny you nothing." Much more was 
 added, and then he sealed and directed the letter, en 
 closing it in the one he wrote Alfred, while in his 
 letter he asked Alfred to give the one enclosed to 
 Rose. This done he called Sam and sent him to 
 Milton, the nearest post-office, in order that it might 
 go. out on the mail that day. 
 
 " I shall have an answer in a week at the very 
 latest," he said, " perhaps in five days, for surely she 
 will write me at once. Meanwhile I will consider 
 what is best to be done with Dolores. I think I will 
 send her back to her friends in Havana, though I fear
 
 38 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 she has not many, or she would scarcely have left 
 them to come to a strange country with a compara 
 tive stranger. An orphan, father said, the daughter 
 of an old friend, and she has neither brother nor 
 sister. It would prove rather uncomfortable if she 
 has no one to whom she can go. Of course, in any 
 case, I shall not allow her to want." 
 
 Then he forgot her altogether in thinking of Rose, 
 except so far as her music affected him, for she still 
 played on, falteringly it seemed to him at last. Sud 
 denly remembering that the effort of playing so long 
 was tiresome, especially to her worn with watching, 
 he rose and went into the parlor, regarding her in 
 silence for a moment, for she was not aware of his 
 presence. Her fingers seemed to move instinctively 
 over the keys, while her eyes were gazing out of the 
 open window, looking wistfully far away, and her 
 mind seemed to follow them. 
 
 " Are you not tired ?" Rick asked, seeing she looked 
 so pale and sorrowful. 
 
 She finished with two or three deep chords and 
 then rose, facing him. 
 
 "Well, seiior?" she said, questioningly. 
 
 " What do you wish ?" he queried, failing to under 
 stand her. 
 
 "You have not read the papers I gave you." 
 
 " No ; I fancied there was plenty of time and I did 
 not know you were so anxious 
 
 " Por Dios /" interrupting him, " read them at 
 once ! I am worn out with suspense and would know 
 the worst." 
 
 " Be calm, seiiorita," he said. " Surely there is 
 nothing to excite yourself about. I see you are ex 
 hausted with long watching. Mammy has told me 
 how faithful you have been. Go to your room now 
 and rest. Do not be troubled about your future, but 
 remember, if you fear aught from me, that I am my 
 father s son and respect his wishes and his memory." 
 
 "Thanks," she replied, in a calmer tone. "I will 
 go to my room and remain there until you send for
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 3-) 
 
 me. You will do so when you have read what I have 
 given you." 
 
 She left the room with her graceful, gliding foot 
 steps, while Rick watched her admiringly. 
 
 " How nervous she is !" he said. " Perhaps she has 
 no property of her own and she fears I will turn her 
 out penniless." 
 
 He went back into his room, opened his desk and 
 took out the package, and seated himself in an easy 
 chair to read it. He opened the smaller paper, and 
 as his eye glanced over it the angry blood rushed to 
 his face and a fierce expression came over it as he set 
 his lips hard together. 
 
 It was simply a receipt made out to his father, ac 
 knowledging a sum in Spanish coin equal to two 
 thousand dollars, in full payment for the slave girl 
 Dolores, an octoroon, and signed by Senor Ambrosio. 
 The other paper was a recommendation, also signed 
 by the Senor, which set down in brief the merits of 
 Dolores. She was beautiful, accomplished, healthy, 
 youthful, and possessed a wonderful genius for 
 nursing the sick. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 IN HONOR BOUND. 
 
 The paper dropped from Rick s hand, his face was 
 white, and for the space of a moment he could 
 scarcely breathe so bitter was his anger. Though 
 extremely chivalrous to women as a rule, the thought 
 that he had sat at the table with, and entertained as 
 an equal, one who was in reality a slave was to his 
 mind then something bordering upon indecency, and 
 the most degrading insult which could have been of 
 fered him. The girl was, it was true, as beautiful 
 and apparently as accomplished as any lady he had 
 evei met. She appeared like one high-born and well- 
 bred, but the fact of her having been a slave put a
 
 40 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 barrier between them the most insurmountable 
 barrier of any which the whole world could raise or 
 hold. 
 
 It was not strange that his father should purchase 
 her, since she possessed qualifications which ren 
 dered her invaluable as a nurse ; it was not surpris 
 ing, being alone in a distant land, his own servant 
 useless because he could not speak the language, that 
 the colonel should pay for her an exorbitant price ; 
 nor was it strange that he should appreciate her 
 worth and grant her unusual privileges. But that he 
 should bring her to his house as an equal, introduce 
 her as the daughter of a deceased friend, should sit 
 with her at table, show her numerous attentions 
 such as any lady gently-born might receive well, it 
 was beyond belief ; his father was either in his do 
 tage or insane. The insult was unbearable ; he could 
 never recover from the disgrace. 
 
 And Dolores that indecent thing ! as Rick men 
 tally styled her had aided in this deception, had 
 permitted it, undoubtedly had planned it from the 
 first. He sprang to his feet and began to pace the 
 floor with quick, long strides, an occasional oath or 
 other imprecation falling from his lips. Sol, who was 
 a black, well-formed and withal faithful negro, re 
 turned from the post-office with the mail, and upon 
 glancing through the open door and witnessing with 
 wonder his master s frowning brow, dark, angry face, 
 and nervous pacing to and fro, laid the letters upon 
 a table near the entrance in silence and quite as 
 silently departed. 
 
 "What ails Mas r Rick?" he asked of Mammy, 
 Rick s old nurse, whom he met in the hall. " He 
 pears cited like." 
 
 "An* why shouldn t he be, poah boy?" returned 
 Mammy, rather sharply, " an ole marstah cole in de 
 groun . Go way, you is got no feelin , nohow !" 
 
 On comforting thoughts intent she proceeded to 
 Rick s chamber, but on reaching the door she, too, 
 paused. There was not a servant upon the plantation
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 41 
 
 who was quite bold enough to disturb Rick in his 
 anger, not even his privileged nurse. So, after glanc 
 ing into his room a moment, the old woman walked 
 thoughtfully away, wondering what could have hap 
 pened to her young master to put him in such a 
 towering rage, for it was plain to be seen his excite 
 ment was the result of anger rather than sorrow. On 
 reaching the veranda at the rear of the house she 
 encountered Sol, who had waited to watch her return 
 from Rick s room, feeling sure of the result, and he 
 now began to chuckle in her hearing. 
 
 "Why didn t yer go in, Mammy?" said he, grin 
 ning from ear to ear. " Why didn t yer tell him about 
 de Lo d a-givin an* de Lo d a-takin away agin, an 
 sich ?" 
 
 Now Mammy was never known to harm anything, 
 but she was given to awful threats which were sup 
 posed to strike the hearts of her listeners with abject 
 fear, but which in reality seldom provoked anything 
 worse than a hearty fit of laughter. She had in reality 
 more influence over Rick than any other slave upon 
 the place, and she prided herself upon it on all occa 
 sions. To dispute this was always sure to bring down 
 her wrath upon the doubting ones, and therefore she 
 would not have had Sol witness her signs of weakness 
 in that direction, by coming away from Rick s room 
 without daring to enter, for the world. 
 
 " Sol," said she, in a tone meant to sound particu 
 larly awful, " ef I eber comes across yo when I se got 
 a kittle o bilin watah handy, either de Lo d or de 
 debbil 11 take yo , sure now yo jes bar dat in 
 mind !" 
 
 Unconscious of interruption, Rick paced the floor, 
 still white with anger, resolved at one moment to send 
 for Dolores, have her arrayed in the oldest and filthi 
 est rags the plantation could muster and sent out 
 among the field hands to work. At another he fully 
 determined to take her to New Orleans, setting out 
 upon the following morning, and have her sold to the 
 highest bidder. He was only waiting, he told himself,
 
 42 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 to consider which would be the most dreadful in the 
 way of punishment. 
 
 Tired out, at length he sat down and brooded over 
 the subject, more calm outwardly from sheer exhaus 
 tion but none the less enraged at heart. Mammy, 
 passing the door again and mistaking his outward 
 appearance of gratitude, sent a diminutive darkey to 
 tell him that supper was ready, while she from a safe 
 distance watched the effect. His only reply was to 
 throw a book at the wooly head of the messenger, 
 whereupon she sent word to Mandy in the kitchen 
 that Mas r Rick didn t wish to be disturbed, and 
 ordering the chicken kept hot. 
 
 Now that Rick considered the feasibility of placing 
 Dolores in the cotton-field he felt it would give rise 
 to a certain degree of scandal in the vicinity, for 
 though he lived greatly to himself, as his father had 
 done before him, the slaves from neighboring planta 
 tions visited and exchanged gossip with his own, and 
 he could not bear that any one should learn his 
 father s weakness, for he felt they would, in that case, 
 treat his memory with contempt instead of respect. 
 On the other hand, though, under pretense of sending 
 her back to Cuba, he might take her down to New 
 Orleans and have her sold at auction ; it would take 
 up too much time, and he could not well leave Idle- 
 field until he had received an answer from Rose. 
 
 For himself he could never forgive his father for sub 
 jecting him to the indignity of meeting a mere slave, 
 his by right, both soul and body, upon equal ground. 
 But it would never do to expose this unaccountable 
 act to others. It was as though his father had com 
 mitted theft, forgery or murder, and he must keep the 
 secret, to guard his memory as well as the respecta 
 bility of the family from shame. 
 
 Later, cooler judgment came to his aid. He re 
 membered that his father was ill, lonely and old. He 
 must not sit in judgment upon his actions the father 
 who had made the world so easy for him, and who had 
 been all goodness his whole life through, as far as his
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 43 
 
 boy was concerned. And then when he came to 
 consider how Rose would probably look at the matter 
 from her own standpoint, he acknowledged that she 
 would not think any blame could be attached to his 
 father s conduct. Besides, he had pledged his word 
 to Dolores herself. He recalled his exact words : " Re 
 member, if you fear aught from me, that I am my 
 father s son, and respect his wishes and his memory." 
 He shrank from breaking his word even to a slave. 
 And Rose, how could he meet her clear eyes again 
 without shrinking if he committed what she would 
 consider a great injustice against Dolores, who was 
 wholly at his mercy ? 
 
 And then, greater than all, stood his promise to his 
 dying father. How readily he had pledged his word 
 to be good to "her," knowing well who was meant ; 
 and he had even gone farther, to anticipate anything 
 the poor old man might wish to say but found him 
 self too weak to utter. Had he not promised to do 
 in all things as his father wished, and could he rest 
 in his grave while his son was disregarding his 
 pledge ? 
 
 "No," Rick said half aloud, as he glanced out over 
 the fields bathed in the white moonlight, " I must do 
 nothing rashly and nothing that would seem unjust 
 to her. I must keep my hands clean from crime and 
 tyranny or I cannot give them to Rose without feel 
 ing guilty, however I might conceal my actions from 
 her ; and then my word is pledged to both living and 
 dead and I will keep it at any cost. What I shall do 
 with Dolores I do not know, but I will give her her 
 freedom and help her to go away where she can earn 
 her living in some manner, and no one shall know 
 from me that she has ever been a slave. I am in 
 honor bound to do this and I will keep my word."
 
 44 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 HIS F AT H ER S SON. 
 
 Dolores sat in her room in a state of mind border 
 ing upon distraction, her suspense growing more and 
 more agonizing with each moment that passed. She 
 had in a certain degree influenced the colonel in 
 allowing her to be regarded as his equal instead of 
 his slave, though indirectly rather than positively. 
 She had been reared her master s pet, being in truth 
 his daughter, and when about to go to the States with 
 her new master she shrank from contact with the 
 plantation slaves, and said as much. At the last she 
 had begged him to destroy the papers attesting to her 
 bondage, and he doubtless would have done this, 
 only a fear came into his heart that Rick might fall in 
 love and marry her did he leave him in ignorance 
 of her true position. So he gave the papers into her 
 hands, feeling relieved of responsibility when she 
 promised to deliver them safely to Rick. He in 
 tended later to tell his son the truth, and form some 
 plan of setting Dolores free at his death, but he put 
 it off day after day and died with the tale untold. 
 
 A tap at the door startled Dolores at last, and she 
 sprang up, white with fear, having scarcely voice 
 enough to bid the messenger enter. It was only a 
 servant with a tray containing her supper, and direct 
 ing the girl to put it down and leave the room she 
 turned back to the window ; but her fear was so 
 great she called the girl back to question her. 
 
 " Is Mr. Gonzales in the house ?" she asked. 
 
 "Laws, yes, Missis," was the answer, " he rn in de 
 ole kernel s room a-walkin up an down like mad. 
 Mammy, she s hed er eye on im a right smart while, 
 an* when she seen him fall down as ef he wus clean 
 done out she sent me in to tell im supper was ready. 
 An what do yer spose he done ? Why he flung a big 
 book, he did, an jes grazed dis darkey s head ; 
 laws ! de roll of an eye furder an dis yer nig d a bin 
 in de land o Canaan, sure s yer bo n ! An* Aunt
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 45 
 
 Mandy am powerful put out case her hot cakes an 
 briled chicking is a-gitten all cole fur nothin !" 
 
 " What can vex him so ?" asked Dolores, anxious 
 to know if he ha irayed her to any one as yet. 
 
 " Sakes alive, .i. dunno ! It don t take much to 
 rile Mas r Rick nohow. I reckon somefin s done 
 gone crooked, dunno w at ; but dis I does know, 
 I se sorry fur de one dat riled im. He s got an 
 awful sperrit, dat Mas r Rick ; he jes as lib kill a 
 nig as eat !" 
 
 " Cielo!" muttered Dolores to herself, as she turned 
 away cold with fear. She shivered with dread, yet 
 the perspiration stood upon her forehead, the large 
 drops falling down her face like rain. " My soul is 
 crying," she said, "but my eyes are hot and dry." 
 
 It was growing dark now and every sound startled 
 her, every footstep in the hall was bearing some one 
 to her with a dreadful message which was but the 
 precursor of a more dreadful fate. She heard shouts 
 and laughter from the negro quarter ; perhaps they 
 were jeering at her. Every moment seemed an hour, 
 every hour an age, but at length all was still. She 
 rose, and opening the door looked down the staircase 
 into the lower hall. All was dark and still and the 
 house evidently closed for the night. 
 
 " He does not even deign to acquaint me with my 
 doom until the time comes to seal it," she said bit 
 terly ; " and yet he bade me remember that he was 
 his father s son." 
 
 She went to the window and looked out. How 
 lovely the landscape looked, hushed in midnight 
 silence, the white moonlight covering all as with a 
 blessing. It seemed to woo her to come out. And 
 why not ? Others had escaped from bondage, why 
 not she ? No one would suspect her of being a slave ; 
 she might travel far without danger of discovery. 
 And yet how would it end? She had no money and 
 the country was strange and wide. People might not 
 suspect her of being a slave but they would grant scant 
 courtesy to a woman traveling on foot, and alone.
 
 46 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 Better remain where she was and endure what was 
 meted out to her than to fly to strange and unknown 
 terrors. No thought of leniency from Rick crossed 
 her mind. 
 
 She took a mantilla from one of the drawers and 
 threw it over her head and shoulders and silently 
 stole down the stairs into the hall, thence into the 
 parlor, and opening one of the windows as noiselessly 
 as possible she passed out on the veranda in front of 
 the house, fearing to emerge from the back or side, 
 lest some of the negroes should still be up and 
 wonder at her movements. She was not going far, 
 but she must breathe the air a little, it was stifling 
 within. She turned to adjust her mantilla about her 
 shoulders, feeling chilled in the cool breeze which 
 came from the west, and met Rick face to face. 
 
 She gave a little start but did not cry out, and then 
 she stood motionless and dumb before him, not daring 
 to look into his face, but turning her eyes over to the 
 western sky, and murmuring in her heart the prayer, 
 "Madre a Dios, or a pro nobis" 
 
 Rick s face was pale but very calm. If she had 
 broken out into abject pleading he might have spoken 
 roughly ; as it was he paused a moment regarding 
 her, and then said in a low tone : 
 
 " Well, Dolores ?" questioning and cool. 
 
 He had always called her seiiorita before. She 
 turned now and looked at him wonderingly. 
 
 " Of what are you thinking ?" he asked. 
 
 " I was wondering if you could have read what I 
 gave you." 
 
 " I read it." 
 
 " Ah ? Then I marvel still more." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 " Because you do not swear at me and beat me and 
 call me vile names." 
 
 " Are you afraid of me ?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " But do I look angry ?" 
 
 " No, you look more dreadful than angry, and I
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 47 
 
 was prepared for anger. Besides, the law places me 
 wholly in your power." 
 
 " Were you ever beaten, Dolores ?" 
 
 " Never." 
 
 " You were raised tenderly, then ; you were not 
 obliged to do severe labor ; you had tutors ; you fol 
 lowed to a certain extent your own will ?" 
 
 " I did. I was not scolded, whatever I did. I 
 called Senor Ambrosio padre unreproved, for I was 
 in truth his child. His wife had been dead many 
 years, but when living she was ugly and old, so madre 
 said. He never loved her, he loved no one but my 
 madre, and she was his slave. He had sons who were 
 married, and to whom he gave all his property when 
 he died. They are my brothers, but I hate them and 
 they hate me. I was given what I liked while he 
 lived, and was taught to read, write, sing, sew and 
 play. I had servants to do my bidding. I never did 
 anything but nurse the madre when she was ill. She 
 died a year ago, and in March last my padre also. 
 
 " He reared you tenderly, but do you know that by 
 selling you as his slave you became the property of 
 my father, and by his death mine, body and soul ? Do 
 you know I can send you out to hard field-labor 
 that will make your bones ache and your flesh sore 
 until life will become a burden to you who are unac 
 customed to toil ? Or, if I choose, I can sell you to 
 some beastly degraded man who will torture you 
 until you long for death as a relief ? Do you know I 
 can have you beaten to death and no one will dare 
 tell the truth concerning the deed ; or, suppose it is 
 revealed, there is no law to call me to account for de 
 stroying my own property in whatever way I choose?" 
 
 " Yes, I know." 
 
 " Then why do you not beg me to spare you ? Why 
 do you not ask boldly for your freedom, basing your 
 plea upon my father s desire ?" 
 
 " Because you know already what your father would 
 have done. And if you respect his wishes and his 
 memory, if your own sense of right and wrong are
 
 48 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 not sufficient to insure me justice and mercy at your 
 hands, all my pleadings could have little weight with 
 you." 
 
 " So you will not beg aught at my hands ?" 
 
 " I suppose I might if I were tortured." 
 
 " You expect no mercy from me then ?" 
 
 " I did not, nor do I scarcely even now. I am sur 
 prised at your coolness, that is all." 
 
 " Then you were going to escape when I met you 
 just now." 
 
 " I was not, indeed. You must think me mad. 
 Not but that I would have done so if there had been 
 one chance of a thousand of success. I have no 
 money and no friends." 
 
 " What am I going to do with you ?" 
 
 " I do not know." 
 
 " Nor I. For myself, I do not hold you blameless 
 in keeping silence and lending yourself to deceive 
 me." 
 
 " Was I to pass judgment upon your father s ac 
 tions ? Was I to disobey him who was my master in 
 order to please you who were not ?" 
 
 " Perhaps you were right. I will not promise you 
 much, Dolores, but this I will say : your secret is safe 
 none of my people shall know from me that you are 
 a slave. I feel humiliated, angry, at what my father 
 has done, but I have pledged my word to him and to 
 you and I will not break it. Go to your room, and 
 go on doing as you have done since my father died. 
 I do not choose to have you sit at table with me, bul 
 otherwise you are to come and go as you please. 
 What I am to do with you I cannot tell. I have 
 matters of my own which will take up my time for 
 the present, and when I can decide what is to be 
 done with you I will send you word." 
 
 " Thank you," she said ; " I see now that you are 
 indeed your father s son."
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 49 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 TWO LETTERS. 
 
 During the next few days Rick busied himself in 
 looking after the affairs of the plantation. He did 
 this in a far different spirit from the one in which he 
 would have gone the rounds a year previously, for he 
 constantly thought of Rose, and every act was tem 
 pered with mercy. On the third day he discharged 
 his overseer for practicing undue severity, and a day 
 or two later he put a man of more even temper in his 
 place. He inspected every field upon the plantation, 
 every hut in the negro quarter, and set at once about 
 making improvements which were sadly needed. 
 Only for Rose, he told himself, he would never have 
 thought of these things. 
 
 An answer to his letter came very promptly from 
 Alfred. Rick received it himself at the post-office,, 
 and eagerly tore it open. To his disappointment 
 there was not a line or message from Rose. When he 
 had made sure of this he put the letter in his pocket 
 and went home to read it in the solitude of his room, 
 if solitude it could be called, with half a score of 
 small darkies tumbling and giggling through the hall r 
 peeping in at his door with fresh- screams of laughter. 
 But Rick was accustomed to this, and paid no more 
 heed to the noise than if it had come from the field 
 or the rows of low cabins at the rear of the house. 
 
 Alfred s letter was filled with consoling paragraphs 
 on account of Rick s recent bereavement, and with 
 congratulatory sentences in view of the probable 
 happy termination of his wooing. " How sly you 
 were about it," he .said. " Neither mother nor myself 
 dreamed of such a thing, and I fancy your letter will 
 take Rose by surprise. I delivered it to her, without 
 comment, an hour ago, and have not seen her since. 
 As soon as her answer is ready I will mail it to you 
 at once." 
 
 Rick read this letter over and over again. It read 
 smoothly from beginning to end, and yet he felt there
 
 50 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 was a false note somewhere. How or where could it 
 be ? Still he suspected no treachery upon the part of 
 Alfred. But it dampened the ardor of his hopes 
 somewhat, and he began to picture Rose as scornful, 
 wrathful, or, worse than all, indifferent. Every time 
 he read the letter it filled him with new distrust as to 
 the favorable result of his offer. More than once he 
 determined to destroy it, but he refrained, and at last 
 put it safely under lock and key, resolved to read it 
 no more. 
 
 For four days afterward he went to meet every mail, 
 and though he received many letters from other friends 
 at this time there was nothing further from Alfred, 
 and nothing at all from Rose. Again he wrote his 
 friend, saying if he did not receive an answer 
 by return mail he would set out for Riverton at 
 once. This brought an immediate reply, though Rick 
 did not go for it that day, but sent Sol in his stead. 
 He sat in his room waiting for his servant s return ; 
 he reclined in an easy chair and leaned his head 
 wearily upon his hand, an attitude common to him of 
 late. The day was warm but perfect, and he looked 
 out over the fields without a thought of exultation 
 that they were his. The heat and the weariness over 
 powering him at length, for he rested little at night, 
 he dropped asleep and fell to dreaming upon the sub 
 ject so near his heart. 
 
 He dreamed that he went to Riverton by some 
 quick, strange route only traveled in the land of 
 dreams, and arriving unexpectedly and in the night 
 time he heard sounds of music as he approached, 
 and saw through the open window a gay company 
 moving in the dance. He entered .and found himself 
 in the midst of festivities attending the marriage of 
 Alfred and Rose. Upon confronting Alfred with his 
 perfidy he only received a heartless sneer in reply, and 
 Rose, turning very pale, kept repeating the sentence 
 she began on the day when he had spoken with her 
 alone : " I did not know I did not know !" 
 
 He awoke with a start. He was not in Riverton,
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 51 
 
 but alone in Idlefield, still waiting for his letter, and 
 the small fry were turning somersaults in the hall. 
 But the impression left by his dream clung to him, and 
 he began to review Alfred s conduct from the begin 
 ning of his acquaintance with Rose. If Alfred loved 
 her himself he had been acting a lie from the first. 
 Yet he had acted it very adroitly, if it were acting at 
 all. 
 
 " Let me see," he thought. "First of all he tells 
 me he regards her as a sister only, and recommends 
 her to me for a wife. I decline, having never seen 
 her. But after I come to know her and find how fair 
 and sweet she is Alfred speaks no more of the possi 
 bility of my loving her, and at last expresses himself 
 astonished to find this is the case. Now, certainly 
 he is no fool. He must have seen that I was wild 
 about her, and only by his constant watchfulness did 
 he manage to keep me from seeing her alone. But 
 
 what could have been his object ? Did he dream 
 
 Ah, I see ! As long as he duped me my purse was 
 open to him, and he needs money. And Rose Rose 
 is an heiress in a small way. I remember that he told 
 me so ! Good heavens ! Is this Southern friendship ? 
 Is this Southern chivalry ? Why a Yankee could not 
 have done worse, for he would have been suspected 
 from the first. But what am I doing ? I am declar 
 ing my best friend as utterly deceitful, and basing the 
 whole of my theory upon the false impression of a 
 dream slight premises indeed for founding so grave 
 a charge. Forgive me, Alfred, I am scarcely in my 
 right mind, and I believe a few days more of this 
 suspense will drive me mad. I will not bear it longer. 
 If no letter comes to-day I will set out at once and 
 find the reason why. What, Sol, are you home already ? 
 I did not know it was so late. Give me the letters 
 and go !" 
 
 Yes, there was an answer from Alfred, a bulky 
 package that might have contained two or three let 
 ters, judging from its size. Surely Rose had written 
 at last and he had shamefully wronged his friend.
 
 52 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 He put the letter down upon the table before him, 
 wiping the perspiration from his brow. It was some 
 moments before he could bring himself to open it. 
 At last he broke the seal. There was a letter inside 
 which he took up eagerly and examined, turning it 
 over and over ; then it dropped from his hands and 
 he leaned his face forward upon the table, uttering a 
 low moan. It was the letter he had sent to Rose re 
 turned to him unopened. 
 
 When he lifted his face again he saw half-a-dozen 
 motionless little figures with bright black eyes staring 
 in at the door, solemn for once, in wonder at " Mas r 
 Rick s " strange conduct. 
 
 " Get out of the house, you black brats !" he cried, 
 stamping his foot and making a spring toward the 
 door. 
 
 At this there was a general stampede and much 
 screaming, which seemed half terror, half delight, and 
 by the time Rick reached the door there was a help 
 less tangle of what appeared to be no end of legs and 
 arms and woolly heads in a huge mass upon the 
 veranda. Without waiting for the mass to resolve 
 itself into its separate individualities, Rick closed and 
 locked the door, and resuming his seat by the table 
 he took up Alfred s letter and read it through to the 
 end. It began : 
 
 " MY DEAR RICK : I am afraid you will never forgive me for 
 what I have done, but you know that all is fair in love or war, 
 and I am in love with Rose, who is now my affianced wife. It is 
 of no use for me to deceive you. I did not give her your letter. 
 When I received it I could not resist the temptation of asking her 
 to be my wife before I gave it to her. Had she declined my offer 
 she would at once have had an opportunity of accepting or declin 
 ing yours ; but as I received a favorable answer I concluded she 
 would have rejected you in any case, so I thought I would save 
 you the humiliation. Whether you will thank me for this or not I 
 cannot tell, but I did what in my judgment seemed best. 
 
 "After all, Rick, I needed a wife more than you did, for if pos 
 sessed of your wealth I would never marry at all. Rose has gone 
 to join her aunt for a few weeks before returning to New York. 
 Meanwhile I am straightening up things preparatory to bringing 
 home my bride. I should like it immensely, old fellow, if you
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 53 
 
 could come on and finish the visit which had such an unhappy end 
 ing. My mother desires to be remembered. I wish my sister 
 Ida were old enough to offer you as a substitute for the sweetheart 
 I have stolen from you, but she is too young, unless you consent 
 to wait. To tell you the truth, Rick, I had no idea until I re 
 ceived your second letter that you were so hard hit. But don t be 
 unreasonable and blame a fellow for loving Rose ; remember she is 
 just the style to strike any one and she has had plenty of admirers. 
 I feel highly honored because she deigned to accept me. Please 
 write me a word by return mail to tell me you forgive me. " 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 HOW RICK FORGAVE HIM. 
 
 " Forgive him !" Rick whispered, with white lips. 
 "The cowardly traitor, false from the very beginning ! 
 And he asks me to forgive him. Never, while I live, 
 unless my mind and memory fail me. And this is 
 my friend my one valued and trusted friend. Is all 
 the world so, and am I the only fool ?" 
 
 He got up and paced the floor, his remedy foi 
 working off extreme agitation. But he was weaker 
 than he had been when he paced it nearly three weeks 
 before, then in anger with Dolores and his father s 
 conduct, and he soon sank down again. 
 
 " What startling changes are brought about in this 
 strange drama of life!" he said. "A month, two 
 months ago, and I had everything at least I thought 
 I had. To-day I have nothing, absolutely nothing, 
 except this great plantation, which is so lonely I must 
 leave it or go mad !" 
 
 He went to his secretary and drew forth Alfred s 
 letter of two weeks before, laid side by side with the 
 one just received, and compared them, noting their 
 contradictions. Yes, the first one was written for the 
 purpose of blinding him completely until all should 
 be settled. No doubt he had deceived Rose, too ; 
 perhaps he had slandered him and made him appear 
 a hypocrite in her eyes.
 
 54 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 "He has married her for her money," he said bit 
 terly, " the dog ! for had he been in love with her I 
 would have known it, for I am not a fool in all things. 
 I would call him out to answer for this for what is 
 my life worth to me now ? only it would disgust Rose 
 and brand me to the world as a fool who let his friend 
 steal away the woman he loved before his eyes and 
 took this method of publishing his defeat. No, I will 
 not call out the coward, but in some way, unless I am 
 lacking in ability, I will punish him for his treachery. 
 Let me consider. I have no means of reaching Rose 
 by a letter at present, as he took good care to let me 
 know she is traveling about. I suppose the house is 
 closed ; but her uncle s place of business no, I can 
 not recollect the number and the letter might go 
 astray. I wonder if I can act the hypocrite ? 1 think 
 so, with a purpose in view. Suppose I write him 
 quietly, as though half-reconciled, and drop a hint 
 that I have heard Rose has no property of her own, 
 expressing my surprise that he should burthen him 
 self with a portionless wife in his present circum 
 stances ? That might do, but I ought to have 
 co-operation somewhere. He could write and ask 
 Rose all about her property, and smooth it over so 
 she would never suspect him. What a consummate 
 hypocrite he is. Well, when one is acting a lie I 
 suppose there is great satisfaction in knowing it is 
 large enough to pay for the trouble. And if I deceive 
 him I must never for a moment forget I have no 
 child to manage, but one who is himself the father of 
 lies !" 
 
 Sol had witnessed the way in which the young imps 
 of the hall had come to grief, or at least met with a 
 check, and he lost no time in going to Mammy and 
 letting her know he remembered her discomfiture of 
 the few days previous. 
 
 " Mas r Rick is in one o his tantrums agin, Mam 
 my," he said, with a mock-serious air. " Hadn t yer 
 better go an smoove him out like yer did afore?" 
 
 Don t you go for fret yerself, you no-account
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 55 
 
 niggah, yo !" she returned with asperity. " I se goin 
 w en I gits reddy, an dats moah nor you dar do !" 
 
 "High ! chuckled Sam. "Now, Mammy, look 
 heah ! Ef you dar go speak to Mas r Rick dis night 
 den He eat de greaser I will now, jes as suah as yer 
 lib !" 
 
 Mammy sailed into the house with great dignity, 
 and at once took it into her head to look into the 
 dining-room closets, just to assure herself that "dat 
 shifles Sue hadn t cluttered de dishes all up," and 
 while satisfying herself upon this point she listened at 
 Rick s key-hole for some time, and found that he was 
 sitting at the table apparently much engaged, though 
 quiet. So she just happened to drop into the kitchen 
 and told Aunt Mandy, confidentially, that " Mas r 
 Rick had a headache," and she must be sure to make 
 the coffee strong and get up a good supper. Later, 
 when all was ready, she went and knocked at Rick s 
 door, determined to put on a bold front. 
 
 " Supper am ready, Mas r," she said. 
 
 " All right, Mammy," he called, in a quiet voice 
 from within. "I ll be out, directly." 
 
 He did come a few moments afterward, and Mammy 
 would have been sure that Sol had fooled her only for 
 Rick s face, which was very white. He glanced toward 
 Mammy, not unkindly, as he came out into the hall, 
 which encouraged her to speak to him. 
 
 "What is it, Mas r Rick?" she said; "what is it, 
 honey, as troubles yer so ? Kin I do somfin for help 
 yer headache ?" 
 
 " No, Mammy," he answered quietly, but decidedly. 
 " I ve had a streak of hard luck, Mammy," he added, 
 seeing her disappointed look, "but I guess I shall 
 pull through in a few days." Then, an idea suddenly 
 striking him, he said : " Mammy, I want you to see 
 that the senorita has everything that is comfortable 
 in her room, now that she takes her meals there. 
 You know it wouldn t be right for me to look after 
 her ; I am not an old man like poor father, so I will 
 leave her in your care. See that she wants nothing."
 
 56 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 Dolores passing through the upper hall heard 
 Rick s remarks. 
 
 " What a strange compound he is," she said, " of 
 bad temper and good principles." 
 
 Rick ate his supper in silence, but Mammy hovered 
 near, casting triumphant looks toward Sol, who, 
 stationed on the back veranda, had seen Rick in 
 friendly conversation with her. When the meal was 
 over Rick went to his room and soon rang for lights. 
 Mammy took them in, and saw he was searching 
 through bundles of old papers, while the table was 
 strewn with letters and business cards. But his pre 
 occupied look warned her not to tarry. Rick 
 searched until he found Mr. Beale s business ad 
 dress, and then he sat down and wrote two letters, 
 one to Alfred and another to Mrs. Beale. Then he 
 lighted a cigar and sat down again, for some mo 
 ments engaged in anxious thought. 
 
 " I have it !" he cried at length, " if I can carry it 
 out, and I will !" 
 
 He rang the bell vigorously. Mammy, who truly 
 loved her young master despite his varying moods, 
 and would have almost taken out her eyes to serve 
 him, was near at hand and she answered his 
 summons. 
 
 " Has the senorita retired ?" he asked quickly. 
 
 " I dunno, Mas r Rick, but I ll see." 
 
 " If she has not tell her I wish to see her in the 
 parlor immediately. If she has, ask her to come 
 down early in the morning." 
 
 Wondering a trifle, Mammy obeyed, and came 
 down directly with word that the senorita was about 
 to retire but would be down in a moment. 
 
 " Are there lights in the* parlor, Mammy ?" he 
 asked. " If not, light up directly ; and then," he 
 continued in a low tone, "after the senorita comes 
 down you go out upon the lawn where you can see 
 us, but not hear a word of our conversation. You 
 watch sharp and don t allow a single darkey to come 
 within earshot or I ll skin you alive !"
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 57 
 
 " Laws, yes, Mas r Rick, ole Mammy knows, an 
 she ll see yer aint disturbed." 
 
 " Look here, Mammy, you don t know in fact, I 
 hardly know myself; but do as I bid you, and don t 
 breathe a word of this to a living soul !" 
 
 Mammy nodded, for Dolores was entering the door 
 and she could say no more. 
 
 "Sit down," Rick said, pointing to one of the heavy 
 old sofas, while he drew an arm-chair near. " Dolores," 
 without any preface, " how would you like to marry 
 a young and handsome Virginia planter who is in 
 need of a wife?" 
 
 " I don t understand you, senor," she answered. 
 
 " Do you not understand plain English ? I had no 
 idea from what I had previously seen that you were 
 given to putting on airs. Would you like to be a 
 young, handsome planter s lawful wife ?" 
 
 "I?" she said. "Would I like to be a free 
 white man s lawful wife. If" 
 
 " You/" 
 
 She burst into a fit of hysterical laughter. 
 
 " I would like to be any man s lawful wife ; any 
 man s, if he were only free. I would not care how 
 old or ugly he might be ; I would not care how wicked 
 to me he was, if I could be lifted up out of this bond 
 age ! Up with other women who are no better or 
 more beautiful, only fortune has been so kind to 
 them and so cruel to me. What, I a wife, with the 
 privilege of hearing little children call me mother, 
 and knowing they would never be sold away from me 
 into slavery of body and soul ? Would I like it, you 
 ask ? But you are mocking me !" 
 
 " Dolores, be quiet ! Hush ! There, there, don t 
 become so excited ! The servants must not know. 
 But I am not mocking you, I am in sober earnest ; 
 listen, and I will tell you my plan." 
 
 With a great effort she composed herself sufficiently 
 to listen to his words, but she still trembled from head 
 to foot. 
 
 " I have a college friend who is looking for a wife
 
 58 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 with a moderate dowry. He owns a fine old place, 
 but it is slightly involved, though he has paid a por 
 tion of the debt. He is anxious to marry, but cannot 
 well afford to wed a portionless bride." 
 
 " Now I know you are simply playing with me, for 
 surely I am as portionless as any bride could well be. 
 But go on, I can bear all you choose to lay upon me." 
 And she seemed calm from excess of passion. 
 
 " If you go on interrupting me like this with your 
 heroics I shall never be able to tell you what I pro 
 pose. I am going to invite this friend to visit me ; he 
 will probably come in about two weeks. I would like 
 to help him, and if you consent I will do it through 
 you. When he comes he will be introduced to you as 
 though you were his equal. You are Senor Ambro- 
 sio s daughter; your father and friends are dead, 
 consequently you dislike to live in Cuba and came 
 hither with my father. I will introduce you to him 
 in this way. All you have to do is to play for him, 
 talk to him, and wear your most becoming costumes. 
 If you need anything in this line I will provide you 
 with it. Now, I make you this proposal : If you win 
 him to propose to and marry you I will give you your 
 freedom and a dowry of ten thousand dollars. This 
 sum I shall tell him in the beginning you possess, 
 having inherited it from your father. What do you 
 say ?" 
 
 "I say that I will try my best to win him, and when 
 I consider for what a stake I am playing I feel sure 
 of success." 
 
 " Bravely said ! And now, your wardrobe ; will 
 you need much, think you ?" 
 
 " Nothing at all," she replied, partly for fear if she 
 put him to much trouble he might repent his bargain, 
 and partly because she felt she had all she really 
 needed. " My costumes are all in the Spanish style," 
 she continued, " but that is all the better, for they 
 will be more striking and carry out the idea of my 
 nationality. Then I have several handsome jewels 
 which were my mother s, which are set in the old
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 59 
 
 Spanish fashion, too. If I attempted the fashionable 
 <iress worn here I fear I might feel less free and fail. 
 After all, mine do not look strangely, do you think 
 so ? A woman might fancy they did, but a man, 
 never. And then, I would not be expected to dress 
 otherwise, do you think I would ?" 
 
 " No, I fancy you will appear more unstudied as 
 you are. So you consent ? Is it a bargain ?" 
 
 " It is, and all on one side. I do not know what 
 prompted you to this it surely was not love for me ; 
 but whatever may be your reasons, I thank you. Is 
 that all ?" 
 
 " All. Good night, Dolores." He rose while she 
 passed out of the room. Mammy, watching every 
 movement, was evidently disappointed that there was 
 no love-making, for she had decided that her master 
 was gomg to offer his hand to the senorita. She was 
 glad he did not, for from some cause Dolores was 
 held in small esteem by the servants of Idlefield. So, 
 quite mystified, Mammy came in at Rick s call to put 
 out the lights and fasten up the house. 
 
 Without a word Rick went to his room, and tearing 
 up his letter to Alfred proceeded to write another. 
 Mrs. Beale s letter was not rewritten, for it answered 
 the purpose as it stood. He had simply stated to her 
 that he strongly suspected Alfred s regard for Rose 
 was less than his love for her dower, and he begged 
 her, if possible, to find out whether this were the case 
 without arousing the suspicions of her neice. He in 
 formed her that he had written Rose, asking for her 
 hand, and inclosed his letter in one to Alfred, and of 
 the manner in which Alfred had disposed of it. In 
 conclusion he said : 
 
 "You may think me revengeful and meddlesome, and perhaps I 
 am both, but please understand me. It is not with the idea of 
 preventing Miss Halbert s marriage with Alfred Hastings in order 
 that I may woo her that I write you, for I have no longer any hope 
 in that direction. If she fancies him she does not care for me. 
 But my love for her is such that I would prevent her from marry 
 ing anyone with whom she would be unhappy, even with myself, 
 if I thought it would not bring her the after peace and joy which
 
 60 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 she so richly deserves. I have already ; i-ucu to Alfred, in a letter 
 which I send at the same time I mail yours, that Miss Halbert s 
 fortune may not be so great as he has been led to suppose, and if 
 you could act upon this plan it will soon prove whether it is this 
 which influences him or not." 
 
 To Alfred he wrote : 
 
 " I am not yet sure that I forgive your action in the matter, but 
 I am not going to quarrel with you about it. You say if you were 
 wealthy you would not marry. I do not understand how you can 
 afford to wed a portionless girl in that case, and from what I hear, 
 Miss Halbert s fortune is not so great as is generally supposed, 
 at least scarcely enough to provide for her own wants. However, 
 every one to his fancy. By the way, I have thought since my 
 return home that the young lady I mentioned to you who accom 
 panied my father home from Cuba would make you a capital wife, 
 for she is remarkably beautiful, accomplished, and. though not a 
 wonderful neiress, nas a small tortune of $10,000 m my hands, 
 waiting to be paid to her future husband, as she is not yet of age. 
 Although really lovely I have no thought of falling in love with 
 her, and as her friends are all dead I cannot tell what to do with 
 her. I am terribly lonely, and though I cannot leave at present 
 I shall be very glad, if you can find time to do so, to receive a visit 
 from you." 
 
 Rick read the letter over, folded, sealed and 
 directed it, and then sat thinking if all was well done, 
 and regarding his work with a bitter smile that had 
 nothing of mirth in it, only a sort of dreary satisfac 
 tion. Then he took up the two letters Alfred had 
 written him, comparing them once more before he 
 laid them away carefully for future reference, and his 
 smile grew more and more bitter ere he finished. 
 
 " Forgive him !" he muttered, as he read the closing 
 lines. " This," and he turned to the two letters lying 
 sealed and directed upon his table, " is how I forgive 
 him." 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE WHOLE TRUTH. 
 
 Mrs. Beale had never liked Alfred Hastings ; from 
 the first, with a woman s intuition, she fancied him 
 insincere. Neither was Rose strongly impressed with 
 him at the beginning, but he set himself to work to
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 6l 
 
 win her affections, and he was very attractive when 
 he chose to be so ; to this fact Rick was ready to 
 bear testimony. So Rose came to regard him with 
 much favor, though after Rick s visit this wore off in 
 a great degree. There is no doubt if she had met 
 the two young men in her native city, where each had 
 equal opportunities, Alfred would have had slight 
 chance of winning her. As it was, he took constant 
 advantage of their relationship to show her all man 
 ner of pretty and devoted attentions. Rick felt that 
 he would be considered overbold if he asked her to 
 correspond with him, therefore he sent messages to 
 her through Alfred. He seemed pleased with her 
 while visiting at her uncle s house, and afterward to 
 have forgotten her altogether. Then, in the most 
 insiduous way, Alfred had a fashion of dropping 
 vague, dark hints concerning Rick s character, seem 
 ing at the same time to make an effort to offset them 
 by recounting some of the virtues of his friend. It 
 gave him the appearance of being charitable, yet it 
 never occurred to Rose that these virtues which he 
 enumerated were entirely obvious to all who met him, 
 and would have been accorded to Rick whether 
 Alfred mentioned them or not. 
 
 Rose was not a flirt, nor was she, as a rule, unduly 
 swayed by the opinions of those about her. She had 
 a mind of her own, and usually showed wonderful 
 sense in the every-day affairs of life. But she had a 
 strong faith in her friends, and was slow to think 
 evil concerning them. Notwithstanding this, Alfred s 
 hints led her to distrust Rick, while his extreme gentle 
 ness in his treatment of her quite won her heart. She 
 sighed to herself and said it was a pity all fascinating 
 men were unprincipled, gave up thinking of Rick 
 altogether, while upon the other hand Alfred s letters 
 caused her to feel a warm friendship for him. 
 
 Her visit finished the work. Alfred appeared a 
 devoted son and brother, and his real respect for his 
 father s memory and endeavor to redeem Riverton 
 from debt quite touched her. When Rick came she
 
 62 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 met him coldly, but was quite unconscious of the fact. 
 Later there was a constant battle between her eyes 
 and ears ; her eyes saw nothing amiss concerning 
 him, but her ears heard much. Her Aunt Lucy, as she 
 called Mrs. Hastings, also saw innumerable faults in 
 Rick, until Rose began to think she was wrong in her 
 judgment, since her aunt and Alfred joined in dis 
 praising him. She was touched by his manner and 
 words the day he received the telegram announcing 
 his father s illness, but after his departure Alfred ex 
 plained to her how abominably fickle he was, and in 
 consequence the good impression wore away. At last 
 when Alfred asked her to become his wife, in a most 
 gentle and affecting manner, she hesitated a trifle, 
 but his eloquence soon won her consent. Soon after, 
 she returned home, but not to travel with her aunt, as 
 Alfred stated in his letter to Rick. 
 
 As Mrs. Beale came down to meet her husband 
 one evening when he returned from business he 
 placed a letter in her hand. 
 
 " It came on Saturday after I left the store," he 
 said, " and I would have sent it up to you this morn 
 ing only I fancied it was not pressing, or it would 
 have been directed to the house." 
 
 She took it, admiring the bold chirography, and at 
 the same moment a servant brought her a second 
 letter, which the postman had just left. She at once 
 perceived it was from Alfred Hastings. 
 
 " I will not read them until after dinner," she said. 
 " One is from Alfred, and I fancy both concern Rose. 
 Do not speak to her of them, and when dinner is 
 over I will retire and read them quietly." 
 
 Accordingly, when the meal was ended and Rose 
 had gone into the drawing-room for an hour s quiet 
 practice upon the piano, Mrs. Beale went up to her 
 room and opened the letters in the order in which 
 they were received. To say she was astonished 
 would scarcely express her feelings, yet Rick s words 
 only confirmed her own opinion in regard to Alfred. 
 Somehow she felt a certain degree of admiration for
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 63 
 
 him, because he chose to write her, instead of wound 
 ing the feelings of Rose by addressing her. Then 
 she took Alfred s letter, and when she read it she 
 gave a start. He had written her privately, he said, 
 because he had been informed that his cousin s for 
 tune was less than had been represented, besides, she 
 was on the abolition side of the question. He would 
 not write Rose in regard to it, but would be obliged 
 to change his plans somewhat if it was the case. 
 
 Like a sensible woman, Mrs. Beale called her hus 
 band and laid the case before him, and she was glad 
 to find that his judgment entirely accorded with her 
 own. 
 
 "I would much rather Rose did not marry a South 
 erner at all," he said, "but of the two I greatly prefer 
 young Gonzales to Alfred Hastings. Gonzales is ex 
 tremely wealthy, I have heard ; he may be ultra in 
 politics, but there seems to be more man about him 
 than Alfred shows. This was my opinion before I 
 read the letters, and now they settle beyond a doubt 
 that Alfred cares nothing for Rose without her money. 
 My dear, you may answer the letter of Mr. Gonzales, 
 but I will attend to Alfred myself, with your per 
 mission." 
 
 "Certainly," she answered, "only do not write 
 harshly. Let it end politely, for I see it has come to 
 the point where it must end. I do not think, how 
 ever, it right for you to hint about breaking the en 
 gagement, it will not be just to Rose." 
 
 "But, my dear, if Rose read these letters she would 
 dismiss Alfred at once and be spared the humiliation 
 of being cast off by him." 
 
 "True. But after all I think it best that he should 
 break it. No doubt he would be extremely glad to 
 have her do so ; it might save him much unpleasant 
 ness. He will feel some shame for I trust he has 
 not lost all sense of decency in breaking his faith 
 because he believes her to be poor." 
 
 " I believe you are right, so I will merely state to 
 him that Rose has very little of this world s goods.
 
 64 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 that she has less than was reported at the first, and 
 that some of her father s investments turned out badly. 
 This, you know, is strictly true, but it is not the whole 
 truth, as other investments turned out better than we 
 expected. But I think I am justified in withholding 
 this, in order to save Rose from a fortune-hunter. 
 One thing, however, you had better do, see that Rose 
 does not write Alfred for three or four days, as she 
 might tell him the whole truth and spoil all." 
 
 " She has written him to-day, and will not, in all 
 probability, write again within a week. However, I 
 think, my dear, you might also state to Alfred, in 
 order to make everything sure, that Rose is not aware 
 of all the facts concerning her fortune, which is quite 
 true." 
 
 "Very good indeed, little woman, an excellent idea. 
 Give me the materials and I will answer him this 
 very moment." 
 
 A few days later Mrs. Beale sat in her room en 
 gaged with some fanciful wool embroidery, when 
 Rose came and tapped at her door. 
 
 "What is it?" her aunt asked as she entered, but 
 her white face and the open letter in her hand ex 
 plained all." 
 
 "I don t know, aunt," Rose answered ; " I do not 
 understand it all." 
 
 " My dear child, I understand, and perhaps I have 
 done wrong, but I did not think he would write you 
 until he had answered your uncle s letter. He is in 
 hot haste it seems." 
 
 "You are speaking in riddles," said Rose. "Aunt 
 Sarah, please tell me all about it at once." 
 
 " Do you want the whole truth, Rose ?" said her 
 aunt, leading the girl to an easy chair and placing 
 her within it. 
 
 " I do, indeed." 
 
 " Then, my dear, if you will allow me to read this 
 letter I will be able to do so." 
 
 Rose gave it up eagerly and watched her aunt s 
 face while she read. After the usual introduction,
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 65 
 
 Alfred for the letter was from him plunged at once 
 into business. He wrote 
 
 I have learned that your fortune amounts to little or nothing. 
 Now, my dear Rose, I am, as you know, a comparatively poor 
 man. I have Riverton upon my hands, heavily mortgaged, and 
 from this encumbered estate I must pay life annuities to my 
 mother and sister ; consequently I shall be unable to support a 
 wife in the style I desire. If I were marrying a lady who had 
 means of her own, sufficient for her own needs, I should be content 
 to struggle on, but I cannot drag you down to poverty with me. I 
 regret, I deeply regret, being obliged to tell you this, and my heart 
 is heavy with the thought that, dearly and devotedly as I love you, 
 it is my duty to give you up. The blow will fall lightly upon you, 
 but to me it is a crushing one. I find that my friend Rick Gon- 
 zales is in love with you himself, and I think he is anxious to make 
 you his wife. Indeed he feels rather hard toward me, because he 
 fancies I have prejudiced you against him. I am about to pay him 
 a visit in order to obtain his pardon for any wrong I have done 
 him, so when you answer this please direct to me at his post-office, 
 vrhich is Milton, as I presume you know." 
 
 " Now, my dear," said Mrs. Beale, "you have had 
 a very narrow escape, for Alfred has been looking 
 out for a wife whose money would pay off the debt 
 on Riverton and leave something besides. He has 
 gone about carrying out his plan of winning you for 
 this purpose in a cold-blooded manner, and has prac 
 ticed deceit wherever he fancied it necessary to 
 further his desire. Mr. Gonzales was, as he says, in 
 love with you I am sure Alfred never was and he 
 was kept so much in the dark concerning Alfred s in 
 tentions toward you that he even wrote you a pro 
 posal of marriage immediately after his father s 
 death, and enclosed it in a letter to Alfred. Of 
 course you never received it, and when Alfred made 
 sure of you, but not until then, he returned the love- 
 letter unopened to his friend, telling him you were his 
 promised wife. Naturally this raised the anger of 
 Mr. Gonzales, and from certain hints Alfred dropped 
 he was certain you had been sought for your money 
 only. He dropped a hint to Alfred that you were not 
 so wealthy as represented, and by the same mail wrote 
 me what he had done. His letter was delayed at the
 
 66 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 store two days, and the same evening I received it 
 one came from Alfred also, asking to tell him if you 
 were as rich as he had supposed. I laid the letters 
 before your uncle and he answered Alfred saying that 
 you were not, on account of some losses where your 
 money had been badly invested. For answer he 
 writes you, breaking the engagement, or, rather, tell 
 ing you that you must do so. 
 
 " I see," Rose said. " And now he is going to 
 Idlefield to try by further deceit to make friends again 
 with Mr. Gonzales. Do you know why ? I accidently 
 discovered that his friend Rick is in the habit not 
 only of loaning him but giving him generous sums 
 of money. And this is one of those noble South 
 erners we hear so much about. This man has the 
 entire control of at least a hundred slaves. Aunt 
 Sarah, don t fear that I shall pine over his loss. I 
 feel relieved, oh ! so greatly relieved, even now. I 
 believe there is something in the man s magnetic in 
 fluence, and that he won my consent half against my 
 will. I hope I may never meet him again. I will 
 bundle his letters and the trifling presents he has 
 given me together, and then I think I ll ask uncle to 
 send them to Riverton, and to write him at the same 
 time a note to Idlefield. I hope he will not spare 
 him, but call him a fortune-hunter in plain terms. 
 But I don t wish him to be undeceived about my 
 property as yet. I am afraid he will say it is a joke 
 and attempt to smooth it over, and, what is worse, 
 succeed, for you cannot tell how he bends everything 
 to his will. Mr. Gonzales is, I am told, very passion 
 ate at times, yet Alfred will wind him about his 
 finger with perfect ease. Why, I have no doubt but 
 Rick will receive Alfred in a friendly way because he 
 has the effrontery to come to his house, and before he 
 leaves Idlefield they will be as intimate as ever. Al 
 fred will fawn around him, and yet not appear too 
 servile, and will win him back in spite of himself." 
 
 " No doubt you are right, my dear. And yet I 
 fancy if Mr. Gonzales is once thoroughly roused he
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 67 
 
 will be a match for Alfred. I cannot help thinking 
 if he seems to overlook this offence it will only be to 
 draw him into a trap. One little paragraph in the 
 letter Rick Gonzales wrote me convinces me of that. 
 He acknowledged that he felt revengeful ; and, Rose, 
 though I liked Rick from the first, though I think his 
 principles are good in the main, and that he does not 
 as a rule stoop to deceit, I would not like to provoke 
 his revenge." 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 GREEK MEETS GREEK. 
 
 According to appointment, early in October Rick 
 was waiting at the depot to meet Alfred. Rick had 
 been schooling himself to appear as usual, but it was 
 a hard task, and he strode up and down the platform 
 in a fierce mood, puffing the smoke from his cigar. 
 At length the whistle sounded, and tossing aside his 
 cigar he waited with forced calmness the approach of 
 the train. Alfred s head was at the window, his face 
 wreathed in smiles. Rick advanced to receive him, 
 uttering quiet and undemonstrative words of welcome ; 
 but try as he would, he felt there was something 
 lacking while his lips spoke hospitable words his 
 soul shrank back. Alfred was quick to observe this. 
 
 He had expected to win Rick s everlasting enmity 
 by his former conduct, but Rick s letter disarmed 
 him almost altogether. Now he began to suspect 
 that all was not right ; perhaps Rick had invited him 
 for the purpose of paying him back in his own coin, 
 and after inducing him to offer himself to Sefiorita 
 Ambrosio might inform him that she was already en 
 gaged. 
 
 "I must be wary," he said, "for I see that Rick has 
 not forgiven me, and he is trying to disguise it." 
 Then aloud, he added, " You are looking pale my boy, 
 what is the matter ?" 
 
 "My path has not been strewn with roses of late,"
 
 68 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 Rick answered. " I have been passing through deep 
 waters and may show it somewhat." 
 
 "Nonsense!" returned Alfred carelessly. "The 
 waters are not so deep as you suppose. Rose is free 
 for you to win if you choose, and, to be candid, I 
 believe she cares more for you than forme, but I mis 
 led her a trifle and confused her. As to your father, 
 he was feeble and old, and must have been of slight 
 comfort to you had he lived." 
 
 " He would have been of the greatest comfort to 
 me," said Rick very decidedly. "But," more cheer 
 fully, " I think the old house will seem brighter to me 
 now you are here. It has been very lonesome for the 
 senorita. We care little for each other s society, and 
 are both grieving for my father." 
 
 " Rick, tell me how the land lies. Are you not fool 
 ing me in regard to the senorita? Honor bright, 
 now. Is she so handsome as you have represented ? 
 Is she really wealthy ?" 
 
 " Honor bright," Rick answered. " She is beautiful, 
 she is young, she is accomplished, speaking Spanish 
 and English with almost equal fluency, and playing 
 upon the piano in the most wonderful way I ever 
 heard. As to her wealth, it is not great ; it simply con 
 sists of the sum of $10,000, which, however, is in cash, 
 and I have it in charge for her since the death of my 
 father. She has not been in the States many months, 
 and dresses chiefly in Spanish style ; she has nothing 
 wonderful in the way of a wardrobe, I imagine, but 
 she has some rare old jewels that were her mother s, 
 and in case she happens to fall in love with you 
 enough to marry you I shall furnish her with a 
 trousseau. Her father was my father s friend. He was 
 from one of the best Cuban families ; indeed, I be 
 lieve his father was possessed of a title, which a 
 brother inherited. Be this as it may, the sefior was at 
 one time wealthy and lived in excellent style to the 
 last. Senorita Dolores was educated carefully at 
 home, and was perfectly happy, as she expresses her 
 self, until the death of her mother. Then her father
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 69 
 
 was ill for a long time, during which illness she 
 nursed him carefully. My father was his guest when 
 he died. He also had been so fortunate as to be 
 nursed to health by the senorita, and when Setter 
 Ambrosio was upon his dying bed he committed his 
 daughter to father s care. She was alone in the 
 world, being his only daughter. Having been educated 
 at home and afterward confined by her parent s ill 
 ness she had no associates. She knows nothing of 
 society, is innocent of all ideas of flirtation, yet she 
 carries herself like a queen." 
 
 " See here, Rick," said Alfred, looking him squarely 
 in the face, " Why are you anxious that I should 
 marry the senorita ?" 
 
 Rick winced, but turning his attention to his horse 
 a moment gained time for his answer. 
 
 " Anxious for you to marry her ?" he repeated 
 slowly. " Do I seem so ?" 
 " You do, certainly." 
 " Perhaps I am," said Rick, musingly. 
 " You have not forgiven me for acting, as you think, 
 unfairly with you," said Alfred. 
 " No, I have not." 
 
 " Then why should you seek to do me a favor on 
 the heels of this unfair action ?" 
 
 " I am not seeking to do you a favor," Rick replied. 
 " Naturally whether I succeed in winning Rose or 
 not I don t care to see her your wife. In regard to 
 Dolores, if I am anxious for her to marry it is to re 
 lieve myself of a burthen, as she is simply in my way. 
 How can a young man take care of a young and 
 beautiful lady, bound to him by no tie of blood, and 
 whom he does not wish to marry ? She herself feels 
 it and has taken her meals in her room ever since my 
 father s death. She has no friends or I would send 
 her to them ; she cannot take care of herself, for she 
 knows nothing of the world. I do not want her 
 money, and the thought struck me, when I found 
 how matters were, that her little fortune was enough 
 to induce you to marry her, as it would pay your
 
 7O SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 debts and leave you in comparatively comfortable 
 circumstances. At the same time it relieves me of a 
 burthen and gets you out of my" way in case I chance 
 to fall in love with another young lady." 
 
 " Enough ; I understand you and am satisfied. 
 The sum of money which she possesses is not large, 
 but it has the merit of being in ready cash, which is 
 better than twice the amount tied up in some unavail 
 able way. But perhaps she will not fancy me at all." 
 
 " Perhaps she may not, for she appears to have in 
 dependent ideas of her own. She certainly has never 
 cared for me in the slightest degree, though I have 
 not made any attempt to win her favor." 
 
 " Your motive in bringing me here was not for love 
 of me, then ?" 
 
 " It was not for love of you. But the girl is noth 
 ing to me ; only for her tender care of my father I 
 should not feel bound to look after her. As it is, you 
 will make her a respectable husband ; you will not 
 beat her or misuse her, except, perhaps, you will de 
 ceive her whenever it answers your purpose to do so. 
 Still if she does not discover it it will never harm her, 
 I suppose. However, do not be deceived in thinking 
 me too anxious for you to marry her. There are men 
 and men in the world, and the sefiorita is fair. She 
 has never gone out in society or she would have been 
 a great belle, I am sure." 
 
 For a time they rode on in silence. Alfred felt that 
 if Rick really meant to deal fairly with him (and after 
 hearing his explanation it seemed probable that he 
 did) he must manage his own cards carefully, for if 
 Rick took the fancy, even at the last moment, that 
 Alfred would not be kind to the senorita he would be 
 likely to break up the match ; so Alfred decided that 
 it was best to win the senorita s affections at once, if 
 possible. He half expected after all to find some 
 absurd-looking weazened old maid, for, although 
 almost persuaded that Rick was dealing fairly, an 
 occasional doubt would rise in his mind. 
 
 "Of course," he said aloud, "I would never ask her
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 7 I 
 
 to marry me unless I loved her and felt that my affec 
 tion was returned." 
 
 "No heroics," Rick said, rather sharply. "You 
 came upon business, Alfred ; for no other reason than 
 to win the senorita s hand for the sake of her money. 
 If she is positively disagreeable to you you will not 
 marry her ; otherwise, if you can win her, you will. 
 It will not take long to decide. Did you not a mo 
 ment ago declare yourself ready to marry a woman 
 you believed loved me better than yourself ? I know 
 you thoroughly now, so please don t put on your mask 
 for my benefit, it makes me sick. As long as it is 
 agreeable for you to remain at Idlefield you are wel 
 come to stay, have no fear of that ; only be good 
 enough not to lie to me more than you can help. I 
 shall not interfere with your wooing if all is right and 
 square. But remember, no tricks." 
 
 With all the years Alfred had spent in playing 
 satellite to Rick he had not learned the art to such 
 perfection that these words did not gall him. He 
 looked crestfallen for a moment, and then, as usual, 
 reasoned himself out of the feeling. 
 
 "What need I care," he thought, "so long as this 
 visit serves my purpose ? I have lost Rick, that is 
 certain ; I even believe he is beginning to repent 
 having hinted to me anything about the seiiorita, and 
 inviting me here. Well, there is all the more need of 
 my winning the lady in question, or I shall be left 
 without money or available friends altogether. With 
 Rose and Rick both lost it becomes me to look 
 sharply to my own interest in other directions." 
 
 By this time they had reached the house, and toss 
 ing the reins to a waiting servant, Rick sprang out, 
 Alfred following him. They walked up the avenue 
 of trees, and when they reached the steps Rick 
 turned toward him, a peculiar smile upon his hand 
 some face. 
 
 "Welcome to Idlefield!" he said, and as Dolores 
 was not in sight Alfred was shown to his room, which 
 was situated in the wing, glad, if the truth were told.
 
 7-2 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 to have an opportunity of washing away some of the 
 dust of travel before being presented to the lady he 
 was to win as his future wife. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE WOOING. 
 
 As Alfred proceeded with his toilet, using the 
 greatest care for he was inclined to be foppish con 
 cerning his dress the notes of a piano came softly to 
 his ear. At first they were low, and though evidently 
 harmonious, were partially indistinct ; so he set his 
 door slightly ajar to listen. The melody grew stronger, 
 seeming to fill the house ; it was rarely beautiful it 
 was soul-stirring and grand. 
 
 " Does she play like this ?" he thought. " Why she 
 must be almost divine. Perhaps the half has not been 
 told me. That accomplishment alone would make 
 her noted the country round once she is my wife." 
 And then he hastened to complete his toilet, joining 
 Rick upon the veranda. 
 
 Rick would have spoken, but Alfred advanced, his 
 finger upon his lip, and took his seat silently where he 
 could observe the player. Dolores sat at the piano, 
 and from Alfred s position he could see only a portion 
 of her profile, as her back was almost directly toward 
 him. He saw a well-shaped head crowned with 
 braids of jet-black hair, a pale complexion, a small, 
 graceful ear, a softly rounded cheek faintly flushed 
 with red a perfect form, with neck and arms ex 
 posed, as was then the custom. As she moved her 
 fingers over the keys he saw they were sparkling with 
 gems, and upon her wrist was coiled a curious brace 
 let, like a band of gold ribbon brocaded with gems, 
 and wound three times about her arm. There were 
 jewels in her ears and a chain about her neck ; her 
 dress was black, the only relief being the jewelry she 
 wore. For some moments she played on, while Alfred 
 watched her in silence. Then he turned to his com-
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 73 
 
 panion, who did not let a movement of Alfred s escape 
 him, though he appeared to be looking out at the 
 fields far away. 
 
 " Rick," Alfred said suddenly, " you are fooling 
 me ! You will never allow me to win so much beauty 
 and talent ; you are only showing her to me that I 
 may learn to love her, and then you will coolly in 
 form me that you are engaged to her yourself. What 
 is Rose when compared to this superb creature ?" 
 
 "What, indeed !" thought Rick, as he rose and 
 motioned Alfred a little further away. " Have you 
 ever detected me in a lie ?" he asked. 
 
 "No," Alfred returned more quietly. 
 
 " Then believe me in this, and here is my hand 
 upon, it, I have no intention of thwarting your desire 
 to marry Dolores. I invited you to see her, you have 
 come. I shall not throw her into your arms ; there 
 will be no force or undue persuasion used on either 
 side, except you choose to resort to them upon your 
 own behalf ; but if you can win her she is yours with 
 my consent," 
 
 "I am convinced," Alfred returned; "and now, 
 as the music has ceased, will you present me ?" . 
 
 Rick led the way into the parlor. Dolores had 
 risen from the piano at the sound of voices, and 
 stood, slightly resting one hand upon it, trying to 
 quell the tumultuous throbbings of her heart. To 
 day she was to enter upon a new era in her life. If 
 successful in winning this man who was approaching, 
 henceforth she was to be lifted above the bondage 
 which, so far, had fettered herself, her mother and 
 her grandmothers before her, and rise to the level of 
 her father s race and that of her grandfather and 
 great grandfather. Would she succeed ? Would 
 no one betray her? And then Rick presented his 
 friend Alfred Hastings to Senorita Dolores Am- 
 brosio, and with one swift glance the blood rushed 
 to her face. Then she bowed and, as though an 
 afterthought, gave him her hand, murmuring inad 
 vertently a greeting in Spanish.
 
 74 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 At this Rick laughed. " Whenever she is confused 
 or embarrassed," he said, " the sefiorita falls back 
 upon her mother tongue." 
 
 She begged pardon, which was readily granted, 
 Alfred making a gallant remark to the effect that any 
 language fell musically from such fair lips, and as she 
 still stood he brought a chair for her. 
 
 "I suppose," she said to Rick, "Mr. Hastings 
 would like some refreshment after his long journey. 
 Have you given orders, Mr. Gonzales?" 
 
 "Not since my return, but I will at once do so." 
 And then Mammy herself came to say that dinner 
 was waiting. 
 
 Dolores took the head of the table, as though ac 
 customed to the seat ; she had been, indeed, during 
 the time of her stay at Idlefield previous to the death 
 of Colonel Gonzales. Alfred watched her, in reality 
 more entranced with her beauty than he had ever 
 been with the loveliness of any other woman. She 
 conversed but little, but her manner was affable, soft 
 and gentle, and the words she did speak were re 
 fined and to the point. He was able to examine 
 her jewels more closely now, and he perceived that 
 her bracelet was very curious and of rare workman 
 ship, set with rubies and diamonds. The chain at 
 her neck was in reality a necklace of smooth, closely- 
 woven links, which broadened toward the front, from 
 which was suspended a cross, also set with rubies and 
 diamonds. Her ear-rings matched the set, which was 
 rather heavy for a young girl s wearing, but this fault 
 Alfred could readily excuse since they would become 
 her as a wife. 
 
 They lingered some time at the table, when they 
 rose. Alfred suggested a stroll through the lawn. 
 Accordingly Dolores dispatched a servant for her 
 mantilla, and when it was brought she threw it over 
 her head gracefully, fastening it with a small pearl 
 pin, and went out. Rick excused himself, saying he 
 had some business with his overseer, which was true, 
 though it took but a moment to settle it, and then he
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 75 
 
 strode away as though bent upon an exploring ex 
 pedition. 
 
 Meanwhile Dolores and Alfred were rambling 
 through the grounds under the lengthened cotton- 
 wood shadows. The sun was at its setting, and there 
 were light floating clouds in the air, which were 
 changing fast from rose to crimson, shedding a rosy 
 light around. Dolores watched the clouds wistfully. 
 Could it be that her life henceforth was to be couleur 
 de rose, or was it to be tinged with that more ominous 
 shade which was creeping into the clouds slowly the 
 color of blood ? Then Alfred stooped and plucked 
 two asters which were blooming in one of the garden 
 beds. One flower was a rosy crimson, the other a 
 bright yellow. 
 
 "The Spanish colors," he said, "or as nearly as I 
 can find them, for the red may be a little dull. You 
 seem sad, senorita ; are you longing for your old 
 home ?" 
 
 " My old home !" she repeated slowly, as she took 
 the flowers he offered and fastened them in the pin 
 which held her mantilla together. " Indeed, no. It 
 is true that I am lonely here, but I should die in Cuba, 
 for my parents being dead I have not one friend left 
 there. Even my old home, which business men had 
 long looked upon with longing eyes, for it was so near 
 the business quarter of the town, has been changed 
 into a large market. It seems like desecration. Ah, 
 no, I could never go back ; it would kill me. While 
 my mother lived she was everything to my father 
 she was everything to me. When she died padre and 
 I were all in all to each other. Then I loved Colonel 
 Gonzales ; even though old and ill he was like a 
 father to me. And now I am lonely indeed." 
 
 " Poor child," he said softly. " It is no wonder you 
 are lonely. Do you often play as you did to-day ?" 
 
 " Often, for it seems my only comfort. I like this 
 country, what I have seen of t I think I could make 
 it my happy home, but I have not ons oman friend 
 in it. Sometimes I feel it was wrong foi r^v father
 
 76 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 to keep me in seclusion as he did, for I know nothing 
 of the world or society. Mr. Rick Gonzales has been 
 very kind to me. I complain of nothing, but I feel 
 that I am in his way, and he does not know how to 
 dispose of me. If I knew something of the world 
 perhaps I might go away somewhere and grapple with 
 it, but I have been in leading strings all my life and 
 now miss them." 
 
 " You were not made for the rough storms of life," 
 Alfred said, gently ; "you need a protector !" 
 
 Then they drifted away into other conversation, 
 and Alfred found that although Dolores was conver 
 sant with Spanish literature she had read little in 
 English. Still she was by no means ignorant. Her 
 intercourse with Colonel Gonzales, who was a well- 
 read man, had been of great advantage to her, and 
 for the past few days she had been reading under 
 Rick s tutorship, or, rather, advisement. She took 
 kindly to novels and poetry, and what she knew she 
 was able to speak of with effect. 
 
 "I am not learned," she frankly said. "Cuban 
 ladies are content with less knowledge than Ameri 
 cans, and I was not drilled in many things. I only 
 learned English, music, and for the rest rudimental 
 branches chiefly. But I love reading in Spanish ; I am 
 growing to like it in English, and since the death of 
 Colonel Gonzales, or after my recovery from the first 
 shock, I have spent my time in reading and playing." 
 
 "You are not ignorant," Alfred answered; "you are 
 learned in graceful accomplishment and in all things 
 womanly and sweet. But I would like to enter into a 
 compact with you ; while I am here let us improve our 
 time. You shall teach me Spanish, of which I am 
 almost wholly ignorant, and I will read aloud to you 
 from English authors in return." 
 
 "Thanks !" she cried, delighted with the proposal. 
 I have some Spanish books, and we will begin to 
 morrow if you choose." 
 
 " 1 shall be only too happy," he said, smiling ; and 
 then seeing Rick upon the veranda, he suddenly be-
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 77 
 
 thought himself that the dew was falling and he was 
 anxious to hear some music. 
 
 So the two gentlemen sat and smoked while they 
 listened, and Dolores played or so Rick fancied as 
 she had never done before. The music was less sad 
 than usual, though at times it drifted into a solemn 
 channel ; but it rose again, glad and triumphant, and 
 while Alfred thought only of her wonderful power 
 over the keys, Rick knew her mind was dreaming of 
 her future, and her spirit was hopeful or despondent 
 as the music rose or fell. 
 
 Upon the following morning the lessons began. 
 The senorita appeared in white, with little jewelry 
 and many flowers ; she was very charming, and gave 
 the Spanish lesson in a vivacious, sparkling manner. 
 Then Alfred took up his task of teaching, which was 
 a delightful one. He read poetry, first from one book 
 and then another, impressing the name of the author 
 upon her mind, and choosing for his subject in almost 
 every instance the theme of love, rendering it effec 
 tively in his clear, well-modulated voice, emphasizing 
 it with soft glances from his eyes, with tender smiles 
 and low inflexions. What wonder Dolores was 
 charmed ! Henceforth she had no part to act ; for 
 the first time in her life she was in love. She was 
 quite in another world, the world she had looked upon 
 from a distance with longing eyes heretofore. She 
 could scarcely realize that she was not dreaming, but 
 as day after day passed and Alfred grew more and 
 more devoted, she began to feel secure in her position 
 and daily to fear less and less that she should be un 
 able to fill it properly. 
 
 Rick was never far away, and while his constant 
 presence would have been a restraint, there was some 
 thing in this hovering about at a little distance which 
 gave her support. She was beginning to like him 
 better ; she had respected him for some time, while 
 he, after watching her playfulness, her vivacity, and 
 the power she exerted over Alfred, began to feel 
 something of the deference for her he always ac-
 
 78 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 corded to women who were born upon equal ground! 
 with him. And it came to influence him seriously,, 
 first unconsciously, and then too strongly to be un 
 noticed, regarding the effects of slavery. This girl, 
 born in bondage, carried herself with all the dignity 
 and grace of a queen, and he was glad in his heart 
 that she loved Alfred, as it would make her life with 
 him so much happier. 
 
 As for Alfred he congratulated himself constantly 
 that fortune had thrown such a prize within his grasp. 
 How tame his cousin Rose seemed in comparison. 
 And it appeared incredible that Rick should pass her 
 by and fall in love with Rose, for now Alfred was- 
 sure Rick had no intention of playing him false, since 
 there was no feeling of love between him and 
 Dolores, and her affection for Alfred, though modest,, 
 was apparent. He had few doubts concerning her 
 acceptance of his hand, but he strove by every pos 
 sible act to prove his devotion, lest she might fear to 
 place herself under his protection for life. Dolores 
 was a Catholic, and though he did not consider this 
 a drawback, he set about winning her over to his own- 
 belief, for Alfred was a member of the Episcopal 
 church. He excited her interest, and as she believed 
 in him fully, he found her an easy convert, though she 
 gave up with reluctance her prayers to the Virgin. 
 
 At last, when he had been at Idlefield for nearly a 
 month, and feeling that it was impossible for him to- 
 absent himself from Riverton much longer, he asked 
 Dolores in the most deferential manner to become his 
 wife. For a moment she could not answer him. Could 
 it be possible that she, once so low and despised, had 
 been wooed in such a gentle, tender way, and now 
 was asked for as though she were the proudest lady 
 in the land ? She grew pale and trembled from excess 
 of emotion, and Alfred, mistaking this for hesitation 
 and doubt, began to sue more earnestly and humbly, 
 promising all that man could promise, and when her 
 consent was given receiving it as a great boon. 
 
 Rick s consent being a mere matter of form, Alfred
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 79 
 
 now wrote his mother saying it was his desire to 
 marry Dolores at once, as it would be inconvenient 
 for him to return for her. Riverton needed the pres 
 ence of its master in more ways than one, for some 
 of the mortgages were about to fall due and must 
 be met, as the holder was anxious for the money. 
 Dolores was not of age, but her money would be paid 
 to him by Rick as soon as he was married, so why 
 should he delay ? His mother answered saying she 
 approved his plan, and then Rick sent to the nearest 
 city for materials for her trousseau, asking his sister 
 to select what was most suitable. Dressmakers were 
 employed, and as much was done as possible in two 
 short weeks. Then with a few of the neighbors in 
 vited, more for witnesses than for any other cause, 
 Alfred and Dolores were married. 
 
 When the ceremony was over Dolores went to her 
 room to prepare for the journey for they were at 
 once to set out for Riverton while Rick called Alfred 
 into his chamber and gave into his hand the sum sup 
 posed to be the fortune left Dolores by her father, 
 taking a receipt therefor. He purposely detained 
 him until time for the bride to make her appearance, 
 and then while Alfred retired to take care of the 
 money and make final preparations for leaving Rick 
 went out in the drawing-room for a word with Mrs. 
 Hastings the senorita no more. 
 
 " Dolores," he said, " you have acquitted yourself 
 with honor. Alfred loves you, and I believe you will 
 be happy with him ; but let me give you a word of 
 advice. He is selfish and loves power ; do not allow 
 him to misuse you. If ever anything happens that you 
 need a friend send for me and I will come to your 
 aid. It was by my scheming that you attained your 
 present position, and if trouble overtakes you in it 
 I will at least see that you do not want. Here is 
 my hand." 
 
 Dolores looked up in surprise. 
 
 " What, from his height?" she thought. " Knowing 
 me as he does, when no one is by to see, when he is
 
 &0 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 not playing a part, does he offer me his hand ?" 
 There were tears in her eyes when she took it. " I 
 don t know how to thank you for all you have done 
 for me," she said, "but may the dear God and the 
 Holy Mother bless you always and make you as 
 happy as I am to-day." 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THE FIRST HEARTACHE. 
 
 Mrs. Alfred Hastings became at once a favorite at 
 Riverton, not alone in her immediate home circle, but 
 with all who were thrown into her society. The ne 
 groes almost idolized her, for when she had been 
 installed as mistress of the place only a short time 
 she knew them all by name, spoke to them kindly and 
 treated them as rational beings, doing all that lay in 
 her power to make their lives as easy as possible. 
 Alfred playfully told her she was spoiling them, and 
 she endeavored to seem stern before him, although he 
 never interfered with her. The sum of money Dolores 
 brought him was still too warm in his palm to allow 
 him to treat her unkindly, aside from the fact that she 
 exercised a greater influence over him than any other 
 person had ever done. 
 
 Alfred s mother regarded her daughter-in-law as 
 only a little lower than the angels, for several reasons. 
 First, her money had cleared Riverton of debt for the 
 first time in twenty years or more, and there had been 
 enough left to enable them to keep up a good appear 
 ance until the place should earn more. For Riverton 
 was profitable when properly managed, and especially 
 so now that it was not burthened by debt and 
 twice the number of slaves that were really required 
 to keep it in order. Alfred was managing well, and 
 the future looked very bright. Then Dolores was an 
 accomplished beauty, as well as reputed to be worth 
 untold sums of money, and all this reflected no little 
 glory upon the name of Hastings, which was a very
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 8* 
 
 aristocratic one, its ancestry boasting noble blood, and 
 its present proprietors considering theirs a trifle bluer 
 than any which flowed in the veins of ordinary people. 
 Besides, Dolores was gentle and good at heart. 
 
 The Hastings family numbered among their ac 
 quaintances a long line of Virginia families, equally 
 proud with themselves, all of whom were able or 
 fancied they were to prove the greatness of their 
 own ancestors, and who were always ready to con 
 vince themselves and others of the fact by iteration. 
 Riverton had been a notably hospitable place, but 
 during the time of Alfred s absence at college its 
 visitors fell off to a great extent, because Mr. and 
 Mrs. Hastings, harassed by debt, seemed more care 
 worn than formerly and fell into the habit of inviting 
 few friends to the house and of making still fewer 
 visits. But now that Alfred had brought home a 
 wealthy Cuban wife Riverton was gayer in fact than 
 ever it had been in its palmiest days. Visits, recep 
 tions, rides, drives, followed in quick succession, and 
 Dolores was the life of them all. 
 
 Whatever she did was commended as exceedingly 
 graceful and kind, whatever she said was accounted 
 either witty or wise, whatever she wore was admired 
 and copied by her lady friends as far as they were 
 able to succeed in imitating it. Her great musical 
 talent was the wonder of the country round, her en 
 tertainments were marked by perfection in every 
 detail which insured success, yet she was looked upon 
 as a model of discreetness in her deportment. All 
 this Alfred keenly enjoyed, and though little selfish 
 acts of his were often manifest to her, he was 
 among the most sincere of her admirers, and so far 
 as love of self did not interfere he was Kma to her 
 and especially deferential before others. 
 
 But Dolores was not exacting. She did not expect 
 too much, and she loved her husband and enjoyed 
 her position thoroughly, therefore she was always 
 patient and nearly always happy. She resolutely 
 hut the door behind the past, living in the present
 
 &2 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 only. Vague thoughts sometimes came to her of how 
 she might help her mother s race in the future, but 
 now their lot had been her own too recently for her 
 to dare much for their sake, fearing to lose all. 
 
 Immediately upon her arrival at Riverton she had 
 been informed by Alfred that she was to choose her 
 maid from among the slaves, and if none suited her 
 he would purchase one for her especial use. 
 
 "I almost wonder," he said, "that Rick did not 
 present you with one, he has so many useless slaves, 
 and might have done it as well as not." 
 
 " He had none that I especially cared for," Dolores 
 replied, " besides I prefer one who has been accus 
 tomed to your home." 
 
 So the women were assembled in the old hall, and 
 Dolores came out to choose. They were drawn up in 
 a line by the wall on either side, and Alfred led 
 Dolores out of the parlor, walking down between the 
 two rows and making comments upon each as he 
 passed. 
 
 "This is Sally," he said, as they passed a fine- 
 looking mulatto girl. " She might answer your pur 
 pose, but she is most abominably lazy. Dinah isn t 
 handsome," speaking of a large, coal-black woman 
 who stood next, " but she is an excellent chamber 
 maid. And Sue, here, might do, for she acted as 
 maid to a maiden aunt of mine who is now dead, but 
 she may be too old and clumsy." 
 
 "She does not look old," Dolores returned, some 
 what impressed with the woman s face, which was 
 dark but kindly, and her figure was trim and neat. 
 
 "She is nearly fifty," Alfred returned, "but she has 
 never been abused, and she doesn t show her age." 
 
 The woman was perfectly silent, but looked wist 
 fully in the face of her new mistress, as if to ask that 
 she might be taken on trial. Dolores saw the look 
 and paused a moment. 
 
 " I think I will try Sue," she said, to the evident 
 disappointment of the rest, particularly Sally. " Do 
 you think you will like to be my maid, Sue ?"
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 83 
 
 " Of course she will," replied Alfred, before Sue 
 could answer. " What a question, my dear ; you are 
 altogether too considerate. You see we are not try 
 ing to please Sue, but your own dear self." 
 
 " Why, I am pleasing myself," returned Dolores. 
 "And I wish to please myself still further by finding 
 out whether Sue was pleased also or not." 
 
 "Well, we will take that for granted. You may go,, 
 all of you," to the servants. "And Sue, mind you 
 serve your mistress well ; let me hear no complaint 
 from her, or it will not be well for you." 
 
 "Yes, Mas r," Sue answered, with a most profound 
 courtesy. 
 
 "You can now come to my room and unpack my 
 trunks," said Dolores. 
 
 Dolores selected Sue for two reasons. First, she 
 liked her appearance ; and second, she felt sure she 
 knew everything in regard to the family history, and 
 she meant to possess herself of this in due time,, 
 thinking it would help her in her course of action. 
 As the time went by Dolores found Sue invaluable. 
 She loved her new mistress almost to idolatry, and 
 was as true as steel in every particular. 
 
 The winter had been extremely gay a most 
 happy season to Dolores, who daily felt he; position 
 more assured. One day in early spring when she 
 came in from a drive with Alfred they found a neigh 
 bor waiting to speak to him upon business, and Dolores 
 went immediately to her room. To her surprise she 
 found Sue already there, and sobbing as if her heart 
 would break. 
 
 "What is it, Sue ?" she asked, kindly. 
 
 " It s jes nuffin at all, missus," replied Sue, hur 
 riedly wiping away her tears. 
 
 "But whatever it is you must tell me, Sue, and 
 perhaps I can help you." 
 
 " Oh, no, missus," the woman insisted, " yer can t 
 help me ; nobody kin now. Sides, Mas r Alfred would 
 skin me alive if I was to tell yer." 
 
 " But why need he ever know ?" asked Dolores.
 
 84 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 " Come, Sue, trust me a little and tell me what is the 
 matter." 
 
 " It s a most a year ago sense my Prudy was took 
 away, a-sobbin an a-cryin awful, an when I seen de 
 leabes on de trees a branchin out like dey was den 
 it makes me feel so mis able like I can t keep de tears 
 from comin ." 
 
 " But where was she taken ?" queried Dolores, fail 
 ing as yet to understand. 
 
 " Laws, Miss Dolory, Mas r Alfred sole her jes 
 cause " 
 
 "Well, Sue," gently. 
 
 " I dassent tell you, Missus, deed I dassent !" 
 
 " But you must," said Dolores decidedly. " Has 
 any one ever troubled you about what you have told 
 me before ?" 
 
 " No.; only dis is wuss, Missus, dear." 
 
 "No matter, Sue, I must hear it." 
 
 " Mas r Alfred allus peared real pious afore old 
 Mas r, and Missus too, but he allus done what he 
 liked on de sly. Well, Prudy was a little young mite 
 of a gal, an Mas r Alfred he took quite a notion to 
 her. I kep her out o his sight when he come home 
 in de summers, but, laws, it wan t no use. He was 
 roun after her de hull time, a-praisin her up an 
 a-tellin her how han some she was. Well, Missus, its 
 no use a-beatin aroun de bush, but Prudy hed a baby 
 de nex spring you ve seen little Pete an all degood 
 niggers was shocked, an so was I. Well, Prudy 
 wan t berry white, but de baby was. Nex time Mas r 
 Alfred come home he didn t pay no tention to Prudy, 
 an she was awful cut up over it. So de time went on, 
 an de nex time he come he was sweet agin ; but 
 Prudy haved herself de best she could an nebber 
 went nigh him ef she could help it. Well, he went 
 away, it was de las year he was gone, an* dat year 
 Prudy married Sam, a real likely niggah, an Sam was as 
 good to her as he could be, fur he knowed how domi- 
 neerin Mas r Alfred was, and he lowed fur ail sich 
 tings. But when young Mas r got back he was foamin
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 85 
 
 mad, and he wanted money, too, so he sole about half 
 a dozen niggar s Dinah s ole man Si and my Prudy, 
 and foah or five more. Pore Sam felt awful, and 
 pore Prudy was fit to die, hevin to go long wid a 
 mis able lookin slave-drivah, an a-leavin her poor 
 ^rphanless chile. An when I tinks of it in de night, 
 sometimes I cries right out I feels so mis able bout 
 pore Prudy, an I nebber will get over it." 
 
 At that moment they heard Alfred s step upon the 
 stairs ; he had just bowed out the neighbor who had 
 called. Sue looked the picture of dismay. 
 
 " What shall I do, missus ?" she gasped. " Mas r 
 Alfred 11 kill me ef he sees me a-cryin , cause den 
 he ll reckon right off what s de matter !" 
 
 Quick as thought Dolores seized a whip which lay 
 upon a table Alfred had playfully given it to her a 
 few days before, saying she was to use it upon any 
 servant who failed to yield her cheerful obedience at 
 all times. She gave one or two quick blows upon the 
 skirt of her own dress, crying : 
 
 " Not another word, you impertinent thing ! Leave 
 the room this instant !" and then she broke forth with 
 a torrent of abuse in Spanish, which neither Sue nor 
 Alfred understood ; but Sue, thankful for the strategy 
 displayed by her mistress, made good her escape, 
 while Alfred laughed as though thoroughly amused, 
 and told Dolores she was a thoroughbred, and called 
 her a number of other semi-sporting, semi-endearing 
 adjectives indicative of his extreme approval. 
 
 " I suppose I have been very unladylike," said 
 Dolores, bursting into tears, and Alfred strove to 
 soothe her, never dreaming of their cause. 
 
 " The little woman has a Spanish temper I see 
 after all," he said, " and I am glad to find it out, for 
 I was afraid she was spoiling Sue by over-indulgence. 
 This will do her good, for she will see that, while you 
 are kind, you will not be trifled with." 
 
 Dolores received his congratulatory remarks in 
 silence, and when he paused she threw herself upon a 
 couch, saying her head ached and she would try to
 
 86 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 sleep. So he kissed her and went out, leaving her 
 with the first real heartache she had known since she 
 entered high life. 
 
 After her husband had gone out over the fields to 
 give some directions concerning the management of 
 the spring crops she rang for Sue, and questioning 
 her closely she learned that, as was the case upon 
 most old estates, the slaves had become so numerous 
 that there were many to feed more than were re 
 quired for service and a large number had been sold 
 in order to thin them out, and also to realize some 
 ready money ; but in doing this, Alfred had not sold 
 the young, unmarried ones who had not formed house 
 ties, but broke up families without mercy, parting 
 husbands and wives, mothers and children, without 
 the slightest compunctions of conscience, wherever it 
 suited, his purpose to do so, and sometimes, as it 
 seemed, out of pure maliciousness. 
 
 "My poor Sue," Dolores said, "my heart aches for 
 you. I don t know that I can help you now, for it is 
 not probable that Mr. Hastings would ever buy poor 
 Prudy back ; but if the time ever does come, I will 
 try and see her united to her husband and you. 
 Don t despair, for it is possible, you know. Be good 
 and obedient and as patient as you can, and, above 
 all, do not grieve." 
 
 " Good an bedient Missus, honey ?" said Sue; " why 
 fore de Lo d, Miss Dolory, I d take out my pore ole 
 heart fer you dis minute !" 
 
 "Thanks, Sue," she said; "perhaps I may some day 
 need your kindness, not in taking out your heart, for 
 that has bled enough already, but in other ways." 
 
 The woman left her with renewed protestations of 
 devotion, and Dolores darkened the room to keep out 
 the bright spring sunshine, and lay thinking and sigh 
 ing, trying to plan some way to unite the families her 
 husband had torn asunder, her heart aching to feel he 
 was so devoid of humanity, her respect for him grow 
 ing less and less as she reviewed his course, and her 
 heart aching more and more.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 87 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 THE PET OF SOCIETY. 
 
 Dolores had a naturally sunny temper and she soon 
 regained her spirits, though she did not cease to re 
 volve in her mind various plans for the good of the 
 slaves under her care. Mrs. Hastings was mild- 
 tempered, usually echoing Alfred s sentiments ; but 
 Ida was a troublesome child, given to telling all she 
 knew at the most inopportune occasions, selfish and 
 often ill-natured partly because it was her dis 
 position to be so, and partly because she had been 
 spoiled. Still Dolores was patient with her, and so 
 far as it was possible for her to care for any one be 
 sides herself, Ida was in love with her grand sister-in- 
 law, but chiefly, it must be confessed, because she 
 made the house so gay, and since her advent Ida had 
 not been stinted in the way of pretty clothes and 
 other trifles dear to her heart. 
 
 The coming of spring was the signal for excur 
 sions and out-of-door festivities, and Alfred must 
 teach Dolores to ride on horseback, since the accom 
 plishment was much practiced by ladies in the vicinity. 
 She had tried it to a small extent upon the previous 
 summer, but as yet was not a fearless equestrienne. 
 Still she rode gracefully and looked well, and her hus 
 band cared for little more, though he assured her that 
 she would grow exceedingly fond of the exercise. 
 
 A little later in the season Dolores gave an enter 
 tainment upon a moonlight evening. She had dancing 
 and supper upon the grounds, which were illuminated 
 for the occasion. Long afterward it was remembered 
 and spoken of as one of the most perfect entertain 
 ments of the kind ever given in that section of the 
 country. The lawn was green and velvet-smooth, 
 roses and various other shrubs and plants were in 
 bloom, the air was perfumed and soft, the night clear 
 and the moon full, while under the trees, wherever a 
 branch cast a shadow, hung many-colored lamps 
 which served effectually to banish the gloom. Every
 
 38 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOB1LITV. 
 
 door and casement in the house swung wide, the win 
 dows were curtained with lace, the rooms lighted and 
 decorated with flowers. The lights, the flowers, the 
 soft moonlight, the ladies moving about in white or 
 gay graceful costumes, the music, which came from a 
 secluded grove near, all tended to make the place 
 seem unreal or like fairyland. There was a strange 
 influence in the air as though it were charged with 
 magnetism. Dolores received her guests in a bower 
 which opened as if to let the moonlight in. Her dress 
 was Spanish a rich gold-colored silk, over which was 
 black lace flounces, caught up here and there with a 
 blood-red flower. She wore a mantilla over her head 
 and shoulders, which were otherwise uncovered, and 
 gave each guest a cordial greeting, coupled with 
 some complimentary remark uttered in her gentle but 
 sprightly manner. The company had nearly assem 
 bled ; there were only a few scattering arrivals now, 
 and Dolores was about to give the signal for the 
 dancing to commence. About her hung half a score 
 or so of ardent admirers both male and female for 
 it was the rage to admire young Mrs. Hastings in 
 whatever she did or said. The young men adored 
 her, and publicly sighed because there were no un 
 married ladies like her; yet this fact did not make 
 Dolores unpopular with the ladies, as she always 
 seemed to reflect some of her brilliancy upon those 
 about her, and she was so utterly unaffected and ap 
 parently unconscious of her charms it was impossible to 
 be jealous of her. Alfred had excused himself for a 
 few moments. Dolores did not inquire the cause ; she 
 knew some one had arrived and was waiting for his 
 return to begin the dance. When he did come, how 
 ever, he brought no guest with him, though something 
 in his manner told her he had news of some sort, and 
 she fancied he was waiting for an opportunity to tell 
 her of it. Still when the opportunity did occur he 
 refrained from speaking, so she gave it no further 
 thought. 
 
 There had been a platform erected for dancing,
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 89 
 
 and it was draped like a tent, the sides looped up with 
 garlands of leaves and flowers, thus exposing the 
 dancers to view. Dolores danced often, for, as the 
 night was warm and the air filled with languor, many 
 of the ladies preferred to sit and watch the dancers ; 
 perhaps, too, because the moonlight was to many more 
 flattering than lamplight, and favored moonstruck 
 cavaliers, who, under the influence of the music, the 
 moonlight and the flowers, found words to say what 
 lingered upon their tongues in the clear but prosy 
 daylight. 
 
 " How beautiful Mrs. Hastings is to-night is she 
 not, Mr. Hall ?" queried a lady who was watching 
 Dolores, as with an easy, graceful movement which 
 seemed slower than that of all others, yet was in per 
 fect time, she glided through the figures of the dance. 
 
 " She is more than beautiful, she is almost divine !" 
 exclaimed the gentleman addressed with much enthu 
 siasm. " She is positively a mystery to me. She 
 seems to surround herself at all times with a vague, 
 delightfully unreal atmosphere which is really intoxi 
 cating, though unlike the effect of wine altogether. 
 It seems elevating to a wonderful degree, and when 
 one has left her, passes away gently, leaving no in 
 jurious effect, only a desire remains to enjoy her 
 presence always. Now to-night, for instance, does it 
 not appear as though she were a Spanish princess, 
 only needing a throne to complete her regal state ? 
 Or, only for the Spanish dress, one might fancy her 
 one of those wonderful Circassian beauties who could 
 make a Sultan desert a whole harem for her sake." 
 
 " To one who has never seen her your words might 
 sound like a lover s rhapsody," smiled the lady in 
 return ; " but having seen and known the effect of 
 her strange beauty, I must confess that all you say is 
 quite true. By the way, Mr. Hall," in an undertone, 
 " have you observed that very handsome gentle 
 man who is standing near, and who seems to be 
 watching Mrs. Hastings and listening to our conver 
 sation simultaneously ?"
 
 90 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 At this Mr. Hall turned and met the gentleman s- 
 glance, when he passed quickly to his side with out 
 stretched hand. 
 
 " Mr. Gonzales, I believe," he said. " I think I 
 had the pleasure of meeting you here last summer." 
 
 Rick bowed, giving his hand in return. 
 
 "I have just arrived," he said, "being on my way 
 to New York. As I came unexpectedly I was not 
 aware of this merry-making. I have seen Mr. 
 Hastings, but as yet have not made my arrival known 
 to my hostess, who, I am glad to see, is making her 
 self and her guests happy." 
 
 "I think," said Mr. Hall, "if I remember correctly, 
 Mrs. Hastings is a friend of yours." 
 
 Rick bowed. 
 
 " Her father and mine were warm friends," he 
 said, " and after both her parents died she came on 
 from Havana with father. It was at my house that 
 her wedding occurred." 
 
 "Then we are greatly indebted to you. Mrs. 
 Hastings advent here has infused new life into so 
 ciety, has brightened us all in a wonderful degree, 
 for she is to-day the most popular lady, as hostess, 
 acquaintance or friend, in all this region of country." 
 
 " I am delighted to hear it," Rick answered. " And 
 now I must find a moment to speak with her, for I 
 only intend to make a brief call, and I see she is 
 not going to dance the set that is now forming." 
 
 There were some half-spoken regrets, more polite 
 than profound, from Mr. Hall, because Mr. Gonzales 
 was about to tear himself away so soon, and then Rick 
 bowed his thanks and turned to find Dolores. He 
 had met Alfred upon his arrival and refused to be 
 presented to Dolores at once, saying he was not in 
 evening dress and did not care to mingle with the gay 
 crowd. He would wait and surprise her later, as soon 
 as she withdrew a little from the throng. Alfred re 
 plied that he would probably need to wait the whole 
 evening, as his wife was always the centre of the 
 crowd, but Rick persisted in doing as he pleased.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 91 
 
 The truth was, he feared his presence might startle 
 Dolores, and he did not wish Alfred to witness it too 
 closely, or, indeed, any of his guests. At this mo 
 ment, however, Dolores left the dancers and was 
 moving about among the more quiet groups that 
 dotted the lawn, and Rick felt that he must improve 
 the opportunity. Accordingly, just as she had passed 
 a knot of two or three and was turning to another, he 
 came forward. 
 
 " Mrs. Hastings," he said, politely, "I am delighted 
 to find you so well and charmingly happy." 
 
 " Mr. Gonzales !" she exclaimed, turning very white 
 for an instant, but Rick was prepared for this and her 
 face was turned away from any near observer. 
 
 "Please take my arm a moment," he said, in an 
 easy, quiet tone. " I am in my traveling dress, and 
 look out of place in the crowd. Do not let my pres 
 ence give you the slightest concern," he continued in 
 a lower tone as soon as they had passed out into a 
 clear, moonlit space, where they could be observed 
 but not heard. "I merely called to see how you were, 
 and I leave within an hour. I wished to satisfy my 
 self that you were as happy as is represented, and to 
 assure you, if that is necessary, that I am always your 
 friend when you need one. I find you the pet of 
 society here, and see you have taken every one by 
 storm. I am proud of you. But are you really as 
 happy as you seem ?" 
 
 " Really," she answered, quite herself once more. 
 " The only trouble I have is the regret that my hands 
 are tied so I cannot help the poor slaves as I would 
 wish." 
 
 "But," said Rick, "Alfred told me in great glee 
 that you are in the habit of beating your maid." 
 
 " I think you know I did not," she replied, looking 
 up in his face a moment. " She was telling me her 
 troubles and crying because Alfred sold her daughter 
 Prudy a year ago, and he came in and nearly caught 
 us, so I pretended to beat her that he might not guess 
 why she was crying. I would like to find Prudy for
 
 92 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 her, and yet I know Alfred would never buy her back, 
 and to tell the truth I cannot say that I would like to 
 have her, only on poor Sue s account." 
 
 " I believe you wish me to look for her," he said, 
 smiling. " Well," seeing her wistful look, " I will. 
 Only I cannot promise much, for I may be unable to 
 find her. Is there anything else you would like me 
 to do ?" 
 
 " Nothing," she answered. " Indeed, I am so much 
 indebted to you already." 
 
 " Hush !" he said. " Dolores, I can only think of 
 you as the daughter of my father s friend ; I look 
 upon you to-night feeling a strange pleasure in the 
 admiration you incite as I might over a dear and 
 honored sister." 
 
 She did not answer, but her hand involuntarily 
 tightened a trifle upon his arm. It was trembling 
 slightly, and he did not wish to excite her more, so he 
 turned for a moment to look upon the dancers. 
 
 "If I did not look so rusty," he said, " I would 
 like one dance with you." 
 
 " You look rusty ?" she exclaimed. " Why there is 
 not a gentleman here to-night who can compare with 
 you in appearance. And if you will dance with me I 
 shall feel more highly honored than by all else that 
 has been done and said to-night." 
 
 " You are a flatterer," he answered, laughing. 
 " Come then, for -the musicians are playing a waltz 
 and Alfred is advancin-g toward us let us meet him." 
 
 " It does me a world of good to see you here Rick," 
 Alfred said. "I only wish you could remain some 
 time with us." 
 
 "That is impossible," returned Rick, "as I am 
 going to New York. Excuse us a short while, Dolores 
 and I are going to try this waltz." And a moment 
 later they were whirling away, while every eye was 
 bent upon them they danced so gracefully together. 
 
 " So you are going to New York ?" she said. 
 
 "Yes," he answered, "to tell a story and bestow a 
 ring, if my lady is gracious, and listening to one ac-
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 93 
 
 cepts the other. Pray for me that she may be, for 
 she is gentle and good, with a tender heart for all the 
 clown-trodden and unfortunate in this life." 
 
 " Is she like this ? Then I will surely pray that 
 she may be very gracious ; for you only need such a 
 woman to make a man that all the good people on 
 earth would be glad to know." 
 
 "Thanks," he said, and then the waltz was over, 
 and it was time for him to go. 
 
 Both Alfred and Dolores pressed him to remain 
 for refreshments. He at first refused, but fancying 
 Dolores looked troubled about it he ate an ice she 
 brought him, saying only that he must catch a certain 
 train he would remain longer, and bidding her "Good- 
 by " in a regretful tone, he turned to leave, Alfred 
 following him to the drive. 
 
 "Rick," he said, "before you go I wish to hear 
 from your lips that you have forgiven me for my con 
 duct last summer." 
 
 " It illy becomes me to visit your house and eat 
 your bread, feeling as I do toward you," Rick re 
 plied ; " but I came to see Dolores, not you, and to 
 assure myself that she was happy. Perhaps if Rose 
 looks with favor upon me, in after years she may teach 
 me to forget that you have separated us for months 
 and tried to divide us for a lifetime. Not that you 
 wanted her, only because you wished for a sum of 
 money which I would have loaned you for the asking. 
 If you had taken my purse, boy, I would have thought 
 he needed it, and knew he was welcome to it; but 
 knowing that purse was open to you you took my 
 heart s core instead, and this showed an amount of 
 guile too great for any one whom I will willingly call 
 my friend. Forgive and forget is the good old rule, 
 but I who was never saint-like must reverse it before 
 I can apply it to my case, for while I remember, I can 
 not forgive ; perhaps I may if the time ever comes when 
 I shall think of you but twice a year, and then with in 
 difference, but not until then. Good-night !" And 
 springing into his carriage he was rapidly driven away.
 
 lj4 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 A QUESTION AND AN ANSWER. 
 
 Rick did not find Rose in New York. Mrs. Beale 
 was at home, and met him very kindly however, 
 which encouraged him somewhat. 
 
 " Rose," she said, " has gone into the country; 
 she has been absent from the city for nearly a month. 
 She was ill all winter, and as soon as spring came she 
 began to long for country air and quiet, so I arranged 
 for her to go out upon a farm, where she will have 
 every comfort and care." 
 
 "Do you think she would welcome me were I to 
 visit her there ?" Rick asked. 
 
 " I cannot tell, though I believe she would. I never 
 understood why she ever listened to Alfred Hastings 
 a moment, because from the time you visited us with 
 him during the holidays I thought her in love with 
 you. I know that Mr. Hastings has a plausible man 
 ner, and I am sure he influenced her against you. 
 Now, since she has discovered how false he was, I 
 think she has had an utter revulsion of feeling, and I 
 am sure she will be glad to do you justice." 
 
 "That," Rick answered, "is not quite what I wish. 
 I have loved Rose from the day I met her first, 
 though I hesitated in speaking to her, for she seemed 
 reserved ; still I did not dream that Alfred stood 
 between us, for he gave me to understand very clearly 
 he had not thought of wooing Rose ; on the con 
 trary, he advised me to do so. But it is not worth 
 while to open the old wound by reviewing his con 
 duct. I thank you more than I can tell for the kind 
 letter you sent me last fall. I sympathized with Rose, 
 for I knew.the thought that she had been almost won 
 for her fortune alone would be very bitter indeed ; 
 still I fancied she would wish to recover in a measure 
 from this shock before receiving another lover, and 
 therefore I have waited until now, doing the things 
 upon my plantation which I thought she would like 
 me to do, not alone for her sake but because I felt it
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 95 
 
 to be right. And now I have come, not to seek justice 
 at her hands, but simply to ask her love. Are you 
 willing, madame, that I should do this?" 
 
 " I am," she said, "for I never liked Alfred and I 
 always liked you." 
 
 He thanked her warmly, received her directions 
 concerning the place where Rose was staying, and set 
 out at once. It was a little inland village in New 
 York State, an hour s distance by rail and another 
 hour s ride in a stage-coach which could scarcely be 
 called old-fashioned at that time, as, since the smaller 
 branch roads which are so convenient to travelers 
 now were then unknown in our country, and even the 
 large ones were few and far between, Rick took the 
 journey, with its little unaccountable delays, quite 
 patiently. When he reached the village of Ryefield 
 he took a room in the one small hotel the place 
 afforded, where he washed off the dust of travel and 
 made himself as presentable as possible. This done 
 he took some slight refreshment and then set out to 
 walk to Farmer Bailey s cottage, which stood just a 
 little beyond the borders of the town. 
 
 The house was only one story high and was painted 
 a deep red color, the windows rather small, without 
 blinds, and their frames a staring white, which con 
 trasted strangely with the color of the house. The 
 entrance was at the side, the end jpeing toward the 
 street, and containing a small parlor and a still smaller 
 bedroom at the back, which, being the best in the 
 house, was set apart for Rose. Over the entrance 
 was a small porch, gay with mingled red and white, 
 with a bench at either end and a white railing beyond 
 it. This porch led into a small, square hall, which 
 had three doors besides the front one leading into 
 the parlor at the right, the opposite one opening into 
 a long, low room with a great fire-place at one end, 
 which served as kitchen and dining-room. There was 
 a sort of small wash-room and two bedrooms back of 
 this, which completed the house, if I except an attic, 
 which was reached by a pair of stairs opened from
 
 96 SUliUUEU SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 the front hall and which was boxed up on every 
 side. 
 
 Without was a world of fresh green grass, beds of 
 peonies which had just cast their blooms, roses in 
 bud, roses in bloom, with their hundred pink, fragrant 
 petals and their great yellow hearts, pinks nodding in 
 the breeze or bending under the weight of robber 
 bees, trees casting here and there a patch of shade 
 over the lawn, scents of clover and roses, and hun 
 dreds of other flowers freighting the soft wind, and 
 over all the blue sky and bright sunshine of a perfect 
 June day. Rick paused a moment as he reached the 
 porch, feeling, in spite of his anxiety, a restful calm 
 steal over him. He heard voices within, one abrupt 
 and full of energy, the other lower and gently modu 
 lated surely the last could only belong to Rose. 
 
 " Massy sakes alive !" came to his ear in the 
 louder voice. "You don t tell me, Miss Rose, that 
 you ve got all them air poseys made up into nosegays 
 so soon !" 
 
 " Why, Aunt Nancy, you speak as though I had 
 done something wonderful," laughed the clear, re 
 fined voice. 
 
 " And so you hev. Didn t you ram-sack the wood 
 lot and the south medder, and the dear knows what 
 not to get all them air poseys, and haven t you finified 
 up the room till % it looks as if the blossoms sprouted 
 up out of the floor and the wall ? Why even the fire 
 place is all ablow. I ll bet anything your beau is 
 comin to-night, Miss Rose." 
 
 "Aunt Nancy !" with an almost imperceptible sad 
 ness in the voice, " don t you think if I was so fortu 
 nate as to possess one he would have come to see me 
 before this time? Here I have been for nearly a 
 month without the ghost of a follower of any sort." 
 
 "You can t always tell," was the response, "and if 
 he don t come to-night he ought to, that s all." Rick 
 then lifted the shining brass knocker, and there was 
 a hush within. 
 
 A moment later a tall, strong-looking and bony
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 97 
 
 woman came to the door, Aunt Nancy, without 
 doubt. Her features were sharp, her lips thin, her 
 eyes gray and piercing, her scanty flaxen hair drawn 
 back into a small tight twist at the back of her head, 
 the coil about the size of an overcoat button. She 
 wore a green and white gingham dress, which hung 
 so straight about her it would have been impossible 
 to tell where the waist left off and the skirt began, 
 only that it was indicated by the strings of an apron 
 which was tied about her form. 
 
 " Good afternoon," she said, as abruptly as though 
 the words were shot from a cannon s mouth, and with 
 as much noise. "Walk in !" quite as abruptly, closing 
 her jaws with a snap after each exclamation. 
 
 "Is Miss Halbert at home?" asked Rick, taking off 
 his hat politely. 
 
 " She is !" in as sharp a tone as ever, but with un 
 mistakable signs of mirth about her eyes. " Here s a 
 man inquirin about you, Miss Halbert !" and she 
 ushered him into the little parlor without further 
 ceremony. 
 
 Rose stood in the door of her room. She had evi 
 dently meditated an escape, but Miss Nancy had been 
 too quick for her, so she turned and with what hardi 
 hood she could command faced her visitor, blushing 
 guiltily as she remembered her conversation with Aunt 
 Nancy, for fear he might have overheard. After 
 slight hesitation she advanced and put out her hand. 
 
 " Mr. Gonzales," she said, almost inaudibly, giving 
 him her hand, but finding it impossible to utter a 
 single word of welcome. 
 
 " You were not going to run away from me ?" he 
 said. 
 
 " No ; oh, no ! that is I was not sure it was you. 
 Aunt Nancy" for that lady stood in the doorway 
 regarding the pair " allow me to present to you my 
 friend Mr. Gonzales. I beg pardon, I should have 
 said Miss Bailey." 
 
 Aunt Nancy did not recognize this introduction in 
 the usual way. She had spoken to the man once, why
 
 98 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 should she go nid-nodding to him the second time ? 
 as she explained afterward. Rick bowed again, but 
 she stood with her arms akimbo shrewdly eyeing him. 
 
 " I knowed it !" she burst forth at last. " I knowed 
 it, and I told Miss Rose so not five minutes ago. 
 Says I 
 
 " Please, Aunt Nancy !" exclaimed Rose, nervously, 
 " don t repeat your words." 
 
 " Why not ?" queried the incorrigible woman. "I 
 said so then and I say so now. Says I " 
 
 "Oh, I heard you," laughed Rick, in his heart 
 grateful to her for having broken the ice for him, 
 even though she did it rather roughly. " I stood upon 
 the porch listening for a moment before I knocked. 
 You said Miss Halbert was going to have a visit from 
 her beau, and you were right. Here I am, come 
 several hundred miles to see her and you. What do 
 you think of me ?" 
 
 "Well, I ain t sure but what I like you considering 
 but you re ruther sassy, I can see that with half an 
 eye. Still I ain t so sure but what I like sass. Sass 
 in season ain t bad, but out of season it s abominable. 
 But that sly puss of a Rose to never let on that she 
 was lookin* for you." 
 
 "She didn t know I was coming, and therefore 
 could not be expected to watch for me particularly ; 
 and she may send me back after all my long journey, 
 if you do not use your influence in my behalf," said 
 Rick, "and that would be simply dreadful." 
 
 " It would be ruther bad, considerin the distance 
 you ve come, and as I spose you d like to know how 
 the land lays, I ll go out and whip up a custard for 
 supper. If Miss Rose don t invite you to stay to it, 
 why I will." And without waiting to hear his thanks 
 she hurried out with a step that was as vigorous as 
 her speech. 
 
 " She is dreadful," gasped poor Rose, who had been 
 turning first white and then red by turns during the 
 conversation. " But really you have no idea ho\v 
 good she has been to me. For I was not very well
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 99 
 
 Avhen I came and she took me in hand at once, mak 
 ing all kinds of little delicious, strengthening dishes, 
 and tempting my appetite whether I was hungry or 
 not. She is Mr. Bailey s sister, and Mrs. Bailey is a 
 delicate little woman, not able to do much hard work, 
 and she lets Aunt Nancy, as everybody calls her, do 
 just as she pleases. Of course she must seem rather 
 rude to a stranger, but she means no harm it is her 
 way." 
 
 "She is abrupt, certainly," said Rick, " but you can 
 scarcely call her rude, her face beams with such grim 
 good-nature. Upon the whole, I like her exceed 
 ingly." 
 
 "I m glad," returned Rose, "for I have really 
 .grown to love the woman, uncouth though she may 
 be." And then it occurred to her how dreadfully 
 Aunt Nancy would have shocked Alfred Hastings. 
 It was so uncomfortable to have people about you 
 who were constantly becoming dreadfully shocked ; 
 one was always expecting an explosion of some sort 
 when with such people. Here her thoughts were inter 
 rupted by Rick. 
 
 " You have not given me a word of welcome yet," 
 he said. "Surely you know why I have come?" 
 
 "I I think I do," she answered, the brave words 
 being uttered in a half-frightened way. 
 
 " Let me remove all doubts at once," he said, draw 
 ing his chair nearer to hers, but as yet not even touch 
 ing her hand. "I have come to ask you to be my 
 wife. I am not what you can call a good man, Rose, 
 but I love you with my whole heart you are the only 
 woman I ever have loved. I could never grieve you 
 willingly, and therefore, so far as one person can in 
 fluence another, I shall be influenced and guided by 
 you. I have done things in my life which would 
 shock you, no doubt perhaps I may shock you here 
 after ; but if you love me enough to give me your 
 consent to the favor I ask 1 will try to make you 
 a good husband, and not prove unworthy of you." 
 
 Rose drooped her head, and her trembling hands
 
 100 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 were fluttering about the ribbons upon her dress. 
 Rick regarded her with hungry eyes for a moment 
 and then drawing nearer, stole an arm around her 
 waist. 
 
 "I am asking much I know," he said. "A hard 
 question to answer, is it not, dear ? I waited all last 
 summer for an opportunity to ask it, little dreaming 
 why you were so hedged in. Think how long I have 
 waited, and how empty my arms have felt all these 
 months since I have longed for- the sweet privilege of 
 imprisoning you within them at will. They will not 
 prove unkind jailers either. Think a moment and 
 your answer will be easy after all. If you love me. 
 surely it is not hard to say yes ; but if you do not, 
 let not the thought of giving me pain hinder you 
 from saying no. I want you, Rose, but not without 
 your heart. Is it mine ?" 
 
 She looked up in his face a moment ; there were 
 tears in her eyes. 
 
 " I thought you would despise me," she said, " be 
 cause I said yes to some one else once." 
 
 "/ despise you ? Never, so long as you remain as 
 you are, totally unlike him. I know how plausible 
 he seems, and that he might deceive an angel from 
 heaven. Has he painted me so black that you fear 
 me ?" 
 
 " No; oh no ! I do not fear you, and I have loved 
 you ever since oh, I do not know when !" And then 
 her face was lost to mortal sight a moment ; his other 
 arm was around her too, and his cheek was laid caress 
 ingly against her bright hair. 
 
 After she had sobbed a little from excitement and 
 joy, and he had kissed away her tears and soothed her 
 into something like her usual calmness, an occupation 
 so delightfully new to him, she told him that he had 
 been dear to her from the first, but Alfred had con 
 stantly endeavored to instil into her mind how fickle 
 Rick was in all his attachments, and that he could not 
 resist flirting with all who came in his way, so she 
 came to believe he was trifling with her. And then
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. IOI 
 
 the shame she felt in having given her love to him 
 unsought, the fear that it might be suspected or dis 
 covered had led her to listen patiently to Alfred s 
 story of his pretended love, to pity him because her 
 own heart ached hopelessly, and at last to give a 
 half-reluctant consent. Afterward shame kept her 
 silent, and when she found Rick had asked for her 
 hand and Alfred had withheld the letter, and that 
 Alfred himself was false, she had been glad to be re 
 lieved from her engagement but felt that Rick was 
 lost to her forever. 
 
 And then to re-assure her, Rick told her of his 
 love, baffled at every turn by what he deemed her 
 coldness toward him, drawing a lesson from it of how 
 easily two loving hearts can be estranged or divided 
 by the falseness of a seeming mutual friend. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 MISS NANCY. 
 
 " I knowed it !" burst upon the lovers ears like a 
 war-whoop a few moments afterward, and looking up 
 they saw Aunt Nancy standing in the door. " I knowed 
 it," she>repeated, " the minute I sot my eyes on you, 
 that you d come for our Rose." 
 
 "I suppose," laughed Rick, "you are experienced 
 in such matters, and that accounts for your being so 
 sharp-sighted ?" 
 
 "Well, no, not personally, young man, and you 
 know it. Massy sakes alive I ain t the kind the men 
 come foolin round after. Look at me now ! I ain t 
 han some, be I ?" 
 
 "Really, since you ask my opinion upon the sub 
 ject, I cannot say you are." 
 
 " Nor I ain t gentle, be I, nor little, nor lovin , nor 
 young? No, sir, I never could cling like a vine nor 
 coo like a dove." 
 
 " And yet," said Rick, " I can fancy some good, 
 honest fellow as loving you for your great big heart.
 
 102 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 to say nothing of your making his mouth water with 
 thoughts of your custards and jellies and creams." 
 
 " Exactly. Young man, you say you come hun 
 dreds of miles to see Rose. Are you sure you didn t 
 come across the blarney-stone on your way ? What 
 air you, anyhow ? Be you English, Irish or Dutch ?" 
 
 " Neither," he answered, laughing. " I am an 
 American, lik.e yourself." 
 
 "I don t like to misbelieve you," she said, "but if 
 you air an American, it must be an American Injin. 
 Consaulus ain t an American name, either." 
 
 " You are right. Gonzales is a Spanish name, and 
 my ancestors upon my father s side were Spaniards ; 
 but my grandmother was an English woman, my 
 mother an American 
 
 " Hold on, you are getting too much mixed alto 
 gether, and anyhow, so long as you behave yourself, 
 it don t matter. What I want to know most is how 
 soon you calkelate to take Rose away ?" 
 
 " How do you know I am going to take her at all ? 
 What if she will not go with me ?" 
 
 " Never you mind how I know. I see you look 
 tickled to death, and she looks scairt and tickled 
 both, and I put my own instruction on the case. I 
 spose you think it ain t none o my business, and no 
 more it is, only," planting herself upon a chair in the 
 primest position possible, "Miss Rose comes here 
 three or four weeks ago lookin pale and sickly like, 
 and I sets to work to nustle her up. And to hev you 
 come and sperit her away jest as she begins to pick 
 up a little don t seem to me quite fair. Leastways, if 
 its fair, its rather hard on me." 
 
 " Never fear, Aunt Nancy," said Rose, " I am not 
 going to leave you in a long, long time," glancing at 
 Rick slyly to see how he received the intelligence. 
 
 " No, Aunt Nancy," echoed Rick, " she isn t going 
 in some little time, but I m going to stay until she 
 does go," looking in turn at Rose to see how the 
 news was received. 
 
 " Lordy, massy !" ejaculated Miss Nancy with a
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 103 
 
 wave of the hand which was meant to be tragical, 
 and which utterly demolished two or three tea-cups 
 upon the little three-legged stand near, which, in the 
 absence of vases, Rose had pressed into service as 
 bouquet-holders "accordin* to that," stooping with 
 a swoop to gather up the fragments, but otherwise 
 quite undisturbed, " Miss Rose might as well pack 
 up to once for all I shall see of her, except I hang 
 around for the sake of watchin the billin and cooin 
 that ll be sure to be goin on." 
 
 " Oh, aunty," said Rose, " now don t be cross, 
 there s a dear woman. We will not trouble you in 
 the way you speak of, never fear." . 
 
 " And if we do," interposed Rick, " you must be 
 lenient, remembering how it was when you were 
 courted yourself." 
 
 "Me?" in blank amazement. "Why, I never had 
 but one man come to see me in all my blessed life ! 
 He was a widderer, and he wanted somebody to look 
 after his young ones and his house. My dear Miss 
 Nancy, says he, and I knowed in a minute what was 
 comin , and says I, Git out ! Well, he went right 
 on. Now, my dear Miss Bailey, says he, rather 
 more respectful, don t condemn me unheard, as it 
 were. Git out! says I again, and as he didn t 
 pay no tention I ups and gits the broomstick, and 
 he got out." 
 
 " How dreadfully unkind of you," said Rick. 
 " Did the man survive such treatment ?" 
 
 " Yes, and he s kept on survivin ever sense. He 
 got married to Till Houselander in less n two weeks 
 after, and she seems to survive as well as he does, so 
 there ain t any prospect of his comin round again. 
 But here I am a dawdlin away my time when my 
 custard is burnt to a crisp like as not, and I ought to 
 be settin the table insted o settin here, an you 
 a-wishin me fur enough. If I don t go Mariar ll be 
 a-settin it, and she ain t able to crawl. I tell you 
 what, I m a-takin good care o Mariar. She s a 
 good woman, if she is sickly, and I want her to last
 
 104 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 as long as Dan does, specially if I hang on, for I 
 don t want no highflyer a-comin in and a-bossin me 
 around. Never you fear but what I ll take good care 
 o Mariar," as though she thought it was a fear 
 uppermost in their minds. " Don t think," she came 
 back to say, after she left the room, " don t think, Mr. 
 Consaulus, I was mean enough to not invite you to 
 tea. I expect I ll hev to put up with you, and I might 
 as well begin to once. Besides, if you go I m afraid 
 Rose won t eat no supper, and I don t want her to 
 lose her appetite agin ," and with that she sailed out 
 the second time, intent upon getting up a supper that 
 would make Rick s mouth water, and Rose, knowing 
 there would still be a half hour before the meal was 
 ready, proposed a walk through the garden. 
 
 Rick was ready to assent to anything she proposed, 
 provided it did not take her from him. So they set 
 out, Rose tying on a sun hat to shade her face, which 
 was rosy enough already or attempting to tie it, for 
 Rick took the strings from her hands to tie them 
 himself, and before he had finished the bright face 
 was far more rosy than it would have been if left ex 
 posed to the sun s rays. Then they went out into the 
 perfumed air of the clear June day, while Rick plan 
 ned to spend a few weeks at the hotel at Ryefield for 
 the sake of enjoying his darling s society daily, and 
 then won from Rose a promise that she would be 
 come his wife early in the following autumn. 
 
 By mutual consent they dropped all mention of 
 Alfred s name, and so it easily came about that Rick 
 was not questioned concerning Dolores. Some day, 
 when Rose came to know and trust him utterly, he 
 meant to tell her this secret, but now he felt that it 
 would shock her not on account of the girl s birth, 
 but because of the deception practiced ; and then, 
 too, it seemed wrong to place the happiness of Dolores 
 in danger by speaking of it to any one. Not that he 
 feared Rose s discretion in the matter, but she had 
 been sorely tried, she had much on her mind already, 
 and it was not worth while to burthen her with any
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 105 
 
 such secret at present. And there was so much else 
 to talk of ; the old, old story was as yet new to him,, 
 he must repeat it again and again, even to his prom 
 ised wife. It seemed almost impossible that she was 
 really his, that they were walking side by side with no 
 one to interrupt, except the occasional presence of 
 Miss Nancy, who amused both rather than otherwise. 
 So when her vigorous summons to tea burst upon 
 their ears, they went in at once to receive her lecture 
 upon the subject of billing and cooing generally, and 
 theirs in particular ; but Rick won her completely over 
 to his side by praising her bountiful supper which 
 might have made Mandy pale with jealous anger 
 and saying if Rose ever belied her name by growing 
 pale he would know where to go to restore her roses. 
 And before the summer was over Rick had no warmer 
 friend than Miss Nancy, who declared with tears in 
 her eyes, if " Mariar " ever did die and Dan married 
 an upstart, she would "pull up stakes and turn house 
 keeper for Miss Rose." 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 MOTHER AND CHILD. 
 
 It was May again, May at Riverton, such a May as 
 the old place had never known before. An heir had 
 been born to the house of Hastings I had almost said 
 royal house and though the wee new comer was a 
 daughter instead of a son, as Alfred had hoped, she 
 was a healthy babe and bade fair to inherit her 
 mother s rare beauty. Before the birth of the child 
 Dolores had suffered untold fears, which were caused 
 by a remark of Mrs. Hastings to the effect that negro 
 blood could never become pure, as, after generations 
 of admixture with white, it would crop out suddenly 
 and give to apparently white parents a coal-black, 
 thick-lipped African child. From that day this fear 
 was ever uppermost in the young wife s mind. She 
 grew nervous, restless and dejected, yet this fact
 
 106 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 won for her the devoted attention of friends, and, 
 trying to think only of their kindness, she strove to 
 forget the fears which troubled her so sorely ; but if 
 able to do this for a time they only returned with 
 double force. 
 
 But after the little daughter was born and proved 
 to be a fair and perfectly formed child, Dolores, who 
 had grown weak and exhausted through constant 
 fear, now felt serenely content with new hopes and 
 dreams that fill the hearts of happy mothers, and to 
 her, after the season of anxiety through which she 
 had passed, they were peculiarly sweet. To have a 
 child born so sheltered, so protected, to think it 
 would never be subject to the insult and shame and 
 wrong which had been the birthright portion of her 
 mother and her mother s mothers before her, the 
 bitter portion which had also been her lot, but which, 
 by the working of a miracle, was her s no more ah, 
 this was well worth all the anguish of mind through 
 which she had passed. 
 
 It was such a dear, wonderful, pink morsel of a 
 baby, with bright round eyes that could from the 
 first bear the light ; the least bit of a mouth, no nose 
 to speak of, and hands already dimpled, which were 
 always tightly closed an indication of mental apti 
 tude, so the old ladies said ; while the small pink feet 
 were the wonder of all the children who were fortu 
 nate enough to be permitted to gaze upon them. 
 Dolores watched everything with a sort of worshipful 
 earnestness which pertained in any way to the child, 
 and was never satisfied when it happened to be a mo 
 ment out of her sight. She lay with it upon her arm 
 constantly, caring for nothing except to be allowed 
 to lie thus quietly, and beguile the time in dreaming 
 dreams which were to come true when the child had 
 grown to maidenhood. For the present she had no 
 interest in the life of the outer world, for she lived 
 in a world of her own. The sun might rise and set, 
 but she did not heed whether it was night or day. 
 Society people, among whom she had once shone a
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 107 
 
 bright, particular star, might go on devising plans for 
 the pleasantest method for killing time, but it was 
 nothing to her. The choosing of a name for the 
 babe roused her a trifle. 
 
 " Shall we call her Dolores ?" asked Alfred, as he 
 sat by the couch where lay mother and child. 
 
 "Oh, no," she answered quickly. "Why give her 
 such a name ? Her lot must not be a sorrowful one." 
 
 " No, but we might give her a sad name as a charm 
 against trouble. Surely yours has been this. But 
 you shall name her what you please. Have you a 
 preference for any in particular?" 
 
 "I hardly know," hesitatingly; "only, as Rick Gon- 
 zales wrote me after his marriage how happy he was 
 with his Rose, it struck me how beautiful was her 
 name, and I think I would like to give it to our baby, 
 if you do not object." 
 
 Alfred started, and exchanged significant looks with 
 his mother, who sat near. 
 
 " For my part," he said, " I do not like the name, 
 for, though Rick s wife is a distant cousin of mine, 
 we are not on friendly terms. She is a regular abo 
 litionist, and is influencing Rick to all manner of out 
 landish things. And it would seem out of place for 
 me to name the child for her. Try and think of 
 another name, Dolores." 
 
 " I had not thought of any other," she said, gently, 
 but evidently disappointed, as she turned her face to 
 the wall. 
 
 Alfred and his mother discussed the subject at some 
 length, but Dolores said nothing more, seeming to 
 have returned to her former listless state. At length, 
 however, when there was a pause in their conversa 
 tion, Dolores turned and said . 
 
 " What ridiculous things can Rick Gonzales be 
 doing ?" 
 
 " Oh, he is making a precious fool of himself," 
 returned Alfred. " His slaves have to a certain ex 
 tent intermarried with those of his neighbors , and 
 Rose, who is acting as a sort of missionary, cannot
 
 108 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 abide divided families among their people. So Rick 
 has bought husbands, wives and children where he 
 could to complete his numerous sets of happy fami 
 lies, and where he could not purchase he has sold or 
 exchanged his own, and greatly to his disadvantage, 
 to complete the darkey circle upon other plantations. 
 He has an unusually long purse, I know, and can 
 afford to indulge Rose in all her reasonable wants, 
 but such amusements are unusually expensive. That 
 is one reason why I don t wish to name our child 
 Rose. Rick might look at it in the light of a con 
 cession from me." 
 
 " But is she the only Rose in the world ?" Dolores 
 asked. " No matter what name we might choose, if 
 we searched the world over we might find bad women 
 who bore it before our child was born, and others 
 quite as bad will bear it after she dies." 
 
 There," said Alfred, soothingly, for Dolores 
 showed symptoms of excitement, " we will say no 
 more about it now ; by and by, when you are stronger, 
 we will decide, and no doubt you will, as usual, do as 
 you please. When shall we have the christening, 
 mother?" 
 
 " I think when she is a month old will be a good* 
 time. No doubt, Dolores will be quite recovered 
 then, and by the ist of June the air will be milder 
 and the weather settled. Don t you think that will 
 be a good time, Dolores, my dear?" 
 
 " Certainly," she responded, and here the matter 
 dropped for the time. 
 
 Meanwhile Dolores remained listless and drooping ; 
 she seemed to have a reaction after her first peaceful 
 feelings, and began again to be racked with doubt. 
 Suppose, after all, something occurred to expose her 
 secret. Rick might not have destroyed those fatal 
 papers which would tell the story of her former 
 bondage did they chance to fall into other hands, and 
 how dreadful it would be to have some such ghost 
 rise from the dead past and confront her, hurling 
 her down from her present height into the depths of
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 109 
 
 slavery once more. Perhaps Rick s wife might learn 
 of it and condemn the action which made the outcast 
 a happy wife. For herself she was not conscience- 
 stricken in regard to what she had done. " I am 
 worthy of my husband," she said, " and since I have 
 filled my position in such a manner that all accord me 
 honor, I am worthy of that too." Many things in 
 Alfred s disposition and character had disappointed 
 her during the past year. She found he could be 
 unjust and unkind whenever it served his selfish pur 
 pose to be so, and this, too, in the face of a most 
 prosperous year. It was near the beginning of 
 another Presidential campaign, and he was becoming 
 absorbed in politics, and though Dolores in secret 
 dissented from his opinions, she was glad that some 
 thing apart from her took up a portion of his time. 
 But it was near the day set for the christening, and 
 still Dolores lay with the child upon her arm, always 
 watching its tiny face while it lay softly sleeping. 
 There seemed no reason why she should not rally, 
 and Alfred began to insist upon her sitting up more, 
 trying to bribe her by consenting to call the child 
 Rose. 
 
 So Dolores rose from her bed and dragged her 
 limbs about wearily, seeming to have no strength, 
 but doing everything in a languid and mechanical 
 way. She did not enter with much spirit into the 
 preparations for the christening, though many of her 
 most devoted friends were invited. The ceremony 
 was to take place in the church, which was half a 
 mile distant, and afterward there was to be a select 
 party of friends at the house. Upon the day previous 
 Alfred insisted upon taking his wife out to ride ; so, 
 leaving the child with Sue, who was devoted to it 
 and to its mother, Dolores went with him. But in 
 stead of giving her new strength, as Alfred declared 
 it would, it proved unusually fatiguing, and in addi 
 tion to this Dolores caught cold. The next day she 
 was quite ill, but as Alfred had counted so much 
 upon the christening, and angrily chided her for
 
 1 10 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 having no spirit, she rose again, making no sign 
 that she was suffering. She dressed in a most charm 
 ing costume, with Sue s assistance a gray silk with 
 delicate pink facings and when the ceremony was 
 over sat with a smiling face, the little bundle of 
 lace and flannel upon her knee, while she received 
 the congratulations of her friends. Alfred was very 
 proud of her that day, for her white transparent 
 complexion, her grave, sweet smile, and her new, 
 motherly, matronly air made her strangely beautiful. 
 
 But when the last guest had departed Dolores 
 gave the child into Sue s hands, and then rising, she 
 turned to her husband. 
 
 " I think I am dying," she said, putting out her 
 hands toward him, and before he could reach her she 
 fell in a dead faint upon the floor. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 THE SECRET WAKES AND CRIES. 
 
 Alfred took her in his arms and carried her to her 
 room, while his mother and the frightened Sue ran for 
 restoratives. For once Alfred s conscience smote 
 him, for he feared he had urged her to excel herself 
 beyond her strength, and that the result might be 
 fatal. It would be a dreadful blow to him to lose his 
 beautiful wife, for, search the world over, he could 
 never find another who was so amiable, lovely 
 and, above all, was so universally admired. He 
 despatched one of the servants for the family physi 
 cian, who soon arrived, but being employed by the 
 Hastings family not because he was experienced and 
 skillful, but because he came of a good family, his 
 efforts were not marked with great success. Dolores 
 recovered from her faint before his arrival, but imme 
 diately upon taking the medicines he prescribed she 
 went into a state of wild delirium. 
 
 Alfred held her hand and strove to soothe her, but 
 she scarcely noticed him, muttering incoherently
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. Ill 
 
 chiefly in Spanish and calling upon the Holy Mother 
 for forgiveness and relief ; and, above all, entreating 
 her to save her child from disgrace. Alfred spoke to 
 her tenderly, accusing himself as the cause of her 
 illness, and pleading his ignorance of her weak 
 condition as his excuse. She recognized him, bui 
 gave little heed to what he was saying, until the 
 thought struck him to address her in Spanish. 
 Thanks to her instruction, he could converse fairly 
 in the language now. 
 
 " Dolores," he said softly, ringing the changes 
 upon her name she had always loved. " Dolorita, 
 forgive me. I did not know you were so ill ; indeed, 
 dear, I did not know." 
 
 This seemed to rouse her, and she turned and 
 looked him full in the face. 
 
 "Yes," she said, "you did not know. How could 
 you, when we kept it a profound secret Rick and I." 
 
 For a moment Alfred s face grew strangely white. 
 Sue sat a little apart, with their child upon her lap, 
 dozing over it, but he knew she did not know a word 
 of Spanish, and therefore could not understand. Mrs. 
 Hastings had retired, no one could hear. But what 
 did he tear ? Why, Dolores was delirious and did not 
 know what she was saying. How absurd for him to 
 attach any importance to her words. Still they visibly 
 affected him they were uttered so naturally, and, 
 above all, mentioned Rick, whom he had cause to 
 fear. He bent over his wife once more. 
 
 " Darling," he whispered, and his lips were very 
 white, " what did I not know ?" 
 
 " The secret," she repeated, " the secret. I have 
 kept it a long time, Alfred, a thousand years it is now, 
 and I must keep it a thousand more. Ah, yes," with 
 a deep sigh, "you will never know." 
 
 For a moment he tried to believe that her words 
 were only the senseless repetition of a dream, or 
 some trifling occurrence floating disconnectedly 
 through her mind. But why did she say " Rick 
 and I ?" What had Rick to do with any secret, real
 
 112 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 or fancied, which she might possess ? "I have been 
 too divinely happy," he said. " I might have known 
 it was a dream, and I would waken at some future 
 time to a dread reality." 
 
 " What had Rick to do with the secret, dear ?" he 
 asked at length, still in Spanish. 
 
 " Ah, that is the mystery," she quickly replied, 
 "and it is a great mystery it is a miracle." 
 
 "But tell me this mystery," he urged, " that I may 
 understand it with you tell your own husband, 
 Dolores." 
 
 "Why, I might shout it from the house-tops," she 
 said, " I might publish it far and near, so long as you 
 did not find it out ; but to you, of all the world, I 
 must not tell it or everything would be lost." 
 
 More and more haggard grew his look, deeper and 
 more tense the lines of pain about his mouth. Again 
 and again he urged her to tell him, but she only re 
 peated, " Not you, of all the world ; not you." 
 
 At last he rose and went to Sue, who sprang up 
 guiltily from her doze and gazed terrified into her 
 master s livid face. 
 
 "Hush!" he said, "you are sleepy and may lie 
 down. I will watch until morning. No, she is not 
 worse," motioning toward the bed, "but I am too 
 anxious to rest just now. Give me the child, she 
 may waken and miss it." 
 
 The woman obeyed, and rejoicing because her 
 master seemed so devoted to her beloved mistress, 
 went into the adjoining room and threw herself down 
 to slumber. Alfred took the babe to his wife s bed 
 side, but Dolores muttered a few indistinct- words 
 and then fell into a stupor. He watched her fitful 
 slumbers, trying to find in his own mind a solution of 
 the mystery, if mystery there could really be. He 
 went over their married life day by day, seeking for 
 some flaw in his wife s deportment and life, but could 
 recall nothing but the most loyal acts, the most 
 womanly and discreet behavior from first to last. 
 Then he fell to wondering if aught could be wrong
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 113 
 
 between Rick and Dolores, and dissecting also the 
 days of his wooing he could find neither glimpse of 
 love or hatred between the two, only complete indif 
 ference. How could he ever find out ? For he was 
 convinced that if anything really were wrong he must 
 discover it while his wife was ill and off her guard, 
 for, since she had so successfully concealed it from 
 him in the past, she would continue to baffle him in 
 the future. But now she stirred uneasily and spoke 
 again in a rambling, incoherent manner, still seeming 
 quite out of her .mind. He laid the babe beside her. 
 
 " Dolores," he said, softly, " here is our little child. 
 Tell her the secret, darling. Surely you would not 
 deceive her ?" 
 
 " In nothing else, Alfred, but in this thing always," 
 caressing the child ; " because if she knew the truth 
 she would not love me as soon as she came to under 
 stand it fully, and that I could not bear. I might 
 endure your scorn, Alfred, but if she despised me it 
 would kill me !" 
 
 Still he entreated her, and she became more and 
 more restless in consequence, so much so that she 
 woke the babe. At once, however, she began to 
 soothe it to slumber in the most natural manner, mur 
 muring half-distinct, but endearing names in Spanish. 
 As soon as it slumbered Alfred spoke again. 
 
 " Hush !" she said, seeming greatly troubled. " I 
 have been a good wife to you, Alfred, always good 
 and true ; don t fear otherwise. You disturb my child 
 when you are always speaking, you disturb my old 
 sorrow you disturb me. It is no recent secret, it is 
 no recent sorrow, but something I buried far back in 
 the past. I tried to bury it out of my sight, like we 
 do our dead, but when you speak of it you wake it 
 and it cries. It cries, but not like my little child 
 when it wakens ah, God no ! not like that. It 
 is such a dreadful cry, worse than the moaning of a 
 lost soul. So, if you love me, do not wake it but let 
 it and me rest." 
 
 Her words were uttered in such a plaintive manner
 
 114 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 Alfred was greatly moved in spite of himself, but the 
 spirit to know what this secret could be grew stronger 
 and stronger within him each moment. Dolores slept 
 again, and, brooding over her words, he resolved 
 when she should rouse again to renew his question 
 ings in another way. 
 
 " Madre !" Dolores exclaimed at last, and Alfred 
 fancied she was beginning a prayer to the Virgin ; but 
 he listened attentively, determined to let no word of 
 hers escape him until he had fathomed this secret, 
 however securely hidden it might be. " Madre," she 
 repeated, " ah, forgive me ! Forgive, forgive, if 1 
 seemed to neglect even for an hour thy despised, op 
 pressed race, for oh, my hands were tied. I could not 
 help them more, without danger of my own overthrow. 
 I am making my way secure, for I am owned and 
 honored now by the proudest of my father s race. 
 When I see my way more clearly, when my own steps 
 become strong, I will reach out my hand to thy peo 
 ple. So far have I not done well ? I have thought 
 less of my own pleasure than I seemed I only wished 
 to know if I could not act my part as nobly as any 
 free-born lady in the land. Rejoice with me, madre, 
 for I have accomplished it. Born in abject bondage, 
 with the shackles of slavery about my path, if not 
 upon my very limbs, I have been able to cast them 
 aside, and now I touch hands and lips with those who 
 count themselves the choicest of God s favorite peo 
 ple ; aye, and they have bowed before me, acknowl 
 edging my superiority over them !" 
 
 In the wildest torture, but with every nerve braced 
 in order to appear calm, Alfred stretched his ear to 
 catch her words. She now began to speak indistinctly ; 
 he could distinguish fragments of prayer, fond mur- 
 murings to her child, and low whispers concerning the 
 heaviness of the secret which she must keep forever, 
 but which would wake and cry. Then she slept 
 again, and Alfred rose from his place by her bedside 
 mad and blind. 
 
 " Born in bondage !" he repeated, wildly ; " born in
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 115, 
 
 the shackles of slavery ah, God ! what have I done? 
 It is Rick s work, it is his revenge. And I have mar 
 ried a slave ! No, that cannot be, or the marriage 
 would never bind me. But stay, it is Rick s work, 
 and it is binding ; he would arrange all that. But 
 her fortune ah, I see ! Would he pause at the price 
 of a few thousands when they would purchase such 
 a revenge ? Fool I was to ever measure swords with 
 him. Why, she may be one of his own slaves nearer 
 kin to him than he would care to acknowledge. And 
 I have married her have given her my noble name 
 the name of Hastings ! Worse, she is the mother of 
 my child, my lawful child. Oh, my God, my God I 
 grant that neither may ever rise from the couch upon 
 which they lie !" 
 
 He wiped the perspiration from his forehead ; he 
 rushed to the open window gasping for breath. He 
 glanced toward the bed where lay his wife and child, 
 muttering deep curses upon both. He cursed Risk 
 and the day that he was born, threw himself face 
 downward upon the floor, gnashing his teeth in des 
 pairing rage, and then springing to his feet he fled 
 from the house as though there was pestilence within 
 its walls, never pausing until it lay at least a mile be 
 hind him, and he had reached a small brook or run 
 which was skirted by a few trees. He turned to look 
 at them, and the poplars seemed to stand bolt up 
 right as though in astonished horror, while the willows 
 bent and shook as if in half-suppressed glee. The 
 wind sighed through them " How is your wife ?" and 
 the birds woke and laughed jeeringly, " Ha, ha !" 
 
 " Curse you all !" he cried, and the poplars stood 
 more sternly erect than before, the willows shook in 
 diabolical mirth, and the brook murmured, "The 
 secret, the secret !" He turned toward the stream 
 angrily, and a frog who was sitting upon its banks 
 glared at him with solemn unwinking eyes, and 
 croaked, " I know, I know !" and the birds in the 
 trees above still laughed " Ha, ha !" 
 
 " Am I insane ?" he cried, " or is this a terrible
 
 Il6 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 nightmare ? Will I wake again and find myself living 
 the old life the dear, happy old life or is this but 
 the beginning of the hell in store for me ? Ah, well 
 I know it is no dream, but how can I how can I 
 ever face the world again ? I, who have schemed, 
 and planned, and spared nothing which stood in the 
 path to redeem my home and keep the name of Hast 
 ings in high honor for this result ! To find myself 
 legally bound to a low-born, accursed slave! My 
 name dishonored ! But wait ; who knows it ?" And 
 the birds chirped again " Ha, ha !" 
 
 " Perhaps," he muttered by and by, "all is not yet 
 lost. No one knows the secret but Dolores, Rick, and 
 I. They will not tell it, neither will I ; so what do I 
 fear ? I must get her and the child both out of the 
 way, and at once. No one will suspect me and I am 
 rid of all trouble. My home is my own, my name will 
 be free from suspicion of taint, and I shall win and 
 wed some wife whom I have known from her cradle 
 up. What a fool I was to cry that all is lost ! Noth 
 ing shall be lost, and I will triumph over Rick yet." 
 
 For another hour he sat forming his plans, and then 
 he rose and hurried home. He entered the house 
 softly ; it was still early and no one was astir. Sue 
 was sleeping soundly, and Dolores lay clasping the 
 child to her breast and murmuring that her secret 
 would not rest, but that it constantly waked and 
 cried. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 A SOOTHING DRAUGHT. 
 
 " Mother," Alfred said at the breakfast table a few 
 hours later, " I believe the medicines we obtain from 
 the druggist here are very impure. Poor Dolores was 
 talking incoherently and muttering in Spanish half 
 the night, and I cannot believe she is really ill enough 
 to produce so much delirium. I propose to take Jake 
 and go to Warrenton and make a purchase of drugs 
 and medicines of various sorts to have for family
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 117 
 
 use. If Dr. Mason objects, why there are other physi 
 cians in the place. I am not at all satisfied, and believe 
 if Dolores had received the proper remedies and 
 attention, that is, medical advice, she would have been 
 well long ere this." 
 
 " Why, Alfred, what a coincidence ! It only shows 
 that our minds seem to run in the same channel, as 
 usual. Only last night after I retired the same thing 
 occurred to me. Get the medicines by all means if 
 you feel able to go after watching all the night. What 
 a devoted husband you are, my son ; you look posi 
 tively haggard with all your watching and anxiety. If 
 you wish I will take Jake and go in your place." 
 
 " Oh no, mother, there is no need ; besides, if any 
 thing occurred you would know better how to act 
 than I would. If you please you may order Jake to 
 bring the carriage around in fifteen minutes and I 
 will set out at once." 
 
 Alfred went up to his room to write out a memor 
 andum and prepare for the ride. 
 
 " It would look more regular, open and business 
 like if I put everything down upon a memorandum," 
 he said. " This, with my other purchases, will avert 
 any suspicion I mean, supposing 1 should be sus 
 pected, which is altogether improbable. However, I 
 must go to work guardedly ; it would never do for me 
 to purchase a poison near at home." 
 
 He sat down at a table in the opposite part of the 
 room from where the bed was and with a nervous 
 hand began to note down his wants. He put down 
 first, rhubarb ; second, epsom salts ; third, castor 
 oil ; fourth, laudanum ; fifth, morphine ; sixth, spirits 
 of camphor ; and seventh, arsenic. As he was very 
 precise in anything of this sort he added the date, 
 and then, just as about to throw down his pen, he 
 dropped a blot of ink over the word camphor. Utter 
 ing an angry ejaculation he tossed the sheet aside and 
 began another, and when this was completed he folded 
 it carefully, putting it in his vest pocket. Then he 
 looked furtively about him, but Sue was sitting by the
 
 l8 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 bed apparently observing nothing, and taking the 
 first memorandum up he twisted it and threw it into 
 the fireplace, which was ready for a fire to be lighted 
 in case of need, as had often happened since the birth 
 of little Rose. Then making the necessary changes 
 .in his clothing he hurried away. 
 
 It was some hours before he returned, and when 
 he did his mother remarked that he looked paler, if 
 possible, than when he set out. Dolores was better, 
 she informed him was clothed in her right mind 
 and it was really a pretty sight to see how affec 
 tionate and devoted she was to her dear little babe. 
 Alfred listened gloomily until she came to the last, 
 and then he forced a smile. 
 
 " My dear boy," said his mother, "you must take 
 some rest or you ll be ill yourself. Your smile is 
 positively ghastly." 
 
 " Is it ?" he asked, wearily. " To tell the truth, 
 mother, I am almost sick. I received a dreadful 
 shock last night when I found what a state Dolores 
 seemed to be in. Do you think her very much 
 better ?" 
 
 "Decidedly," Mrs. Hastings replied. "And that 
 reminds me of a shocking case I heard of to-day 
 through Mrs. Hoyt, who called during your absence. 
 A man a little further up the valley (I really cannot 
 recall his name) poisoned his wife a few days since." 
 
 Alfred started guiltily. 
 
 "Poisoned his wife !" he said. " How dreadful !" 
 
 "Dreadful indeed, my dear. I knew you would 
 be as greatly shocked as I was, for we usually think 
 and feel alike in most matters. And he was a man 
 in good circumstances too, of a respectable family 
 and all that." 
 
 " And the cause ?" gasped Alfred. 
 
 " Jealousy the usual cause in such cases. Now, 
 my dear, go at once and lie down ; you look posi 
 tively faint." 
 
 " In a moment, mother," speaking very slowly. 
 " And the man confessed, you say?"
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 119 
 
 " No, indeed, or at least not until the evidence was 
 so strong he felt his conviction to be a sure thing. It 
 seems that he purchased poison about the time she 
 died under pretence of poisoning rats, when it was 
 proved that there were none of the dreadful things 
 about. Then he mixed the poison it was arsenic, I 
 believe with his wife s food, and a portion which she 
 did not eat was given to a dog, which died immedi 
 ately. His conduct, too, was very strange, which first 
 led to his being suspected. And there were several 
 other little items of circumstantial evidence which, 
 when put together, made a very strong case. Lastly, 
 they had his wife s stomach examined and it was 
 found to contain a great quantity of arsenic. My 
 son ! are you going to faint ? Dinah, oh ! Dinah, 
 bring the camphor, quick ! No matter," as Alfred 
 waved her away. " But I did think you were going 
 to faint, my son. Do lie down at once here upon my 
 bed." 
 
 He was glad to follow her advice, being too weak 
 to sit up longer ; so he lay for some time, not sleep 
 ing, as she supposed, he was so still, but trying to 
 quiet his own fears of discovery and summon cour 
 age to carry out the act he contemplated doing that 
 night. At length Dr. Mason called, whereupon 
 Alfred rose and entered into a long discussion with 
 him upon the subject of medicines, pure and impure, 
 and their effects, suggesting, if the physician found 
 it necessary to again prescribe morphine, that he 
 make up the powder from that purchased by himself 
 that day. Seeming somewhat vexed because the po 
 tency of his drugs was called in question the doctor 
 did so, bowed stiffly and departed, expressing his 
 opinion afterward to the effect that Alfred Hastings 
 was as great a fool over his wife as any man it was 
 ever his misfortune to meet. 
 
 When the evening meal was over Alfred went up 
 to his wife s room. He did not kiss her as usual, but 
 he sat down by her bedside, inquired affectionately 
 concerning her and the child, passing his hand caress-
 
 120 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 ingly over her hair while he talked, and Dolores, 
 faint and tired now the fever was gone, failed to 
 observe anything wrong in his manner. Sue was 
 hovering about, putting away dishes and vials, when 
 Alfred came to the fireplace and began searching 
 about the wood which was laid across the great brass 
 andirons searching for something which was evi 
 dently hard to find, for he laid the wood aside and 
 then gathered up the kindlings carefully. 
 
 " Sue," he said, " I threw away a paper this morn 
 ing which I may need. Have you seen anything of it ?" 
 
 "No, Mas r Alfred dat is lemme see. Dat tor 
 ment of a Pete he was up heah dis mornin ; he jes 
 cut his rfand somehow, and nuffin would do but I 
 had ter put a plastah on it. So I lit de candle to 
 wa m de plastah, and de match I strick neah went 
 out afoah de candle was lit. So I cotch a piece of 
 papah off the back log, all twisted up like, and I lit 
 dat from de match, while I prick de candle-wick twell 
 it burnt. An" I clare, mas r, I se dreffle sorry, but Ise 
 feared dat was de denticle piece o papah you is look 
 ing foah dis minute." 
 
 "Yes," Alfred said, "it was," giving a sigh of re 
 lief ; "but you must be very careful, Sue, not to burn 
 up any of my papers, as I sometimes might need 
 them even after I threw them away." 
 
 " Takes it mighty easy," thought Sue. " Gin rally he 
 am ready to skin me alive for de least little ting. 
 Cur ous, now, what gibberish he s talkin . Shouldn t 
 wondah ef he s gittin out o his head !" 
 
 " Sue !" called Alfred soon after, for she had re 
 tired to the next room, "you had better lie down and 
 sleep awhile. I had a short nap to-day and will watch 
 by your mistress until bed-time. If she happens to 
 be wakeful you will be disturbed often, and so a little 
 snooze won t harm you. I will give her a powder be 
 fore I call you, and then if she seems restless you may 
 give her another. I ll put them here on the table and 
 she must not have them oftener than once in three 
 hours."
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 121 
 
 " Berry well, Mas r Alfred. I sartinly is tired, dat 
 I is. Shell I gib Miss Dolory a powdah now ?" 
 
 " No, you fool, she must not have any until nine 
 o clock, and it s only seven now. Lie down, I ll give 
 her the first one before I call you." 
 
 "Guess Mas r Alfred is gittin back his senses," 
 soliloquized Sue as she threw a cushion upon the 
 floor in the next room where she could watch her 
 mistress through a crack in the door. " I allus is 
 oneasy when he speaks soft-like ; I knows somefin s 
 wrong den." And throwing herself upon the floor, 
 with the cushion under her head, she was asleep in a 
 moment. 
 
 Mrs. Hastings came up soon after and found Alfred 
 lying upon the lounge, while Dolores was quietly 
 sleeping. 
 
 " Now, my son," she said, " you had better retire at 
 once. I will watch until eleven, when I will call Sue, 
 who will be good for the rest of the night if she 
 sleeps away until that time at the rate she is going on 
 now. Sue is an excellent nurse, but she must have 
 two or three hours every night or she is constantly 
 falling asleep through the day. Why, when little Rose 
 was only two days old I saw Sue going down-stairs 
 slowly, holding fast to the railing, and by the time 
 she reached the bottom stair she was fast asleep and 
 sank down in a heap on the lowest step. She actually 
 went to sleep standing." 
 
 Alfred yawned. 
 
 " Mother," he said, " I will sit with Dolores until 
 nine, when I will waken Sue. What are slaves for 
 I d like to know if they are to be of no use ? Sue is 
 asleep and two hours will be sufficient for her Go to 
 bed like a dear little woman. I cannot bear to leave 
 my wife and child a moment, and I believe it will take 
 me weeks to recover from last night s fright. Go ; I 
 promise to retire at nine or shortly after." 
 
 Thus counseled, Mrs. Hastings regarded Dolores 
 and her child a moment, kissed her son and went 
 down-stairs, for the excitement of the previous day
 
 122 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 and evening, together with having lost her rest during 
 the early portion of the previous night, had caused 
 her to feel unusually tired. Ida came rushing in a 
 few moments later to kiss the baby good-night, for, 
 being a novelty, the child was in high favor with her. 
 She received a sharp reprimand from her brother as 
 soon as she put her head within the door for waking 
 baby and its mother (though both slumbered on), and 
 at last Alfred was left alone, to his infinite relief, 
 though he began to fear that some officious neighbor 
 might call. 
 
 He rose quietly and first glanced into the room 
 where Sue was lying, but she had not stirred and was 
 sound asleep. Then he turned to the bed where 
 Dolores lay and stood for some moments sharply 
 scanning her features. Her hair was very long, it 
 was braided and thrown over the pillow. Its length 
 certainly was in her favor, but there was a suspicious. 
 wave in it over her forehead. She was rarely beauti 
 ful, that he could not deny ; and then he thought of 
 how much she had been admired in society. Perhaps, 
 after all, it would be better for him to try and go on 
 as though nothing had happened. But no ; already 
 he experienced a feeling of disgust whenever he 
 looked upon her he could never act such a part. 
 Besides, it was best to hide the secret now while it 
 lay in his power ; it would surely be discovered some 
 :ime, for, as Dolores had said, it would wake and cry. 
 It was so easy to say she had caught cold and had a 
 relapse ; and then giving another glance in the di 
 rection of the half-opened door beyond which Sue 
 was lying, he took a glass from the table, stealthily 
 drew a package from his pocket and began to unfold 
 it with trembling hands. He measured out a certain 
 quantity of ks contents, which he put in the glass, to 
 gether with a teaspoonful of sugar ; then heating a 
 little water over the spirit-lamp he added a small 
 quantity to the mixture in the glass, stirring well to 
 make the powder dissolve in the smallest quantity of 
 water possible. This done he squeezed a few drops
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 123 
 
 of lemon into it to hide the taste, and set it in the 
 window to cool. 
 
 Again he looked all around him, made sure that the 
 curtains were drawn about the windows, the door was 
 fast, and Sue still sleeping. Then he sat down, tremb 
 ling in every limb, and wiped the perspiration from 
 his forehead. 
 
 " Its all right," he said, to reassure himself ; " it is 
 an admirable time. Dr. Mason would never know 
 the difference, for he could not explain her relapse. 
 No one will ever know." 
 
 Still he heard a roaring in his ears he could not 
 account for, and his heart beat almost to suffocation. 
 He wondered it did not waken both Dolores and the 
 child, for its throbs seemed to fill the room with sound. 
 But no one stirred. He heard his wife s faint but 
 regular breathing, Sue s measured snore, and the clock 
 ticked on. When the mixture in the window was cool 
 he took it, added a morphine powder and stirred it 
 in. While thus engaged he gave a sudden start, think 
 ing some one whispered in his ear. He looked around, 
 but saw no one. It was only the clock, but what was 
 it so persistently repeating ? "Murderer, murderer, 
 murderer!" it said over and over again, dividing the 
 syllables with wonderful distinctness. He put down 
 the glass, and crossing the room stopped the mock 
 ing pendulum. He went back, but fearing it might 
 excite remark he turned and set the clock going again. 
 It was now on the stroke of nine, and it told off the 
 hour viciously, repeating the dreadful word " mur 
 derer " three times. 
 
 " What a fool I am !" he exclaimed as he took up 
 the glass containing the draught he had mixed. 
 " Dolores !" he called in a low tone, bending over 
 her, the glass in his right hand, his left ready to raise 
 her up. 
 
 There was a sudden stir. Alfred drew back hur 
 riedly and glanced wildly about the room, every vein 
 seeming on fire, so great was his fright. 
 
 "Oh, Mas r Alfred!" said Sue, " Ise so sorry I
 
 J24 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 slep* so long. Wy you is all tired out. Is it mos 
 mornin ?" 
 
 " Curse you for an idiot !" cried Alfred as soon as 
 he could command his voice. " I made sure you were 
 a burglar, or something of the sort. Its only nine 
 o clock and I have just mixed the first powder in a 
 little lemonade. However, since you are up you may 
 remain and give it to your mistress yourself." 
 
 Sue took the glass and was about to administer it 
 when a sudden idea seemed to strike her. 
 
 " Dah ain t nuffin to take aftah it, Mas r, to put a 
 good taste in pore Miss Dolory s mouf. Whar dem 
 oringes you got to-day? Dey is jes de ting, an dese 
 powdahs is berry bittah, an puckah up de mouf so 
 you can t mos git it open agin for a week." 
 
 "I quite forgot," said Alfred; "you will find 
 them or stay," for he dreaded to approach the bed, 
 "I ll get one for you, Sue," and away he went. 
 
 In a moment he returned, and Sue sat down to peel 
 and quarter the orange deliberately. 
 
 "Come, you black wench, hurry up," said Alfred. 
 " I want you* to give the powder before I leave, so I 
 can see she gets it all. The dose is exactly right, and 
 if you spill any of it she will need to take another." 
 
 Sue muttered something about its being queer to 
 wake one up to give a sleeping draught, but she mut 
 tered unreproved for once, so she took up the glass 
 immediately and, speaking to Dolores in a low tone, 
 raised her up. 
 
 " Come, wake up, honey!" she said, "an" take a 
 drink of lemingade. Its got doctah stuff in it, jes a 
 mite, but you is goin to hab some orange jes as quick 
 as you kin swaller it." 
 
 Should he stop her after all ? He shook like a leaf 
 in the wind but he did not speak. He strained his 
 eyes to look, and once Dolores stopped to protest that 
 it was bitter ; but Sue coaxingly persuaded her to 
 drink the whole, and she did so, receiving the orange 
 after, which Sue fed her in small pieces. 
 
 "It is better than the last," she said "I mean the
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 125 
 
 orange but bitter compared to those we used to have 
 at home, for they ripened upon the trees. There, I 
 can eat no more. Are you there, Alfred ? Kiss me 
 good-night and go to your bed, I shall sleep well to 
 night." 
 
 He did as she bade him and went to his room, but 
 returned a moment after 
 
 "Sue," he said, "wash out the glass at once, it is 
 not healthy to keep the smell of medicines about, they 
 are sickening. And don t give your mistress another 
 powder unless she wakes. I think she will sleep well 
 to-night." 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 AN AGREEMENT. . 
 
 No sleep came to Alfred s eyes that night. He 
 closed the door that he might not hear a sound, yet 
 he lay listening, listening, the whole night through. 
 Would Dolores wake and the house be alarmed, or 
 would the morphine keep her quiet until she slept her 
 life away ? Once the child cried, and he began to 
 tremble afresh, but it soon grew quiet ; he heard Sue s 
 voice, but from Dolores never a sound. Was she 
 already dead? He felt an irresistible desire to rise 
 and leave the house and the country forever. He 
 could never go into that room again ; he could 
 never face the world. At last, after what seemed an 
 eternity, the light of morning began to creep through 
 the window. They must call him soon ; surely Sue 
 could not long remain in the room with a dead woman. 
 Well, the longer the better after the deed was done, 
 for Sue could say he had not been in the room all 
 night. He heard the woman s footsteps at last ; they 
 went up and down the room again and again ; she 
 spoke as if hushing the child. Would she never dis 
 cover that her mistress was dead ? 
 
 " I cannot go into that room again," he said, and a 
 moment after came an overwhelming desire to know 
 the worst, to get rid of this terrible suspense. " I
 
 126 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 would not spend another such a night for all the 
 world," he said, and then he rose, dressed himself 
 and went in. 
 
 Sue sat with the child upon her knee humming a 
 low, monotonous song. He went to the bed-side, and 
 Dolores turned slightly and said " Good morning." 
 Not dead, indeed, was she, but looking brighter than 
 she had done for weeks and weeks, and all his agony, 
 all his torture and suspense went for naught. She 
 was living, his slave wife, and looking as though she 
 might live on for years. Was the arsenic at fault? 
 Did the druggist suspect him and give him instead 
 some harmless preparation ? And while he revolved 
 these things in his mind, standing speechless by the 
 bed, Dolores looked up into his face and saw there a 
 look she had watched for tremblingly in times gone 
 by a look which told her the secret was hers no more. 
 
 After all it was not so much of a shock as she had 
 expected. It had lain heavily upon her mind of 
 late, and after the first quick flash of pain she felt 
 rather relieved than otherwise. But with the knowl 
 edge that it was known came instinctively a plan of 
 defence, and raising upon one elbow she said, in her 
 usual voice, 
 
 " Sue, bring little Rose to me." 
 
 Sue obeyed, Alfred standing by the bed without a 
 word. The child once safely within her arms, 
 Dolores spoke again. 
 
 " You must be very tired, my poor Sue," she said. 
 " Go and lie down, I do not need you now. You 
 will have time for an hour s sleep before anyone else 
 is stirring and when 1 need you I will call." 
 
 She could not bear the suspense of waiting in her 
 present weak state. She knew Alfred had something 
 to say to her and she would hear it now. One glance 
 at his haggard face and bloodshot eyes warned her 
 that as he had suffered he would pour out the vials 
 of his wrath upon her, but she felt strengthened to 
 bear whatever came. She had his lawful child in her 
 arms, she felt fortified for any result.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 1 27 
 
 Faithful Sue came to the bed-side, casting upon 
 her mistress affectionate, protecting looks, as she ar 
 ranged everything for her comfort and placed what 
 ever Dolores might need within reach. Then she 
 went into the adjoining room to lie down. Alfred 
 did not close the door after her. He had made up 
 his mind to have an understanding with his wife, but 
 he would speak to her in Spanish, and then no one 
 could understand even though they might overhear. 
 He threw himself in a chair which stood near the 
 foot of the bed because he was too weak to stand, 
 and then began. Dolores was propped up with pil 
 lows, and she did not shrink before his withering 
 glance, but met it with eyes that were clear and shin 
 ing because they were too sad for tears. 
 
 " So," he said, sneeringly, "you were born a slave 
 there is negro blood in your veins." 
 
 " Upon whose authority do you confront me thus ?" 
 she asked in a low but firm voice. 
 
 " Your own. In your delirium you told more truth 
 to me than ever you did in your sane moments, 
 madame." 
 
 " There is negro blood in my veins," she answered, 
 "but so little that no one ever dreamed it until they 
 were told. You did not, and I have been your wife 
 for considerably longer than a year." 
 
 He winced. 
 
 " You are a sister of Rick Gonzales," was his next 
 charge. 
 
 " There is not the slightest relation between Rick 
 Gonzales and myself," she answered, "and I never 
 saw him until during the July previous to our mar 
 riage. I saw him daily then for about a month. After 
 that he came here to Riverton, while I nursed his father 
 through his last illness. After the funeral I lived in 
 the same house with him for another month, during 
 which time we met seldom ; then you came and I was. 
 in your company until we were married." 
 
 "He must have tired of you very soon," tauntingly. 
 " It is so pleasant to learn that before one s marriage
 
 128 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 his wife was the mistress and slave of half a dozen 
 different men." 
 
 "Silence!" she cried, sitting up and facing him 
 with a look which made him quail. " Do not charge 
 such a thing upon me again or I will not answer for 
 the consequences. I was unfortunately my own 
 father s slave ; my brothers to-day are spending the 
 money Colonel Gonzales paid for me. I was the 
 Colonel s slave and Rick s, but I was never any man s 
 mistress, not even yours ; neither am I your slave. 
 Is not the truth sad enough that you must manufac 
 ture lies to make the case worse ? Do you wish me 
 to rise from my bed to-day and tell your mother, your 
 sister, your servants aye, the whole world I was 
 born a slave and my great-grandmother was a coal- 
 black negress, yet I am Alfred Hastings lawful wife 
 and have rode upon the top wave of your best society ; 
 I have fooled them and you ? Shall I go out and pro 
 claim this fact abroad ?" 
 
 " Be calm, Dolores !" Alfred said, greatly agitated 
 and seeming frightened at her words. " Be calm, I 
 entreat you, and speak low. I will acknowledge this 
 much to you. I am anxious that the fact shall not be 
 generally known, but deceived in one thing I am led 
 to doubt all." 
 
 "You think it a great stain upon the Hastings 
 name," she continued, "that you chanced to wed 
 with such as I. Let us compare our merits. The 
 world, or that part of it which chanced to see us since 
 our marriage, has with one accord decided that you 
 had won a prize." 
 
 "That I acknowledge," he replied. "Your beauty, 
 attractive presence, your accomplishments and ami 
 able temper render you one woman in a thousand, 
 and therefore I had reason to be proud of you as my 
 wife until I learned that you were a slave." 
 
 " What constitutes a slave ?" she asked. 
 
 " Whoever has been bought or sold for money is a 
 slave," he answered, " whether black or white." 
 
 " Then we are equal on that score," she quickly re-
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 129 
 
 plied. " I was born a slave, was sold and then given 
 my freedom. You were born free, but after you grew 
 to manhood, of your own will, you sold yourself for 
 money, and, therefore, you are now a slave while I 
 am free." 
 
 "What do you mean ?" he cried. 
 
 " I mean that you, Alfred Hastings, are my hus 
 band and slave. I bought you at a high price ; I 
 paid for you the sum of ten thousand dollars. Do 
 you wish for your freedom now ? If so, pay me back 
 the ten thousand you cost me and I will take my 
 child and leave you forever. You may say that I am 
 dead you may say what you please I will never 
 trouble you again." 
 
 He was thunderstruck. After his finding out her 
 low and degraded birth and taunting her with it she 
 received these taunts with cool defiance, throwing 
 back in his teeth other accusations almost as degrad 
 ing. No, not quite, for it took much to degrade a 
 Hastings ; but it was, to say very little, mortifying in 
 the extreme. He expected her to become covered 
 with confusion as soon as he opened his mouth to 
 accuse her, but, instead, she was calm and self- 
 reliant, laying out directions for him to follow if he 
 would not suffer the consequences. 
 
 " You know I cannot do that," he said at last. 
 
 "I know you can," she replied, "if you mortgage 
 Riverton to the same extent it was involved when 
 my money freed it from debt. Now give me a sug 
 gestion of yours as to what you intend since you 
 have heard my proposition." 
 
 " I am all at sea," he said. " I will not live with 
 you longer, that is out of the question, and yet I 
 want to save myself from disgrace." 
 
 " Yes," she answered, "that is your sole thought. 
 You cannot live with your wife, even though you ac 
 knowledge her to be one woman of a thousand, be 
 cause you feel that she is beneath you. But she is 
 not to be considered in the matter ; her comfort, her 
 peace of mind are of no moment. She may starve
 
 130 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 for aught you care, so no one will know it and the 
 fact does not disgrace you. You cannot live with 
 me therefore I must go. Let me hear how and when, 
 please." 
 
 " Do you promise me to be reasonable and agree 
 to what I propose for you ?" 
 
 "I agree to nothing," she answered, "until you 
 make your plans known." 
 
 He sat for some moments in silence, a brooding, 
 baffled look upon his face ; but at length this expres 
 sion changed to one of demoniac triumph. Dolores 
 saw it, and her heart sank. Bold though she might 
 appear to him, determined to make as good a fight as 
 possible, nevertheless she knew she was no match for 
 her husband in low cunning. If she could send word 
 to Rick he would come to her aid ; but it was very 
 doubtful whether she would be able to do this, for 
 she knew she would be watched henceforth so closely 
 it would be impossible to send a message to the outer 
 world. Sue could be trusted, but she, too, would be 
 under constant surveillance, and she would not bring 
 her only friend into disgrace or disfavor, as it might 
 lead to their separation perhaps Alfred would sell 
 Sue at once. 
 
 " I tell you what I will do," he said, " upon certain 
 conditions. I will remove you and the child to some 
 quiet village farther South, under pretense that a 
 change of climate is necessary to restore you to health. 
 Sue shall accompany you. Before we go I will give 
 into your hands the sum of one thousand dollars, and 
 I promise faithfully to send you yearly the sum of five 
 hundred, in addition, until the child is ten years old. 
 Farther than that I will not pledge myself now. 
 Upon your part you are to give me your promise that 
 you will assume a different name, that you agree to 
 pass for a widow, and that you will never communicate 
 with me in any way or speak my name. 1 will send 
 Sue with you, because I would not leave you without 
 any one you have known, and she will be faithful and 
 betray nothing. Do you agree to this ?"
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 131 
 
 "It sounds fairly," Dolores answered, "therefore I 
 doubt if you wiH ever carry it out." 
 
 "Then you have your remedy," he said. "You 
 can return at any time and expose me." 
 
 She waited a moment, but what could she do ? She 
 was resolved to accept, and as" long as she remained 
 at Riverton she had the matter in her own hands ; 
 therefore she would never leave until she had the 
 thousand dollars in her possession. With this sum 
 and Sue she felt it would be possible to live for a long 
 time even among strangers, and long before it 
 would be gone she would find some work to do. She 
 was a wonderful nurse, and if she could not find 
 employment in the South she would go North, where 
 she was sure of finding friends. 
 
 " I agree to the proposition," she said at last. 
 
 " I am glad you show yourself so sensible," he re 
 plied. "All you have to do now is to remain languid 
 for two or three weeks and when you really feel robust 
 enough to travel let me know and we will set out. I 
 .shall continue to sleep in the adjoining room. You 
 are too ill to see company and must see no one before 
 you leave. We can easily manage it, for I will give 
 out, at least to mother, my intention of taking you 
 upon a journey as soon as you are able. To my 
 friends outside I shall say that you are in a melan 
 choly state and desire to see no one. \Ve will set out 
 for New Orleans possibly, journeying slowly. I write 
 at last that you have been taken ill with yellow 
 fever, as there are fears that it will be very violent 
 this summer. After a few weeks I return broken 
 hearted. You died of that dreadful disease, and, 
 fearing contagion, I dare not even bring you home 
 for burial. Sue takes the fever and also dies. The 
 child dies too, not from fever exactly, but from losing 
 its mother and possibly lack of proper care, altogether 
 making a most distressing case. I do not recover 
 from the shock for a long, long time. People condole 
 with me and deplore your loss. I shall even put up 
 an expensive monument to your memory and that of
 
 132 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 our child in the family burial plot. How say you, 
 Dolores? Would you not rather seem dead to your 
 friends, your memory being revered and treasured, 
 than to live in disgrace ?" 
 
 "I would," she said, "and will follow your direc 
 tions as closely as possible ; however, at the first 
 hint of failure upon your part to carry out your share 
 of the agreement I shall expose you. I will not leave 
 this house until I first have the thousand dollars in 
 my possession, remember that, Alfred." 
 
 " I will not ask you to do so. And now I am go 
 ing to lie down, for I am utterly exhausted ; I have 
 not slept a moment for the past two nights." 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 A SHARP PRACTICE. 
 
 In a small room in a rude little inn situated in an 
 obscure town among the mountains of Tennessee 
 two men sat in apparently earnest conversation. One 
 was of gentlemanly appearance, young and a trifle 
 careworn ; the other was tall, raw-boned, and coarse 
 both in person and manner. 
 
 " Well, Mr. Brandon," said the latter, " you have 
 sent for me to come some distance, and I expect a 
 pretty good bargain, to pay for my time and expenses. 
 I never heard of you before, but that makes no odds 
 so long as you have heard of me. My name is pretty 
 well known, if I do say it, all through the slave States, 
 and I m a little proud of my reputation. No man that 
 buys and sells niggers has got as good a name for 
 regular fair and square dealing as what I have. And 
 now may I be so bold as to ask what you have got 
 to offer in my line ?" 
 
 "Certainly," returned the gentleman he addressed 
 as Mr. Brandon, pouring out a second drink of brandy 
 and drinking it off. "The truth is and I may as 
 well tell you the truth at once, Mr. Ryan I am what
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 133 
 
 you might call hard up, or I would never part with 
 two such valuable slaves. Aside from that, one of 
 them, as I think I mentioned before, is a little spoiled. 
 I ve had her only about two years. I bought her for 
 her beauty, and had her travel around with me. As no 
 one would be apt to suspect her of possessing negro 
 blood, I was so silly as to pass her off on two or three 
 occasions for my wife, and you can imagine the effect 
 this had upon her. She became intolerable, putting 
 on airs and graces one moment and crying and beg 
 ging the next. If made to know her place she is 
 invaluable. She is one of the best nurses in sickness 
 I ever knew, and she is as smart as lightning in every 
 way. She has a babe about two months and a half 
 old, a fine, likely child a girl. The other girl is 
 older, but well-preserved, a good nurse and chamber 
 maid. Now, I don t want either of them to know 
 what I m about until they are sold and I leave, for 
 they would only make trouble. You, with your large 
 experience, would know how to manage them, and 
 when they knew I was gone they wouldn t be likely 
 to make such a fuss as if I were here to listen." 
 
 " Yes, that is best, of course, specially if you are at 
 all chicken-hearted. Now, I m used to the business, 
 and it don t make no difference to me how much they 
 yell and tear their wool. I allow I can get along with 
 darkies about as well as any man living, so you needn t 
 have any uneasiness upon that score. Only I d like 
 to take a look at the gals before I make a bid for 
 them. Don t care about buying a pig in a bag, you 
 see." 
 
 " Of course I ll manage that, and my idea is for 
 you to come into our room under the pretense of bar 
 gaining with me about the price I am to pay you for 
 taking us through to Hampton, which is about twelve 
 miles across the country. We are to go in a heavy 
 wagon, you know " 
 
 " Yes, I take the hint. I ll make the price high 
 enough, and you must haggle with me, all in a gentle 
 manly way, you know, to give me a chance to take a
 
 134 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 good look. And mind you speak to both gals, so I 
 can get a view when they are talking." 
 
 " Very well, I ll go in now and you may come and 
 knock at the door in five minutes." 
 
 Mr. Brandon rose and left the trader, passing into 
 a larger room, also on the ground floor, across the 
 hall. As he opened the door there came the sound 
 of a soft lullaby, sang in a clear, low woman s voice. 
 The sound angered him, for he wished for no soften 
 ing influence. He was about to commit a crime from 
 which his own heart recoiled now the time had come, 
 yet he was in feverish haste to have it over as quickly 
 as possible. So he made no remark, but walked in, 
 taking a seat by a rear window. 
 
 " How long will we be detained here, Alfred ?" 
 asked the woman who was crooning over her child. 
 
 " I had hoped to get away to-day, but the man who 
 was to drive us to Hampton, where we can take the 
 stage, has only this moment arrived. It would be 
 useless to undertake the journey to-night, for it is 
 now five o clock, but I will see him presently and bar 
 gain with him to have everything ready for an early- 
 start in the morning. These mountaineers are rude 
 fellows, Dolores, but we must treat them as civilly as 
 possible since we cannot well dispense with their aid." 
 
 " It seems almost unnecessary to come such a wild 
 journey, does it not ?" 
 
 " It was very necessary or I would not have brought 
 you by this route. I want to conceal our course as 
 much as possible, as we must not be recognized by 
 anyone." 
 
 While he spoke there was a knock at the door, and 
 Sue rose to open it. 
 
 " I came to see about a journey a party is to take 
 to Hampton," a rough, unrefined voice said. 
 
 "Walk in," said Alfred, rising. "This is Mr. Ryan, 
 I believe. The gentleman of whom I spoke, Dolores," 
 he added, turning to his wife. 
 
 Dolores bowed, and received a rude stare from the 
 man in return. "Stunning," he muttered to himself,
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 135 
 
 "but I must never let that fool know I think so. 
 Sarvent, ma am," he said a moment later, as though it 
 were an afterthought. " Mrs. Brandon, I suppose." 
 
 Again Dolores bowed, remembering Alfred s ad 
 monition about being civil, but she felt a strong dis 
 like to the man at once. 
 
 Alfred immediately entered into negotiations con 
 cerning the ride, appealing to Dolores to know if she 
 could be ready at six in the morning, ordering Sue to 
 bring some cigars for the gentleman, and bringing 
 both women forward as much as possible, while Ryan 
 stared constantly at them in a most disagreeable way. 
 He left at length, Alfred following him. 
 
 " Well, Ryan," he said, as soon as the two were 
 again seated near the rear window of the rude bar 
 room, " what do you think now of what I have to 
 offer you ?" 
 
 " I think just this : If you want to sell the two gals 
 lor a low sum I m your man. If you want any fancy 
 price for em I step out and leave you to find an 
 other market, though in that case I should want some 
 pay for the time I ve lost in coming here. What do 
 you say for the three that is, the gal, the baby and 
 the old woman ?" 
 
 " Speak a trifle lower, please," Alfred said, appre 
 hensively looking about him. " I will take two thou 
 sand dollars for the three." 
 
 " Pshaw, now ! you must be joking, really," re 
 turned Mr. Ryan. " Not but what the gal with the 
 young one is worth a thousand, that I don t dispute, 
 but the old woman, for she s near fifty, isn t of any 
 special account. I reckon I d have hard work to get 
 eight hundred for her, even in New Orleans." 
 
 " No you wouldn t," said Alfred. " She is really a 
 valuable servant, but the other one is worth what I 
 ask you for both. You can sell her at almost any 
 price if you chance to meet the right customer. Why, 
 if I were to tell you what I paid for her you would 
 never believe me. Only find as great a fool as I 
 was and you can get any sum you ll name for her.
 
 136 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 She is as accomplished as any lady, sings and plays 
 on the piano wonderfully, and speaks English or 
 Spanish equally well. By the way she was born in 
 Cuba, which accounts for her being able to speak a 
 foreign tongue. She was brought here by an old 
 gentleman who went to Havana for his health, and 
 when he died, which was immediately after his re 
 turn to the States, this girl was thrown on the 
 market." 
 
 "Well, I don t see any use of haggling any longer," 
 said Mr. Ryan, " I ll give you eighteen hundred dol 
 lars cash for the lot, and I won t give a cent more. 
 You shall have the money down early in the morning, 
 provided you re willing to take it. You can take 
 French leave, or, what is better, we can get the gals 
 in my wagon and you are to foller on horseback. 
 You can foller a smart piece, if you like, it may help 
 matters. I shall make for Hampton anyhow, first, 
 then for the river, and down to New Orleans as quick 
 as I can. After you ve come on after us a mile or so 
 you can lag behind and go where you like." 
 
 "Very well," replied Alfred, "it s a bargain. I see 
 you are the very man I want to get rid of them for 
 me without a scene. We will make out the papers at 
 once, if you like." 
 
 "All right. Still it ain t my way to pay for a thing 
 until I get it. Make out the papers as soon as you 
 like and sign em. I don t want em till morning. 
 When them gals is once in that wagon I ll step back 
 a minate, take the papers and hand you the money." 
 
 "That will suit me exactly," Alfred said ; " I don t 
 want the money until then. But the girls are safe 
 enough. They don t dream that I have an idea of 
 selling them, and besides, where could they go if they 
 ventured to escape ? They might go up into the 
 mountains, but they would soon be glad to return, as 
 they would starve to death if they did not." 
 
 " Well, keep dark anyhow. I shall not let on that 
 anything is wrong until I get em in the woods this 
 side of Hampton, then I shall tell em they belong
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 137 
 
 to me that I wont have any nonsense. If they 
 behave themselves they shall be sold to good masters 
 sold together, if I can manage it." 
 
 " I don t think it would be advisable to sell them 
 together," interrupted Alfred. 
 
 " No more it would, but I believe the easiest way 
 is the best way. If I can keep em quiet by lying I ll 
 spin a steady streak of lies till I get to New Orleans. 
 If that wont do I ll handcuff em. If that don t 
 answer I ll use a little force. Do you see ?" 
 
 "Yes," returned Alfred, for the moment sickened 
 as he thought of what Dolores must go through. 
 " And now I will go and make sure that they suspect 
 nothing. I ll see you later in the evening." 
 
 He rose, took a drink at Mr. Ryan s request, and 
 then crossed the hall to the room where Dolores sat. 
 Sue was upon her knees beside the bed intent on 
 packing a satchel, and, as usual, Dolores sat with the 
 child, now sleeping, upon her knee. 
 
 "What a dreadful man that Mr. Ryan is, Alfred," 
 said Dolores. " I fear him greatly." 
 
 " There is no need," replied Alfred. " He is not 
 the one I should choose for a companion, but he is 
 perfectly trustworthy. I learned that before I em 
 ployed him. He does not mean to be rude, but he is 
 very ignorant. We can endure that for a short time. 
 Sue, be sure and have everything in readiness, for we 
 leave at six in the morning." 
 
 " Yes, mas r," Sue said, still intent upon her pack 
 ing. She was putting in a small, light satchel some 
 clothing for the babe, a comb, a bottle of smelling- 
 salts and a package of crackers. 
 
 "I will have your supper sent in at once," said 
 Alfred. " I will take mine outside and afterward may 
 take a walk, but I shall come in again before bed-time." 
 
 At the table he met Ryan, who talked incessantly, 
 to Alfred s inward disgust ; but outwardly he seemed 
 at least to listen politely, and when the meal was over 
 went out and heard Ryan give directions concerning 
 getting a conveyance ready at six in the morning.
 
 138 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 "You see," he said to Alfred, "I am making my 
 preparations to be on time. When I talk to a nigger 
 I never tell the truth if a lie will answer as well ; but 
 when I give my word to a white man I stick to it, 
 come what may." 
 
 Alfred made some laughing rejoinder and then 
 strolled away to congratulate himself upon the suc 
 cess of his plans. 
 
 " I wonder what you would think of such general 
 ship as I have exhibited for a few weeks past, Rick 
 Gonzales ?" he said. "You were cunning, I acknowl 
 edge, but my trick is worth two of yours. The only 
 question in my mind is whether to confront you with 
 your fraud or return home quietly and let you wonder 
 when you hear the news of the death of the daughter 
 of your father s friend. Now at least I am free, for, 
 once sold as a slave, Dolores will never trouble me 
 again. I have turned Rick s bargain to the best ad 
 vantage, too. The ten thousand set me upon my 
 feet and this eighteen hundred I am to receive in the 
 morning will also be a decided help to me. Altogether, 
 I congratulate myself upon having played an exceed 
 ingly sharp game." 
 
 He felt no remorse of conscience in giving over the 
 wife of his bosom to this low, brutal man. The dis 
 agreeable details were nearly over, as far as he was 
 concerned. For Dolores well, he was only consign 
 ing her to the lot to which she was born, and which 
 she only left temporarily by committing a crime 
 against him. All was as it should be ; now the wrong 
 was righted. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 FLIGHT. 
 
 When supper was brought in Sue arranged it as 
 temptingly as possible. There was bacon and eggs, 
 corn bread, tea and berries, and when all was ready 
 she took the babe while her mistress sat down to her 
 solitary meal.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOUILITY. 139 
 
 " I m really hungry," Dolores said, as she took her 
 seat at the table, " and you have made the food look 
 appetizing, too, my good Sue." 
 
 " Dat s right, honey," Sue replied. " Eat all ye 
 kin, for we ve got a hard journey afore us, missus 
 dear." 
 
 "Yes, I shall be glad when we reach our journey s 
 end, and when we do I have a story to tell you, Sue. 
 Now I will only say I believe you are the sole friend 
 I have on earth, except one who is far away and 
 whom I cannot now reach." 
 
 " Bress yer lovin heart, honey, pore Sue ain t 
 much of a frien , but de best she am is what she will 
 be to you allus, Missus, dear." 
 
 When Dolores finished Sue did not sit down. She 
 poured out a cup of tea and drank it, then she pro 
 duced a bottle in which she poured what was left, 
 adding to it sugar but no milk. 
 
 " No tellin , Missus," she said, as Dolores, watched 
 her inquiringly, " but we may break down in the 
 woods, and der ain t nuffin conies so good when you 
 is dry as a taste o tea. An I is goin" to put in some 
 o dis yer bacon too, dey is plenty left." 
 
 " But, Sue, you have eaten nothing," said Dolores, 
 anxiously. 
 
 "Well, honey, dat ain t sayin" I ain t agoin to, is 
 it ?" And Sue began to pick a bit here and eat a trifle 
 there, more with the view of satisfying her mistress 
 than her own appetite. As soon as the things were 
 cleared away she began urging Dolores to retire. 
 
 "But," said Dolores, "it is not yet seven o clock, 
 
 Sue, and Mr. Has , I mean your master, said he 
 
 would come in before he retired." 
 
 "So he kin, honey, but you go to bed all de same. 
 You didn t hab a nap dis day, an I wants yer strong 
 for de ride to-morrow." 
 
 Dolores laughed. 
 
 " You are a regular tyrant, Sue," she said, "but as 
 we shall be obliged to rise exceedingly early in the 
 morning perhaps I had better do so ; still I m afraid
 
 140 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 I will not sleep, for somehow the air seems full of 
 mystery." 
 
 "Yes, chile, you will sleep. I ll Uke de baby an 
 you go right to bed dis minute." 
 
 Dolores did as she was bidden, and as Sue prophe 
 sied, she was soon asleep. It was nearly nine o clock 
 when Alfred, returning from his walk, came into the 
 room. Sue put up a warning finger. 
 
 " Missus is kind o tired," she said, " and has gone 
 to bed, Mas r Alfred. She is fas asleep, too. Shall 
 I wake her up ?" 
 
 " Oh, no," he replied, " it is all the better to let her 
 get a good sleep ; and be sure, Sue, to be stirring by 
 five in the morning." 
 
 " Sartin, Mas r, I ll be up by dat time, suah, an* hab 
 Miss Dolory ready in less n no time. I se got a 
 little more packin , and den I is froo for de night." 
 
 Satisfied that all was as it should be, Alfred went 
 out to tell Ryan that all was well, and then he retired 
 to his room. He did not intend to go to sleep, and 
 sat smoking a cigar for some time, but having drank 
 more brandy than usual he began to feel drowsy. 
 So, undressing, he threw himself upon the bed and 
 in a few moments was sleeping soundly. 
 
 After he left the room Sue quietly removed the 
 baby s clothing, preparatory to giving it a bath. 
 Next she dressed it carefully in one of its plainest 
 dresses, instead of putting on its night-robe as usual, 
 which performance the young lady seemed to regard 
 with wonder, staring with her round, dark eyes, though 
 she took it patiently. This done she proceeded to 
 rock it to sleep, and the young lady, demurring 
 slightly at first, gradually closed her eyes and was 
 soon asleep. Then her nurse laid her gently down, 
 and, finishing her packing, washed herself and changed 
 her clothing ; after which she took out her bonnet, 
 also a plain bonnet and shawl belonging to her mis 
 tress, and laid them over a chair, upon which she 
 placed her satchel ready for the morning. Every 
 thing else she put into the trunks, and when she had
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 141 
 
 finished there was no litter, nothing lying about but 
 the wraps and the clothing Dolores was to put on in 
 the morning. This done the pious soul knelt down 
 and silently but fervently prayed for some moments 
 She was just rising from her knees when little Rosf 
 began to cry, and, taking Dolores watch, she looked 
 and saw it was a few minutes past eleven. She then 
 took the child in her arms and laid her hand lightly 
 upon the shoulder of her mistress. 
 
 " Miss Dolory," she whispered softly, " de pore 
 little chillen am hungry, an sides, I se got somefin to 
 tell. Don t speak, honey, jes whisper ; we musn t 
 sturb nobody." 
 
 Dolores took the babe, and, aroused by Sue s words 
 and manner, was thoroloughy awake in an instant. 
 
 " What is it, Sue ?" she said, softly. 
 
 " Miss Dolory, you knows, honey, yer said dis 
 berry night yer had a story fer to tell ole Sue bime- 
 by. Well, I is got one ter tell you now. Don t be 
 larmed, I se got it all fixed ; but soon as I tell yer 
 you mus git up an dress, fer you an I mus run 
 away afore anyone gits up in de mornin ." 
 
 " Must we, Sue ?" never doubting what she heard. 
 "Why?" 
 
 " Case, honey, you know dat man dat come in de 
 room ter day. Well, Mas r Alfred hes sole us boff 
 sole us all you an his own baby an me to dat low 
 lived white trash of a man !" 
 
 Dolores felt her heart sink within her, for she knew 
 Sue s words were all too true. She had had some 
 vague fears that her husband had employed this man 
 to take her life, perhaps, but she had never dreamed 
 of this. For a moment she was too dazed to speak, 
 then srws asked whisperingly, 
 
 "Sue, how do you know ?" 
 
 " When dey went out de room ter day I knowed 
 somefin was goin wrong, an I slips out de back way 
 and listened under de winder, an heard Mas r Alfred 
 sell us fer eber so much money ; an in de mornin we 
 is to go in de wagon and Mas r Alfred is to go a
 
 14-2 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 horseback jes to fool us, an bimeby he ll turn roun r 
 an when de man gits us all lone in de woods he is 
 gwine to tell us he is our mas r. An he is gwine to 
 sell us apart, he said so hisself. Oh, missus, don t 
 look so wild, but pray de Lo d to help us. I knows 
 what you is gwine to tell me, I foun it out by Mas r 
 Alfred one time an anodder. He bought pizen for 
 you once ; yes, an he mixed it, too, an I seen him. 
 But I makes believe wake up I was a snorin afore 
 an I gits up an scares him comin in de room, an 
 den I sen him outer de room fer an oringe, an while 
 he was gone I changed de glass to one what had a 
 little lemingade in, an I gabed ye dat insted, an Mas r 
 Alfred a stannin by lookin like a sperrit. An I has 
 watched you sense, honey, ebery day. I got de paper 
 whar Mas r Alfred writ on it w at to git, an it looked 
 jes like w at he writ when he sent Jake fer rat pizen 
 once. An now, honey, git right up. Dar ain t much 
 money, cause Mas r Alfred hes took de tousand dol 
 lars outen de trunk. I look d fer it to-night. An he 
 hes took yer bracelet an such tings, too ; but I ha* 
 got some w at yer had afore yer was tuck sick an it 
 may be a help. Bress yer heart, Miss Dolory, I 
 knowed yer wouldn t give way. An now hurry, here 
 am yer tings an I ll fix up yer har." 
 
 "And you knew this all the time, my poor Sue !" 
 Dolores said, "yet you kept the burthen all upon 
 yourself, letting me eat and sleep as though no 
 trouble threatened us. Ah ! Sue, Sue, if you had 
 only let me died in my bed that night, for I think it 
 was the last peaceful night I shall ever know. But 
 your dear loving faithfulness I can never forget, and 
 it gives me strength to-night." Putting her arms 
 around the faithful woman s neck she kissed her 
 again and again. "My only friend !" she said, "my 
 dear and only friend ! And now let us hasten. It 
 is not my freedom alone to be gained, it is my child s. 
 She, at least, was born free, and free she shall be while 
 I live ! Come, Sue, I am ready. Let us go at once." 
 
 Sue crept out stealthily while Dolores wrapped the
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 143 
 
 child. Returning she declared the coast clear, and 
 persisted in loading herself with both satchel and 
 babe. Dolores tried to hinder her but could not, so 
 she followed silently. The night was dark. There 
 was a moon but it was cloudy, and it was with the 
 greatest difficulty they could distinguish the way. For 
 a short distance they followed the road, which was 
 rugged and winding, then they turned abruptly up 
 the steep mountain side. The grass was damp, and 
 as they climbed slowly up the height the brambles 
 obscured the way, seeming to beat them back as they 
 strove to make their way through. But they pressed 
 on with what speed they could, fearing the briars 
 would tear their clothing and so betray their path. 
 On they went, over rocks, fallen trees and the tangled 
 undergrowth, and before the morning broke they had 
 gained the summit and began the descent upon the 
 other side. Once the infant cried, and they were 
 forced to pause and hush it, and once within her arms 
 Dolores would not let it go again. 
 
 "Hush, dear," she mnrmured, as she made her un 
 steady, doubtful way along. " Sleep, baby, for it is 
 your freedom too we are striving to gain. If you cry 
 they will find us and make you a slave-child a poor 
 little slave-child, to be treated as though you were a 
 beast without any soul. But be quiet and do not 
 fear, and mother will find freedom for you freedom 
 or death, it does not matter which." 
 
 She whispered to her child as she went along, 
 hurrying and almost breathless, Sue leading the way 
 and trying to make a path for her mistress. They 
 had both hoped once upon the brow of the hill they 
 might discover some place of refuge, but to their dis 
 may another mountain peak nearly as high shot up so 
 closely to the one upon which they stood that the 
 tops seemed only a stone s throw apart ; but, while 
 the first one was comparatively smooth at the sum 
 mit, the second was topped with rough rocks and 
 stunted trees, and appeared as though it might contain 
 any amount of hiding-places.
 
 144 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 " We must reach that before we pause," Dolores- 
 said, yet her strength was nearly exhausted. "They 
 will discover our flight in an hour, for it is now four, 
 and if they succeed in finding our trail, in two hours 
 from now they will be upon us. However, no horse 
 can mount so steep an ascent without danger to his 
 rider ; indeed, I doubt if one could at all." 
 
 They were now nearly half way down the first 
 mountain side. The descent being so different from 
 the climbing, calling other muscles into play, it almost 
 seemed a rest. As soon as they reached the bottom 
 Sue took the babe from the arms of its mother and 
 they toiled on. Dolores was growing foot-sore and 
 faint. It seemed as though instinct, or a will not her 
 own, urged her footsteps onward, for she had scarcely 
 power to move. Still she had no thought of pausing 
 even for a moment ; there was too much at stake. She 
 might die in the path, but until then she must struggle 
 on to a place of safety. 
 
 The second mountain was even steeper than the 
 first, and after all, as a bird would fly, they had gone 
 but a short distance. Suppose and here a terrible 
 fear came over Dolores suppose by curving around 
 the base of the two mountains the second was easily 
 reached from the opposite side, and they would walk 
 into an ambush before they were aware ? The thought 
 made her faint for a moment ; she almost reeled 
 along. But she would not speak of this danger to 
 Sue, who already had enough to bear, and who was 
 struggling on under her load as best she could. 
 
 "Oh, I se no count at all," she said, when Dolores 
 urged her not to over-exert her strength by carrying 
 the child ; " sides, I is berry strong, an you isn t, 
 honey. You nebber could carry dis yer chile, nebber 
 in dis world. But I does want you to do one ting. 
 You is warm an I is cole, an I wants you ter pin yer 
 shawl roun me twell we git ober de top o de hill." 
 
 Quick as thought Dolores took off her shawl and 
 pinned it round Sue s shoulders. 
 
 " Poor Sue !" she said, " I m afraid you are going
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 145 
 
 to have a chill ; but you seem all wet with perspira 
 tion." 
 
 "A cole sweat, honey, dat s all. I se had it berry 
 often, an taint nuffin at all." 
 
 There was a thin shawl strapped to the little satchel, 
 but there was no time to unfasten it ; besides, Dolores 
 was very warm. She observed that Sue cast several 
 glances backward as they neared the mountain top, 
 and went at such a rapid pace that Dolores could 
 scarcely keep up with her. She also chose a path 
 most sheltered by the trees, in order to escape observa 
 tion from pursuers. At length, however, just before 
 they reached the top, there was an open space which 
 they could not avoid crossing. Before striking into this 
 Sue looked carefully around, but no one was in sight. 
 
 "When we cross dis yer," she said, "I tinks we is 
 safe, Miss Dolory." 
 
 " How thankful I shall be," Dolores answered, as 
 they pushed out into the cleared space. 
 
 They had advanced but a short distance when they 
 heard shouts from the opposite hill. 
 
 "We are discovered !" Dolores cried. 
 
 " Don t look roun !" said Sue, in answer, "but jes 
 keep right on, honey." 
 
 It was Ryan s voice they heard first, and after a 
 few moments, Alfred s, calling upon them to halt or 
 they would be fired upon. 
 
 "Dey can t hit us, nohow," said Sue, "we is too far 
 off." But the words had scarcely fell from her lips 
 ere two shots were quickly fired, and, simultaneously 
 with the last report, Sue uttered a low moan. 
 
 "What is it, Sue?" said Dolores, in sudden alarm. 
 
 " Nuffin , only you jes go on a little ahead o me," 
 Sue answered quietly. 
 
 There was much shouting, and a little later two 
 other shots were fired ; but the two women kept 
 bravely on, until they reached a patch of timber which 
 skirted the top of the hill and screened them from 
 observation. This reached, Sue sunk to the ground, 
 and Dolores turned to take the child from her.
 
 146 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 "My dear, good Sue," she said, "you are quite 
 exhausted," and then she uttered a wild cry, for Sue s 
 clothing was saturated with blood which came from a 
 wound in her side. 
 
 "Don t wait, honey," came faintly, but earnestly, 
 from the faithful woman s lips. "Dar am no end o 
 hidin -places ; go quick an find em. De lunch in de 
 satchel 11 keep yo twell dey is tired o huntin*. I is 
 gwine to hab de bes hidin -place ob all, fo de deah 
 Lo d am gwine ter take me, an I is ready to go." 
 
 " Give me the shawl, Sue," said Dolores. " I will 
 make a compress to stop the flow of blood," and she 
 strove to bind up the wound, Sue weakly protesting. 
 
 "Bress yer deah heart, yer can t help me, I is past 
 all dat. Look heah, Miss Dolory, don t deny pore 
 ole Sue de las ting she asks. Dey can t hurt me 
 when dey come, case only my pore ole body 11 be 
 lef . Anyhow, when I got so ole I couldn t work no 
 moah I d be shoved off on some white niggah dat d 
 make my life more dan I could bar. Go, like a good 
 chile ; tink ob your pore little baby an all it an you 
 mus* go froo ef Mas r Alfred cotch you agin." 
 
 Sue ceased speaking, gasped once or twice, and 
 then Dolores, through her bitter tears, could see that 
 she had gained her freedom at last not the freedom 
 they sought when they set out upon their journey ; ah ! 
 not that, but the perfect, glorious freedom which 
 comes at last to faithful martyrs here below freedom 
 from suffering, sorrow and sin through all eternity. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 A DOUBTFUL REFUGE. 
 
 Beside Sue s prostrate form Dolores knelt, her hot 
 tears falling fast. 
 
 " Oh, my poor Sue !" she sobbed, " I shall never 
 find another friend like you ! Ever since my trou 
 bles began you have shielded me from every possible 
 care, you have taken my burthens upon your own
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 147 
 
 shoulders, leaving me free. Even my shawl, that I 
 could not see why you insisted upon wearing, you 
 took because you knew my husband, if once within 
 range, would aim at me, and you did this to mislead 
 him." 
 
 For some moments she sat thus, sobbing bitterly, 
 and then little Rose began to cry. This roused her to 
 her sense of danger. She took up the child and was 
 about to leave the satchel, when she remembered that 
 without its contents she might perish with hunger; 
 so, putting the babe over one shoulder and taking the 
 satchel in her other hand, she ran along the mountain 
 ridge seeking a temporary hiding-place, fearing they 
 might in any case bring dogs to hunt her out. Sud 
 denly she missed her footing, and fell with such force 
 she rolled over what seemed to her a steep precipice. 
 She could not put out her hands to save herself, on 
 account of her babe, and like lightning came the wish 
 that both might be killed instantly by the fall. In 
 stead, she dropped upon a deep bed of dry leaves 
 quite unhurt, for the distance she had fallen was not 
 great. 
 
 Looking up she found the rock from which she had 
 fallen was propped up by smaller ones lying under it at 
 each end, thus forming a low, long chamber, which 
 could scarcely be called a cave, as the opening which 
 was long and narrow, being barely large enough to 
 allow her to creep through it, was above ground. 
 This opening was so small as to readily escape notice, 
 especially as it was covered entirely by thick, cluster 
 ing red raspberry bushes, which were covered with 
 green and ripe fruit. Creeping under the rock she 
 hastily laid her child upon the floor, which was 
 another rock covered with dry leaves which had blown 
 in during the autumn when the bushes were bare, and 
 then crept outside again to make sure she had left no 
 trace of her fall. Nothing was disturbed, the strong 
 rock telling no tales where her foot had slipped, and 
 she had fallen close to its side, so the bushes swayed 
 back and were unbroken. Even in her haste she
 
 148 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 gathered a few berries and ate eagerly, she was so 
 thirsty and faint ; then she made her way back to the 
 child. 
 
 She could not stand upright beneath the rock, but 
 at a short distance back from the opening she could 
 sit up without stooping. Taking her remaining shawl, 
 which was fastened to the satchel, she spread it out 
 and lay down to quiet her child, who was beginning 
 to cry. It soon hushed, however, and fell asleep, 
 greatly to its mother s relief. Dolores was trembling 
 with nervous excitement, grief and overexertion ; she 
 began to wonder if she were not shivering with cold. 
 Drawing the shawl about her she lay for a long time, 
 every pulse throbbing, her head aching as though it 
 would burst. At length by degrees she grew calmer ; 
 instead of the fierce pain a dull, numb sensation crept 
 over her, and at last she fell into a sleep of exhaustion. 
 
 She must have slept some hours when she was 
 awakened by the sound of voices. The squirrels, 
 astonished to find a tenant in the place they fancied 
 theirs by right, had come to the opening of her rocky 
 chamber, peeped in, chirped and scampered away 
 without disturbing her ; but the first sound of a hu 
 man voice, though distant, caused her to start in 
 affright. At first she heard nothing distinctly, but at 
 length she distinguished a few words, and then whole 
 sentences came to her ear, which was strained to 
 catch the sound. Her heart sank within her, for she 
 recognized the voices of her husband and Ryan. 
 
 "It s four o clock," said the slave trader, "and 
 there ain t no use spendin any more time here to-day. 
 As near as I kin calculate you re out, I reckon, just 
 three niggers." 
 
 " I only count that I m out one," returned Alfred. 
 "The other two are here somewhere on this mountain, 
 or in the valley below. If I could get hold of a 
 dog " 
 
 "There ain t no dogs near here. The region is so 
 sparsely settled, mostly with poor white trash that 
 hain t got a nigger to bless themselves with, it don t
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 149 
 
 pay to keep dogs. Before you could find one the 
 gal would be starved to death. She will starve sooner 
 or later, there ain t any doubt about that." 
 
 Dolores shuddered. 
 
 "Ryan," said Alfred, "I m going to find that girl 
 if I engage some one to come here and stay night 
 and day, and if she is here the child will surely cry 
 and betray her. I m sorry to have been so careless 
 as to have shot a good darkey like Sue, but that is a 
 small matter compared to the loss of the other one." 
 
 "Well, the old gal s dead, but that ain t any special 
 business of mine. You ve got a right to destroy your 
 own property if you like, but I didn t want to miss 
 the other one, for I could have got my money back 
 on her, and a little over to pay me for the time I ve 
 lost here foolin round. I ought to be in Nashville 
 this minute, and I m going there to-night." 
 
 "What !" exclaimed Alfred, " do you mean to give 
 up the search so ?" 
 
 "It ain t my hunt," returned Ryan, coolly, "nor it 
 ain t my nigger. Not but what I d stay and help if I 
 had time, but I ve got other fish to fry. You find her 
 and send me word to Nashville any time within two 
 weeks, that is if she is in good condition, and I ll give 
 you a thousand dollars for her and the child and call 
 it square ; but I don t stay here and lose my time 
 lookin for other men s niggers. You see, if there 
 was any point she d make for it might be worth while 
 to undertake to track her, but when she s as likely to 
 wander one way as another " 
 
 " Now you mention that," said Alfred, " I have no 
 doubt but she would try to make her way in a bee- 
 line to the place where her old master used to live in 
 northern Mississippi." 
 
 " How far is that ?" 
 
 " About one hundred and fifty miles, I should think, 
 in a bee-line, in a south-west direction. But she 
 doesn t know anything at all about the country, and I 
 hardly think she knows enough about the place to 
 inquire the way to it intelligibly."
 
 150 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 "She never could go that distance. Still, if she 
 knew the direction, she might try. The best thing for 
 you to do is to get one or two men, say two, to keep 
 constant watch night and day ; let one watch while 
 the other sleeps, and have them carry their provisions 
 with them. A horse wouldn t be of any use, he d 
 break his legs among the rocks." 
 
 "All right," returned Alfred, "I ll do it," and then 
 they moved away and Dolores heard nothing more. 
 
 She sat up, took out her watch and wound it, ob 
 served the time, which was now half-past four. Then 
 she opened the satchel, spread out the collation poor 
 Sue had put up, and began to eat, for she was very 
 hungry. The cold tea helped to quench her thirst, 
 and then she crept partly out and ate a dessert of 
 raspberries. Little Rose was awake, so she took the 
 opportunity to change a portion of her clothing. 
 Then, the child lying with wide-opened eyes and star 
 ing at the strange wall overhead, Dolores begun to 
 think. She was greatly refreshed by her meal and 
 her long sleep, and her mind was very clear. 
 
 " I could live here," she thought, " with the berries 
 and crackers two more days. No one would molest 
 me, and it is not likely they would hear the child if 
 she did cry a little, and I would take care she cried 
 very little indeed. But after that, what then ? For 
 it is not probable they would give up the search in a 
 week. Alfred wants to kill a little more time before 
 he goes home. He has the thousand dollars he stole 
 from me, and the wages of two men would amount to 
 little. He will not send them out, perhaps, until 
 morning, for he may not be able to find those he 
 would like at a moment s notice. They will know 
 every nook in these mountains, perhaps may come 
 directly to this spot where I have taken refuge. Com 
 fortless as it is I dread to leave it, but it has sheltered 
 me safe from observation while I slept a long, refresh 
 ing sleep ; it has served my purpose when I was 
 sorely pressed, and I must not allow it to entice me 
 to stay when it would be dangerous for me to do so."
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 151 
 
 She crept cautiously out, peering all around her, 
 but no one was in sight. She longed to go and take 
 one more look at faithful Sue s body, but feared to 
 retrace her steps. Glancing toward the south-west 
 she sought for some trace of a dwelling but found 
 none. There were no more high hills, only a wide, 
 undulating plain, and on the horizon s edge, in the 
 direction she wished to take, she saw three trees 
 towering above the surrounding forest. These must 
 be her guide. She would make directly for them, 
 setting out at once. She went back, took the clothing 
 and food out of the satchel, which was too heavy to 
 carry, made them up in two packages and fastened 
 them about her waist. She dared not as yet exchange 
 her torn shoes for the ones Sue had put in the sat 
 chel, for they were too precious to throw away as long 
 as they would cling to her feet. 
 
 Once more she gathered and ate the luscious 
 berries, and then putting the shawl around her she 
 took up the child and hastened on her dreary way. 
 It was rough, and in some places almost impassable. 
 At first she was cautious, lest the bushes should re 
 tain some portion of her clothing, but after walking 
 some distance she grew more reckless. She saw 
 nothing but the trees, which, standing upon a slight 
 elevation, still marked the horizon ; she heard noth 
 ing but the wind sighing through the lonely forest ; 
 she felt nothing except that she was walking to save 
 herself and child. Death was not far ahead, perhaps, 
 but slavery and torture were behind. The first in any 
 form was preferable to the last. 
 
 A clear, starlight night came on, but she did not 
 stop to look at the stars. She only saw it was light 
 enough to still distinguish the three giant trees, and 
 thither she hastened with what speed she could. The 
 babe did not seem to sleep, but she did not cry. 
 Perhaps she was watching the stars, for she kept her 
 round, bright eyes fixed upon the sky when the 
 branches did not hide it, as she lay, face upward, in 
 her mother s arms.
 
 152 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 Once when Dolores came to a tiny brooklet she 
 paused to slake her thirst, to feed her child and to dip 
 her burning feet into the water ; then taking up 
 her burthen she sped on. The stars were still out 
 when she reached the three giant trees. Weak and 
 weary she sank down beneath them and rested for 
 nearly an hour. Then she rose and embraced them, 
 as if old friends with whom she was parting, and 
 looked out still toward the south-west for another 
 guide. There were occasional cleared fields. She 
 was beginning to leave the mountains and the forests 
 behind. Singling out a clearing which was on a small 
 hill a narrow, smooth field between two tall forests, 
 or so it seemed in the uncertain light she set out to 
 gain that as her next resting-place. She was not tired 
 now. The place where she had stopped the previous 
 morning looked so far away that the distance com 
 forted her and gave her new strength. She did not 
 think of the future or anything beyond that clearing 
 far away in the dim light. When she reached that, 
 and came to view the ground, she would have strength 
 to plan her next course ; her sole efforts in the present 
 were put forth to gain that. She never glanced be 
 hind to see whether any one was pursuing her. She 
 shunned no clearing, she shrank into no shadow, but 
 kept on as true to the point she sought as the needle 
 to the pole. She hoped to reach it before daylight, 
 but light came and still left some distance to be 
 traversed. 
 
 She had now been walking, almost without inter 
 mission, for twelve hours. She was nearly exhausted, 
 but this she scarcely knew ; she could have walked 
 until she dropped dead. 
 
 The clearing was reached at last ; it was some time 
 after sunrise. She entered it and glanced about, not 
 knowing whether to be frightened or glad, for 
 there, in the shadow of the forest, stood a rude log 
 hut, with small, square windows devoid of glass, 
 and smoke pouring from a small stone chimney. A 
 man stood in the doorway smoking his pipe. He
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 153 
 
 was attired in coarse clothing, so patched one could 
 not guess what the original material might have been. 
 He saw her the moment she issued from the wood, so 
 there was nothing to be done but to go forward and 
 make him her friend, if possible. 
 
 "Good morning," she said, politely. 
 
 " Good morning," he answered, rather doggedly, 
 puffing away at his pipe. 
 
 Dolores scanned his features and found little to en 
 courage her. Whatever help she gained from him 
 must be bought and paid for. It was of no use to tell 
 her story, except so much of it as she might deem 
 necessary. 
 
 " I am very tired," she said, "and would like to sit 
 down and rest. I will pay you well if you will give 
 me food and shelter for a few days." 
 
 A woman scarcely more prepossessing in appear 
 ance than her husband came to the door in time to 
 hear the last remark. 
 
 " Come in," she said, brightening. " Have you 
 lost your way ?" 
 
 "I have, indeed," said Dolores, as she followed her 
 into the house, "and I fear I shall never find it again." 
 And then she fell fainting upon the floor. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 A WARM RECEPTION. 
 
 When Dolores opened her eyes she found herself 
 upon a feather bed in a corner of the room, and so 
 perfectly exhausted was she it seemed to her the 
 most comfortable and soft of any she had ever known. 
 There was a patch-work quilt thrown over her. To 
 her dying day she never forgot the medley of incon 
 gruous colors it contained. The woman had a fright 
 ened look upon her face, and was bathing Dolores 
 forehead with camphor, while little Rose was lying 
 quietly by her side. 
 
 "Sakes alive, child!" exclaimed the woman, as
 
 154 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOlilLlTV. 
 
 Dolores slowly struggled back to consciousness, " I 
 thought you was dead, sure !" 
 
 Dolores at once recognized her as belonging to that 
 type of persons denominated by the negroes and some 
 of the white Southern people as " poor white trash." 
 She had seen like women come down from the mount 
 ains in Virginia with berries to sell. They spoke a 
 dialect similar to that employed by the negroes, and 
 lived rude and almost solitary lives. This woman 
 ceased bathing the head of her visitor, whom she 
 looked upon as having been brought to her door by 
 some supernatural power. There was a vast wilder 
 ness on every side, except in one direction, where 
 there was what they called a short cut to a town about 
 five miles distant, where she carried berries and pats 
 of butter and received in return sugar and tea of 
 doubtful quality in small quantities, and occasionally 
 a few yards of print or jean. Few knew this route, 
 however, and no one used it but herself and husband. 
 How, then, did this delicate woman find her way to 
 this lonely clearing in the forest, with a babe in her 
 arms, except she received supernatural aid ? 
 
 " 1 shall not die," Dolores said. " I am weak, hav 
 ing traveled a long way. I want to remain here and 
 rest. Though I seem friendless I have friends and 
 some money, and will pay you for any service you 
 may render me." 
 
 " Taint much I kin give," the woman said ; "but 
 we are poor Peter and me and we will do anything 
 you want if you ll pay us." 
 
 Dolores took out her purse containing the money 
 poor Sue had saved for her, together with some of her 
 own. It contained three half eagles, and some smaller 
 gold and silver coins. The woman s husband, whom 
 she had called Peter, came near the bedside at sight 
 of the money, looking less forbidding than before. 
 Dolores handed his wife one of the larger gold pieces. 
 
 "I want you to keep me for two weeks," she said. 
 " I want rest, plain food, and you must hide me if 
 any one comes in search of me and my child. When
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 155 
 
 I go away I will give you as much more. I would 
 give you all I have, but I must travel some distance 
 after I leave here and will need the rest before I 
 reach my friends." 
 
 " What do you say, Peter ?" the woman asked, 
 handing him the gold coin. 
 
 He took it, looked at it sharply, turned it over, 
 whirled it upon the table to see if it were good, and 
 then, quite satisfied, he placed it in his pocket. 
 
 "I don t object, Jane," he returned. 
 
 " I want you to be sure and hide me if any one 
 comes," Dolores said once more. Could you see 
 any one before they came in the door ?" 
 
 "Oh, yes, never fear," he replied. "So few do 
 find the place we always see them as soon as they 
 come in sight. We could tuck you away in the loft, 
 or somewhere, and no one could find you." 
 
 " Thanks," she answered, seeming somewhat reas 
 sured. " I don t think anyone would come so soon 
 as to-day, but they might." 
 
 A sudden suspicion seemed to cross the man s 
 mind. 
 
 " You ain t a slave, be you ?" he asked. 
 
 Dolores sprang up in bed suddenly, and turned her 
 white face toward him. 
 
 " No," she cried, " I am not a slave. I am fleeing 
 from my enemies who have twice tried to murder me, 
 and will surely kill me now if I am found. I don t 
 know what my husband may tell you if he comes for 
 me. He may tell you I am a slave, he may say I am 
 insane, but indeed I am neither. He is tired of me 
 and wishes to put me out of his way." 
 
 " Are you runnin away from your husband ?" the 
 woman asked, a strange look coming into her face as 
 she turned it toward her husband. 
 
 " God help me," Dolores said, " I am !" 
 
 " Don t be afeared," the man said, suddenly but not 
 unkindly. 
 
 Dolores sank back in her bed utterly exhausted. 
 It seemed to her as if she had touched a sympathetic
 
 156 SUBDUED SOUTHERN MOBILITY. 
 
 chord in the breasts of these rude people, and she was- 
 comforted by the thought. It was a forlorn comfort, 
 but it partially eased her mind for the time. Gradu 
 ally she sank into a half stupor, from which she often 
 roused to glance around and sink back again. She 
 saw the woman wash and dress little Rose, feed 
 her with some warm, diluted milk, hush her to 
 sleep, and lay her upon the back part of the bed. 
 From this stupor she was aroused when the woman 
 brought out a coarse but clean white gown of her 
 own and assisted her to put it on. The worn 
 shoes and tattered stockings were then removed and 
 her swollen feet bathed and bandaged. Dolores 
 thanked her, she felt so much easier, almost as though 
 she might sleep. But Jane was not done with her 
 kind ministering. She drew a cup of tea, and taking 
 out a small white loaf, cut a slice, toasted it, and 
 brought it, with the tea, to the bedside. Dolores ate 
 and drank, and afterwards felt more refreshed than 
 she could have thought it possible a few moments 
 before. 
 
 Peter had gone outside for a time, but now he came 
 in, asking Jane if he could be of any service. She 
 answered in a low tone, and taking a pail he went out 
 and brought it full of clear spring water, pouring it 
 into a pot which Jane hung over the fire in the wide 
 fireplace, across which hung a great iron crane. He 
 went out twice more upon the same errand, partly 
 filling a tub with the water, and as he came in with his 
 last pailful he passed near Dolores, saying as before, 
 
 " Don t be afeared." 
 
 She smiled in return, and then he went out, while 
 Jane proceeded to wash the clothing of both mother 
 and infant, except Dolores* dress, which she exam 
 ined, then folded and put away in a large chest which 
 stood at the back of the room. Her shawl was placed 
 in the same receptacle, and drawing from one end of 
 the chest a bandbox, she brought out a large anti 
 quated bonnet, and placing Dolores hat inside of it 
 returned it to the box.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 157 
 
 " I want to git everything out of sight," she ex 
 plained to Dolores, who bent her head and faintly 
 smiled. 
 
 Into what good hands she had fallen ! She could 
 not feel sufficiently grateful ; and their kindness, to 
 gether with her exhausted state, caused her to fall 
 into a light slumber. When she awoke the clothing 
 Jane had washed hung upon a line which had been 
 stretched across the chimney above the fireplace. 
 Peter was coming in with another pail of spring water. 
 She half rose in her bed. 
 
 "I would like a drink, if you please," she said. 
 
 He brought it in a tin cup, and she drank eagerly. 
 
 " Thanks," she murmured, gratefully. 
 
 " I m keepin a right smart lookout," he said, 
 kindly. " Don t be afeared." 
 
 It seemed to her, as she lay there thinking over the 
 manner in which she had been received, that it was 
 not, after all, her money alone which had made these 
 two uncouth and apparently ignorant people seem so 
 attentive to her. Surely it was not her forlorn con 
 dition, for that had failed to touch them perceptibly 
 at first. If it was their greed for money, would they 
 not be ready to give her up if Alfred came offering a 
 reward ? He was not noted for generosity usually, 
 but this was an extreme case. 
 
 While she was busy with her meditations Jane was 
 not idle. She deftly ironed the clothes she had 
 washed, hanging some of her smaller pieces upon the 
 line once more to air, and depositing the skirt and 
 larger pieces belonging to Dolores on a chair at a 
 little distance from the fire. And then, for a second 
 time, the eyes of the tired mother, after contemplat 
 ing the peaceful slumbers of her babe, closed in 
 oblivion. 
 
 The child woke her at last, and looking up, as soon 
 as she had gathered it in her arms, she saw the cloth 
 ing being conveyed to the great chest. A long- 
 handled frying pan was sputtering over the fire, a 
 smell of bacon issuing from it. A kettle with some-
 
 158 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 thing boiling in it hung from a long hook upon the 
 crane, and a covered skillet at the side of the fire 
 evidently contained something choice, from the man 
 ner in which Jane hovered over it. removing the 
 cover, and giving the contents an occasional poke 
 with a spoon she held in her hand. In a tin kitchen 
 which sat in front of the fire some corn bread was 
 baking, and instead of being disagreeable these vari 
 ous culinary smells were rather appetizing than 
 otherwise. A table, set with old-fashioned white 
 ware, with a blue feathered edge about each dish, 
 was spread in the centre of the room. The snowy 
 cloth was wanting altogether, the dishes being set 
 out upon a dark oilcloth table-cover ; but everything 
 was neat and clean, and Dolores watched it from her 
 nook in the corner, thinking the picture cozy, though 
 rude. 
 
 When dinner was ready Jane called in her hus 
 band, who seemed to have an alarming appetite, 
 judging from the time it took to satisfy it. Bowl 
 after bowl of milk he drank to wash down numerous 
 slices of bacon and corn bread, to say nothing of 
 sweet potatoes without number. Twice he rose and 
 went to a window upon one side of the house and the 
 door upon the other to watch for the approach of any 
 one who might come in pursuit of the fugitive, who was 
 helplessly in his power, and each time he returned to 
 take his seat at the table he nodded reassuringly to 
 her, and to quell the haunted look in the soft dark 
 eyes bade her not be afraid. When he rose at last, 
 like a giant refreshed, Jane drew the skillet from the 
 fire and took from it a small bird, which she had 
 stuffed with savory dressing and roasted brown in a 
 little butter. Tempting though it was, Dolores 
 found her appetite had gone ; but the woman cut 
 slices from the breast and fed her with her own 
 hands, saying she must eat for the child s sake. So 
 she tried to gratify her, and drank eagerly the glass 
 of milk, for she was troubled with constant thirst. 
 
 The day dragged wearily by, and when night came
 
 SUKDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 159 
 
 Dolores was almost wild with fear. The shutters 
 were closed when it was really dark ; like the door, 
 they were fastened with a strong wooden bar. The 
 fire had nearly died out, and Jane brought a saucer 
 of grease of some sort, lighting the end of a bit of 
 cotton cloth which floated in it. It gave out a sickly 
 light and sickening odor, and, after covering up the 
 coals carefully in ashes that they might keep until 
 morning, the man and his wife, after assuring her no 
 one could enter, went up the ladder into the loft to 
 sleep. 
 
 " Call if you need me," Jane said, and then Dolores 
 was left alone with her fears and her child. 
 
 All night long she tossed in feverish wakefulness, 
 wondering vaguely how it was that God spared her 
 wretched life, caring to live only for her infant s sake, 
 and longing to die if both might go together. But 
 the night wore away and morning came. When break 
 fast was over Dolores rose and sat in a low painted 
 rocker with the babe in her lap, while Jane aired the 
 bed and beat it into smoothness and softness with her 
 hard but deft hands. At this moment Peter put his 
 head inside the door. 
 
 " The brindle heifer is missin ," he said, "and I ve 
 got to find her, but I wont be gone long. There ain t 
 nobody nigh now." 
 
 The bed was in order, all but turning down the 
 hideous but comfortable patch-work quilt, so Jane went 
 outside and watched her husband till he disappeared 
 in the forest. Then turning to come in she saw a 
 horseman enter the clearing from the opposite side. 
 She did not seem to see him, however, but went into 
 the house and leisurely closed the door. Dolores 
 looked up into her face and knew the hour she dreaded 
 had come. She rose from the chair with the child in 
 her arms. Jane was opening the trap-door of the 
 small dark hole which served as a cellar. 
 
 " Go down there," she whispered ; " I can t get the 
 ladder down if you go in the loft." 
 
 Dolores obeyed without a word. The door closed
 
 l6o SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 noiselessly after her, and the bed was rolled over it. 
 Then taking the broom Jane began to sweep with a 
 will. With what dust had accumulated under the bed 
 she soon had quite a heap collected near the door, 
 which she opened without glancing out. Hearing 
 a footstep and catching a glimpse of an approach 
 ing form, by a deft sweep of her broom she sent 
 the contents of the dust-heap flying through the 
 air, rilling the eyes, nose and ears of some one who 
 was just about to ascend the rough stone steps which 
 led to the door. 
 
 An oath, followed by a fit of coughing and sneez 
 ing, told her that her aim had been unerring, and it 
 was now time to show some surprise. 
 
 " Sakes alive !" she cried, " ef it ain t a man !" 
 
 ; A gentleman, you mean, you infernal idiot !" cor 
 rected the stranger, in no gentle tone. 
 
 " Laws !" she said, seeming greatly astonished. 
 Be you a gentleman ?" and then she raised her 
 broom to sweep out the little dust that remained. 
 
 " Hold on, can t you ?" he cried, " and answer me 
 a civil question." 
 
 " I kin answer a civil question," she replied. " Kin 
 you ask one ?" 
 
 " Stand aside, you impertinent fool !" exclaimed he, 
 "and it won t be necessary to ask anything. A mouse 
 couldn t hide away in this miserable hovel of yours," 
 and he pushed rudely past her, looking in every cor 
 ner, even in the small cupboard by the chimney. 
 
 "Is there anything up-stairs ?" he asked. 
 
 " Yes," she answered, " all my silk gowns. Don t 
 go up, for I hain t got one to spare." 
 
 Up the ladder he rushed at this, coming down a 
 moment later more angry and disappointed than ever. 
 
 "Is there a cellar to your old hut?" he said. 
 
 "Oh, yes," replied she, "and a parlor, and a dinin - 
 room, and sixteen bed-rooms." 
 
 " Look here," he cried, white with anger, " I ve 
 stood as much of your ignorant and impertinent 
 gabble as I m going to stand. Now answer me one
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. l6l 
 
 question. Have you seen anything of a woman with 
 a child within two or three days wandering about 
 here ?" 
 
 " If you don t like my talk," said she, coolly, 
 "you d better get out of the house. I reckon you 
 like mine as well as I like yours. You know well 
 enough women and children never come to such an 
 out-of-the-way place as this. If my husband was 
 home you wouldn t dare come into my house and 
 rummage it over, and sarse me into the bargain. And 
 you call yourself a gentleman ?" 
 
 Alfred for the reader knows it was Alfred be 
 came more and more enraged as the woman went on. 
 He was now convinced that Dolores was either dead 
 or had made her escape. He had been advised to 
 visit this house, as it was the only one within several 
 miles, and the one she would reach in all probability. 
 So he had ridden a roundabout way for hours, deter 
 mined, if he did find his wife, to endeavor to coax her 
 to return with him, promising her every protection. 
 He was angry in having come such a fatiguing jour 
 ney upon a fool s errand, and doubly angered at the 
 reception he had met, though he had no idea that the 
 baptism of dust was intentional. But to have his 
 right to the name of gentleman sneered at and 
 doubted he who bore the noble name of Hastings 
 it was too much. With an oath he raised his hand to 
 strike the woman, but raised it only, for at that mo 
 ment the door swung aside to admit Peter s burly 
 form. 
 
 " A gentleman !" cried he. " Ef you m a gentle 
 man I m glad I ain t one ! A gentleman !" he re 
 peated. "Oh, yes, any one would take you for a 
 gentleman ef they met you on a dark night and hadn t 
 nary a candle !" 
 
 It occurred to Alfred, while Peter was relieving 
 himself of this speech, that it would be advisable to 
 vacate the premises at once, and he was about to 
 carry his plan into execution, when Peter, divining 
 his intention, came quickly forward with the idea of
 
 162 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 rendering him a little assistance. This little would 
 undoubtedly have been greater, only for the fear that 
 arose in Peter s mind of maiming him so he would be 
 unable to ride away as he came, and remembering 
 that discretion was the better part of valor, he re 
 strained himself to such an extent that Alfred only 
 received a kick and a blow which sent him upon his 
 knees down the stone steps, " barkin em well," as 
 Peter grimly informed Jane, after Alfred had picked 
 himself up and went limping away after his horse. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 NEW FRIENDS. 
 
 Breathlessly Dolores listened to what was passing 
 above her, for the chinks in the floor, through which 
 she could see daylight, rendered every word audible. 
 She trembled violently, and rocked her body to and 
 fro to soothe her infant, whose slightest cry would 
 have betrayed all. But fortunately the interview was 
 short, neither Jane s words nor Peter s prompt action 
 having tended to lengthen it. Scarcely had Alfred 
 got out of hearing distance when little Rose began to 
 show signs of restlessness, not liking to remain in the 
 dark, and from beginning with a series of protests, 
 uttered in baby dialect, she cried violently. Dolores, 
 not quite sure that Alfred had gone, was in despair, 
 but Jane removed the bed from the trap-door and 
 assured her that the coast was clear. 
 
 "He s gone," she said, "and you kin come up an 
 lay down. He wont come back agin, I warrant you 
 that. Peter fixed him ; an besides, he haint got no 
 idee at all o yer bein hyer." 
 
 It was with the greatest difficulty that Dolores 
 made her way up the ladder into the room. Jane 
 came down and took the babe, and Dolores crept 
 up after her, Peter at last reaching down his brawny 
 arms and lifting her almost bodily, never letting go 
 his hold until he placed her upon the bed.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 163 
 
 " I pity a dog that man has to deal with," he said. 
 " Don t be afeared, he wont come back agin." 
 
 It was some time before she could fully realize that 
 all danger for the present was past, but at length she 
 took courage and was not afraid, even when Peter set 
 out again in search of the "brindle heifer." Not 
 being a great distance away he had heard Alfred s 
 voice when he uttered the angry oaths on account of 
 receiving the dust in his face, and had turned back in 
 time to save Jane from harm and hasten Alfred s 
 departure. 
 
 After this Dolores gained strength rapidly. There 
 was plenty of pure, fresh milk, fresh eggs, sweet 
 potatoes, corn bread and bacon, besides an occa 
 sional bird shot by Peter, or a fowl spared from their 
 number, though, as Jane confided to Dolores, they 
 usually sold the fowls. However, these rude hermits 
 seemed to have a tender spot in their hearts, for be 
 fore a week had passed they offered her a home with 
 them if she would remain. 
 
 " I thank you very, very much, my dear, kind 
 friends," she said, "but I must go on. My husband 
 will not be satisfied with this single search. It may 
 quiet him for a time, but he will grow restless and 
 come again, not alone. Every nook and corner of 
 the wood will be searched as well as your house. 1 
 would not be safe here and I might bring you only 
 trouble." 
 
 " We don t mind trouble," Peter said in answer, 
 " but I s pose you ve got friends that you re goin 
 to?" 
 
 " Yes, I have friends," she replied, " though they 
 live a long way off. I will try to reach them. But, 
 if you don t mind telling me, I would like to ask you 
 why you have been so kind to me. It cannot be be 
 cause of the little money I am giving you, for, no 
 doubt, if you had bargained with my husband when 
 he came he would have paid you far more." 
 
 " It wan t the money s count, though thet s w at we 
 tuck ye for fust," said Jane ; " but we hed a darter o
 
 164 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 our own onct, an , strange to say, she war a purty gal. 
 Wai, a man come a-courtin her, a man as b longed to 
 one o the high-tonedest families anywhar roun , an 
 he tuck her away and sent er to school, an Peter 
 fer he wouldn t hev no foolin went wi her an 
 seed em merried by a reg lar parson, one he knowed, 
 so that all was right. We didn t live in this clarin 
 then, but a good smart piece up the kentry. Wai, the 
 man got tired o her at last. He ownded a big plan 
 tation, an niggers an all that, an I spose he could 
 merry his pick o any gal in the kentry. So he tuck 
 our pore gal outen the school, purtendin" he war goin 
 to take her to his house. Stid o that he tuck her to 
 some by-place an kep a-givin o - er slow pizen. He 
 kep er thar a right smart while, an finally the nigger 
 gal as waited on er foun it out an tole er, an she 
 helped er to git away. An she kem back to us i the 
 night an begged us to save er frem er husban . 
 
 "We tuck er in an made er as comfor able as we 
 knowed how, but the pore thing died afore she d been 
 hum two days. An that mornin after you kem to 
 an said you was a hidin from yer husban wal, it 
 kinder choked us up an made us think o our pore 
 gal dead an gone, an we said as how we d take keer 
 o ye come what would, an we did. After she died 
 the place got kind o lonesome, so we moved here, 
 an clared up a piece o groun , fer we didn t want ter 
 see nobody. An we don t see nobody, cept once in 
 a long spell a pore nigger fotches up here a-runnin 
 away from his master, an them we allus help, on 
 count o the gal as helped our Lizy. We don t keer 
 fer nobody, an we don t want ter see nobody, an 
 when you kem we thought as how you was one o 
 them high-headed wimmen roun hyer as would treat 
 us as bad as they treats their own niggers, an hed 
 got inter some scrape, and we didn t want nuthin* to 
 do with ye, on y when we found you hed money we 
 thought we might as well make a little as not. But 
 we found you was a different kind, an" besides, the 
 babby is so peart, ef you could be satisfied to put up
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 165 
 
 wi our ways we d like to keep ye wi us. On y, ef 
 its fer yer own good, we wouldn t put a straw in yer 
 way o goin ." 
 
 "Your daughter s experience was like mine in some 
 things," Dolores said. " I have found in the negroes 
 my truest friends. They are kind-hearted, and always 
 ready to help the suffering when it is in their power 
 to do so, and they will risk even their lives to serve 
 their friends. My husband brought me to an out- 
 of-the-way place to get rid of me also, and only 
 for the faithful aid of a negro servant he would 
 have accomplished what he set out to do. She 
 discovered his schemes the first was that he at 
 tempted to poison me and when we tried to escape 
 together he followed, and because she had on my 
 shawl he shot at her, thinking it was I, and killed her. 
 This was only the day before I reached here." 
 
 " It wa nt fur from hyer, then ?" said Jane. " An 
 I spose it is best fer ye to go. I m awful sorry ; an 
 anyhow we wont take any more o yer money, shell 
 we, Peter ?" 
 
 " No," he said, "we can git along well enough ; we 
 don t want it. But in my pinion, fore she goes, I d 
 better go to the Branch an buy her a par o stout calf 
 shoes. Them air she s got on them feet o hern ain t 
 wuth nothin to walk in, an none o yourn wont fit her." 
 
 So the shoes were bought, and fitting her out as 
 well as they were able, with her clothing mended and 
 clean, and food enough to last her for some days, 
 Dolores thanked them with tears in her eyes and 
 continued her journey. Jane accompanied her for 
 three or four miles, carrying her child, and then left 
 her to go on alone. Peter had directed her as well 
 as he could the way she had better take, advising 
 her to keep to the south-west as nearly as possible. 
 
 It had occurred to her a day or so before she left 
 the cabin that if she could only write to Kick he 
 would come for her and take her home. But sne was 
 afraid to do this. She felt Alfred would not leave a 
 stone unturned to find her, and she feared the neigh-
 
 l66 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 boring postmasters had been notified by him to stop 
 any letter that might be directed to Rick Gonzales, as 
 it might lead to the finding of a runaway slave, and 
 she did not for a moment doubt that they would do so. 
 She knew that all conspired against the slaves, and any 
 thing that led to the capture of one who had attempted 
 to escape was considered lawful and right, though 
 that one act might break all the ten commandments 
 at once and every law in the United States besides. 
 Unfortunately there were few of the last to break, and 
 none that in any way favored the slaves or recognized 
 them as human beings. 
 
 For four days Dolores went on her way in what, 
 compared to her first hasty flight, might have been 
 called comparative comfort. She grew very weary, it 
 is true, but she did not allow herself to go more than 
 two hours at a time without stopping to rest. She 
 found plenty of clear spring water, and sometimes 
 berries, and she always paused to gather these to eke 
 out her food, which was slowly but surely diminish 
 ing. She avoided going too near any house as long 
 as her food held out, for fear of leaving some trace 
 by which she might be discovered ; but at length, her 
 little store exhausted, her clothing growing soiled, and 
 herself very weary, she determined to seek out some 
 small, obscure house, walk boldly to it, ask a night s 
 lodging and offer payment for it, and then endeavor 
 to obtain some one to drive her some miles farther 
 upon her journey. She felt it was a bold move, but 
 she grew less and less afraid as she left the miles 
 behind her, for she felt that Alfred would not be 
 likely to pursue her farther. He would be afraid of 
 pushing the search lest he might meet some one who 
 knew him, for when inquiring about the slave trader 
 who had bought Prudy, poor Sue s daughter, she 
 found he came from this vicinity. She had tried to 
 find Prudy, and she knew Rick had also, but that he 
 had been unsuccessful she was assured, or he would 
 have sent her word. It was now too late to restore 
 mother and daughter, but Dolores felt her weary
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN MOBILITY. 167 
 
 heart warm toward the daughter of the woman who 
 had given her life for hers. 
 
 She combed her hair and washed her face at a 
 woodland spring, changed her rough shoes for her 
 better ones, and made herself as presentable as pos 
 sible ; then she turned into the main road for the first 
 time. She had not proceeded far before she heard 
 the steps of a horse, and sitting down under a tree 
 she put her bundle out of sight, lay her child upon 
 her knee and began playing with it. A moment later a 
 horseman passed, a man with a rough but, upon the 
 whole, an aristocratic bearing, a man of middle age, 
 a gentleman, no doubt. He glanced toward mother 
 and child, seeming interested in the pair, and lifted 
 his hat as he passed. 
 
 To her delight he seemed to recognize her as a 
 lady, and it served to allay her fears. As soon as he 
 was out of sight she singled out a small house which 
 seemed to have no negro cabins about it, went to the 
 door and knocked, putting on a brave face, though 
 slightly fearful at the last. 
 
 A neat-looking mulatto girl answered her summons, 
 and she was at once ushered into a parlor, which 
 showed signs of wealth in an occasional article of rich 
 furniture. 
 
 " Is your mistress at home ?" asked Dolores, whose 
 heart sank within her as, glancing out of a rear win 
 dow, she saw a cluster of cabins which the hill had 
 hidden from her sight. 
 
 " No, ma am," the girl replied, i: dey is all gone to 
 Scrabbleton ter tend a weddin , and won t be home 
 twell midnight." 
 
 "In that case," Dolores said, taking heart again, 
 " perhaps you will answer as well as your mistress. I 
 have lost my way, and am very tired and hungry. 
 May I rest here a few moments, and will you be kind 
 enough to give me something to eat ?" 
 
 " Sartin," the girl replied. She started to go out 
 and then she turned back. " Scuse me," she said, 
 "askin", but de niggahs am so w ite in dese days 1
 
 l68 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 want ter ax ye ef you is a slave ? Not dat yer looks 
 tells me so, but, oh, you is fer all de worl , side from 
 looks dat is, you pears so forlorn-likeyou does make 
 me tink ob a gal w at was mos w te w at was a-run- 
 nin away from her mas r, an dey set de dogs on her 
 an cotch her, an bring her all a-bleedin , an han - 
 cuffed her an tuck her back." 
 
 " No," Dolores answered, " I am not a slave, but I 
 am afraid of being taken for one. Perhaps I had 
 better not stop, for if your master and mistress were 
 to return " 
 
 " Now nebber you feah dat. But de place am full 
 o little darkies, an dey might tell bout yer in de 
 mawnin , an I jes vise yer to step up inter de room 
 where I sleeps. It ain t no moan nor a closet, but 
 you kin lay down an rest twell mos mornin , an den 
 I ll let you out when dey is soun asleep aftah comin 
 home. Come right along, honey, an lay down, an 
 I ll bring yer somefin right off. I ll tell Dinah dat 
 Missus tole me not ter go outen de house, an I ll 
 bring in a good lot o vittles an make her beliebe I is 
 feahful hungry. Dis way, honey, an don t let de chile 
 cry ef yer kin help it." 
 
 Dolores followed the girl up-stairs. Traveling alone 
 was very much against her. She had heard the 
 Southern people were notably hospitable, but she 
 knew they were not so to those in real need of hos 
 pitality. She had not the slightest fear that the girl 
 would betray her, and she took her proffered aid 
 most thankfully. 
 
 Once within the little room to which she was con 
 ducted by the girl, who gave her name as Chloe, she 
 sank down exhausted upon the little cot the place 
 afforded, and placed her infant by her side. 
 
 " But yo does look all done beat out," said Chloe. 
 " Mebbe I d bettah tell Dinah bout yer she d nebber 
 tell, an she d fix yer up moah comfortable like." 
 
 " You may tell her, I am not afraid," Dolores said, 
 and in a few moments Chloe returned with a great, 
 strapping black woman at her heels.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 169 
 
 " De Lo d a-marcy !" exclaimed Dinah, "but yo 
 does look all but gone." 
 
 Dolores raised her head a moment. 
 
 " Dinah, Chloe," she said, " I am Spanish, and 
 married to a man who is a large slaveholder. There 
 is a small quantity of negro blood in my veins, but I 
 had some money and my husband married me for 
 that. Soon after my child was born he found out 
 about my origin, and he took me into the mountains 
 of Tennessee and sold me and my child his lawful 
 child for slaves. I escaped, found help, and am 
 making my way to Mississippi, where I have wealthy 
 friends who will help me. I beg of you give me food 
 and let me rest until in the night, when I will go on 
 my journey." 
 
 " De Lo d a-marcy !" cried Dinah, and with that 
 she sprang up and ran down-stairs as fast as her feet 
 could carry her fat body. 
 
 Chloe smiled, and going into the next room she 
 brought a bowl of water and a towel, that Dolores 
 might bathe her face. Soon after, Dinah again ap 
 peared with the remains of a chicken pie, some cold 
 ham, corn bread, pickles and a cup of tea. Dolores 
 was so hungry she was not slow to follow the advice 
 Dinah gave her as she set it down. 
 
 "Now eat all yer anyways kin, honey, an" don t be 
 afeard o nobody," and after this admonition she took 
 up the baby, who, though looking rather tired, bright 
 ened up the moment she saw the kindly dark face, 
 and began to crow, thinking it was Sue come back 
 again. 
 
 As soon as Dolores had finished Dinah addressed 
 her again. 
 
 " Now, honey, de nex ting is ter take off yer close. 
 Chloe, bring one ob de missus gowns it ll be washed 
 afore she sees it agin fo de lady ter put on, an den 
 we ll make dese air a little decent. We d gib yer 
 some o ourn an welcom , on y we haint got nuffin 
 nice, an yer own is bettah if dey is washed. I ll 
 ten ter clem, an Chloe, yo take der baby w ile its
 
 170 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 mammy rests. It ain t much we kin do to help her, 
 but w at we kin de Lo d knoes we does willin ." 
 
 And without the slightest fear in her head Dolores 
 threw herself on the bed and was soon asleep. 
 
 Meanwhile Chloe and Dinah were busy. Her own 
 and the baby s clothing were washed and hung to 
 dry, her dress and bonnet brushed, and then Dinah 
 set to work to prepare her a lunch, puzzling her brain 
 meanwhile to think how she could aid Dolores further. 
 She could not remain in the house later than ten 
 o clock, as her absence from her own cabin would be 
 remarked, and she wished everything kept quiet. The 
 washing no one would observe, as she was to have 
 some done for her mistress (who also had an infant) 
 during her absence. Before dark the clothing was 
 dried and ironed and taken into the house to air. She 
 peeped into the little room and found Dolores awake, 
 so she went in and sat down. 
 
 " I links, honey," said she, "dat yer oughter trabble 
 as a lady an den nobody ll spect yer. Has yer got 
 any money ?" 
 
 "Yes," Dolores answered, "I have a little, but I 
 don t think I could travel far on it. I have about 
 fifteen dollars, that is all." 
 
 " Wall, now, I dunno, but I tink yo kin go a right 
 smart ways wi dat. If yer had jest one niggah to 
 nuss de baby, but dat yo hasn t got. Did yer tole 
 me yer could talk Spanish ?" 
 
 " Yes," again answered Dolores, " I speak it the 
 same as English." 
 
 " Den I b liebe I ken fix yer all out. I ll gib yer a 
 good big snack, an bout two or free clock to-morrow 
 mawnin Chloe 11 let yer outen de house. Take de 
 road dat goes down de hill to yer right, an walk inter 
 de fust woods an hide. My ole man Jim ginerally 
 goes to Scrabbleton fur de mail ebery mawnin , cos 
 Missus is anxious bout her sistahdat is sick in Louis 
 ville. He ll go in de mawnin , an w en he gits to de 
 woods he ll sing, 
 
 DC Mefodist an Baptist am jes gone along !
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. I 71 
 
 an w en yer heahs him, yer come out and he ll drive yer 
 in style fro Scrabbleton on ter Hillside, an w en he 
 gits ter Hillside he ll drive yer up ter de tabern dah, 
 an" yo git out an ask fer a room an a waggin to ride 
 i urder. Act careless like, an don t pay no moah nor 
 yer wants ter. Sta t off as soon as yer kin. Yer 
 needn t eat nuffin in de place, fer I ll put some hot 
 coffee inter a bottle and send yer some chicking an 
 pone by Jim, and yer eat dat afoah yo sta t. Pay 
 out yer money a-ridin , an dat way de vittles I put 
 yo up 11 last a right smart spell. I ll try an pick yer 
 up a veil, an yo war dat, an nobody 11 know yer." 
 
 Dolores felt that this was sound advice. By this 
 means she would get along rapidly and be enabled to 
 reach Idlefield within a few days at the latest. 
 
 " An you is ter speak like a furrin woman, an* 
 nobody 11 spect yer den." 
 
 "Thank you, Dinah," she said, " for your kind ad 
 vice. I see now how impossible it is for any poor 
 woman to travel through the South as I have been 
 doing without being taken for a slave, and your way 
 is the only way." And then she thought if she had 
 only Sue how well she might have got along. 
 
 The last thing Dinah did before leaving the house 
 was to place the clean clothing in a neat bundle, the 
 lunch in another, and tie them together ; then plac 
 ing a tray of edibles in the room, so Dolores might 
 eat her late supper and lie down again, she bade her 
 good-by and went to her cabin to prepare Jim for his 
 work in the morning. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 IN VAIN. 
 
 Dolores heard the family return, heard the whining 
 voice of the lady of the house as she bade her maid 
 take off her shoes, for her feet were nearly blistered 
 with dancing. Then in the same voice she poured 
 out order upon order, the whining tone becoming
 
 iy> SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 sharp and shrill, and at length when the patient maid 
 was unable to untie the knot in the laces of her bod 
 ice, there came two or three quick blows in the face 
 with my lady s delicate hand. 
 
 " I don t know what I shall do," she exclaimed, as 
 though there was never a woman in the world who 
 suffered such constant martyrdom as she. " I try 
 first one maid and then another, and they keep on 
 growing worse and worse, the last one always being 
 more clumsy and stupid than the one before her. 
 Here I am so exhausted I know I ll be sick to 
 morrow, and this insufferable snail is bound to keep 
 me two hours before she gets me ready for bed." 
 
 "It s a devilish shame !" cried her husband. "Why 
 don t you get a rawhide ? Look here, girl, if you 
 don t stir yourself a little faster I swear I ll have you 
 flogged good and soundly to-morrow ! I won t be 
 kept up till daylight with any of your hellish non 
 sense !" 
 
 Dolores felt her blood boil in her veins as she list 
 ened, and yet the bondage to which this girl was sub 
 ject was mild in comparison to what she might have 
 expected what she might expect still if she failed to 
 make good her escape. To her would never be as 
 signed the position of lady s maid ; a far worse fate 
 awaited her, she never doubted that. This affection 
 ate scene between master, mistress and servant, 
 which she did not see but overheard, did much to 
 rouse the flagging energies of Dolores. She felt she 
 could endure anything but capture when assigned to 
 a fate like this. 
 
 At length the house grew still and Chloe crept up 
 to her room. 
 
 " It wa nt me, ma am," she said ; "oh no, I was a- 
 helpin wid de baby. But ef dat bressed chillen had 
 a cried a whimper den I d a cotch it too. It am 
 dreffle de way missis takes on. An mass r s gittiu 
 mos as bad. Yer see, she riles him up an starts him 
 a-goin wuss nor she is herself. We niggahs don t 
 hab no peace o our libes, dat is jes w at we don t !"
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 173 
 
 These words were uttered in a low but passionate 
 whisper, and Dolores did not wonder when Chloe de 
 clared she often wished herself dead. She could only 
 implore her to be patient and pray that the dear God 
 would yet remember his people ; but here Chloe inter 
 rupted her. 
 
 " Dah ain t no Lo d, nohow !" she said. " W y, de 
 debble d be mos shamed o sich tings as de Lo d 
 lows. Or ef dah am any Lo d he m on y fer white 
 folks. He don t take no stock in niggers. W y, 
 laws, honey, yer might jes as well be in de bad place 
 itself as be on de Lo d s earf an hab a brack skin !" 
 
 " It won t always be so, Chloe," she said. " De 
 pend upon it help is near. Be patient, for the day 
 will come when you shall be as free as your mistress 
 is to-day." 
 
 When an hour or two had elapsed Chloe went out 
 softly to see if the coast was clear, and then reporting 
 that all was well she slipped out through the front 
 door, followed by Dolores and the child. Once out 
 side, however, she did not turn back, but went on 
 down to the highway. 
 
 "Dey won t miss me fer once, t ank de Lo d," she 
 said, " an I se gwine down ter de woods, so I kin tell 
 Jim de bery dentical spot whar he ll find yer, an den 
 dey won t be no trouble, an ef he don t come early 
 wait twell he does. Dinah or me ll run down ef we 
 kin an" let yer know ef he s kep . Now, good-by, an 
 de Lo d take keer on ye an help yo reach yer fren s 
 all safe an soun ." 
 
 She had guided Dolores to a secluded spot not far 
 from the main road not far, indeed, from the house 
 she had left behind, but effectually screened from 
 both by a thick forest with a dense undergrowth. 
 Again and again Dolores thanked her, and then she 
 turned back to the house. 
 
 In the morning Dolores heard, long before she ex 
 pected it, the welcome sound of the song, or, rather, 
 hymn, which Jim was to sing to notify her of his ap 
 proach. She waited, however, until Jim, after tying his
 
 174 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NUK1LITY. 
 
 horse, came into the thicket bearing a package in his 
 hand. It proved to be the promised breakfast, and 
 after respectfully saluting her he drew from his 
 pocket a flask of hot coffee and proceeded to lay 
 out her breakfast upon a paper which he spread out 
 on the ground. He even took the baby while she 
 ate, dancing the child up and down, for little Rose 
 was growing very playful. At times her little face 
 wore a wise and melancholy look, as if she sympa 
 thized with her mother s trouble. Dolores had few 
 smiles for her, yet she was ready to crow back to 
 Dinah and Jim as she had done to Peter and Jane, at 
 the first appearance of a smile upon their faces. 
 
 The meal was soon dispatched and they set out 
 upon their journey, Dolores taking the precaution to 
 tie the thick veil Dinah had given her across her face. 
 She felt greatly encouraged. The air was invigorat 
 ing as they rode along. It was so much more cheering 
 than to travel through the dust and heat, or over 
 brake and briar, and besides the nourishing food of 
 which she had just partaken had wonderfully refreshed 
 her. Dinah was right. It was far better for her to 
 expend her money in riding as far as possible instead 
 of walking and laying it out for food. 
 
 What an escape she had had ! She was so thankful 
 for that. If Dinah s master or mistress had chanced 
 to be home, or if it had happened to be a time when 
 the negro children were about the house and had seen 
 her, she might have been captured, held and adver 
 tised, and in case no one claimed her she would have 
 been kept in bondage under the man and woman who 
 appeared so brutal the night before, the woman even 
 worse than her husband. 
 
 But that danger, thank Heaven, was over. Dinah 
 thought she could go a long day s journey for five 
 dollars, and Jim was of the same opinion. Here 
 Jim fumbled in his pocket a moment and then bash 
 fully brought out a purse made of a piece of cloth, 
 containing a few silver pieces, which he said was a 
 present from Dinah.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 175 
 
 I cannot take her savings," said Dolores, with 
 tears in her eyes, " indeed I cannot. Tell her I thank 
 her with all my heart, but " 
 
 " I dassent take it back to her," said Jim. " I 
 knows it ain t much, dey is nt moah nor a dollah or so, 
 but w at dey is you is welcome to, an it may keep de 
 wolf away jes at de las minit w en you is all but 
 done out." 
 
 She finally took it, thanking him, with tears stream 
 ing down her cheeks. 
 
 It was an hour s ride to Scrambleton, and it took 
 half an hour more to reach Hillside, the next village 
 beyond, though the first had only five or six houses and 
 the last but three or four. It was ten miles from 
 where they had started in the morning ten miles 
 nearer Idlefield. There was a store and post-office 
 combined, and on the steps sat two rough-looking 
 men with wide-brimmed hats smoking. There was a 
 dwelling-house and a hotel, and to this last Jim drove, 
 set her down with a flourish, gave her the parcel, and, 
 bowing very respectfully, drove away. He had 
 charged her beforehand not to give him anything 
 more than a casual adieu, as it would be observed, so 
 she had thanked him and told him if ever in trouble, 
 and it was possible, to send word to Rick Gonzales, at 
 Idlefield, near Milton, Miss. 
 
 A polite negro came out of the tavern as soon as 
 Dolores arrived, and he at once conducted her to 
 Avhat was called the public parlor. 
 
 " I want a room," she said in broken English, " but 
 I shall not stay long. I am traveling and I want to go 
 on as soon as possible. Could you send the landlord to 
 me ? Or stay, I will go to my room first. You may 
 register Senora Valentin, and give me a room quick, 
 as I am tired." 
 
 He went out and soon returned, saying he would 
 show her at once to her room. She followed him, and as 
 she passed through the hall she saw, without directly 
 looking, that the bar-room opposite was half filled 
 with men who were smoking, drinking and swearing.
 
 176 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 She repressed a shudder as she passed by and went 
 up the staircase to her room. Once there she shrank 
 into its shelter with a feeling of relief, resolved to 
 leave the place as soon as possible. The negro re 
 tired, saying that the landlord would be up in a 
 moment. 
 
 Dolores had only time to take off bonnet, veil and 
 shawl when the man appeared a rough, swaggering 
 fellow, being the same type of man that slave-traders 
 usually were. He bowed very low, however, asking 
 her what she desired in as polite a manner as he could 
 command. 
 
 " I want to go to a friend s some distance from 
 here," she said, "and I do not know the exact route 
 I ought to take. I wish to reach Milton, Mississippi, 
 and it is in a south-west direction, that is all I know. 
 Can you get me a suitable man to take me well, as 
 far as I can go before nightfall ? I want to make all 
 possible speed, for it is a case of life and death. 
 How far could I go before night, and what would 
 you charge for a horse, carriage and driver for the 
 day ?" 
 
 " Wall, ma am, I reckon you could go bout twenty- 
 five mile or so providin your horse was a decent 
 traveler; but unless I kin come across somebody 
 thet s goin* the same way I shell hev to charge fer 
 two days, to go an return. That would be bout 
 wal, say ten dollars, I reckon. I might say, seein* it s 
 a lady," with a horrid grin, " eight dollars. Ef I kin 
 find someb dy goin thet road it won t be more nor 
 five, or p raps four. You want to make fer Ramsey, 
 thet ll be right on yer route. I ll go down direc ly and 
 see about it." 
 
 " Do," she said, not forgetting to speak with a 
 strong foreign accent, " and let me know at once." 
 
 Her heart began to fail her. If she must pay 
 eight dollars for twenty-five miles her money, even 
 with Dinah s gift included, would only take her fifty 
 miles. She had her watch, which, if able to dispose 
 of it, might bring her she scarcely knew what, but it
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 177 
 
 would be a help, no doubt ; but how to part with it 
 without raising suspicion she did not know. 
 
 While she was revolving these things sadly through 
 her mind there was a knock at the door, and at her 
 bidding a negro girl, or woman, entered the room. As 
 soon as she crossed the threshold Dolores breathed 
 freerer, why she could not tell, except that negroes 
 had always befriended her. 
 
 " Mas r sent me to see ef de lady wanted anything 
 she said, with a respectful courtesy. 
 
 " I m very thirsty," Dolores answered, " and I 
 would like a glass of water." 
 
 The water was brought in a moment, and the 
 woman paused to chirp to the child while Dolores 
 drank it. 
 
 " Thanks," Dolores said as she finished. " What 
 shall I call you ?" 
 
 " Tot," the woman answered. " Leastways dat is 
 w at dey calls me here." 
 
 She was slim and erect, with a dark but fine face, 
 and her head was set off by a bright turban. Her 
 dress, though coarse and plain, was neatly fashioned, 
 more so than that of the generality of slaves Dolores 
 had seen in the vicinity. But it 1/as not this alone 
 which attracted her attention. The girl s face was 
 sad and there was something in it which puzzled 
 Dolores. It reminded her of some one. She could 
 not recollect who at the moment. She looked young, 
 yet womanly, and she took up the child and straight 
 ened its dress with the manner of one accustomed to 
 children. 
 
 There was another knock at the door and the 
 landlord again entered. 
 
 " Wai 1 , now," he said, " you air in luck, ma am. As 
 soon as I mentioned what you wanted, a gentleman 
 what put up here last night tells me he is goin" your 
 road this arternoon an expects to make Ramsey to 
 night. It ll be dusk, I reckon, afore he gits thar, 
 but p rhaps you won t mind. He s got a little busi 
 ness to fix up afore he starts, an he says he ll take yer
 
 17^ SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 fer four dollars, bein its on his route. You ll hev to 
 wait mebbe a couple o hours, but sense you air de 
 tained onexpected I ll send up yer dinner to yer 
 room, low you this gal to take keer o* yer baby while 
 you rest, an charge ye only a dollar for the hull 
 thing." 
 
 Dolores assented. It was better than she feared, and 
 since she would not be obliged to face those dreadful 
 beings in the bar-room by remaining it was just as well. 
 So she thanked him and threw herself upon the bed to 
 rest. She could not sleep, but it was a relief to lie down. 
 As she lay there Tot sat down in a rocker and began 
 crooning to the child a low, monotonous lullaby, and 
 at the sound Dolores half rose from her reclining 
 position and watched her with a startled look upon 
 her face. The song was the same Sue was so fond of 
 singing, one she had sang to the infant daily and 
 nightly during the first two months of its life. And 
 the girl s face yes, it was like Sue s own. It must 
 be Sue s long-lost daughter. She had found her at 
 last, but when she was unable to aid her in any way 
 when it was too late to restore her to her mother. 
 Yet, after all, it might not be ; she was nervous, easily 
 agitated, and yet the song and here she broke out so 
 suddenly as to startle the girl. 
 
 " You told me you were called Tot, now. Had you 
 ever another name ? and did you once live in Vir 
 ginia ?" 
 
 It was now Tot s turn to become excited. 
 
 " Yes, yes !" she said quickly. " My name was 
 Prudy, and my mas r was Mas r Hastings 
 
 "And you lived at Riverton and your mother s 
 name was Sue," began Dolores, springing to her 
 feet, while Tot rose quickly also, with the child in 
 her arms. 
 
 " My mammy !" she cried, in a low, wailing tone, 
 "my pore ole mammy ! Oh, hev you seen her, ma am, 
 an is she well ?" 
 
 Dolores sank down at her feet and caught the wo 
 man s gown.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 179 
 
 " Tot," she said, sobbing out her words, " I am 
 Alfred Hastings wife, and your mother my dear, 
 true, loving Sue died to save my life !" 
 
 Tot sank upon the floor beside Dolores, who 
 clasped her arms around the girl s form. 
 
 " I have sought for you far and near," she said, 
 " but I could never find you until too late." 
 
 " Oh, missus," the girl sobbed, " won t you please 
 buy me an take me away wi you ? Dis am de 
 drefflest place I eber seen ! De men am a-gamblin\ 
 an a-drinkin , an a-carousin de bressed night long, 
 an I can t tell yer de half o der wicked doin s. I 
 don t t ink my mas r wants to sole me, but he ll do 
 anythin fer money." 
 
 " My poor child," Dolores said, quietly, " God 
 knows I would if I could ; but I am myself a fugitive, 
 flying from my husband, who, when he tired of me, 
 took me to this dreadful country and sold me with 
 your mother for a slave." 
 
 "Am de Lord libin ," said Tot, "dat He lows such 
 t ings ter go on ?" 
 
 " Tot," said Dolores, " I promise you if I escape to 
 my friends I will send and buy you, no matter how 
 high a price your master sets upon you." Then 
 in a low tone Dolores told Tot her story, reserving 
 one fact only, that concerning her birth, which 
 she did not wish to confess publicly yet, as, if she 
 escaped and Rick purchased Tot, she would prefer 
 her not to know. For an hour they sat and talked 
 together, sitting as far from the door as possible and 
 speaking, after the first surprise, in low, cautious tones. 
 When dinner was brought up for Dolores the two 
 women understood each other as well in many respects 
 as though they had lived together for years. Tot, 
 lonely and starved for sympathy and kindness, already 
 regarded Dolores with a feeling akin to idolatry, and 
 upon her part Dolores recognized the earnest, stead 
 fast character which so closely resembled that of Sue, 
 and as her heart was still very sore and sorrowful 
 over the loss of her faithful friend it was all the more
 
 l8o SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 ready to turn to the daughter of the woman she 
 mourned so earnestly. 
 
 The dinner was brought up by a negro boy, who 
 informed Tot that her mistress wished to see her for 
 a few moments. So Tot went down and was gone 
 some time. 
 
 When she returned Dolores detected a look of 
 anxiety upon her face, which Tot in vain attempted to 
 conceal, and as soon as they were left alone she ques 
 tioned her as to its cause. 
 
 " I se mos afeard, honey, dey is somefin wrong," 
 she said. "Missis tole me jes now dat I kin go to 
 Ramsey in de kerridge wid yo an* take keer o de 
 baby, as de man dat is goin to drive ober is comin 
 back to-morrow. Now I d be tickled to deff wid de 
 news only she tole me ter pack up all my tings ter go, 
 an" I is dreffle feared mas r hes sole me an I ll git 
 whar you nebber kin find me if yer try." 
 
 Looking at this afterwards, Dolores wondered why 
 she did not at once begin to fear upon her own ac 
 count ; but so interested was she in Tot s welfare at 
 the time, and so fearful of losing sight of her, she 
 forgot for the moment her own danger. So, promis 
 ing to do all for Tot in her power, she made prepara 
 tions to go at once, as word was now sent that the 
 carriage would be ready immediately. She sent for 
 the landlord, paid her bill, he receiving the amount 
 with a bow and a smile that was almost a leer, and 
 then tying the veil over her face she went down, Tot 
 preceding her with the baby in her arms. 
 
 The landlord himself handed her into the convey 
 ance, which proved to be a strong wagon without a 
 cover, before which were hitched a pair of rather 
 restive horses. A negro boy sat in the driver s place 
 upon the front seat holding the reins. Tot was placed 
 in the back seat with Dolores, the landlord apologiz 
 ing for being obliged to put her beside the sefiora. 
 Dolores replied she preferred to have the child be 
 side her, whereat the man bowed and stepped 
 aside to make way for some one who now came
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. iSl 
 
 quickly forward and sprang hastily into the seat 
 with the driver. 
 
 " Let em go !" he said, boisterously, to the boy who 
 held the reins, "an" ef they don t go fast enough, 
 why lick em !" And away they wheeled down the 
 road at a break-neck pace, the wagon rattling roughly 
 over the stones. 
 
 The man did not turn to speak to or even glance 
 at Dolores, or seem to be aware of her presence in 
 any way, yet she felt she could not make the slightest 
 movement without his cognizance. She sat still and 
 dumb, for the moment quite paralyzed with terror, 
 knowing that all her struggles, all her patient toiling, 
 all her pain of body and torture of mind had been in 
 vain. 
 
 It was Ryan, the slave-trader, who had bought her 
 and her child two weeks before ! 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 RYAN IS TENDER-HEARTED. 
 
 There was now but one thing to be thought of, and 
 that was death for herself and child. At first a wild 
 idea came into her mind to take her child in her arms 
 and spring from the carriage. She might injure her 
 self in this way so much that Mr. Ryan would find it 
 necessary to kill her, as people shot jnaimed horses. 
 If she could have been sure of certain death for both, 
 nothing would have prevented her from doing it. As 
 it was, she reached for the child, when, divining her 
 purpose, Ryan turned about in his seat. 
 
 "You re too tired to carry that child, ma am," he 
 said. 
 
 That was all, but she understood. Perhaps even 
 death would be denied her. A strange thing to be 
 courted the monster, Death but Dolores would 
 have welcomed him thankfully in that desperate hour. 
 
 Tot, though fully aware from the man s speech and 
 manner that something was wrong, could not quite
 
 182 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 understand. Dolores still wore her veil, and she did 
 not see the expression of her face. However, she 
 spoke not a word. Dolores at length, reaching out like 
 a child in the dark, sought Tot s hand, and Tot, 
 clasping hers in return, was startled to find it almost 
 clammy and very cold. She gave it a warm, stead 
 fast, encouraging pressure, which sent a thrill of 
 warmth and faint comfort through the frame of the 
 stricken woman beside her. 
 
 For miles they bowled along in silence, then they 
 came to a small town. Of their own accord, as if 
 from frequent habit, the horses turned up to the one 
 tavern, which swung its sign over the wayside. Ryan 
 sprang out. 
 
 " No tricks!" he called. "You ll be watched, an 
 if ye stir it won t be well fur ye. I ll be out agin in 
 the shake of a lamb s tail." 
 
 As soon as he was out of hearing, Dolores, her face 
 turning neither to the right or left, said in a low tone : 
 
 " He is the man who bought me of my husband." 
 
 Tot could scarcely repress a sudden start. 
 
 " Take de baby as soon as yer kin," she said in the 
 same tone and looking straight before her. " When I 
 jump out you foller me. He s bought me, top. We 
 must go at de fust woods or he may handcuff us. 
 Josh," to the boy in front, "don t look dis way, but 
 when we come to de fust woods slack up a little, 
 specially ef I gib yer de wink." 
 
 She was looking at the baby now, and when Ryan 
 came out she was talking to it in a low tone and call 
 ing it a " pore little chillen," and it was trying to 
 answer her in baby fashion. 
 
 " It s a peart little minx," said Ryan to Tot, who 
 answered in a seemingly cheerful tone. 
 
 " Dat she is, Mas r." 
 
 "An" you m a likely gal," he said, addressing her, 
 completely thrown off his guard by her manner. 
 
 " What was they a-talkin about while I was in the 
 tavern, Josh ?" he asked the driver as he sprang in the 
 carriage.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 183 
 
 " Wai, Tot dah war a-talkin trash to de chile, but 
 de missis kep er mouf shet ; leastways, as far as I 
 seen." 
 
 Ryan wiped his mouth and scratched a match upon 
 his boot-heel to light his cigar, and away they drove 
 once more. For some time all was quiet, but at 
 length, either of her own accord or because her nurse 
 seemed suddenly to have lost all her former skill, little 
 Rose began to cry. Then Tot spoke : 
 
 " Guess de chillen want her mammy, Mas r," she 
 said. 
 
 " You re gettin tired, you lazy thing," he said, 
 crossly. " Wai, give her to her mammy for all I care !" 
 
 So Tot passed the child to Dolores, after which she 
 yawned and settled the skirt of her gown. In a few 
 moments the child was asleep, and, drawing her 
 shawl about the little one, Dolores braced her nerves 
 and sat ready for a spring, as they were nearing a 
 wood. She sat directly back of the driver, Tot being 
 behind Ryan, and glancing toward the girl she 
 fancied she saw a look of desperation cross her face. 
 In another moment Tot bent to kiss the child. 
 
 "Jump forward," she said in a low tone, and as she 
 spoke Dolores leaped like a deer from the carriage. 
 Whether Josh had heard the words or not they did 
 not know, but they were going up an inclined plane, 
 and the horses had almost dropped into a walk. She 
 struck upon the bank, which was carpeted with loose 
 turf, uninjured, and gaining her feet instantly sprang 
 into the forest, but not before Ryan had reached for 
 his revolver. His fingers were upon the handle, but 
 they did not grasp it. There was a loud report of a 
 revolver almost in his very ear, and his hand dropped, 
 while he fell forward uttering an oath. Tot, who had 
 possessed herself of Dolores bundle, sprang after her 
 and they were soon lost in the wood, while the horses, 
 frightened at the report of a pistol, dashed madly away 
 unrestrained. Josh was too much taken by surprise to 
 attempt to stop them, and before he gathered his 
 wits together they were past all control.
 
 184 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 Indeed, when he came to consider the matter he 
 thought it was best to let them go, and accordingly he 
 did so, only being careful to keep his seat and hang to 
 the reins. Whether Ryan was dead or not he could 
 not tell. If dead, there was no hurry to reach any 
 town. It would be better for the girls if the horses 
 were to throw him out and stun him, then they would 
 rush on to the next village covered with foam, while 
 he, after remaining senseless for some time, had better 
 attempt to hobble home a good walk, for they were 
 now at least fifteen miles from Hillside. But Ryan 
 was not his master, and he had better get home 
 safely but the horses ! 
 
 The poor boy scratched his wool in perplexity, the 
 first opportunity since the horses started, for they 
 were now calming down a trifle. If he went home 
 without those horses it would be all his life was 
 worth. If, on the other hand, Ryan was not fatally 
 injured well, he shuddered to think what would 
 happen. And just then Ryan moved and uttered an 
 oath. 
 
 " You fool !" he cried, " why don t you stop your 
 horses and not jolt a feller s life out after he s killed 
 already ?" 
 
 " W y, Mas r, I clar to marcy dese air hosses hes 
 been a-runnin* fer dear life, an" it hes been all I could 
 anyways do to keep em in de road. Mas r kin see 
 fer hisself dey is jes frothin all ober. An I reckon 
 ef I hadn t jes stuck by em Mas r s neck d a been 
 broke, suah." 
 
 By this time Josh had stopped the horses and was 
 assisting Ryan to rise. There was an ugly wound 
 in his right shoulder, from which the blood freely 
 flowed, and he was really quite faint from its loss. 
 
 " I can t sit up," he said at last. " Where in thun 
 der air we, Josh ?" 
 
 " I reckon we m most to Ramsey, Mas r," said Josh, 
 innocently. 
 
 "You black devil ! You know thet s a lie ! Jest 
 wait till I send your master word "
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 185 
 
 Here a twinge of pain caused him to stop short. 
 
 "You ll be hung, drawed and quartered !" he went 
 on as soon as he caught his breath. " Here ! Take 
 out the back seat and fix the cushings so I kin lay 
 down. Why, bless my stars, them hosses must a-gone 
 like thunder. We air putty nigh on ter Ramsey. 
 Look here. Josh ou ! you black nigger, ef I was 
 well I d knock yer down !" 
 
 " Ef Mas r was well den I wouldn t be a-layin" im 
 down in dis ere waggin," said Josh in a conciliating 
 tone, feeling very uneasy about the final issue (as well 
 he might be), and knowing that his only chance was 
 to conciliate, as far as possible, the man in whose 
 power he was. If Ryan sent an unfavorable report 
 back to his master he knew the consequences would 
 be terrible to him, and therefore he laid the man down 
 as tenderly as possible, receiving a kick in his face 
 for his pains as he stooped to gather up the lines. 
 
 The blood gushed from his mouth and nose, for 
 Ryan s boot was heavy, and the kick was given with all 
 the force of passionate rage which possessed the man. 
 For a moment the boy felt like turning upon the brute 
 and killing him at any cost, but remembering it would 
 be sure death to him, if not torture and both were 
 most probable he wiped the blood away in silence, 
 and taking the reins stood waiting for orders without 
 a word. This attitude, instead of appeasing Ryan s 
 wrath, only added to it, and, only that the pain from 
 his wound was very great, he would have risen and 
 repeated the performance. 
 
 " Why the h 1 don t yer drive on ?" he cried at 
 length. " Do yer mean ter keep me hyer till I bleed 
 ter death ?" 
 
 " Which way shell I go, Mas r ?" asked Josh, 
 quietly. 
 
 " Foller yer bloody nose !" yelled Ryan. 
 
 "Shell I drive fast or slow ?" asked Josh, still in a 
 respectful tone. 
 
 " Drive like the old boy was after ye !" Here 
 followed another volley of oaths, and Josh draw-
 
 186 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 ing up the reins, the horses set off, though now 
 inclined to move at a moderate pace. 
 
 Ryan s tongue was scarcely silent a moment during 
 the remainder of the drive. They neared a small 
 village, but he ordered Josh not to stop as he knew 
 there was no physician it, and he began to fear his 
 wound might prove serious. Still he kept up a con 
 stant fire of profanity from his blasphemous tongue, 
 said the fugitives should not escape him, that he would 
 sell Dolores to the worst fiend he could find, and Tot 
 should be burned alive. And poor Josh listened 
 wearily, wishing himself safely at home, though it was- 
 far from being a pleasant one. 
 
 Ryan had waited for some days in Nashville hoping 
 to hear from A If red, for he had taken a fancy to Dolores, 
 and instead of selling her, as he declared to be his in 
 tention, he decided that, since he had always lived a 
 hard life and enjoyed little of the luxuries of the 
 world, he would treat himself at last and appropriate 
 Dolores to himself. Her child he intended to sell as- 
 soon as it was old enough to "scratch fer itself," as 
 he termed it. He attended to the business he had in 
 Nashville, and then, consulting a map and taking 
 into consideration the probabilities, he decided in 
 favor of her having "made a bee line" for the south 
 west. 
 
 Accordingly he went to Hillside, scouring the 
 neighborhood round for two or three days, and, just 
 as he began to fear Dolores had escaped him, she 
 walked inadvertently into the very hotel where he was 
 staying. She had only counted upon Alfred s follow 
 ing her, and her plan of speaking broken English 
 would probably have served her admirably, only that 
 Ryan was used to tracking runaways, and it seemed 
 as if the hand of fate was against her. 
 
 Now, as he lay helpless but full of wrath upon the 
 floor of the wagon, he decided to pursue a different 
 course with Dolores altogether. He would not be 
 annoyed with her, and he argued, seeing the revolver 
 could so easily be used against him, that she might
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 187 
 
 take it into her head to put an end to him some day ; 
 he could not trust her. 
 
 There lived at Ramsey a rich but rough planter, 
 who had lost his wife within a year. Having met 
 Ryan he told him he had seen enough of married life, 
 and, as he had two children, all .he cared about to 
 heir his property, he was on the lookout for some 
 likely mulatto girl, and would pay a good price for 
 one that suited him. Now he could not claim that 
 Dolores was a mulatto, but he knew that her appear 
 ance of being altogether white would be no objection 
 in the eyes of this man, who was at heart nearly as 
 brutal as himself, though he was eminently respect 
 able as respect went in that section of the country. 
 
 The planter s name was Moultrie, and, as he was a 
 hard master, Ryan was positive he kept bloodhounds. 
 To this man he would go and state his case (except 
 telling him the purchase money for Dolores had not 
 been paid over) and get him to scour the country. 
 If he himself were not able to join in the hunt he 
 would offer Dolores at what he should term less than 
 half price five hundred dollars. He must offer some 
 inducement in order to enlist the interest of Mr. 
 Moultrie, and, as the money would be clear again, he 
 might better do that than lose her altogether. He 
 did not fear that Alfred would ever come to dispute 
 his claim, for he strongly suspected him of being a 
 scoundrel of some sort, though even he did not 
 dream of the depth of his villainy. Not that it would 
 have changed his course a particle had he known the 
 whole story, for he would still have considered 
 Dolores as legitimate game. 
 
 It was after dark when they reached Ramsey. Josh 
 was ordered to drive to the hotel and then for a phy 
 sician as soon as possible. The physician came and 
 pronounced the wound serious, but not dangerous, 
 provided the patient was kept perfectly quiet. This 
 was unwelcome news, and Ryan did not in the least 
 relish it. Josh, having brought the physician and 
 fearing the wrath of Ryan might again descend upon
 
 l88 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 his head, suggested to that worthy that, as he sup 
 posed he- didn t care to pay for " them hosses," he had 
 better go out and look after them a little. 
 
 So Josh rubbed them down well, telling them a 
 portion of his troubles, and the intelligent beasts 
 neighed in answer,, as if to express their sympathy. 
 Fortunately for Josh the race that afternoon had not 
 injured them, and he felt thankful that he was allowed 
 to set out for Hillside the next morning with a fair 
 prospect of reaching it safe and sound. He knew his 
 master had received a good price for Tot, and hoped 
 he would be in a comparatively good humor. 
 
 As for Ryan he was forbidden to transact any busi 
 ness whatever that evening, so he satisfied himself by 
 sending an urgent message to Mr. Moultrie, who re 
 turned word that he would call in the morning. After 
 all, Ryan calculated that five hundred dollars would 
 scarcely pay him for the trouble he had taken, and 
 was a small compensation for the time he must lie up 
 and nurse his shoulder. Still he would probably make 
 a hundred or two clean cash upon Tot, and that would 
 help matters a little. 
 
 Mr. Moultrie came at the appointed hour in the 
 morning and found Ryan sick and sore, having passed 
 a bad night. He was not what was usually called a 
 hard drinker, though he was in the habit of indulging 
 in intoxicating drinks every day of his life. Owing 
 to this, and the passion he did not curb after he 
 received the wound, his shoulder seemed greatly 
 inflamed, and he could not move his arm without 
 great pain. To his disappointment Mr. Moultrie did 
 not seem to enter into the idea of hunting up slaves 
 for another man ; it was beneath his dignity, especi 
 ally as he was offered compensation for it. 
 
 " Why don t you give the matter into the hands of 
 the authorities ?" he asked. " I ll warrant they ll find 
 your niggers for you in a short while." 
 
 " And lose my niggers ?" answered Ryan. " No, I 
 don t hold no hard feelin s toward the gal as shot me ; 
 it shows her pluck, and it shows how shaller they was
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 189 
 
 at the tavern to put shootin -irons where she could git 
 hold on em. She s a young, likely gal, an t other 
 one is the biggest beauty I ever sot eyes on. She kin 
 play the pianer, talk Spanish, an" looks like a lady. 
 Her young one is a right smart little cuss, a gal three 
 er four months old. She s walked nigh on to a hun- 
 derd miles a-carryin it in her arms, but she got a lift 
 an drove up to the tavern in Hillside yesterday as 
 brave as you please." 
 
 Mr. Moultrie started a trifle. 
 
 "What kind of a looking girl is she ?" he said. 
 
 " Big dark eyes, black hair, white teeth, an looks 
 like an American with about half Spanish blood in her." 
 
 " How is she dressed ?" asked Mr. Moultrie. 
 
 "All in black, cept a little red facin er trimmin , 
 er somethin" on her dress," replied Ryan, wondering- 
 what Mr. Moultrie was driving at. 
 
 "Strange," said Mr. Moultrie, "but I saw such a 
 woman sitting by the roadside with her child only 
 the night before last, as I was on my way home from 
 the mills. But that was thirty or forty miles from here." 
 
 " Its the same one," said Ryan, eagerly. " Now, 
 don t you think she s wurth lookin arter ?" 
 
 " Yes," said Mr. Moultrie slowly, not wishing to be 
 tray his eagerness. " All right, Ryan, I ll undertake 
 to find her and the girl that s with her. If I return 
 the other one safe and sound I m to have this one 
 and her child for five hundred dollars." 
 
 " Exactly. But don t let the grass grow under yer 
 feet afore ye start." 
 
 " I ll attend to all that. You say they will likely go 
 in a south-west direction ?" 
 
 " Yes, that s my idee. Good morning, Squire, an 
 take keer an not hurt my nigger. I don t hold no< 
 grudge agin her, and I shan t punish her furder n to 
 hev her stripped an licked as much as she kin stan 
 thout layin her up. Yer don t ketch me a-lickin my 
 niggers to death like some fellers I ve hearn tell on. 
 I knows too well what they is wuth for that, and 
 b sides I allus was rather tender-hearted."
 
 190 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 AT LAST. 
 
 When Dolores and Tot made their escape from the 
 wagon they ran for some miles without thinking of 
 what direction they were taking. Then it suddenly 
 occurred to Dolores that she was not making any 
 progress toward Idlefield, but, on the contrary, was 
 going due north. At first she was distressed to think 
 she had gone out of the way, but when she came to 
 consider a moment she reflected that it had been 
 greatly to her advantage and had probably already 
 saved her from being recaptured. Ryan would expect 
 her to go south-west, and, as she did not dream of his 
 being too seriously hurt to follow them, he had no 
 doubt already started on in that direction and was 
 quietly waiting until, weary and worn, in two or three 
 days time they should walk directly into his clutches 
 again. She changed her course from a northerly 
 direction and set her face toward the west. She 
 knew it would lengthen the distance at least one-third 
 and give her nearly as many miles to travel as she 
 had expected in the beginning. She might die along 
 the dreary wayside and never reach the haven she 
 soughs, but she had no other chance of reaching it 
 than to go a roundabout course. 
 
 It was a great comfort to her to have Tot with her, 
 Tot, who was Sue s own child for faithful courage, 
 with a tinge of rashness besides, but which might 
 well answer her purpose in the present dire extremity. 
 They were already a little to the north and a few 
 miles directly west would place them in a quarter no 
 one would expect. 
 
 Probably they would be advertised now, and their 
 only course was to sleep in the day and travel at 
 night. Just before the darkness closed in they paused 
 to partake of some food and then they pressed on. 
 Soon after they came to a public road, and, as it was 
 easier, they took this, as it ran in a westerly direction. 
 With only one pause they went on until daylight, and
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. I pi" 
 
 then they turned to the north and went into a wood 
 and laid down. Being nearly exhausted both were 
 soon sleeping soundly, the babe keeping them com 
 pany, for it was growing so weary of being constantly 
 carried it seemed glad to lie down quietly and rest. 
 
 It was almost night before they rose, and then they 
 took some more food, feeling hungry in spite of their 
 anxiety of mind, and regretting that their stock of 
 edibles were so rapidly diminishing. Their hunger 
 scarcely appeased they carefully put away what re 
 mained, and then Tot set out to see if- she could find 
 some berries for dessert. She was gone some time 
 and when she returned she had a large quantity, and 
 she asked Dolores eagerly if she had a drinking-cup. 
 She had a small one which Jane had given her, and 
 also a flask for water or tea. Tot took them and soon 
 returned, both filled with foaming milk. 
 
 " I seen a cow," she said, " an I jes help myself to 
 a little milk, cos I knowed, honey, it would be nourishin 
 like to yo an de baby. Drink all you kin, an w ile 
 you is a-feedin her outen de cup I se gwine back ter 
 fill de bottle." 
 
 "You are worth your weight in gold, Tot," said 
 Dolores. "This is the very thing we need and it will 
 help us all wonderfully." 
 
 They lingered until nearly dusk, and were about 
 preparing for their night s journey when they were 
 startled by the sharp baying of a dog. 
 
 " Hark !" said Dolores, wondering what the sound 
 was, while Tot sprang to her feet trembling with ex 
 citement and fear. 
 
 " We is gone !" she cried, " onless de bressed Lord 
 Hisself takes keer on us, honey, fer dat is a blood 
 hound, suah yer bawn !" 
 
 A deadly faintness came over Dolores. 
 
 "If he would only kill me!" she said, "but to 
 be mangled and then tortured. Tot, give me the re 
 volver, quick !" 
 
 " Now look heah, honey, w at is you gwine to do ?" 
 said Tot soothingly.
 
 192 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 " Tot, I beg you to shoot me where I stand shoot 
 both me and my child, and perhaps you may escape. 
 Do as I bid you, dear, good Tot, I implore you !" 
 cried Dolores, frantically. 
 
 " Listen, honey," said Tot. " Ef dah ain t but one 
 dog we is safe. 1 se got foah moah balls in dis heah 
 revolvah, sides de one I shot off yisterday. An look, 
 dar goes a catridge in dat one, an* plenty moah in de 
 box. Now you jes git hind me in de bushes right 
 cluss by an I ll stonish dat ar dog, an de man as is 
 a settin im on !" 
 
 Tot s determined words and manner reassured 
 Dolores in a certain degree, and she did as she was 
 bidden. A moment later the dog s cry came nearer, 
 they could hear his very panting as he rushed along, 
 and then in another he was upon them. Straight as 
 an arrow he came, and as soon as he was in sight Tot 
 tired. 
 
 An infuriated yell told her the shot had taken effect, 
 .but it did not stay the attack. On he rushed with 
 greater fury than before. In rapid succession Tot 
 fired three times, and then she paused, fearing to spend 
 the last shot without more careful aim. The beast 
 sprang for her throat, but drawing back a trifle she 
 pressed the muzzle of the revolver to his breast and 
 fired again. 
 
 He fell writhing at her feet, her only wound being 
 where, in falling, he buried one of his tusks in her 
 arm. Seeing that he was past harming any one Tot 
 turned aside and quickly loaded her revolver again. 
 Then she went and bathed her arm in the stream 
 which flowed near, and pouring a little milk upon the 
 wound she bound it up slightly and then spoke : 
 
 " We d bettah git outen dis yer place, honey," she 
 said. " Dis dog had a chain onter him an he s broke 
 it an got away from dem as was a-leadin im. Mebbe 
 dey is moah a-comin an 1 mebbe dey ain t. Anyhow, 
 we d bettah go." 
 
 Dolores, nothing loth, rose, and they fled as fast as 
 possible, any way to make the distance greater behind
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 193 
 
 them. Over stiles and rocks and ridges, through 
 thicket, briar and brake, Tot catching the baby from 
 its mother s arms at last when she saw Dolores looked 
 ready to fall, and with words of encouragement urg 
 ing her on. 
 
 " Dey shan t take us alive, honey," she said, solemnly. 
 " I se gwine ter keep catridges nuff ter load up de 
 revolvah de las time, an ef de wust comes dey is two 
 fer yo , an two fer me, an one fer de pore little chillen. 
 Dey shan t take us ter kill by inches, an de bressed 
 Lo d ll fo give me, case he knows jes how hard pushed 
 we is. 
 
 Dolores looked into her face, and, believing, took 
 fresh strength and hurried on. Again they reached 
 the highway and were tempted to take it, though it 
 was moonlight now, and the moon would not set until 
 long after midnight. Suddenly they heard a sound 
 and drew into the shadow as they listened. There 
 was a horse, the sound of a carriage, and above both 
 a clear, masculine negro voice singing : 
 
 " My gal, my gal, I se gwine for to see, 
 
 An I m gwine to meet her soon ; 
 I se gwine to meet my Chloe dear 
 By de light ob de silvah moon." 
 
 By this time the singer was so near they could see 
 it was a negro boy seated in a rather long, narrow 
 wagon with one seat, which seemed almost upon the 
 horse s back. He was alone, and as soon as she was 
 sure of this, to the great terror of Dolores, Tot rushed 
 out and hailed him. 
 
 "Can t you gib two pore gals a lift?" she said. 
 "We is mos done out an we s gat to trabble all 
 night." 
 
 " Go way now !" he exclaimed, but reining up his 
 horse. " None o yer foolin*. I is gwine fer de doc- 
 tah to bring im back in dis dentical waggin, cos 
 missis is clean done gone wid de sterics, an ef I don t 
 fetch im quicker n lightnin it ll be de wuss fer me." 
 
 " Now look heah, Sambo, does yer want ter make a 
 qua tah ob a dollah ter night ?"
 
 194 SUDDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 " Sa tain I does, Dinah. Hes you got de a ticle 
 you is speakin of handy ?" 
 
 " Deed I has, an ef yo wants it, den yo take us 
 as fah as yo is gwine, axin no questions, an you ll 
 git it, no mistake." 
 
 " Climb in !" briefly remarked the boy, and without 
 a reply Tot assisted Dolores and the child in first 
 and then followed, both lying down in the bottom of 
 the vehicle with their feet under the front seat. 
 
 Sambo (as Tot called him) picked up the reins, 
 chirped to his horse and began his song once more, 
 pausing now and again to urge the horse onward. 
 
 " What is the name of the town to which you are 
 going ?" asked Dolores at last. 
 
 " Titusdale," he said. 
 
 " Is it far from Ramsey ?" 
 
 " Dunno guess so. Nebber heard o dat place, 
 missus." 
 
 " When you get to Titusdale," she said, "will you 
 drive us just out of sight of the town before you set 
 us down ?" 
 
 " Sa tain, missus, ef you wants me to." 
 
 " I do, indeed. Then I will give you the quarter 
 and thank you besides. How far is Titusdale from 
 where you took us in?" 
 
 " Dunno, missus ; it s leben miles from massa s, 
 an I tuck yo up jes dis side o dar. 
 
 " I hope your mistress will recover," she said, " but 
 I cannot help feeling glad the doctor lives so far 
 away. Don t tell any one about your giving us a ride 
 to-night, or speak of us at all, please." 
 
 " Nebbah you feah my tellin . I d only git licked if 
 I did," with a grin. "We is clus by de town now, 
 missus." 
 
 Lying close and still they passed through the place, 
 and when they had gone about a quarter of a mile 
 further, and turned a sharp curve in the road, the boy 
 stopped, and, giving him his well-earned quarter, 
 Dolores and Tot crept out of the wagon, feeling stiff 
 and sore. Thanking him heartily they went on,
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 195 
 
 walking as briskly as possible, and, with one or two 
 short pauses for rest, the night was passed upon their 
 feet. 
 
 There was little woodland in this region. It was 
 chiefly cleared and laid out in large plantations. So, 
 when daylight came, they went on until they reached 
 the nearest wood and sought its shelter, Tot very 
 weary and Dolores more dead than alive. 
 
 Little Rose, too, seemed to droop. She was feverish 
 and slept heavily, and appeared to have no appetite. 
 Tot went to look for a stream or spring of water, but 
 could find none. 
 
 " Gimme de flask an cup," she said. " De milk 
 am sour, but it am good nun fer me. I se gwine ter 
 find a cow ef I hunt twell night. Dey is some roun* 
 heah, I knows. I won t drink de sour milk twell I is 
 suah of sweet, an den I kin rinse out de flask with 
 wa m milk an drink dat afoah I fill it fer you." 
 
 Dolores was too faint to utter a protest. She did 
 not rely upon her own strength and courage now, but 
 upon Tot altogether. She had all the faith in Tot a 
 sick child has in the mother who cares for it ten 
 derly. She was not surprised when Tot returned 
 with the milk. She drank of it and fed the babe, and 
 then, refusing to eat, crept into a thicket to lie down. 
 Tot ate a small portion of the food for her breakfast, 
 packed everything up securely in case of a surprise, 
 and then she too lay down and was soon sleeping 
 soundly. Dolores could not sleep. Head, body and 
 limbs were aching. She seemed to have a thousand 
 nerves and all were throbbing, and so the long day 
 passed. 
 
 Toward evening Tot awoke, and again went for 
 aging. This time, however, she found neither milk 
 nor water. Dolores still refused to eat. .While they 
 were considering whether it would be safe to go on 
 they heard voices, and gathering up their things they 
 hurried behind a rock. Tot, peeping out, saw what 
 seemed to be a governess with two children. She 
 had a book of maps in her hand, and seemed to be
 
 196 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 teaching them geography, at length sitting down upon 
 the very spot they had just vacated. 
 
 "If I only had those maps," said Dolores eagerly, 
 as she too glanced out. 
 
 " I couldn t make head nor tail outen "em," said 
 Tot, " but ef you kin you shall hab "em." Without 
 pausing to consider the consequence she began mak 
 ing the most unearthly howls, like some wild beast, 
 something, as Dolores told her afterward, that must 
 have been between that of a wild cat and a screech owl. 
 
 The effect upon her audience was instantaneous. 
 The governess rose in hot haste, dropped her atlas, 
 and taking each child by the hand fled toward a house, 
 which was situated a quarter of a mile away, the 
 howling never ceasing till little Rose woke and began 
 to cry with fright. Then Tot ran and picked up the 
 atlas, which Dolores seized eagerly, for once forget 
 ting that the cries of her child might betray them. 
 Tot, however, hushed little Rose, and Dolores, con 
 sulting the map, soon found to her delight that they 
 were in Mississippi. She became at once absorbed in 
 planning her route, and was only aroused by Tot, who 
 informed her that they must leave the spot, as, no 
 doubt, there would some one be sent to hunt the wild 
 animal. 
 
 " Dey ll be comin a ter dat har," she said, "an we 
 mus hurry off." 
 
 Securing the map of the State, which was all she 
 cared for, Dolores laid the atlas where it was first 
 dropped and followed Tot, who carried the child. 
 She decided to go due west, and when they reached 
 a town which was fifty miles north of Milton to turn 
 south. They kept in the wood until they came to 
 its end, but found no water, though there were a few 
 berries, which they ate ; and Tot was induced to eat 
 a small supper, though the food was nearly gone. 
 When it was dark they went on and toward morning 
 they came to a piece of woodland, where Dolores 
 sank down, unable to go farther. Here, to Tot s joy, 
 she found a pure spring of water, of which they all
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN" NOBILITY. 197 
 
 drank, Dolores declaring she must have died of thirst 
 without it, for it was now thirty-six hours since she 
 had tasted water and nearly twenty-four since drink 
 of any kind had passed her lips. 
 
 " Let us stay here and die," she said ; but Tot 
 cheered her, bathed her feet and made her a bed of 
 leaves, forcing her to eat a portion of the food left, 
 while she devoured the remainder. Devoured, for 
 poor Tot was suffering from the pangs of hunger. 
 She went out foraging but found nothing, and re 
 turning at last, fell asleep. 
 
 At eleven o clock Dolores awoke and looked at her 
 watch. The day was quite warm, and she felt very 
 languid, though in less pain than yesterday. Hear 
 ing a suspicious, tramping sound she started, to see a 
 horse browsing in the edge of the wood. A moment 
 after she heard voices, and, listening intently, discov 
 ered them to belong undoubtedly to negroes. The 
 voices came nearer, and then she was no longer in 
 doubt. It was two negroes, each carrying an axe in 
 his hand, and a parcel which proved to be a luncheon, 
 which they had come to eat at the spring. With diffi 
 culty she rose to meet them. 
 
 " Please share with one who is very hungry," she 
 said, and, sitting down, she told a portion of her story, 
 Tot, who now awoke, joining in the narrative. 
 
 The kind-hearted men at once offered, nay, in 
 sisted upon Dolores accepting all the food they had. 
 This she refused, so they ate barely a mouthful each 
 to satisfy her, and left all the rest. It was coarse, 
 but it tasted sweet to the two hungry women. There 
 was still something left, which they put away. 
 
 The men had come to cut wood, and were to draw 
 it home with the horse at night. A thought sud 
 denly flashed through the mind of Dolores which 
 made her heart leap for joy. She must secure the 
 horse at all hazards. He was large and strong, and 
 could carry them all at night and rest in the day. 
 She offered her watch for him, but the negroes were 
 afraid to take it. At last, however, she took a pencil
 
 Ip8 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 from her pocket and wrote a note to the owner of the 
 horse, signing a man s name, saying the person appro 
 priating him had lost his way and needed him, so had 
 stolen the horse while the men were chopping and 
 left the watch in its place. The negroes were doubt 
 ful as to the manner in which their master would 
 receive this, but consented at last, saying their young 
 mistress had been coaxing for a watch for some time, 
 and her father had promised her one as soon as the 
 cotton crop was sold. They would take the risk of 
 his displeasure. Too happy in the possession of such 
 a treasure to sleep, Dolores sat and talked to the 
 horse as he ate, or patted his head whenever he came 
 near, until he became quite familiar. 
 
 Soon after they led him away along the edge of the 
 wood for some distance, and at last Dolores mounted 
 him to see how gentle he was, and if she could keep 
 her seat without a saddle. She found him very 
 gentle indeed, an easy rider, and she soon became 
 accustomed to her seat. This proved, she dis 
 mounted, and Tot tried riding, succeeding very well. 
 At last they paused, allowing him to feed once more 
 while they partook of their frugal repast, and then, 
 Dolores sitting forward and Tot behind, holding the 
 baby, they set out upon their night s journey, as it 
 was in the twilight. 
 
 For three nights they traveled thus, resting in the 
 day, but finding little to eat. Then growing bolder, 
 as they were near a town where Dolores proposed to 
 take a southerly course, Tot entered it at dusk, and 
 going boldly to what seemed a bakery and grocery 
 combined, bought all the available edibles she could 
 carry. This was a great help, and, though" it reduced 
 their purse, both considered it money well spent. 
 They supped from it royally, and proceeded upon 
 their way undisturbed. Both were beginning to be 
 greatly encouraged, for two nights more of travel 
 would bring them to the haven they sought. Dolores 
 was greatly wasted, but Tot, her hunger appeased, 
 seemed almost as well and strong as ever.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 199 
 
 In the morning they breakfasted near a forest 
 stream, turning the horse, as usual, out to pick his 
 breakfast where he could, and then lie down, as did 
 his riders, to rest until evening. Both women slept 
 heavily and soundly, and Tot was the first to wake, 
 to her great surprise. She did not know the hour, 
 but the shadows were very long, and, rising, she 
 spread out as tempting a repast from their store as 
 she could devise. When it was ready she went to 
 Dolores and laid her hand upon her arm, But it was 
 impossible to waken her. 
 
 " Wake up, honey," she called, " de suppah is all 
 ready, an we mus eat an go, cause de hoss is a- 
 waitin and we is a most home." 
 
 "Yes," said Dolores at last, " I must go, for Alfred 
 is coming with Ryan. Is it Ryan or his ghost ? No 
 matter, see that the child is ready, Sue." 
 
 Her cheeks were burning, her hands hot and dry. 
 Tot had seen people ill of fever before, but she never 
 felt so shocked as now. She had grown to idolize 
 Dolores, had put forth every effort of her own for 
 her sake, and now, perhaps, she would die almost 
 within sight of the home she had struggled to reach 
 so long. 
 
 Tot bathed her head and face, and presently, when 
 she asked for it, gave her a drink of water, think 
 ing if Dolores could only be clothed in her right 
 mind she would bear anything else. At last, when it 
 was nearly dark, Tot ate her supper and fed little Rose 
 with a mixture of crackers, water and sugar. She had 
 bought some matches among other things and some 
 tea, that she might make them a cup when necessary, 
 but there was nothing in the way of medicine among 
 their stores. She lighted a fire and made tea in a tin 
 cup, and when it was cold she gave it to Dolores to 
 drink. 
 
 For many days and nights so many poor Tot 
 could not keep their record Dolores lay in this state 
 without medicine or food, except an occasional spoon 
 ful of panada, with only tea and cold water to drink.
 
 200 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 The horse wandered away unmissed. The babe grew 
 thin, and as for its mother, she was a mere skeleton ; 
 yet still Tot watched and cared for both with never- 
 failing devotion. By taking observations she found 
 there was a small village about a mile distant, and 
 thither she went at dusk one evening and replenished 
 her store of edibles, making another sad inroad upon 
 the now slender purse. 
 
 But at last Dolores awoke clothed in her right 
 mind, though almost too weak to speak, and Tot s 
 joy knew no bounds. With the tenderest care she 
 nursed her until, though almost a shadow, she could 
 sit up and at last walk a few steps. 
 
 The nights were growing chilly when they were 
 able to resume their journey once more, and Tot de 
 vised wraps from the baby s skirts for its mother, and 
 while Dolores directed the way Tot led her and car 
 ried the baby too now a weak, melancholy-looking 
 child. They walked an hour the first night, and went 
 perhaps two miles. The next they walked longer, 
 and tried the feat over toward morning. And so, 
 little by little, they went on until their money was all 
 spent for food. 
 
 They ate their last meal when they halted in the 
 morning, with the surrounding country still strange to 
 Dolores. When night came again they set out, though 
 faint and weary, and climbing a slight ascent they 
 found themselves upon the brow of a hill. The 
 moon had risen and shone whitely over the landscape 
 below. To the westward flowed a river ; far to the 
 south stretched smooth plantation fields, and set 
 within them was a low, rambling white house, with 
 wings outspread on either side, like a hen striving to 
 shelter a brood of chickens which clustered near, the 
 chickens being represented by the whitewashed negro 
 cabins, which were huddled together just outside the 
 protecting wings. 
 
 Dolores, her breath fluttering a trifle from the ef 
 fort of ascending the hill, laid one hand upon Tot s 
 shoulder, paused, and looked eagerly upon this land-
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NUL1L1TY. 2OI 
 
 scape, so fair to the view in the calm moonlight 
 looked, and lifted her eyelids wider as she leaned 
 forward with a greedy, hungry expression upon her 
 face, passed one hand tremblingly over her eyes, and 
 gazed again more intently than before. Her lips 
 parted, closed again, and then opened with a sound 
 that was half shriek, half moan. 
 
 " Idlefield 7" she cried, and then she fell face down 
 ward to the ground. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 "OUT OF THE JAWS OF DEATH." 
 
 Idlefield had greatly changed in two years, not so 
 much in general form, but it had been brightened up 
 in many ways. The house and negro cabins had all 
 been freshly painted, and Rose had introduced in 
 both many improvements. For the house itself there 
 was new furniture sent from New York, via New Or 
 leans, and the cabins could boast many articles of 
 comfort which had been strangers to them before. 
 In fact, the entire surroundings bore evidences of 
 thrift that could only be traced to the refined and 
 cultured tastes of the new mistress ; and while she 
 had made as many inroads into her husband s ideas 
 of slavery as she had changes in the surroundings at 
 Idlefield, they were not yet as visible to the casual 
 visitor. She was, however, successful in her efforts 
 in that direction, as we shall see. 
 
 It was a beautiful moonlit October night, and there 
 were groups of men laughing and talking here and 
 there at the cabin doors, while at Mandy s it was 
 evidently reception night, from the merry-making 
 within. Mandy was proud of her cottage, for it was 
 kept the neatest of any in Idlefield. The floor was 
 snowy white ; there were five whole chairs, to say 
 nothing of a sixth with a board laid over it where the 
 bottom was out ; one box, with a chintz cushion 
 stuffed with hen feathers ; a pine table, white as the
 
 202 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 tloor, upon which stood a pair of brass candlesticks 
 glittering like gold, and containing tallow candles 
 nearly as yellow. There was quite a display of 
 crockery upon a set of shelves at one side of the fire 
 place, and sundry china cups and cream pitchers, 
 with a nick here and a crack there, were arranged upon 
 the mantel, a long shelf extending across the chimney 
 and nearly as high as the rafters of the cabin. These 
 various receptacles contained sprays of flowers, or 
 bunches of what Mandy termed "sweet yarbs," for 
 she was fond of both " yarbs " and flowers. Out 
 side, the morning glories ran riot over her humble 
 cottage, one more venturesome than the rest having 
 garlanded the chimney. But Mandy s pride centred 
 upon an article of her own handiwork suggested by 
 her mistress, who learned of Miss Nancy the art of 
 braiding rags together and sewing them into mats. 
 A very large mat of this description covered the centre 
 of the floor, and in a circle round it, opening toward 
 the fire, sat the negro women of the plantation en 
 gaged in earnest gossip. 
 
 Mammy, who on account of being a house servant 
 held her head rather lofty, did not, however, disdain 
 to attend these cabin receptions, and particularly when 
 they were held at Mandy s, since Mandy s place, as 
 chief cook, was scarcely below that of nurse and head 
 house servant. These two women, therefore, monopo 
 lized the conversation, the younger and less important 
 ones listening intently, or putting in a word edgewise 
 occasionally whenever they had anything interesting 
 to state in the way of news. 
 
 " Now, Mammy," said Mandy, persuasively, " you 
 is knowledged to be larned in sicknesses, w at does 
 you tink ob Missis ?" 
 
 "You means, Mandy," said Mammy, beating about 
 the bush to gain a little time, "you means w at does I 
 tink ob de Missis health?" 
 
 " Sartin I does," returned Mandy, "dat s de idee 
 zactly ; does you tink she s as well as she orter be ?" 
 
 "I links she s weller dan she was a week ago," said
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 203 
 
 Mammy, sagely, resolved, for reasons of her own, to 
 be non-committal. 
 
 " I hearn Mas r Rick dis bery mornin ," put in 
 Chloe, who was Mandy s chief assistant in the culinary 
 department, "a-tellin Miss Mosely s Jim dat Missis 
 was convalescent right smart, all cept her cough, an 
 dat was bery bad." 
 
 "Laws, Chlo," said Mammy, "dat ain t no news 
 ter me, dat aint. Foah Mas r Rick went out ter tell 
 Jim he says ter me, Mammy, he says, w at s yer 
 pinion o yer missis state ob convalesce ? an I tells 
 him word fer word w at Chlo jes said." 
 
 " Chlo !" called Sol from the doorway, he was 
 hanging about on Chloe s account, being quite in 
 love with her, " ef you go inter de house an ax Mas r 
 Rick fer Dan l Webster s dickshunary p raps you kin 
 keep track o Mammy s big words." 
 
 " Sol, you brack niggah !" exclaimed Mammy, 
 "you go long an let de wimmen folks lone. De 
 wonder ob-my life is w y dat Chlo don t muster up 
 de immoral courage ter gib yo de mitten an hab 
 done \vi yer !" 
 
 A general laugh followed this, and as the sound 
 echoed through the cabin half a dozen wooly heads 
 (more or less) popped up simultaneously from the 
 trundle-bed, where they had been stowed by Mandy 
 in order to get them out of the way, and began a 
 chorus of giggles and chuckles, uttered in a subdued 
 tone at first, but gradually growing louder as their 
 courage increased. 
 
 Mandy rose and made a dive for the trundle-bed, 
 whereupon the half-dozen heads disappeared under 
 the covers so suddenly as to give one the idea of 
 some sleight-of-hand practice. 
 
 " Ef I hears anodder word outer you chillen foah 
 mornin ," said Mandy, in a tone meant to be awe- 
 inspiring, " I ll skin yer alive !" 
 
 A series of subdued chuckles under the bed-clothes 
 was the only response to this awful threat, and Mandy 
 resutned her seat while the gossip went on undisturbed.
 
 204 SUUDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 Chloe was advised to dismiss Sol at once, where 
 upon she declared she " nebber did care for dat 
 niggah nohow ;" and then Mammy gave them all a 
 piece of her mind concerning the propriety of calling 
 Mas r Rick simply Mas r, since there was a young 
 Mas r only six weeks old who would soon arrive at 
 dignity of being called Mas r Halbert. 
 
 Here there was a loud barking of dogs, whereupon 
 there was a second uprising in the trundle-bed. 
 Mandy went out and called Tige, her Newfoundland 
 pet, into the house, and it being all she could do to 
 keep him there the children giggled on unreproved. 
 At length Mose, Mandy s husband, came in from one 
 of the neighboring cabins, whereupon, after drinking 
 some of Mandy s home-brewed beer, the women 
 sought their several cabins, Mammy returning to her 
 post in the house. 
 
 Meanwhile Rose, propped in her easy-chair in the 
 parlor, had spent the hour of Mammy s absence in 
 earnest conversation with Rick. Little Halbert, their 
 six weeks old heir, was soundly sleeping in his cradle. 
 Rick appeared little changed since we saw him last, 
 except his features wore a more settled expression 
 than formerly.. He had learned to curb his fiery 
 temper, seldom exhibiting it to his slaves, and never 
 to his wife. To Rose he had been invariably gentle 
 and kind, listening to all her convictions in regard to 
 the institution of slavery, many of them differing with 
 his, it is true, yet his own opinions upon the subject 
 were greatly changed through her influence and the 
 events of the past two years. It was the year of a 
 Presidential election, and he had been arguing with 
 her, though mildly, that it was impossible for him to 
 vote for the Republican candidate. 
 
 "If Fremont is elected," he said, "it will cause a 
 complete revolution, and we are not ready for that 
 yet. I will be ready as soon as the country is." 
 
 " But, Rick, when things are as bad as they can 
 possibly be, a revolution is the only thing that can 
 set them right."
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 205 
 
 " My dear, if it were known that I voted for a 
 Republican President this country would be too hot 
 to hold me or my family." 
 
 "Then," returned Rose, "it is a dangerous coun 
 try to live in, and the sooner we set our slaves free, 
 sell out and go North the better it will be for us." 
 
 "Rose, it would be like tearing my heart out to sell 
 Idlefield, the home of my fathers. Be patient, dear, 
 and all will be well in time." 
 
 " Rick," she said, after a short pause, " I fancied 
 you looked grave this afternoon when you came from 
 the post-office." 
 
 "What an observing little puss it is," he laughed. 
 " Yes, dear," soberly, " I received bad news, or at 
 least it affected me unpleasantly, and I wanted to tell 
 you about it while we were alone. You will be sur 
 prised to hear it, but don t be shocked, it may be for 
 the best. Alfred Hastings has lost his wife and child." 
 
 " Why, Rick, how very sad !" 
 
 " And do you truly feel sorry for him, dear ?" 
 
 " Indeed I do. Knowing that he is constitution 
 ally false does not prevent me from remember 
 ing that he has feelings. And he was so proud of 
 his beautful wife, I heard." 
 
 " Rose, there is a secret concerning her life which 
 no one living, at least in this country, except she and 
 I, knew. I felt a delicacy about telling it, even to 
 my darling, but now that Dolores is dead it will do 
 no harm." And then he went on to tell her the story 
 that you and I, reader, already know. Rose listened 
 intently, and was silent when he finished. 
 
 " Are you very angry with me, dear, for the part I 
 took in it ?" he asked. 
 
 " No, not angry at all, yet I am sure, my husband, 
 it was very wrong. You had no right to take ven 
 geance in your own hands, it might have caused great 
 trouble. I am not saying so because I think poor 
 Dolores was beneath Alfred, only the deceit was 
 wrong, and then if by accident he had discovered it 
 I do believe he would have murdered her."
 
 206 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 " I never thought of that," replied Rick ; "yet I told 
 her when she went away, and also when I saw her 
 last, one evening during the summer before we were 
 married, if she ever needed a friend to send me 
 word." 
 
 " But, dear Rick, don t you see if she had been in 
 any great trouble like that she could never have sent 
 you word ? Oh !" with a little start, the last ejacu 
 lation not directed to Rick, for her eyes were fixed 
 upon the window where the blinds were open to let 
 the moonlight in. 
 
 " What is it ?" Rick asked, in sudden alarm. 
 
 " Some one came to the window," she replied in a 
 low tone. " Not one of our people, Rick, but a white 
 woman oh, so white and wild looking, with a child 
 in her arms." 
 
 " My dear," he began, as he started to his feet and 
 looked her full in the face. 
 
 "I am not nervous," she returned, "and I do not 
 believe in ghosts. It was a living woman, wan and 
 white, with a hunted look in her face, and such great,, 
 sad, beautiful dark eyes." 
 
 "Can it be " 
 
 " If Alfred wrote you his wife was dead," inter 
 rupted Rose, "we have every reason to believe her 
 living. In any case, it is some poor creature in dis 
 tress. Go out quietly and see who it is." 
 
 Rick went out, as -Rose bade him, and stood for a 
 moment upon the verandah. Upon just such an 
 evening he stood there, the storm of his anger over, 
 when Dolores emerged from the window, and he 
 promised her that he would protect her, since he was 
 in honor bound to do so. He waited a moment, but 
 no one came. 
 
 " Dolores !" he called, softly, yet feeling almost that 
 his wife had been mistaken in what she saw. 
 
 No, there was no mistake. Half-famished, and 
 faint and worn, with a child in her arms, so emaciated 
 it seemed like a mere skeleton, Dolores came forward 
 and fell at his feet.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 207 
 
 " It is I," she said. " For God s sake save me and 
 my child from slavery and from him /" 
 
 " Do not fear," he said, gently, and stooping he 
 raised her prestrate form. " You need have no fear 
 of slavery or of anything, for Rose and I will protect 
 and care for you as a sister." 
 
 " There is some one else," she said. " Sue s daughter 
 I asked you to find her for me once. Her name has 
 been changed to Tot, and she is here with me. She 
 has saved my life, Rick, over and over again." 
 
 "She is welcome, too," Rick said, as Tot came for 
 ward modestly ; "she is more than welcome, for you 
 will need a maid, and she can help you better than 
 any one here. Come in ; my poor wife is ill, but she 
 will be very glad to have you with us." 
 
 Tot took the child, and Rick lifted Dolores up 
 and carried her into the house, as she seemed unable 
 to stand. 
 
 "Rose," he said, "this is Dolores, of whom we 
 were speaking. She is not dead, as Alfred wrote, but 
 has, with her child and maid, sought our protection." 
 
 With difficulty Rose gained her feet and held out 
 her hands to Dolores, while Rick put out a hand to 
 steady each. 
 
 " Welcome to Idlefield !" she said, and she kissed 
 her wan cheek. 
 
 " How can I thank you ?" cried Dolores, deeply 
 affected. "Dear Mrs. Gonzales 
 
 "No," gently interrupted Rose. "I am Rose to 
 you always, and my husband is Rick. Never forget 
 this, .dear. And now, Rick, assist her to the sofa ; 
 she must lie down at once." 
 
 " But you do not know," Dolores began, still fear 
 ing a repulse. 
 
 " I know everything," said Rose, sinking back into 
 her chair as she spoke, "except why you are here to 
 night. Rick had a letter from your husband to-day 
 saying you were dead." 
 
 Dolores shivered. 
 
 "First of all," she said, suddenly, "if he finds I am
 
 208 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 here he will come and murder me, as he has already 
 tried to do." 
 
 " Trust us," Rick answered, " we will protect you ; 
 and yet I own it would be better if Alfred did not 
 know you were here." 
 
 "Fortunately," said Rose, "the servants are all out 
 of the house except yours." 
 
 "And she can be trusted with anything," Dolores 
 answered. " Only for her I would now be a slave." 
 
 " A slave!" 
 
 " Alfred sold me after trying to poison me, for 
 Sue secretly foiled him in the attempt. Sue helped 
 me to escape, and in following us Alfred mistook her 
 for me, because she wore my shawl, and shot and 
 killed her. The man who bought me had not paid 
 down the money, but he lay in wait for me and cap 
 tured me two weeks later. Meanwhile I had found 
 Tot, and she helped me to escape from him. But we 
 are nearly starved." 
 
 " Starved !" exclaimed Rose, " and yet I might 
 have known. Rick, there are crackers and milk on 
 the stand, give some to each at once. Oh, you poor, 
 persecuted child, my heart aches for you !" 
 
 Rick poured out some milk and gave it to Dolores, 
 then to Tot, who first fed little Rose. While they were 
 eating he said : 
 
 " I think, for you are greatly changed, it will be 
 better for you to assume another name. You must 
 be Seiiora Dolorita Castellar, a cousin to the Dolores 
 who married Alfred Hastings, and is dead. You were 
 coming to visit her, were taken sick upon your journey 
 and lost your baggage. Your maid sickened and 
 died and you were obliged to procure another." 
 
 "Yes," continued Rose, "and Rick must take you 
 and your poor little child up to your room at once. 
 No one is up-stairs, and we will let the servants think 
 you arrived in the night. There is a fire ready to be 
 lighted in the room, and Rick will take up water so 
 you can bathe yourself and put on some of my clean 
 clothing. I would send for Mammy at once, but if
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 209 
 
 Tot is able to wait upon you it will be better that 
 she does so. I am anxious to hear your whole 
 story, but you are too weak and tired to relate it ; 
 also, you must get up stairs before Mammy comes. 
 Do not fear, nothing shall harm you while you 
 are under our roof. Now go, and Rick will send 
 for more food, under pretense that he is hungry, and 
 you can eat it in your room." 
 
 Dolores was trembling with excitement and grate 
 ful joy, and Rose was almost as greatly agitated. 
 Rick came and assisted Dolores up the stair-case, 
 cutting short her thanks and saying she was too 
 weak to speak so much. She was soon comfortably 
 seated in an easy-chair before an open fire, her child 
 in her arms, and happy, faithful Tot, seeming almost 
 as well as ever, was bustling about, preparing to give 
 the baby a bath before putting it to bed. 
 
 Rick had closed the blinds before leaving, and he 
 now appeared with clean clothing for mother and child, 
 and all the edibles he could find. There was a plain 
 black dress, bonnet and shawl which Rose had brought 
 from home with her but had never worn. These 
 she sent up with the other things, directing that 
 Dolores should have her old clothing bundled to 
 gether so it could be destroyed, for it was all in rags. 
 
 An hour later, clean and comfortable as possible in 
 the clothing Rose had sent up, Dolores and her child 
 were lying snugly in bed, feeling almost at peace now 
 the haven sought for months through toil and suffer 
 ing was found at last. Tot, who had not been for 
 gotten by Rose, but who was neatly clothed in some 
 of the servants underwear which had not been given 
 out, was tucked up on a lounge near and already in 
 the land of dreams. The moonlight shone without 
 and the firelight flickered within, and Dolores soon 
 dropped into the most refreshing slumber she had 
 known since she woke that morning in Riverton 
 and found her secret was hers no more. By the help 
 of her mother s race she had regained her freedom, 
 which had been almost lost, and she vowed to be con-
 
 210 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 slant to the interests of this race during the remainder 
 of her life. 
 
 Below, Mammy slept heavily, with little Halbert, the 
 young heir of Idlefield, upon her arm, and Rick and 
 Rose talked together far into the night. 
 
 "It would be folly to defy our neighbors publicly 
 now," Rick said, " in the present state of political ex 
 citement, but I mean to send the first of a series of 
 articles to some of the leading Northern papers to 
 morrow articles which are true in every particular, 
 and which lay bare the worst evils of slavery. We can 
 only begin the work by moving the hearts of the people 
 there, for the hearts of the masters here are hardened 
 and cannot be touched. And though in this Demo 
 cratic State a Republican vote would avail nothing, 
 still the principle remains, and henceforth I pledge 
 myself not to vote for any man, however unim 
 portant the office he is seeking may be, who upholds 
 slavery. An institution under which it is possible for 
 a man to sell his wife and child into the vilest slavery 
 it was ever woman s lot to endure is one which must 
 be put down as soon as possible. Think what the 
 life of Dolores would have been if Alfred had ac 
 complished his hellish purpose !" 
 
 "Yes," said Rose, "and think, too, what suffering 
 she endured to gain her freedom. Why, she has 
 escaped from the very jaws of death !" 
 
 "I incidentally heard this morning that William 
 Glancy, a large grocer of Cincinnati, was driven out of 
 New Orleans because he received and read the Cin 
 cinnati Gazette, a strong Republican paper. Do you 
 know, I feel greatly alarmed at the temper of our South 
 ern fanatics. If politicians incite mobs to drive away 
 men who come here to purchase sugar, molasses and 
 cotton, what will be the use of us working our people 
 hard to raise large crops. Our markets for these 
 products are with the North principally. The truth 
 is, Rose, these people are rushing blindly forward to 
 ward a bloody war. Mobbing such men as I under 
 stand Mr. Glancy is will have a tendency to bring it
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 211 
 
 on sooner than many of those who are talking war 
 expect." 
 
 " How did this gentleman escape ?" says Rose. 
 
 " They gave him twenty-four hours to leave and 
 he did not demand forty-eight," replied Rick. 
 
 " I am glad he left, and I believe, as I said before, 
 we should do the same, after liberating our slaves." 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 POLITICAL AGITATION. 
 
 With the first dawn Rick called Mammy, hearing 
 her awake with his little son. 
 
 "Mammy," he said, "do you remember Miss 
 Dolores, who married Mr. Hastings ?" 
 
 " Sartin I does, Mas r," returned Mammy, in some 
 surprise. 
 
 " I received a letter from her husband yesterday 
 saying she is dead, and last night a friend and near 
 relative of hers from Cuba, who was educated with 
 her, who played the same things upon the piano and 
 learned the same songs, came on here to see Mrs. 
 Hastings. She did not hear her friend was dead until 
 her arrival. She was very sick while coming. Her 
 maid died and she was obliged to procure a new one, 
 who is sick and worn out too. She lost every bit of 
 her baggage. I didn t call you, but sent her up to 
 the old room the senorita used to occupy. She has a 
 tiny babe and may need something. I want you to 
 go up and try and make them comfortable." 
 
 " Pore ting !" sighed Mammy. " Is she like Miss 
 Dolores, Mas r ?" 
 
 " As like as two peas, Mammy, only this one, whom 
 you must call Senora Castellar, is older and appears 
 taller, and is not so stout. She is worn out with travel 
 and sick into the bargain, and wants nourishing. Now, 
 Mammy, I leave her in your hands. Bring the boy 
 here while you go." 
 
 Mammy, her kind heart bent upon having the poor
 
 212 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 senora well at the first possible moment, went up and 
 knocked at Dolore s door, and when bidden to enter 
 began at once her ministrations. If Dolores had any 
 fears of being recognized they were soon banished by 
 Mammy s tearful allusions to " de pore senorita dead 
 an gone," and declarations to the effect that " Mas r 
 Rick was all out of his reckonin to say the senorita and 
 the senora were alike, since their faces were an alto 
 gether different shape ; and then, too, the senora had 
 gray in her hair. 
 
 There was little for Mammy to do, for Tot had 
 everything in order ; but she bustled about to show 
 her good-will, and then went down to get some 
 nourishing food for Dolores and the babe, declaring 
 that " w at did keep de pore chile s bones frem comin 
 froo its skin " she could not tell. 
 
 That same day Dolores and Tot had a long con 
 versation together. Dolores at present had no money 
 and could not pay Tot wages, but if she chose to 
 remain she would see that she was suitably provided 
 for in time ; and Tot declared, with her usual devotion, 
 she only cared to remain with Dolores, as she needed 
 nothing but food and clothing. 
 
 Rick went to Milton in the afternoon, bringing back 
 with him slippers and shoes, and other needed things, 
 for Dolores, making her quite comfortable. 
 
 Two weeks passed and Dolores was able to go 
 down-stairs to sit and chat with Rose and amuse her, 
 for, notwithstanding her love for her husband and his 
 people, Rose had been lonely at times since her 
 marriage. 
 
 " My mother died of consumption," she said to 
 Dolores, " and sometimes I think I shall go in the 
 same way." 
 
 The fear had taken possession of both Rick and 
 Dolores, but neither would confess it to each other, 
 and above all not to Rose. On the contrary, Dolores 
 was as cheerful as possible, and the two women soon 
 came to regard each other with more than ordinary 
 friendship. Dolores knew for the first time what it
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 213 
 
 was to have a friend near her own age, and she grew 
 to love Rose almost to idolatry. She played and 
 sang to her, concocted soothing herb drinks, nursing 
 her so judiciously and gently that her patient soon 
 began to improve rapidly. 
 
 "I am a famous nurse," she said once, laughing, 
 " and I think I will go North when Baby Rose grows 
 older and seek employment in one of the hospitals." 
 
 "You will do nothing of the kind!" exclaimed 
 Rose. " Ah, Dolorita, I can never spare you again. 
 It seems as though you had saved my life. Even the 
 doctor admits now that I was upon the verge of a 
 decline, and gentle nursing brought me away from 
 it." 
 
 It seemed to Dolores when she came, that the 
 old negroes she had known upon the place before 
 could not fail to recognize her, but two things 
 were especially in her favor : her hair, which was 
 still heavy and luxuriant, was thickly threaded 
 with white. It had been so upon her return, and 
 before she was able to go down-stairs it was more 
 than half gray, which greatly changed her. Aside 
 from this, though she could scarcely be called thin, 
 her form did not regain its former plump perfection, 
 but remained willowy and slender, which gave her 
 the appearance of being taller than before. Besides, 
 both Rick and Rose fell into the habit of calling her 
 Dolorita, or Rita, and the name, however like it 
 seemed when put upon paper, was very different from 
 Dolores in sound when spoken. Her movements 
 were more staid, her manner gentle and sad, mingled 
 with a quiet cheerfulness, which was far removed from 
 her former vivacity. 
 
 Unlike the Dolores of old, she won the love of all 
 the slaves, instead of shrinking from them. So it 
 came that no one wondered why she prolonged her 
 visit. She wore black always, and was supposed to be 
 a widow. She never wore jewelry of any sort, but 
 dressed in persistent plainness. And then, Rose was 
 often heard to declare she could never part with her.
 
 214 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NUIUL1TY. 
 
 The election came and with it much ill-temper, 
 and to Rick s secret disappointment Buchanan was 
 elected President. United and happy was his home 
 circle, but even among the neighbors who had known 
 him from a child he was looked upon with no small 
 disfavor. It was reported that his Northern wife was 
 at the bottom of the change in his sentiments, for, 
 though as yet they were too new and almost unsettled 
 to urge him to go forth and battle publicly for them, 
 it was well known that they were to a certain extent 
 changed, and they differed widely from those expressed 
 by his neighbors. They held that his idea of uniting 
 families, which they had first looked upon as a whim, 
 gave dissatisfaction to their own slaves, who were 
 more or less intermarried with slaves upon the neigh 
 boring plantations. In order to show him he could 
 not set an example for older men to follow, with all 
 his airs, they undertook to be as severe as possible 
 with their own negroes, and certain brutal things they 
 did in consequence coming to Rick s ears grieved 
 him to the heart. 
 
 " It is of no use, Rose," he said one day, when she 
 repeated to him a fresh outrage which she had learned 
 of through Mammy, " I can do nothing. People may 
 talk of battling boldly for the right, but a man, and 
 particularly a Southerner, who attempts it is tied hand 
 and foot. Why, its like going into a country as mis 
 sionary, when the first act of the heathen king is to 
 cut your head off and sacrifice a thousand human 
 victims to celebrate the event. I begin to agree with 
 you that nothing short of the total abolition of slavery 
 will remedy the evil, and even then there must be a 
 life-long struggle before things can be set right." 
 
 Three years passed by of this peace at home and 
 unrest abroad. North and South, the country was 
 in a state of excitement. The Kansas troubles were 
 a source of constant debate in Congress, and in every 
 lamlet beside. At this particular moment they had 
 jjiven place temporarily to the John Brown excite- 
 nent. The Thirty-sixth Congress assembled, and it
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 21$ 
 
 was only after a struggle of eight weeks duration that 
 a speaker was elected. In Congress there was a small 
 Republican majority, the South being solidly Demo 
 cratic, with the exception of a few " American " or 
 " Know Nothing" members, particularly from Ten 
 nessee These numbered a score or so, though they 
 were chiefly from the Northern States. A hard battle 
 was fought to place a strong Republican in the 
 Speaker s chair, but it failed, and Pennington, an old- 
 line Whig, but favoring the Fugitive Slave Act, was 
 elected upon the forty-fourth ballot. This was some 
 thing of a victory for the Republicans, though, per 
 haps, not so good as could have been desired. Still 
 the murmurs from the South were loud and deep, and 
 the declaration that if a Republican President were 
 elected the coming fall the South would rebel in a 
 body became general. Davis (afterward President of 
 the Confederacy) and Brown were the Senators from 
 Mississippi, and the five Congressmen were all 
 Democrats. 
 
 Rose, when she came South, had ordered two or 
 three Republican papers. At first they arrived regu 
 larly, but at length they gradually ceased coming. 
 Inquiry was made at the post-office at Milton, and 
 the postmaster, with an oath, replied "he did not 
 receive them now, and it was well for her he did not, 
 as the Regulators would not allow such incendiary 
 papers to go through the Southern mails, much less 
 read !" Rick wrote on to New York, but received no 
 answer. He was certain that his letter was never sent 
 out, and was contemplating the idea of taking steps to 
 have the matter investigated when his mind was com 
 pletely absorbed by occurrences at home. 
 
 Rose was subject to colds, and when suffering from 
 one always had a severe cough. Dolores had, so far, 
 nursed her through them successfully, but a cold taken 
 in the late autumn grew worse and worse as the sea 
 son advanced, until she became very ill indeed. The 
 family physician came, but his attendance failed to 
 bring the patient any relief. Dr. Cathcart was a man
 
 2l6 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 past middle age, who had attended the family at Idle- 
 field ever since Rick was an infant. His patients were 
 the most wealthy and respectable of those of any 
 physician near, and he was, as a matter of course, 
 t^iven to upholding slavery at all times. He had 
 argued with Rick about his Quixotic ideas, until, rind 
 ing it did no good, he determined, even at a loss to him 
 self, to devise a plan to shield Rick from the effects 
 of the storm of public opinion which had been brew 
 ing against him for some time. 
 
 " My boy," he said, "the climate, mild though it 
 may be, evidently does not agree with your wife, and 
 I would not recommend the Northern air either. You 
 have ample means to take her to Europe, and my 
 advice to you is to go to Italy and remain there, or in 
 the south of France, for two or three years. It may 
 be the means of saving your wife s life in any case, 
 it will prolong it." 
 
 " Is it so serious as that ?" he asked, sadly. 
 
 " I do not believe she would survive another winter 
 here," the doctor said, knowing he had struck the 
 right chord. 
 
 " I will go," Rick answered, a moment later, " but 
 I ought to have some time to complete my arrange 
 ments for leaving." 
 
 " It would not be advisable to go until the weather 
 is settled," returned the doctor, "as a rough passage 
 would distress Mrs. Gonzales exceedingly. Take 
 your time and make your preparations to stay. A 
 year or two in the south of Europe may result in 
 your wife s complete recovery." 
 
 Rick thanked him, and then he went away feeling 
 that he had done a wise thing. 
 
 " There s trouble ahead," said the doctor to himself, 
 " if Rick stays. If he goes it may blow over before 
 he returns, and the change of air will certainly bene 
 fit his wife. He means well and has a good heart, and 
 I cannot bear that any harm should befall him." 
 
 Meanwhile Rick confided the news to Dolores, who 
 was deeply troubled concerning the health of poor
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 217 
 
 Rose, and then she went, at his suggestion, to break 
 the news to her. She did not tell Rose all the phy 
 sician said, only that he thought the trip would speed her 
 recovery and be to her relief. Rose seemed eager to 
 go. She felt too weak to battle in the political storm 
 she knew was coming; besides, the little they had done 
 seemed so useless, causing more harm than good. She 
 therefore consented to go, urging Rick to set his 
 slaves free before they left. 
 
 " Not yet," he said. " If I do that I must be here 
 to take care of them ; they would be subject to all 
 manner of tyranny and outrage otherwise. Mr. White 
 is a capital overseer and would manage the plantation 
 carefully, only I feel that we need some one in the 
 house some woman, I mean. Do you not think we 
 might leave Dolorita ? The blacks all love her so 
 much they would be guided by her at all times." 
 
 "I know," Rose answered ; but, Rick, I cannot 
 go without Dolorita, she seems necessary to my com 
 fort and cheerfulness. And then what would poor 
 little Halbert do without her? And I would miss 
 poor little Rose, too. No, Rick, we must take Rita 
 and her child, and either Tot or Mammy ; we will 
 need no more. Besides, suppose Alfred should take 
 it into his head to come and pry into our affairs while 
 we are gone ?" 
 
 " You are right. I forgot for the moment how 
 necessary Dolorita is to your happiness. She shall 
 go, and we will find some one else to take charge of 
 the house. I would not be afraid to trust Mammy, 
 but the other women might not listen to her advice at 
 all times, so we must try and find " 
 
 At this moment there seemed some sort of com 
 motion going on outside. Sol had returned from the 
 post-office, but not alone. He set down a tall, square, 
 bony woman, who paused a moment to wave her ging 
 ham umbrella in a manner calculated to inspire the 
 beholder with the idea of a general waving his sol 
 diers on to battle, as she gave orders concerning the 
 disposition of a small hair trunk, with " N. B." (take
 
 2l8 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 notice) shining out from the top, being put on with 
 brass nail-heads, a large black canvas bag and a green 
 wooden chest fastened with a padlock. Then Miss 
 Nancy advanced, carrying her umbrella in one hand, 
 and a band-box, tied up in a piece of gingham to 
 match the umbrella, in the other. 
 
 She wore a black alpaca dress, with a straight skirt, 
 rather scant for the fashion. There was little trim 
 ming on the dress, and what there was seemed glued 
 fast, so closely did it cling to the dress proper. There 
 was a stone-colored shawl, with a broche border, 
 thrown about her shoulders, and upon her head a 
 bonnet of gray shirred silk, with a few bows of the 
 same color, each bow so flat it had the appearance 
 of being subjected to the humiliation of having its 
 ears boxed to make it lie down properly. Inside the 
 bonnet was a ruche of white tulle, dotted with knots 
 of lavender satin ribbon scarcely wider than a cord, 
 and over the bonnet was tied a black lace veil, about 
 a yard in length and half a yard in width, heavily 
 embroidered at the bottom with black silk. Add to 
 this a pair of coarse, low shoes, and loose cotton 
 gloves, so short they scarcely reached over the lower 
 thumb-joint, and we have Miss Nancy s outfit complete. 
 
 Rose laughed heartily when she saw her, and asked 
 Rick to give her his arm so she might meet her old 
 friend at the door, who by this time had quite a train 
 of followers, in the shape of ten or fifteen little 
 darkeys, from two years of age up to ten, who were 
 striving to keep pace with her in order to get a 
 glimpse of her face. 
 
 " I knowed it," cried Miss Nancy, with her well- 
 remembered shriek. " I knowed my poor Rosy would 
 be all but worked to death, and no wonder, with sich 
 a passel o little nigs to take keer on. My good 
 gracious ! is this all you ve got ?" 
 
 Here she paused long enough to give Rose a 
 hearty smack on her pale cheek and shake Rick by 
 the hand. 
 
 With all my takin keer o Mariar," she continued
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 219 
 
 with renewed vigor, " she up and died bout a year 
 sense, and that low-lived brother o mine went off 
 last week and got married to a sixteen-year-old gal 
 that haint got no more brains than a day-old kitten. 
 Lord-a-massy, I couldn t stan it nohow, so I jest 
 packs up and sails off, and here I be. Be you glad 
 to see me ?" 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 MISS NANCY FALLS INTO HEATHENISH PRACTICES. 
 
 We re very glad," Rick answered. " I cannot tell 
 you how glad, Aunt Nancy," as they ushered her into 
 the drawing-room. 
 
 "Purty place, ain t it?" said Miss Nancy, eyeing 
 the appointments of the room. " Who s that tall wo 
 man out in the gardin ? She looks fer all the world 
 like one o them air idolatrous popish women as shets 
 themselves up in convicts." 
 
 " That is a very dear friend of ours," replied Rose, 
 smiling. " Her father and Rick s were friends years 
 ago. She is a Cuban and has lost her husband, so 
 she always wears black. It is her taste to dress 
 plainly. You will like her, I am sure, Aunt Nancy, 
 for she is very gentle and good like yourself." 
 
 " I ain t gentle," laughed Miss Nancy, "and I don t 
 know s I m good, but I m good enough to them I like, 
 and you re one on em. More n that. I b lieve I take 
 to everybody that likes you. Laws, child, I guess I 
 kin git off my own things. Now here I be, and if I 
 kin be of any use to you well, you jist use me, that s 
 all !" 
 
 "You can be of great use to us, Aunt Nancy," said 
 Rick, "and I want you to stay with us as long as you 
 live. Rose and I are going away in about two months 
 to Europe for her health." 
 
 " Well, now, you don t say ? I thought she looked 
 kind o peakid. How long air you goin to stay ?" 
 
 " A long time," Rick answered, " probably a year." 
 
 "Well, I was a-worryin and worryin as I come
 
 220 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 along for fear you wouldn t want me. But mebby the 
 Lord sent me arter all. Do you s pose I kin take keer 
 o the house while you m away ?" 
 
 " Of course you can. Mr. White, my overseer, will 
 look after things outside. You are not to do anything, 
 mind you, but look after the things in the house, see 
 that the negroes are quiet and have all they need. 
 No one in the world can do it as well as you can, and 
 I am very thankful you came. Our friend, the 
 Senora Castellar, goes with us, as she is a good nurse 
 and understands Spanish. (This was put in from a 
 sudden fear that Aunt Nancy would insist upon going 
 also.) The only thing is that you may sometimes be 
 lonesome " 
 
 " Lonesome ? Good airth ! with all them niggers ? 
 Well, I never ! The only thing is, if 1 kin git to 
 stomache em. Not but what I like em and want em 
 to hev their rights, but I never hed none on em nigh 
 me afore." 
 
 "Oh, you will grow accustomed to them," returned 
 Rose, "and will find them the kindest creatures in the 
 world." 
 
 " I s pose so." 
 
 By this time Aunt Nancy had folded her shawl, 
 spread out her gloves upon it, took her veil off her 
 hat and smoothed out every wrinkle. There were 
 several of these last in her kindly face. 
 
 " It costs a heap o money to go to Europe, don t 
 it?" she said, as she turned her back a moment while 
 she made a dive for something hidden away in the 
 bosom of her dress. " There !" she exclaimed at last, 
 " is a couple o hundred dollars. Mebbe they might 
 come handy fer you, so you d better take em along o 
 you when you go." 
 
 She produced a cheap cotton handkerchief, which 
 had a knot tied in two of its corners over what ap 
 peared like coins, and handed it to Rick, who could 
 not help taking it, for the woman s face was all aglow 
 with earnestness and kindness. 
 
 " You dear soul !" cried Rose, going up to her and
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 221 
 
 with an effort clasping her arms about Miss Nancy s 
 neck. " Oh, you dear, dear Aunt Nancy !" and she 
 kissed her on both withered cheeks. 
 
 " I don t begrudge it," said the old woman, with 
 tears in her eyes. " It s purty nigh all I ve got in the 
 world, but ef goin to Europe 11 bring the roses back 
 to your face, child, I ll be paid more n double !" 
 
 "Aunt Nancy," said Rick, who had by this time 
 recovered speech, "you blessed woman, I don t need 
 this ; but I ll take it, if you like, and invest it for you.. 
 I m what the world calls rich, aunty so rich I 
 scarcely know how to spend my money. And you 
 are to be paid a salary well, we will say five hundred 
 dollars a year to begin with " 
 
 " I knowed it !" shouted Aunt Nancy at the top of 
 her voice. " I knowed you was the generousest man 
 in the world. I telled Mariar so that time you went 
 away and put a twenty dollar gold piece in my hand 
 when you bid me good-by ! And that identical 
 twenty dollar piece is in that air handkerchief this 
 minute !" 
 
 Mammy, hearing Aunt Nancy shrieking at the top 
 of her voice, began to fear a quarrel was imminent, 
 and made an excuse to come into the room. She 
 was, therefore, greatly astonished to see her mistress 
 enfolded by one of the strange woman s long, bony 
 arms, while she was waving the other up and down, 
 and gesticulating wildly at the same time. 
 
 "Here, Mammy," said Rose, "this is Miss Nancy, 
 an old friend who has come to remain with us as long, 
 as she lives. You are to show her to the second 
 room in the wing a^nd make her as comfortable as you 
 can. See that her trunks are taken in at once, so she 
 can unpack her things as soon as she likes. Bring 
 her a cup of tea and a lunch as soon as possible, and 
 see that she lacks for nothing." 
 
 " Sartin, missis," returned Mammy, dutifully, but 
 inwardly wondering whether this new importation 
 could possibly be a relative of her refined mistress. 
 
 She took up the bonnet, shawl and gloves, called
 
 222 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 a diminutive darkey who put her head inside the 
 door to take the band-box, and then turned to Aunt 
 Nancy. 
 
 " De room am all ready, ma am," she said, "an if 
 yo ll foller arter I ll show you de way." 
 
 Determined not to appear green, Miss Nancy fol 
 lowed Mammy s portly form to the door, and then 
 turned back a moment to speak to Rose. 
 
 " Land o love !" she exclaimed in what was meant 
 to be a whisper, but which could have been heard all 
 over the house, " ef I was the Queen o Sheby I 
 couldn t be better waited on." Then she started 
 upon a half run to follow Mammy. 
 
 The hall was filled with small fry of all ages and 
 sizes, and Mammy was making her way through the 
 crowd, which dodged the numerous cuffs she attempted 
 to administer, and snickered and giggled in wonderful 
 glee. 
 
 "Claroutwid yer ! Hain t ye got no manners? 
 Is dat de way Missis leeched ye to b have ? Meliss ! 
 ef de Lo d spares my life twell I git a raw-hide I ll lay 
 it ober yer brack hide twell de brud runs down ter ye 
 heels !" 
 
 " Ho ! ho !" howled Meliss at this appaling threat, 
 which did not seem to intimidate her in the least. 
 " He ! he ! ye dassent ! ye dassent, ole Mammy !" 
 
 Mammy made a dive at her, having at this moment 
 been reinforced with Miss Nancy s gingham umbrella, 
 which one of the larger girls had slipped into her 
 hand, and Meliss disappeared, still howling, through 
 the front door. At this the parlor door opened and 
 Rick came quickly out. . 
 
 Clear out !" he cried, shaking his finger. " Leave 
 the house every one of you and don t come in again 
 to-day unless somebody sends you !" 
 
 Before the words were uttered the hall was cleared, 
 the giggling crowd rushing out in hot haste. There 
 were one or two falls and much scrambling. They 
 did not stand upon the order of their going, but got 
 out at once.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 22J 
 
 "Land o love!" ejaculated Miss Nancy, "won t 
 they ketch cold out doors all the rest o the day ?" 
 
 "Bless you, aunty," replied Rick, " they have all 
 got little cabins of their own, only when anything 
 special is to be seen at the house they always visit us 
 in a body." 
 
 " Good airth ! hev you got houses fer all your nig 
 gers besides this ? And don t they stay here all the 
 time ?" 
 
 " No, indeed ; we always send them out in a hurry 
 when we don t want them." 
 
 Aunt Nancy gave a sigh of relief, and looked like 
 one who has still much to be thankful for. 
 
 "Well, raley," she said, "I am beat!" And for 
 the third time she turned to follow Mammy. 
 
 " Dey is sp iled, dat s w at dey is," said Mammy. 
 " Dey knows Mas r Rick won t tech em, an dey 
 takes disvantage." 
 
 "Hump!" said Miss Nancy. " Pears to me they 
 got out mighty suddin when he come to the door, 
 and your touchin em didn t do much good as 1 seen." 
 
 Mammy rolled her eyes in offended astonishment. 
 
 "I do s pose they try you, though," said Miss 
 Nancy, apologetically. "I m sure they d worry me 
 to death s door." 
 
 " Deed dey would !" responded Mammy, somewhat 
 mollified. " Dey most worries de skin offen my pore 
 ole bones sometimes." 
 
 Miss Nancy put on her spectacles and took a good 
 look at Mammy through them out of her keen gray 
 eyes. 
 
 "Worritin seems to gree with you," she said. 
 "Hov r much do you weigh?" 
 
 This, uttered in a tone so loud that Rick plainly 
 heard it, as he stood in the hall giving orders about 
 the baggage, rather staggered Mammy. 
 
 " I reckon I weighs radder more dan you does," 
 she replied, as soon as she recovered from her aston 
 ishment, eyeing Miss Nancy in turn. 
 
 " Yes," said Miss Nancy, reflectively, " I spose ye
 
 224 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 do. I guess ef we was shook up an averaged we d 
 make two fair sized wimmen. Ef I had a little o 
 your flesh I might look rather plumper, an you d be 
 considerably improved. Can t say, though, as I d care 
 fer yer complective." 
 
 Mammy scarcely knew whether to be offended or 
 not, and wondered more than ever what sort of a 
 woman this could be. She wasn t like Missis, nor 
 Miss Rita, nor yet " ole Missis," and she couldn t be 
 classed " wid de pore white trash " either. Evidently 
 no offense was intended, and, after deliberation, 
 Mammy concluded to take none, though her nimble 
 tongue for once was effectually silenced. 
 
 " What s yer name ?" was Miss Nancy s next 
 query. 
 
 " Mammy," was the response. 
 
 " Mammy f" returned Miss Nancy, in astonishment. 
 " Good airth ! Do you spose I m goin to call a wo 
 man that s ten year younger than me Mammy, an a 
 nigger at that ? Lordy massy ! what hev I come to !" 
 
 " Dey is a good many white wimmen as brack as 
 any nigger !" exclaimed Mammy, now thoroughly 
 angry. " All dey needs is a brack hide !" 
 
 "Good gracious!" said Miss Nancy, " that s true 
 enough. But, laws, I hadn t no idee I was a-goin to 
 rile you like that. I didn t mean nothin , I m sure. 
 You re jest as good as I am, I don t dispute that, only it 
 did seem rather queer a most disrespec ful, to be plain 
 to call a young woman Mammy me, at my age !" 
 
 " Why, bress yer heart, honey," replied Mammy, 
 more than mollified at being called a young woman, 
 " I reckon nuffin s de matter cept you n me didn t 
 stan one udder. Dey allus calls de brack woman as 
 nussels de chillen Mammy. Mas r Rick, an Missis, 
 an all calls me dat, yet I ain t der mammy at all." 
 
 " Oh," said Miss Nancy, " I see. Well, Mammy, 
 ef you nussed Mr. Consaulus and my Rosy s boy 
 why you must be the right kind of a woman. I hadn t 
 no idee of offendin you. and I guess you know it by 
 this time."
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 225 
 
 " Deed I does," said Mammy. " An I is a-gwine 
 dis instance minute ter get yer up de tastiest lunch 
 yer eber sot mouf to." 
 
 By this time a stalwart man brought in Miss 
 Nancy s trunks, and Mammy stopped to scold him 
 about the manner in which he placed them, and then 
 she bustled out. 
 
 " I knowed it," exclaimed Miss Nancy the moment 
 she was left alone, as she seated herself in a chair by 
 the window. "I knowed it," she repeated to herself 
 confidentially, though in so loud a voice that all 
 within a quarter of a mile range must have heard, 
 " I knowed jest as well as I knowed I was a-livin 
 that they d be up to all sorts o heathenish practices, 
 but I never did consait that I d slip into em so easy 
 myself. An yit here I be, a most afore I ve got my 
 things off, a-callin of a nigger wanch Mammy ! I 
 wonder what Filindy Jane Trotter d say to that ! 
 There s one comfort, though, she ll never know it 
 thout she comes down here and finds me out." 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 
 STRANGE HEIRLOOMS. 
 
 Dolores remained in the garden with the two chil 
 dren until she saw that Rose was left alone, then she 
 passed little Rose and Halbert over to Tot and went 
 in. She found her invalid in a rather exhausted state 
 after her interview with Miss Nancy, and therefore, 
 with smiling authority, insisted upon her lying down 
 immediately. 
 
 " I am tired," Rose said. " Aunt Nancy is one of 
 the best women in the world. Why, Rita, she offered 
 us every dollar she had to help take us to Europe, 
 dear soul ; but, though I would not hurt her feelings 
 for the world, since I love her very dearly, your 
 gentleness is very grateful to me, doubly so when 
 contrasted with her brusqueness. Once 1 enjoyed it 
 heartily, for it is spirited and original ; but I am afraid
 
 226 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 it will tire me now, unless you can devise some means 
 to protect me from it. Don t think me peevish and 
 spoiled, Rick," she continued, turning to him, " or 
 that I fail to appreciate Miss Nancy s goodness. I 
 was touched by her honest, loving offer just now, but 
 I think I am too tired for much excitement." 
 
 "I understand you, dear," he said, smiling, "and 
 I am sure Rita will manage it all for us. By the way, 
 I heard her just now I mean Miss Nancy object to 
 calling Mammy by her name. I suppose she will 
 think many of our customs outlandish, and she may 
 get homesick. I do want very much to make her feel 
 at home with us, for two reasons. She is almost 
 homeless and it would be hard for her to go back to 
 her brother s, so I want to make her as contented 
 as possible. In the second place, she will prove 
 invaluable to us with all her energy and goodness, 
 and will care conscientiously for our people while we 
 are away." 
 
 " Perhaps I had better run in and see her," said 
 Dolores. "I can introduce myself, and I will try and 
 make myself agreeable. She seemed shocked to see 
 so many little folks, and it is all so new to her, or I 
 imagine it must be " 
 
 " It is as different as possible from anything she 
 has ever seen," interrupted R( se. "Why, Rita, im 
 agine a woman who has taken full charge of a farm 
 house all her life, doing all the work, who has scarcely 
 ever met a negro, who has practiced rigid economy, 
 with never, in fact, any money to spend, a woman to 
 whom traveling is a terror, and being away from home 
 for a single night not to be thought of imagine her 
 turned away from her home at her age ! For it 
 amounts to that, as I know she would not leave on 
 slight provocation. She comes here on the spur of 
 the moment and finds me, whom she used to pet, 
 only a weak shadow that shrinks from the sound of 
 her voice. It is really dreadful ! Do go to her, Rita, 
 and tell her for me how glad I am that she has come, 
 and comfort her if she is lonely."
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 221 
 
 " There, there !" said Dolores, gently, for Rose 
 was growing almost hysterical, and was seized with a 
 fit of coughing. " Now you must lie down quietly 
 and take a nap. I will go and make Miss Nancy s 
 acquaintance." 
 
 So Rose settled back upon her pillow obediently, 
 while Rick took a seat beside her, and Dolores, cross 
 ing the hall and the dining-room, tapped softly at 
 Miss Nancy s door. 
 
 For once Miss Nancy spoke in a subdued tone as 
 she bade her visitor enter. The thought of how 
 Filindy Jane Trotter might regard her conduct had 
 led the forlorn old lady into a rather lachrymose train 
 of reflections, and when Dolores entered she found 
 her mopping her face and blowing her nose energeti 
 cally upon her cotton pocket-handkerchief, which, 
 however, was snowy white. 
 
 " Mrs. Gonzales has told me all about you," said 
 Dolores, as she advanced and put out her hand, "and 
 how glad she is to have you here. She is too ill to 
 walk much, even about the house, and she cannot 
 come into your room to see if you are comfortable, so 
 she has sent me in her place." 
 
 Miss Nancy rose, her eyes and nose very red, and 
 took the small white hand Dolores proffered without 
 a word, for she was unable to speak. 
 
 " I know you are very tired," continued the gentle 
 voice. " You are quite worn out with your journey, 
 and you are a little just a little homesick," the last 
 uttered with a smile. 
 
 " How can I be homesick when I hain t got no 
 home ?" queried Miss Nancy in a quavering voice, 
 several degrees lower than she was wont to use. 
 
 There are those who fancy people who are old and 
 ugly have no right to show grief, and can only tolerate 
 tears when they dim the eye of beauty. Such might 
 have been excited to laughter at the sight of this oddly- 
 dtessed, ugly-featured old woman in tears, but Dolores 
 was not one of these. She had known what it was to 
 be homesick, even when without a home, and her
 
 228 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 heart went out in tender sympathy for this lonely 
 woman. 
 
 " I know what it is to feel as ypu do," she said, 
 with tears in her beautiful eyes ; " but do not grieve, 
 in a little while you will be quite at home here and 
 happier than you ever were in your life before. When 
 you grow accustomed to the ways of the house you 
 will like it, I know, for every one who comes is de 
 lighted with Idlefield before leaving. You are to 
 make it your home for life, and you will grow to love 
 it before long. I must now make you more com 
 fortable. In the first place, you have selected the 
 most unpleasant chair in the room to sit in ; then, 
 your eyes are all inflamed with traveling and grieving, 
 and you must bathe them in cool water." 
 
 So saying, Dolores poured out some water for her, 
 and Miss Nancy at once rose and mopped her face well. 
 
 " It does feel better," she said, as she sank down 
 in the easy chair Dolores placed for her. 
 
 "And now," continued Dolores, " I will brush your 
 hair and then you will be quite ready for the lunch 
 Mandy will bring you presently." 
 
 " You comb my hair ?" said Miss Nancy, with all 
 her old vigor of speech. 
 
 " Certainly," with a kindly smile, " unless you ob 
 ject to it." 
 
 Miss Nancy sprang up and seized the comb, and 
 began a vigorous raking it could be called nothing 
 else of her hair. 
 
 " I niver could make it look han some," she said, 
 " but mebby it won t stan up like it does now. No, 
 child, I m abler to do it than you air fer me, but I 
 thank you kindly all the same. Set down, do ; you 
 make me feel to hum a ready. I s pose you ve sot 
 me down for an old fool, seein me bellerin here like 
 a sick caff." 
 
 Dolores laughed. 
 
 " No," she said, "I did not. It does us good to cry 
 a little once in a great while, and you don t do it 
 often, I know."
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 229 
 
 " My, no," said Miss Nancy, briskly brushing the 
 stray hairs off her dress and settling her collar. " I 
 guess I ll put on an apurn," she continued, "for fear 
 o silin my dress. I ve got one in the bag right here, 
 handy." 
 
 She drew forth a gingham apron an enormous 
 plaid and tied it around her small but angular 
 waist. Dolores put the prim bonnet and shawl in a 
 drawer, and set out a small table to be ready for the 
 luncheon. 
 
 Mammy herself brought it a bountiful supply of 
 fried chicken, cold sliced bacon, corn bread, a cup of 
 tea (hot and strong, as Miss Nancy liked it), and a 
 saucer of jelly. It was soon arranged, and Miss 
 Nancy, who was in truth hungry, drew up at the first 
 invitation and ate with a keen relish. 
 
 " My !" she said, as soon as she came to a pause, 
 "but whoever got up this knowed how to cook vittles, 
 that s certain. I spected, with Rose sick, Mr. Con- 
 saulus would hev an awful time about his meals." 
 
 " Oh, no," returned Dolores, " his cook is a famous 
 one, and she is as neat as wax. To-morrow, when 
 you are rested, I must take you out and show you her 
 kitchen." 
 
 " Out," repeated Miss Nancy, " ain t the kitchen in 
 the house nuther? Good airth ! how do they bring 
 the vittles in when it rains ?" 
 
 " They manage very nicely," Dolores replied, 
 " though I have heard Mrs. Gonzales say they had 
 things much more convenient in the North." And 
 then, remembering she had heard Rose say Miss 
 Nancy was particularly fond of tea, she sent Mammy 
 for some more. 
 
 When the plates had been pretty well polished, and 
 three cups of tea drank, Miss Nancy expressed her 
 self satisfied, and she began to look the picture of 
 content. Mammy gathered up the fragments and 
 went out, and then Dolores asked whether her guest 
 preferred to take a short nap before tea-time, or to 
 unpack her trunks.
 
 230 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOHILITY. 
 
 "I niver kin sleep in the day time," Miss Nancy 
 said, "an* I guess I ll go to work an hustle out a 
 few o my things. I don t feel tired the least mite 
 now." 
 
 " Shall I help you ?" asked Dolores, " or would you 
 rather be alone while you do it ?" 
 
 "I dunno," replied the old lady, rather sheepishly. 
 " Filindy Jane helped me pack up, and she said any 
 body would laugh ef I showed em the trash I brought ; 
 but I don t b lieve you would. On the hull, ef you 
 don t mind, I d like to hev you see "em." 
 
 " Indeed, I don t mind at all, said Dolores, kindly. 
 
 " I knowed you wouldn t," replied Miss Nancy, 
 confidently. 
 
 " I want to run out one moment to see if Rose is 
 asleep," said Dolores, " and then I will come back 
 and help you until you have everything done." 
 
 The quick but silent footsteps glided through 
 dining-room and hall, the drawing-room door was 
 opened noiselessly, and the gentle face looked within. 
 Rose was asleep and Rick 4 nelly reading, and laying 
 her finger upon her lip Dolores vanished and retraced 
 her steps to Miss Nancy s room. She found the old 
 lady had trunk and chest unlocked, and out of the 
 former she laid a slender wardrobe upon the bed. 
 Dolores took the dresses and hung them in the closet 
 two ginghams, one dark print, all as clean as pos 
 sible ; one cotton delaine with wide stripes and gay 
 colors, and a cheap black silk as prim in fashion as 
 the alpaca Miss Nancy now had on. Next she came 
 to some plain, coarse underclothing, which was white 
 as snow, and this, with two or three aprons and two 
 or three collars, completed the contents of the hair 
 trunk. 
 
 In the band-box was a cotton -t el vet bonnet of 
 ancient shape, a big turkey-feather fan, a pair of black 
 lace mitts and a roll of pieces for patchwork. These 
 Miss Nancy decided to leave as they were, so Dolores 
 placed the band-box upon the closet shelf out of 
 harm s way.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 231 
 
 " Your things are very neat," Dolores ventured, at 
 last. 
 
 "Yes," said Miss Nancy, "that is, they ain t dirty, 
 but them you ve seen ain t the ones Filindy Jane was 
 oneasy about. I spect nothin but what you ll laugh, 
 fer mebbe they do look silly; they ain t wuth much, I 
 know. But some on em was Mariar s things, and 
 some on em was my sister s that died, and some 
 I hed when I was a gal myself, an some my mother 
 gin me, my mother thet died forty year ago. I ve 
 kep em ever sense, an though I hed to pay extry for 
 bringin em, I didn t begrudge it, I m sure. I couldn t 
 leave em nohow in the world. I ve worked hard all 
 my life an hain t got no money hardly. I hain t got 
 nothin else that any other livin soul d want. You 
 see, somehow, all my days other folks around me hes 
 took the best an left the leavins for me. When 
 my mother died the best o her things my sister took; 
 an when my sister died her husban kept the best o 
 hem. Even poor Mariar, that wanted me to hev her 
 best close, want paid no tention to ; my brother put 
 away everything that was worth hevin an only left 
 me the scraps. But I couldn t leave em, though I 
 don t spose a tin-pedlar d a-gin me a quart basin for 
 the lot." 
 
 And here Miss Nancy raised the lid and began to 
 water the contents of the trunk with her tears. 
 
 " Perhaps," suggested Dolores, "you would rather 
 not show them to me to-day. If you are too tired let 
 us wait till to-morrow. 
 
 " No," she answered, wiping away her tears upon 
 her apron in a resolute way, as if determined to never 
 shed another in her life, " I spect you ll think me an 
 old fool mebbe you ll call me one- but I want to 
 hev it over with and then I ll feel better." 
 
 Even though prepared by Miss Nancy s explana 
 tion which touched her from its faithful earnestness 
 for beholding a medley of useless things, to say 
 that Dolores was surprised at the articles brought 
 forth from the green chest would illy express her
 
 232 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 feelings. But the more her astonishment grew the 
 more her heart went out in sympathy for this lonely 
 woman, who treasured such a motley collection of 
 worthless objects solely because they had once been 
 worn or touched by those she had loved and lost. 
 
 There were parasol frames with steeple tops ; the 
 covers were either in rags or wanting altogether. 
 There were pocket knives without blades, combs 
 without teeth, cracked perfumery bottles, school 
 books with scribbled covers and only a few remaining 
 dog-eared leaves. There were worn gloves with and 
 without mates, baby caps yellow with age, fancy paper 
 boxes with broken covers, old letters, old newspapers 
 containing the marriage or death of friends, a plaid 
 silk dress ancient in style and worn to rags, a cotton 
 lace mantilla in short, the collection was as worth 
 less as possible, and could only have been prized from 
 association, or because the articles had been owned, 
 worn or used by those who had been so fortunate as 
 to be Ipved faithfully by the desolate old creature, 
 who treasured the meanest thing their hands had 
 touched and held their memory sweet. 
 
 Dolores watched as Miss Nancy spread out the 
 things to her view, but to her there was nothing 
 ludicrous in the sight. 
 
 " If some one if even a dog could have loved me 
 so, how thankful I would be," she thought. " I, 
 whose husband sought to kill me, and then to sell me 
 into what must have been life-long prostitution ; I, 
 who am cared for by Rick in deference to his father s 
 memory, and by Rose out of the gentleness of a heart 
 which is tender and loving toward all God s creatures. 
 We are all ready enough to treasure rich heirlooms, 
 but if I died to-night who would care to keep any 
 thing which had been mine solely for my sake ? And 
 yet have I not encountered much sweet with the bitter 
 in my life ? Who could have been more loving and 
 kind than Tot and Sue ? Greater love hath no man 
 than this, that he lay down his life for another. Ah, 
 Sue, no one could have been more loving than you !
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 233; 
 
 But you are dead, and the friends this faithful woman 
 loved so fondly are dead also. No, such love is sel 
 dom vouchsafed to mortals except for a short season ; 
 and when it does spring to life in some exceptionally 
 noble human breast, death comes in and takes the 
 giver or the receiver, leaving the other desolate. I 
 fear, daily, something may occur to take Tot from me. 
 Yet I am wicked to allow such thoughts to burthen 
 my mind, for God has been so good to me." 
 
 Tears of sympathy and regret gathered in her eyes 
 and dropped over her cheeks, and they forged the 
 first link in the chain of friendship which held these 
 two women so unlike in all but desolation in affec 
 tionate bonds until death. 
 
 Miss Nancy watched the sad face keenly, and 
 seeing in it sympathy and gentle sorrow only where 
 she had half expected scorn, spoke very gently for 
 her : 
 
 "I forgot," she said ; "mebbe I ve harrered up yer 
 feelin s, fer you do look as ef you d hed trouble o yer 
 own. But I knowed it I knowed you wouldn t 
 laugh, bless yer dear heart ! It s no wonder fer me 
 to be lonesome, but you air a purty creeter, an you 
 oughter be happy. I know yer good I knowed it 
 the minit I seen you wouldn t make fun of a cur ous, 
 humbly old woman an her whims." 
 
 "Make fun of you?" Dolores said in surprise. 
 " Ah, no, it only touches me to think how dearly you 
 must have loved your friends." 
 
 At this moment there was a patter of childish foot 
 steps in the nursery, which was the next room, and 
 two confident, imperious voices called for mamma 
 and " Aunt Wita." 
 
 Dolores turned to the door in answer to the chil 
 dren s call. Thinking it might serve to divert her 
 guest from sad thoughts she brought the children in,, 
 leading them each by the hand. 
 
 " Children," she said, " this is Aunt Nancy, whom 
 you will love very dearly, I know. This," she added, 
 taking the boy by the hand, " is liuie Halbert, Rick ?-
 
 234 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 only child. Go and kiss aunty, Hal," coaxingly to 
 the child. 
 
 " No, not aunty t all. Hal don t yike bad aunty !" 
 exclaimed the little rebel, shaking his head. 
 
 " He s a nice little feller," said Aunt Nancy, " but 
 he don t like the looks o me yit." 
 
 At this baby Rose, who was quite as gentle and 
 sympathetic as her mother, looking with her great 
 childish eyes past the awkward dress and manner of 
 the stranger into the homely face with the trace of 
 tears still upon it, came forward and clasped her arms 
 about Aunt Nancy s neck. 
 
 "Me yike she," she said. "Wose yike aunty a 
 hunned bussels." 
 
 Miss Nancy caught the child in her arms, kissing 
 it again and again, and when little Rose was released 
 she turned, girl-like, to cast a condescending look 
 upon Hal, who appeared quite astonished, as if to say, 
 "See what you missed and I have gained." 
 
 " It is my child," Dolores said with a smile, proudly 
 hastening to proclaim her proprietorship, after the 
 manner of fond mothers. 
 
 " I knowed it," exclaimed Miss Nancy in her old 
 war-whoop style. " I knowed it, for I declare to 
 massy she s the purtiest thing I ever sot eyes on to." 
 
 CHAPTER XXXV. 
 
 LIVING, VET DEAD. 
 
 The political horizon was as darkly clouded as ever 
 when, in the following May, Rick, Rose, Dolores, the 
 two children and Tot set out for New York to visit 
 Mrs. Beale, a short time before sailing for Europe. 
 Seward was talked of as the next Republican candi 
 date for President, and among the Democrats it was 
 plain to be seen that there would be a serious division 
 of the party. This division was chiefly clue to the 
 acts of President Buchanan when he entered the 
 White House three years before. The President was
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 235 
 
 jealous of Douglas and his influence, as it had been 
 a matter of doubt whether he would not receive the 
 nomination in Buchanan s stead at the time of the 
 previous Presidential campaign. Douglas did receive 
 the largest number of votes in the Convention next 
 to Buchanan, and, after the latter was nominated and 
 elected President, it was expected, as is the usual 
 custom in such cases, that he would tender Douglas 
 the position of Secretary of State, conciliating him 
 and his friends, and thus heal the political ulcer. 
 Buchanan was too selfish and headstrong to perform 
 this act of mere justice, and, instead, he unearthed 
 General Cass, who, though a gentleman, no doubt, 
 had little in any way to recommend him for the posi 
 tion. The result was that Douglas, being left out in 
 the cold and feeling that he had been wrongly treated, 
 followed a course which led to a decided break in the 
 Democratic party. 
 
 It was, therefore, evident that now another Presi 
 dential campaign was at hand the Douglas wing of 
 the Democracy would persist in nominating their 
 leader as the next candidate, while the other wing, 
 which comprised nearly all the most bitter advocates 
 of slavery, would nominate a man of their own ilk. 
 
 Rick, having foreseen this, could not help being 
 glad of Buchanan s course, for it would tend to make 
 the Republican victory more certain. Still, as he 
 said when he went away, his vote in his own State 
 would amount to nothing, and his example of leniency 
 toward his slaves only tended to make his neighbors 
 more harsh with theirs, as if in revenge. Besides, he 
 felt his wife s health was more precious to him than all 
 else, and, therefore, he left the country with few regrets. 
 
 Miss Nancy had borne up bravely through all the 
 period of preparation for the journey. She even sub 
 mitted to having her black silk made over into 
 modern style, and a few other trifling alterations 
 made in her wardrobe. Dolores was obliged to lay 
 aside black, for Rose vehemently declared it made 
 her low-spirited to see her appear so sombre.
 
 236 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 When the time for their departure drew near Miss 
 Nancy s face grew very grave, and the morning they 
 went away she bade them good-bye in tears, the first 
 she had shed since her arrival. She was now quite 
 contented at Idlefield. She soon became accustomed 
 to the negroes, taking a great interest in the little 
 ones, thereby winning the hearts of their parents. 
 She and Mandy were upon the best of terms, for, be 
 ing a good cook herself, she could appreciate Mandy s 
 accomplishments in that line, and as her thoughts 
 and opinions were never a matter of surmise to those 
 who knew her, on account of her habit of plain speak 
 ing. Mandy was fully aware of the estimate Miss Nancy 
 held of her ability, and was gracious accordingly. 
 
 Moreover, she was delighted with the idea of being 
 left in charge of such a fine old place the fact 
 showed her that Rick held a high opinion of her 
 capability and honesty, and she meant that his confi 
 dence should not be misplaced. As soon as she was 
 left alone she took a survey of everything, and find 
 ing all was as it should be the negroes respectful 
 and diligent, the overseer inclined to be friendly, and 
 the whole place in perfect order and thorough repair 
 she sat down to write a labored epistle to her old 
 friend, Filindy Jane Trotter, giving her a glowing 
 account of Idlefield, and not forgetting to add that 
 the sole charge of the house and women-slaves was 
 left in her hands, and she was growing rich from the 
 salary she received for attending to it. 
 
 This letter was a subject of astonishment to Filindy 
 Jane, and she proceeded to spread the news far and 
 near through the neighborhood, in order that all 
 might wonder with her, and Mr. Bailey might know 
 what a prize he had lost. By this time, however, he 
 had discovered it himself, his young wife having 
 proved anything but a good housekeeper, and, as she 
 was tired of housework, she suggested to her husband 
 it might be well to write Nancy and say they had 
 made up their minds to forgive and forget, and were 
 willing for the prodigal to return.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 237 
 
 Such a letter, in fact, had been dispatched to Miss 
 Nancy, and when, a day or two later, Mrs. Potter 
 impartod the news of Nancy s immense success they 
 came to the conclusion that, since their feminine 
 prodigal was feeding upon the fat of the land instead 
 of husks, it was not probable that she would willingly 
 return, a conclusion that ultimately proved correct. 
 
 The letter produced a sensation in the neighbor 
 hood in a far different way, for when it became noised 
 about that Miss Nancy was growing rich, nearly every 
 man and woman who had failed, through laziness and 
 neglect, to obtain a respectable living were of the 
 opinion that the best thing they could do was to go 
 and join Miss Nancy at once. This greatly alarmed 
 Filindy Jane, until she chanced to reflect that, since 
 they had never yet allowed one dollar to overtake 
 another in their pockets, it was quite improbable that 
 they would ever be able to raise funds for the journey. 
 
 Our travelers, being ready, were glad to go. Dolores, 
 with a settled melancholy in her heart, which, how 
 ever, she never allowed to interfere with her cheerful 
 ness when in the society of others, hailed a change of 
 scene, hoping it might ease a little the burthen her 
 heart labored under, and hoping, too, Rose might win 
 a new lease of life. Rick, disgusted with his country, 
 yet, with all her faults, loving her too much to wish to 
 see her come to harm, and feeling he could not bene 
 fit any one by tarrying, left few regrets behind. Rose 
 looked hopefully toward the future, happy in the love 
 of her husband, her child and Dolores, too weak to 
 plan much or look far forward, yet fearing nothing. 
 
 Mrs. Beale welcomed them all warmly. She told 
 Dolores she felt she was already her friend, since Rose 
 had spoken so constantly of her when writing. She 
 plainly saw that Rose was too weak to survive any 
 violent political strife brought near her, and felt the 
 step Rick was taking was most judicious. 
 
 They arrived in the morning and after lunch they 
 were all seated in the drawing-room : Dolores in an 
 easy-chair by the window, looking thoughtfully out at
 
 238 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 the passers by ; Rick in the opposite window, seem 
 ing occupied with the same pastime ; Rose reclining 
 upon a lounge and her aunt near her. 
 
 The last two were engaged in conversation between 
 themselves, and Rick had only spoken once to Dolores, 
 saying he wished her to mark the workings of a model 
 Northern household, when a remark of Mrs. Beale s 
 caused them both to start. 
 
 " Do you hear often from Alfred Hastings ?" she 
 asked Rose, in her quiet voice. 
 
 Glancing to the opposite window Rick saw a faint 
 tinge of color creep into Dolore s face. 
 
 " No, aunt," Rose answered, " we never hear from 
 him now." 
 
 " I had a letter from him a few days since," Mrs. 
 Beale continued, " and I was somewhat surprised at 
 the information it contained. He has recently mar 
 ried the second time." 
 
 " Married !" cried Rick, springing to his feet sud 
 denly, and then remembering himself he quite as. 
 abruptly sat down. 
 
 Mrs. Beale laughed. 
 
 " Rick has never forgiven him, I see,"she said ; and, 
 turning to Rose, she fancied her niece was greatly 
 excited also, more so, in fact, than the case required. 
 
 Dolores sat quite still in her chair. The faint red 
 went out of her cheeks and a deathly palor crept into 
 them instead. She set her teeth and braced her nerves, 
 clasping the arms of her chair for a moment, then her 
 hold relaxed, her head drooped forward upon her 
 breast, and her body swayed as though she were 
 about to fall. 
 
 Rick waited, seeing her battle against this faintness, 
 yet he made no movement to relieve her, knowing she 
 most desired to pass through the ordeal without 
 attracting Mrs. Beale s attention ; but when he saw 
 she was about to fall forward he sprang and caught 
 her in his arms, bearing her to the couch Rose had 
 that moment vacated, for she was struck with a fear 
 for Dolores as soon as the announcement was made.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 239 
 
 Mrs. Beale could not resist a feeling of surprise, 
 but she was too polite to express it. She ran for 
 restoratives, and as soon as Dolores recovered con 
 sciousness she left the room, under a pretext of bring 
 ing a strengthening draught, but in reality to give 
 them time for a few words together. 
 
 "Rita," said Rose, gently, "we can trust Aunt 
 Sarah. Let us tell her, for some time you may need 
 a lady friend." 
 
 " As you wish," Dolores answered. She could 
 deny Rose nothing, especially since she now alluded, 
 for the first time, to the possibility of being herself 
 called away. " I do not think it best for the dead 
 to come back to life again at least the unloved 
 dead and I have been dead to all in this world but 
 Rick, and you, and Tot for years," she added. " I 
 have sometimes thought I would like to go back to 
 Riverton in disguise to visit my own tombstone and 
 read the inscription, and to hear how those who knew 
 me once would speak of me now, but until this mo 
 ment I never fully realized how utterly dead I was. 
 Oh, Rick, from the very first we were wrong ; but 
 you were bent upon vengeance and I to escape from 
 slavery at any cost !" 
 
 "You were not wrong," he said quickly. "It was 
 my fault from first to last, but its penalty has been 
 inflicted upon you. I have tried to atone by my 
 kindness to you since your return, but there is so 
 little I can do in a case like this." 
 
 "You have done everything!" she cried, "you and 
 dear Rose ; and I have been, in spite of fate, almost 
 happy at times. But I did not think of aiding Alfred 
 in committing another crime. I thought since he 
 could not be sure I was dead he would fear to marry 
 again. If I live my life out, making no sign, will it 
 matter, since his new wife will never know she is 
 no wife at all ? Or ought I must I make myself 
 known ?" 
 
 For a moment both were silent, but, hearing a foot 
 step, Rose said,
 
 240 SU1JDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 "Let us ask advice of Aunt Sarah." 
 
 Without answering Dolores rose and met Mrs. 
 Beale as she entered the door. 
 
 " I am Dolores," she said, " Alfred Hastings wife, 
 whom he chooses to consider dead. Rick will tell 
 you the story, and then, if you please, we would like 
 your advice." 
 
 Mrs. Beale put down the glass of cordial she held,, 
 and, approaching Dolores, she took her pale face in 
 her hands and kissed it gently, but warmly. 
 
 "Go up to your room, dear," she said, "and lie 
 down. Here, drink this first. I will come up and see 
 you by and by." 
 
 Dolores did as she was bidden, and an hour later 
 Mrs. Beale looked quietly in upon her. 
 
 "Come in, please," Dolores said, "and tell me 
 what I must do." 
 
 Sitting down by the bedside she took one of the 
 slender hands in her own. 
 
 "Your wish," she said, smoothing the hair away 
 from Dolores forehead, " is to go on as you are now, 
 and let no one know you are living." 
 
 " It is my wish," Dolores answered, "but I will do 
 whatever you think right." 
 
 " It is very hard to judge in such a case," said Mrs. 
 Beale, " and I am not sure of being right; still, since the 
 wrong is done, it may be best to go on as you are 
 now. Rick is more than willing to care for you all 
 your life, and to provide for your child. He thinks 
 if he were to write Alfred the truth he would either 
 seek a quiet divorce from you or engage some spy to 
 dog your footsteps and murder you. He has plenty 
 of money to do this, as his wife is an heiress. As you 
 are now, you are safe from him. Even if the truth 
 were known, those who were so ready to flatter you and 
 accord to you the homage you richly won from them 
 while known as Alfred Hastings wife would hold up- 
 their hands in holy horror and say any act of his by 
 which he rid himself of you was simple justice." 
 
 " I am quite sure of that. And since both he and
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 241 
 
 I have everything to lose by my coming back to life 
 again, it is better for me to remain, as he hopes I am, 
 dead." 
 
 "I want to assure you of one thing," said Mrs. 
 Beale, "and then, if you are able, come down with 
 me where you will have no time to brood over un 
 pleasant thoughts. While Rose lives you will never 
 need a friend. It is her wish for she said so only a 
 few moments since if she dies for you to remain 
 with Rick and care for her child, at least until he is 
 grown ; but if anything chances to ever make Rick s 
 home unpleasant to you not that I doubt him, but 
 changes might occur in that place you must come to 
 me. I will give you a home, if my life is spared, and 
 will help you in any way in my power." 
 
 " How can I thank you ?" Dolores said, the tears 
 springing in her beautiful eyes. "It is so good of 
 you to offer this so very, very good ! and espe 
 cially when you know of my origin. But ah ! what a 
 strange life mine has been. Life did I say ? I have 
 already lived two lives, and now I am dead. First I 
 was a slave, and then I began a new life as a happy, 
 honored wife. These lives were as far divided from 
 each other as light and darkness, as life and death. 
 And now my epitaph has been carved for several 
 years upon a tombstone, and I am hiding away from 
 all who ever knew me before. I could never prove 
 that Alfred tried to murder me, because poor Sue is 
 dead, and, even if living, her testimony would not be 
 heard in a court of justice a court of justice, my 
 friend ! so it is better for me, since I live in this 
 free United States of America it is better for all 
 that I am dead." 
 
 Our European travelers had made a successful trip 
 across the Atlantic, and had visited the greater part of 
 Northern Europe before the great political struggle 
 came off which placed Abraham Lincoln at the head 
 of the Republican party and the prospective Com- 
 mander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of this 
 glorious Republic. Rick watched the news columns-
 
 ^4- SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 of the European papers and read them with a thirst 
 for more beyond description. He felt a longing to 
 know how Idlefield and his people would be treated 
 in case of a civil war between the North and South 
 and himself absent. In fact, he knew the feeling in 
 his own immediate neighborhood was much stronger 
 against him and his new views on politics than he was 
 willing to admit to others, therefore this uneasiness. 
 
 After the election, and before the inauguration day 
 ihe following March, everything looked dark. The 
 war storm was gathering slowly but surely, and while 
 our travelers abroad did not so fully realize this as 
 those at home, they, too, had forebodings of what 
 was in store for their people at Idlefield. 
 
 The Southern papers were full of buncombe say 
 ings as to what they would do in case Abraham Lin 
 coln attempted to take his seat in the Presidential 
 chair. Meanwhile Secretary-of-War Thompson was 
 quietly slipping all the muskets South that he could 
 move without raising suspicion, and, as almost every 
 Northern man afterward knew, President Buchanan 
 winked at it. Thus, when the time came for the 
 President-elect to go to Washington to assume the 
 position of head of the government,, he found plots 
 had been formed to abduct him before he could reach 
 there. In this way it was hoped to get rid of him, 
 and, if possible, seize the Capitol, government fund^, 
 and other important departments, and turn them over 
 into the hands of the revolutionary Southern party. 
 The plot failed, and the President-elect, disguised, 
 reached Washington in safety, and was duly inaugu 
 rated in accordance with the usual custom. He ad 
 vanced steadily to his duties amid much adverse 
 counsel and many deadly threats from the South, all 
 of which fell harshly on his ears, but which met as 
 strong, honest, brave and loyal a heart as ever beat in 
 a human breast ! 
 
 It was not until April of the same year that the 
 sons of " Southern Nobility," as they were pleased to 
 call themselves, planted their batteries in position to
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 243 
 
 reduce Fort Sumter, in Charleston Harbor. The 
 telegrams gave notice of the dastardly act in the most 
 remote parts of the country, and the hearts of every 
 Northern man beat in unison for war, and nothing 
 short of absolute subjection to the will of the Ameri 
 can people would be accepted either. If the Presi 
 dent had asked for a million volunteers instead of 
 the number his proclamation afterward called for, 
 they could have been secured as readily. 
 
 On the 25th of the same month the President 
 issued his proclamation calling on the several loyal 
 States to send forward their respective quotas of 
 seventy-five thousand troops to suppress the rebel 
 lion, then actively gathering force in every part of 
 the South, which was done in the course of a few 
 days and with great enthusiasm. 
 
 Never was such a state of affairs in America be 
 fore. The news went to foreign lands and was greedily 
 devoured by Americans abroad, and among the num 
 ber none read it with more earnestness than did Rick 
 and those of his immediate family. For three years 
 the war grew more and more fierce, until General 
 Sherman took command in the South-west and 
 General Grant near Richmond, when there seemed to 
 be some early prospects of the end being near at hand. 
 The emancipation proclamation had been issued. It 
 was then a subject of much conjecture as to what 
 would be the best policy to pursue toward the col 
 ored people they set free. Rick had fully made up 
 his mind as to what he would do on his return home. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVI. 
 
 NOT IN VAIN. 
 
 More than three years have passed, yet Rick and 
 Rose linger in foreign climes Rose, because life 
 seems too sweet to be given up without a struggle, 
 and Rick because he knows his wife will never see her 
 native land again, and an attempt to journey thither
 
 244 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 would only cause the faint, flickering lamp of her frail 
 life to go out upon this world forever that much 
 sooner. 
 
 Every health-giving spring in Central and Southern 
 Kurope have been visited, in the hope of finding heal 
 ing in the waters, but no permanent balm has been 
 found. Sometimes a temporary improvement in her 
 health gave birth to a new hope in the breasts of her 
 friends, who loved Rose so devotedly, that at last for 
 her the elixir of life had been found ; but this hope 
 soon died out, when a relapse told all too plainly that 
 she could only hope for temporary relief. So they 
 wander hither and thither to Dieppe, Cannes, Baden- 
 Baden, Wiesbaden, Ems, at Varenna, on the eastern 
 shore of Lake Como, Bavano, near the lovely Italian 
 lakes, Florence, Naples, and at last there comes an 
 autumn-time when Rose, unable to leave her bed, can 
 travel no more. 
 
 It finds them in Rome, and they have taken up 
 their temporary abode in a half-decayed but grand 
 old palace, up one flight of marble steps ; and there, 
 entering a lofty apartment through a doorway framed 
 in sculptured marble, we find the little family waiting 
 an opportunity to return to their American home. 
 
 Rose, as usual, is reclining upon her couch and 
 Dolores is hovering near her. Rick is busy with 
 American papers, chiefly from New York, for he has 
 faithfully followed the course of events in his native 
 land during the period of his long exile from it. 
 Once, indeed, when Rose had seemed to gradually 
 improve for such a length of time that he felt assured of 
 her ultimate recovery, he besought her to allow him 
 to return for a few months, leaving her to the care of 
 Dolores, but the thought of being separated from 
 him made her ill again, and he was forced to give up 
 the idea. 
 
 To-day he reads and tosses his paper aside, glanc 
 ing a moment to where his pale, shadowy wife lies, 
 looking so saint-like and ethereal in her white dress 
 one might almost fancy her body, as well as her spirit,
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 245 
 
 was beginning to take wings. He sighs, and, hearing 
 the murmur of the fountain in the court below and 
 the slow footsteps of the passers by, turns to look with 
 out, where he beholds a medley of crumbling ancient 
 edifices and modern buildings the last, being com 
 posed of ancient stone and brick (as women patch 
 together old materials and call the result a new gown), 
 were new by courtesy only. The domes of many 
 churches rose bravely here and there, and beyond, 
 the distant Alban mountains met the sky, which, clear, 
 bright and intensely blue, shone softly over all. 
 
 " How worthless my life has been, "are his thoughts. 
 " How little how less than little have I accom 
 plished. Even since I met Rose first I have lived a 
 life of repression. First, I had to curb my love, and 
 when at last I won her, the deceit which Alfred had 
 practiced upon her, his insulting manner of breaking 
 his engagement, caused her to feel such deep humilia 
 tion that it preyed upon her health and sowed the 
 first seeds of her fatal disease, which no medical skill 
 has been able to uproot. I have seen great wrong 
 clone about me, but my way was hedged in so I had 
 no opportunity to right it. No doubt my neighbors 
 at home are this moment calling me a coward, and 
 saying I came hither to shirk the responsibility the 
 war laid upon my shoulders. Well, had I been at 
 home they would have had occasion to call me a 
 traitor, so it matters little. Perhaps I would have ac 
 complished little had I been there. I might now fill 
 an unknown grave, and then my trouble would be 
 over for this life. Now, my people need me sorely." 
 
 The Emancipation Proclamation had been issued 
 at the beginning of the present year, and Rick, 
 being advised beforehand, had given orders that his 
 slaves should have their choice as to whether they 
 went away or remained. Those who chose to stay 
 should receive regular wages, and those who decided 
 to leave were to receive a month s wages in advance 
 He made out the amount himself each was to be paid, 
 and sent it to his overseer.
 
 246 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 It so chanced that Idlefield fared better than it 
 would have done had its master remained at home. 
 His overseer was old and slightly lame, of no use to 
 serve in the army, and Miss Nancy, his chief-of-staff, 
 was a host in herself. The plantation was not among 
 those devastated by the war, and though the blockade 
 prevented the general export of cotton, that which did 
 chance to make its way out of the country realized an 
 enormous price, and therefore the productions which 
 reached a foreign market brought more than double 
 what the product of the place was worth in times of 
 peace. Rick invested much of his money in Ameri 
 can bonds. His wealth grew apace, but he lived 
 quietly and plainly, as far as his own habits were con 
 cerned, never striving to make a show or to attain 
 anything beyond respectability and comfort. 
 
 "I shall need it all," he said, "if I help my people 
 as I intend to do, and I will take care of it while I may." 
 
 They lived very quietly in Rome. Rose could bear 
 no one to attend upon her but Dolores and Rick, and 
 they in turn watched with her, occasionally relieved 
 by Tot, who proved invaluable, and who seemed to 
 take to foreign life as though it was the pleasantest 
 life in the world. With the children usually, she 
 attended to all their wants, though Dolores sought to 
 keep them almost constantly under her eye. 
 
 Hal and Rose are now bright children, seven years 
 of age, ajid, living in a harmonious atmosphere, they 
 nearly always agree, though Hal is inclined to be 
 slightly tyrannical, after the manner of boys, and 
 Rose, less imperious than girls usually are, is given to 
 humoring his whims. Dolores looks carefully after 
 their health, and sends them each day for a stroll in 
 the Borghese grounds, or a walk to the Pincian Hill, 
 with Tot for an escort, and, nearly always, Rick wan 
 dering near as a body-guard. Dolores, Rick and the 
 children have all grown moderately familiar with the 
 Italian tongue, but Rose has made no attempt to 
 learn it. She likes its soft, smoothly-flowing sound, 
 hut prefers to speak in her native English.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 247 
 
 Their retinue was not extensive. Rick found it 
 advisable to keep a valet, and Dolores chanced upon 
 a jewel in the shape of a male cook, who had lived 
 with resident foreigners until he thoroughly understood 
 American ways. He served up charming dinners and 
 strove to save Dolores all possible care, besides pos 
 sessing the power to tempt the appetite of Rose at 
 times. These servants, with a Donna di servizio and 
 the faithful Tot, they found were all they required. 
 
 In reviewing the events of the war Rick perceives 
 that the battle of Gettysburg, which occurred the 
 previous July, with the surrender of Vicksburg closely 
 following it, has turned the tide of success toward 
 the North, and it is not probable that the South can 
 hold out much longer. Well, whether the struggle be 
 long or short, he feels that his beloved Idlefield can 
 never again be to him what it has been in the past. 
 Still he must go back to it, for there is work for him 
 to do the Herculean task of protecting the rights of 
 not only his own slaves, but as many as possible of 
 the despised race, and help them in the new path of 
 life to be henceforth theirs. He is thinking of the 
 thorns that will beset their path so thickly, and how, 
 in helping them on, he may atone for errors of the 
 past. 
 
 Rose seems weaker than ever to-day, but she has 
 lingered in this state so long it does not impress her 
 husband with a sense of immediate danger. The 
 physician has just visited her and failed to pronounce 
 her decidedly worse, so Rick looks forward to a 
 winter in Italy. It is wearying, this constant waiting 
 without hope, yet his invalid wife is so dear to him he 
 would keep her always, if possible, even in her present 
 helpless state, rather than let her go out of his life 
 forever. He looks for no happiness beyond her 
 death. There will be hard work for him and but little 
 rest in the future, and he regards the thought of living 
 to old age with something of a shudder. Even the 
 boy who will bear his name after him gives little com 
 fort, when he considers how stormy a heritage he will
 
 248 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 have to bequeath him. " Poor child !" he thought, 
 " I wonder if life will satisfy him as little as it has 
 satisfied me ! And yet, I have been told, my father 
 longed all his life for a son until I was born. Ah, if 
 he could have known !" 
 
 One of Rick s sisters the one he had loved the 
 best died since he had left home. The others 
 seemed to care little for him or for Idlefield ; they 
 were engrossed with home cares. Their husbands 
 were in the Confederate army. Suppose and then 
 he paused, shuddering. It was a fratricidal war at 
 best. 
 
 He rose, it was his usual hour for a walk. 
 
 " Do you wish anything ?" he asked of Rose as he 
 stopped by her bedside to kiss her before he went out. 
 
 She smiled faintly and feebly shook her head. 
 
 "And you ?" he said, turning to Dolores. 
 
 "No," she answered in Italian; "but do not be 
 long away." 
 
 He paused a moment to kiss Rose once more, and 
 managed to look in Dolores" face without his wife s 
 seeing the expression upon his own, which was earnest 
 and questioning. 
 
 " Do you fear the worst ?" it asked, though his lips 
 spoke never a word. 
 
 And Dolores bowed in answer, her white face sadder 
 than he had seen it since the night she sought his 
 protection with her child in her arms. 
 
 " I will go no farther than the court," he said, "and 
 remain but a short while. Send for me if you need 
 me." 
 
 His foot had scarcely touched the lower stair when, 
 turning, though he heard no sound, he saw Dolores 
 beckoning him from above. Retracing his steps, he 
 entered the room and saw Dolores had lifted Rose, 
 who was gasping for breath, into a sitting posture. 
 Advancing to the other side of the bed he, too, put 
 his arm around his wife. In a moment the spasm 
 passed, and, recovering, Rose gave a loving glance in 
 the face of each.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 249 
 
 "It almost seems as if my life had been in vain," 
 she said, speaking with an effort. "I think I am 
 going, and it is best so." 
 
 "It has not been in vain !" cried Dolores, as Rick, 
 unable to speak, stooped to kiss his wife s damp brow. 
 "Your influence will live in the lives of those who 
 have known you, and they will teach your principles 
 to their children through generations to come, so it 
 can never die. Ah, Rose ! the world will be very 
 empty to me without you !" 
 
 A faint smile overspread the wan face, from which 
 every other expression was fast fading out. She 
 moved her lips, whether in prayer or to answer 
 Dolores no one could tell, for they were past all 
 earthly speech. As a last effort she lifted her wasted 
 hands, laid one gently upon the arm of each, and died. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVII. 
 
 THE WARNING. 
 
 It was in November that Rose died, and in the 
 January following Rick and Dolores reached Idlefield 
 once more. Miss Nancy welcomed them with tears, 
 as she had bidden them good-bye. 
 
 "I knowed it!" she cried. "I knowed I d never 
 see my poor child agin ! But I m so glad to hev you 
 back, Rita, ef you do look all done out. I must try 
 an nuss ye up a little." 
 
 After the first surprise the children seemed to recog 
 nize the old place, and appeared delighted to be home 
 once more. Hal did not miss his mother in the least, 
 as she had never been able to give him much care, 
 .and he always, though to the regret of Dolores, 
 seemed greatly to prefer his Aunt Rita. 
 
 They found about half the old slaves had left the 
 |;lae since they had been set free ; even the children 
 were scattered. The negroes who chanced to be 
 near the Union army were in some degree sheltered, 
 but woe to those who encountered the wrath of the
 
 250 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 rebel soldiers. Mr. White assured Rick that many 
 would have been glad to remain since they re 
 ceived wages, but they were forced to leave by the 
 rebel soldiers, who would swoop down upon the place, 
 steal whatever they could lay their hands upon and 
 depart, never, however, without prevailing upon some 
 of the negroes, by enticing them with false promises 
 or intimidating them with threats, to accompany them. 
 
 Poor Sol, who had been married to Chloe for two 
 or three years, was, upon one of these rebel raids, 
 bound hand and foot, and his wife, shrinking with 
 fright, carried away before his eyes. Mr. White was 
 out in the fields at the time with the remaining field 
 hands, and had left Sol to guard the house, though 
 he did not know there was any rebel soldiers near. 
 As soon as Sol was released he followed, but he lost 
 the trail, and after searching diligently for a week 
 found the place where they had camped deserted. 
 As he was about to pass on he was attracted to a 
 pile of brush, made up of the limbs of a tree they 
 had felled and used for firewood. He turned to in 
 spect it, and to his horror found there was a dead 
 body under it. Fearing the worst, he removed the 
 brush, and there, horribly mutilated, was poor Chloe, 
 who had evidently been murdered quite recently and 
 left in this shocking manner. 
 
 He carried her body home and they had rt buried 
 decently, but it cast a gloom over the place from 
 which it had not recovered when our travelers re 
 turned. Dolores and Rick were greatly excited over 
 it, but there seemed to be no redress at present 
 probably never as the perpetrators of the outrage 
 were unknown and could not well be traced. 
 
 "The great trouble is," said Rick, "that the pres 
 ent generation of whites at the South consider the 
 negroes legitimate game, and will continue to do so 
 while they live. What is bred in the bone must come 
 out in the flesh. On the other hand, it is impossible 
 to rid the negroes of a certain fear of and deference 
 to the whites, which renders them easy victims."
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 251 
 
 lie went to work, doing all he could for the com 
 fort of those who were left at Idlefield, and gave 
 directions that all negroes who applied for food 
 should be sheltered and fed, though at that time 
 there was not many wanderers in the vicinity. 
 Dolores did not question him in regard to his future 
 plans, but she saw he was brooding over the state of 
 affairs, and was not surprised one morning to find 
 him too ill to leave his bed. She lost no time in 
 summoning Dr. Cathcart, who, after prescribing, in 
 dicated that he would like a little private conversa 
 tion with her. 
 
 "It is terribly unfortunate," said he, " that that 
 misguided Rick should choose to come home just 
 at this time. There were rumors about his trea 
 sonable sentiments and actions before he went away, 
 but if he had waited a year longer this might have all 
 been settled and the thing would have blown over. 
 It is impossible for him to go on as he has begun 
 paying his slaves as if they were white people when 
 everybody knows the so-called Emancipation Procla 
 mation was illegal and unconstitutional from every 
 point of view. Every slave that left his master under 
 it will either be paid for or returned to his owner 
 within a year s time. Now mark my words." 
 
 " But," said Dolores, " it seems to me, in any case, 
 that it is nobody s business, so long as Mr. Gonzales 
 obeys the laws of the land. If the people in his 
 employ are his slaves still, he has a right to pay them 
 for their services if he chooses to do so ; if they are 
 not his slaves, it is simply justice upon his part. He 
 interferes with no one." 
 
 " But his example don t you understand ? It is 
 his example that is playing the mischief everywhere. 
 When other slaves hear that his are being paid 
 wages, do you suppose that they are going to work 
 for nothing ?" 
 
 " I should think they would be very foolish to do 
 so," replied Dolores, calmly. 
 
 " Young woman," pompously, "permit me to say
 
 21)2 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 you are talking about something you don t under 
 stand." 
 
 "In that case," she replied, quietly, "I should 
 not think it would be worth your while to waste your 
 time in conversing with me." 
 
 " It s no use flying in the face of a friend," the 
 doctor said, testily, " and all I said I meant in a 
 friendly manner." 
 
 " I am much obliged to you, I am sure," she re 
 plied ; " but I don t see how I am to mend matters. 
 Mr. Gonzales is not in the habit of asking my permis 
 sion before he does anything, except he might consult 
 me, perhaps, in regard to his boy. Anyhow, he is too 
 ill to listen to any sort of advice just now, even were 
 I in the mood to give it." 
 
 "True, but he will probably recover, and you might 
 put him upon his guard. There are not many men 
 about here at present, but the boys in gray occasion 
 ally get home on a short furlough, and they wouldn t 
 tolerate anything of the kind in Rick they wouldn t, 
 indeed. Besides, they think it very strange that he 
 doesn t join the army. If he had only remained 
 away until the whole thing was settled it would have 
 been all right, although some did say that it was con 
 venient for his wife to be obliged to go to Europe 
 just as she did." 
 
 "Dr. Cathcart," said Dolores, "Mr. Gonzales took 
 his wife to Europe upon your recommendation in 
 obedience to the strongest kind of advice upon your 
 part. He remained until her death, because he knew 
 she was unable to endure a homeward journey, and 
 he could not leave her to die alone. As to his evad 
 ing the war, he went away before it began, as you 
 well know. 1 
 
 "I know," the doctor replied, somewhat confusedly, 
 " I know. I had my own reasons for trying to get 
 him out of the country, and they were based upon my 
 great regard for him. This, however, I kept entirely 
 to myself. I declared to all who said he went away 
 to shun the war that he went because I insisted upon
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NO151LITY. 253 
 
 it; and I said, moreover, that he might be peculiar, 
 but he was as noble a Southerner as any who had dis 
 tinguished themselves in the Confederate army. And 
 after I declared this, he takes it into his head to come 
 home and give me the lie by his actions. Why, flesh 
 and blood couldn t stand that !" 
 
 " I know," Dolores said, feeling that she would like 
 to laugh, but disliking to wound the old gentleman s 
 feelings. "I feel quite sure you have been friendly to 
 Mr. Gonzalcs all along, and he has had no thought 
 of compromising you by any of his acts. So do not 
 judge him hastily. He is in no condition to speak of 
 any such subject now, and I advise you to wait until 
 he is well, and then you shall scold him to your heart s, 
 content." 
 
 " Oh, / could wait forever," said the old doctor. 
 " It isn t that. The thing is that others won t wait." 
 
 " But certainly no one would be so cowardly as to 
 attack a sick man," replied Dolores. 
 
 "Cowardly is a strong word," the doctor said, "but 
 many people think it isn t cowardly to deal summarily 
 with a coward. I didn t mean," he continued, look 
 ing uneasily about for fear some one might be lurking 
 within hearing distance, "to tell you everything, but 
 the facts are just this. You know news, and especially 
 
 bad news, spreads like wildfire " 
 
 "Yes, yes," said Dolores, impatiently, "I know. 
 There is no one to listen ; and depend upon it, Dr. 
 Cathcart, I shall not betray anything you may say to 
 me." 
 
 "You give me your word of this ?" he said, eagerly. 
 " I give you my solemn promise," and she held out 
 her hand to him. 
 
 " Well, then, I came here almost at the risk of my 
 life. I ve always been devoted to Southern principles, 
 and all the boys in gray know it, but they know, too, 
 that I have a strong affection for Rick. Why, I was 
 in attendance here, professionally, when the boy was 
 born, and I can t stand by and see him shot down in. 
 cold blood without trying to prevent it."
 
 254 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 " Doctor," said Dolores, who was beginning to 
 realize the danger Rick was subjected to, " do you 
 think any one would molest him, ill as he is?" 
 
 " The thing is this," replied Dr. Cathcart. " They 
 say I lied about Rick s going, about his principles, 
 and all that, and they will say now that I am lying 
 again about his being ill, in order to protect him. 
 Even if they came here and found him in bed 
 
 " Surely they would do nothing rash or unmanly 
 then !" 
 
 "But you don t understand!" he cried. "They 
 would say it was only a cowardly trick of his, and 
 that he was shamming to protect himself." 
 
 " It is easy to say such things when men are bent 
 upon some brutal outrage," she said, angrily. "No 
 one worthy of the name of man would harm any one 
 who is ill, especially a kind-hearted, true and generous 
 man, who would not willingly harm or molest any 
 one. But I defy the boys in gray, as you call 
 them. Tell them for me, if they come to molest 
 Rick Gonzales while he is ill to look out for their 
 own lives !" 
 
 "Heavens!" cried the doctor, admiringly. "What 
 a true Southern woman you are. It is a great pity," 
 sighing, " that you ever were so unfortunate as to 
 become imbued with abolition sentiments. They may 
 seem poetical, and all that, to those who don t know 
 or understand the inferiority of the race they are so 
 Quixoticxlly defending. And all champions of the 
 negro race," continued the doctor, feeling that he had 
 hit upon a happy illustration and determined to 
 enlarge upon it to the fullest extent, " are Quixotic. 
 They are perpetually tilting at windmills, real or 
 imaginary. Windmills, you know," ironically, " are 
 dangerous and should be abolished." 
 
 "The old idiot !" thought Dolores, "to be prating 
 about windmills when Rick is in mortal clanger. 
 " Are you then afraid to visit Mr. Gonzales again," 
 she asked aloud. 
 
 "What !" exclaimed the doctor, aggrieved that his
 
 SL UDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 25^ 
 
 apt illustration should be ignored, " have you never, 
 then, read Don Quixote? " 
 
 " Indeed I have," she said, vexed in turn. " I read 
 it in the original Spanish, together with the remainder 
 of the writings of Cervantes ; but it appears to me 
 this is not the time to discuss literature, or even to 
 talk politics. I thank you for your kindness, but if 
 you are not to be allowed to visit Mr. Gonzales again, 
 will you kindly explain his symptoms to me, and how 
 he ought to be treated, for, probably, there is not an 
 other physician in this chivalrous land of the South 
 who would dare attend a man who is supposed to en 
 tertain philanthropic principles, however ill he might 
 be." 
 
 "You are right," he said, ignoring in turn her 
 irony. "I doubt if you could get a physician to at 
 tend him. I know you could not obtain one who 
 understood the case. Besides, nearly all the phy 
 sicians are in the army ; only the older ones remain 
 at home." 
 
 " But in regard to the symptoms of I suppose I 
 may term him your ex-patient. Do you think him 
 very ill ?" 
 
 " He s very feverish but not dangerous as yet, 
 though I wouldn t be surprised if he grew delirious 
 by and by." 
 
 " And you will leave a man in this condition to his 
 fate !" she said, scornfully. 
 
 " Softly," said the doctor. " My coming wouldn t 
 be apt to prolong his life, and it would be pretty sure 
 to shorten mine." 
 
 " I see. Forgive me if I spoke unkindly, and pray 
 tell me what I am to do." 
 
 "The best thing you can do," he said, " is to have 
 a couple of trusty men who won t betray his where 
 abouts, convey him up-stairs and try and hide him 
 until the affair blows over and the boys go back." 
 
 " Are they here now ?" 
 
 "No; at least only one of them, and I had a talk 
 with him before I came. If he dreamed that 1
 
 256 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 warned you well, it wouldn t be safe for me to have 
 him know it." 
 
 " Do not fear, he shall never know it unless you 
 choose to inform him yourself," she said. " And now 
 (persistently returning to the point she was trying to 
 gain information upon), please prescribe, to the best 
 of your knowledge, enough medicine to last Mr. Gon- 
 zales until his recovery. Stay ! I have a medicine 
 chest which I always carried in traveling ; I found it 
 necessary. It is well stocked, and you may put up your 
 prescriptions from that, as I know the drugs are pure." 
 
 So the doctor sat down and made up powder after 
 powder, Dolores naming and numbering each, and 
 then, under his directions, she wrote down a complete 
 guide as to how and when she was to administer 
 them, what various symptoms denoted, and how they 
 should be met. Then, placing all in her medicine 
 chest carefully, she rose to bow the doctor out. 
 
 " I suppose you are in haste to go," she said, "and 
 I will not detain you. I thank you for what you have 
 done, and hope, if you find it does not endanger your 
 self, you will come again to see him, at least in two or 
 three days." 
 
 "I cannot promise," he said ; "but I believe you 
 are a >lucky woman, and if I have an opportunity to 
 defen 1 you or that poor boy there, without danger 
 to myself, I shall certainly do so. As it is, I hope 
 you will heed my warning, for depend upon it, it is 
 neither too earnest or too early. Don t flatter your 
 self that I exaggerate the danger in any way. On the 
 contrary, I have scarcely pictured the thing as black 
 as it really is. You are in no personal danger, for 
 there isn t a boy in gray who would harm a hair of 
 any lady s head." 
 
 "And yet they would murder a sick and helpless 
 man without the slightest compunction," she said, bit 
 terly. "A nice distinction, truly." 
 
 "You forget," he said, "we are not warring with 
 women and children. We leave all that to the boys 
 in blue."
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 257 
 
 "Heaven grant me patience!" she cried, "for I 
 have sore need of it. The boys in gray are too noble 
 and chivalrous to harm a woman or a child, and yet 
 they are ready, according to your own statement, to 
 drag a sick man from his bed and murder him, 
 perhaps, before the very eyes of his little helpless 
 child. And had he a wife it would be all the 
 same she could not stay their hands. Oh, no ! 
 ihey are too brave to make war upon women and 
 children !" 
 
 " I hope you will pardon me when I say you either 
 do not understand the subject or that you are will 
 fully obtuse," said the doctor, "but I never knew 
 an Abolitionist yet who had the slightest spark of 
 reason in him. You might argue until you were 
 blind and they never budge an inch from their first 
 standpoint. It is plain you cannot or will not under 
 stand the thing at all." 
 
 "A ponderous intellect, indeed, it must require to 
 grasp so intricate a subject," retorted Dolores, "and 
 yet I am not surprised that you are able to master it. 
 Dr. Cathcart, you know if those wretches come here 
 and murder Mr. Gonzales while he is too ill to defend 
 himself, it will be a most beastly and cowardly act a 
 disgrace to a civilized community ; and if you, know 
 ing beforehand their intentions, do not denounce them 
 and have them arrested by the proper authorities, you 
 are as guilty at heart as they are !" 
 
 " Why, woman, you are mad !" he cried. " My 
 life would not be worth a moment s purchase if I were 
 to hint such a thing and it should come to the ears 
 of the parties I speak of." 
 
 " I understand you," she said. "You know as well 
 as I what a fearful crime these desperadoes have in 
 contemplation. You are not altogether lost to the 
 feelings of humanity, and therefore you slyly come 
 and give me warning. Still, you are afraid they will 
 murder you also if you denounce them publicly, and 
 therefore you hesitate. I don t blame you, for this 
 fear is natural to most women and some men ; hut
 
 250 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 because you uphold and laud them when you know 
 how fiendish their purpose is, you are unworthy of 
 the name of man ! Dr. Cathcart, I bid you good 
 morning." 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVIII. 
 
 AUNT NANCY TELLS A SECRET. 
 
 Rick was asleep when Dolores returned to his 
 room and Aunt Nancy was keeping watch beside him. 
 It was a relief to her to think that there would be no 
 need for explanations, for she did not wish to arouse 
 his suspicions, as it would, doubtless, make the fever 
 more violent to have his mind disturbed, and especi 
 ally as she knew it was coming home and finding 
 things so changed his people abused and scattered, 
 his home rifled of the choicest treasures it contained, 
 with the prospect of nothing better for years which 
 had tended to bring on this nervous fever. 
 
 " I d begun to make up my mind that the old doctor 
 was a-courtin ye," said Miss Nancy, in what was 
 meant for a whisper, but which could have been heard 
 all over the house. 
 
 Dolores laid her finger upon her lip. As true as 
 steel in all things was Aunt Nancy, perfectly frank 
 and free from deceit, yet she had one fault which 
 sometimes proved a troublesome one she could never 
 keep a secret, particularly from any one she cared 
 for. She would manage to appear so mysterious, and 
 was in the habit of giving all manner of dark hints, 
 as soon as a secret was confided to her that it was 
 soon a secret no longer. Dolores was aware of this 
 and she determined to keep her own counsel, as far as 
 Aunt Nancy was concerned. 
 
 "Yes," she said, in a very low tone, "the doctor is 
 extremely tiresome, and I am really vexed with him. 
 I think I will leave Rick with you a little while, as I 
 wish to look into the nursery. If he wakes, please 
 call me, for I must give him some medicine." 
 
 She went to the nursery and found Tot putting.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 259 
 
 on the children s hats. They were going out for a 
 walk. 
 
 "Children," she said, "run out a few moments 
 without Tot. I want to speak with her. Don t go in 
 front of the house, Halbert, or make any noise, as 
 papa is asleep, and he will not get well if he is dis 
 turbed." 
 
 They kissed her. and ran out, willingly enough. 
 As soon as left alone, she turned to Tot and began 
 her story, telling everything the doctor had said, and 
 enjoining secrecy. 
 
 " I knowed dey was somefin up, Miss Rita," she 
 said, " an I knowed, too, dey was rebels bout yer, 
 cause Sol said dis mornin dat some one hed coaxed 
 Dick away. Dick an Sol was de only darkies lef on 
 de place dat we could count on, an dey knowed dey 
 couldn t coax away Sol. Pore ole Mas r White am so 
 lame he can t do nuffin at all, so Sol is all we s got. 
 Now, Miss Rita, what does yer tink we bettah do ?" 
 
 "Tot, I don t know. We must not alarm Master 
 Rick, for the doctor says he must be kept as quiet as 
 possible. He has two revolvers, that I know, and if 
 you have one and I the other I think we can manage. 
 And, by the way, where is that little revolver you used 
 with such effect when we were in trouble before ?" 
 
 " I se got it safe, Miss Rita, nebber you feah. Ef 
 dey comes, my vice ter you is ter hab one volvah in 
 Mas r Rick s room right whar he kin reach it ; you 
 take his odder one, an I se gwine to take mine. We d 
 bettah lock im up in is room, an you an me will 
 meet de sojers in de hall. When Mas r Rick heahs 
 de doin s he ll git out es soon es he kin, but ef he s 
 locked in you an me ll hab de fust chance at em. 
 N 7 ow, don t go fer ter worry yerself outen yer head, 
 Miss Rita. Mas r Rick ain t gwine ter be very sick. 
 He s feverish, I knows, but ef any one comes a-foolin 
 roun im dey had bettah look out, dat s all. He ain t 
 gwine ter hab a rale up an down fever, I ll be boun . 
 Sides, dem sojers w at comes roun tryin ter kill sick 
 folks, an a-stealin eberyting offen de place w en dey
 
 260 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 knows dar ain t nobody to hum, is cowards, an we ll 
 fix em, now see ef we don t." 
 
 " You are a good comforter, Tot," said Dolores, 
 " and I will try and take courage by what you have 
 said. The first thing to do is to attend to Rick. Say 
 nothing of my fears, and I will try to hide them from 
 every one else. Only to think a lot of brutal men are 
 coming to murder him in his bed, and we with no one 
 but ourselves to depend on (for Mr. White is lame 
 and I m sure Sol doesn t know how to fire a gun), 
 surely that is enough to frighten any one." 
 
 Dolores and Tot were in such earnest conversation 
 they did not hear Aunt Nancy s approach, for, as she 
 stepped lighter than she talked, she had stolen upon 
 them unawares, hearing enough of what Dolores said 
 to learn the whole truth. 
 
 " Good airth !" was the first thing which made them 
 aware of her presence, and both started as if shot. 
 " What next ?" she continued oratorically, but en 
 deavoring to lower her voice at a signal from Dolores. 
 " I ve said it agin an agin , an I say it now, we might 
 as well be amongst a passel of savages ! Them air Suc- 
 cessionists does beat all. Now, I think President Lin- 
 kum orter git up a declamation a-settin the Southern 
 white men an their families free as don t jine in with 
 the rebels, an yit don t want ter leave ferever the 
 home they was born in." 
 
 "It is a dreadful state of affairs," said Dolores, 
 not knowing how much Miss Nancy had heard, for 
 the old lady (and small wonder) was given to launch 
 ing off into vehement tirades against the rebel sol 
 diers at all times. "Dr. Cathcart is afraid to visit 
 Rick any more," she continued, " and things look as 
 dark as possible ; but I don t wish to tell Rick any 
 thing to disturb him so long as he is unsuspicious." 
 
 " Oh, I won t say nothin ," declared Miss Nancy. 
 " I d only make a bungle of it ef I undertook. But ef 
 Mr. Consaulus gits well he ll have more n one 
 squirmish with them air sojers afore the thing is done 
 with."
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 261 
 
 "Suppose," said Dolores, "they should come here 
 while he is ill, can you fire a gun or revolver, Aunt 
 Nancy ?" 
 
 " Massy sakes, no ! I m powerful feared of a gun. 
 Dan hed an old flint lock he used to shoot crows with 
 in plantin corn time, an I made him keep it in the 
 waggin-house I was so scairt of it. Now look here, 
 Rita, you m a-gittin narvous. I ve lived in peace an 
 quietness a good many year tell I come down here, 
 an it ain t likely they ll be any call fer me to larn how 
 to handle a gun at my time o life or you at yourn." 
 
 "As to that," Dolores said, "Rick taught me how 
 to shoot a revolver while we were in Spain. Rose 
 was timid, and could not bear him out of her sight ; 
 she said we would be quite at the mercy of any 
 ruffian who might chance to come near us. He said 
 I was very expert, and I did seem to shoot well at a 
 target, though I need practice. But if Rick is awake 
 I must go in and give him his medicine." 
 
 Aunt Nancy followed and circled about the bed, 
 giving a sheet a twitch here and the counterpane a 
 pull there with such vigorous abruptness as to cause 
 the patient to start with each performance. Seeing 
 this, Dolores asked her to go out and take a look after 
 the children, and Rick watched her depart with a 
 grateful smile. 
 
 "There is magic in your touch, Dolores," he said 
 (he sometimes called her the old name when they 
 were quite alone). "I cannot wonder that my father 
 clung to you so, or poor Rose, and I can quite under 
 hand her feelings when she asked you to protect her 
 from Aunt Nancy. If you will only save me from her 
 now I mean from twitching at the bedclothes and 
 shouting in my ears I am sure I shall be well soon." 
 
 Dolores smiled faintly. 
 
 " I will save you from every annoyance possible," 
 she said. "And now sleep if you can." 
 
 He smiled in answer, trustful and content, closing 
 his eyes dutifully, half opening them occasionally to 
 catch a glimpse of the fair, womanly face, which
 
 262 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 was restful in itself, and then he fell asleep. For 
 tunately, Miss Nancy sent Tot with the ice, so he was 
 not disturbed, and Dolores sat and tried to plan some 
 course of action which would avert the danger which 
 threatened them. She determined to see that Rick s 
 revolvers were in readiness, that she and Tot might 
 use them if need be, feeling that they would avail 
 them little among a lot of desperate armed men, who 
 were reckless enough at any time, and whom the war 
 and its influences, its association with bloodshed and 
 reckless destruction of life, had utterly demoralized. 
 However, it was not likely anything would be done 
 to-day, and the first thing for her to do was to con 
 sider Rick s case and do all she could for him. 
 Perhaps she might possibly break the fever after all. 
 Remembering there was a medical book upon fevers 
 in the collection in the parlor, she went and brought 
 it, glancing over the pages hurriedly until she came 
 to something which seemed to apply directly to Rick s 
 case. She read on for some time, and, closing the 
 book, she was deliberating upon her course of action, 
 when Rick awoke and addressed her. 
 
 " You look troubled," he said. " Has anything 
 happened ?" 
 
 " I was only considering what was best to be done," 
 she answered, forcing a smile ; "and I think you 
 ought to go to New York and place yourself under 
 some good physician s care. I haven t any faith in 
 Dr. Cathcart. Go with Sol and I will remain in 
 charge of the place." 
 
 " Why, Rita, are you clothed in your right mind ?" 
 he asked, in surprise. " Do you think I would leave 
 you here, subjected to the raids of lawless soldiers 
 and outlaws of every kind ?" 
 
 At this moment there were sounds of woe in the 
 nursery, which soon took the form, or rather sound, of 
 howls from Halbert, who was loudly calling for his 
 Aunt Rita. So Dolores rose, gave Rick another 
 powder and a cooling drink, called Sol to sit by him a 
 few moments, and then went into the nursery to com-
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 263 
 
 fort the child, and, under cover of this excuse, to have 
 another confidential chat with Tot. 
 
 " Tot," she said, after she had sent put Rose and 
 put Halbert to sleep, " when the attack comes I shall 
 meet the men alone. They will be half-respectful to 
 me, as they consider me a white woman, but they 
 would shoot you down with less compunction than 
 they would kill a dog. So you lock Mammy in the 
 nursery with the children before you stir outside and 
 then wait until I call you. Perhaps I may be able to 
 reason with the men. In any case, remember how 
 dear you are to me and don t risk your life unneces 
 sarily. Sol and Mr. White must stay back at first also." 
 
 " Sartin," said Tot, nodding her head obediently. 
 "An" I wants you to member, too, Miss Rita, how 
 dear you is ter us all Mas r Rick, de little chillen, 
 an ebrybody dat knows yer, an don t yo go an risk 
 yer own life. Ef I let yer do it, an hang back 
 myseff, w at does you tink dey would tink about me !" 
 
 "Nonsense, Tot ! the case is very different. The 
 only honorable thing I have been able to discover 
 about most Southern men is that they are usually 
 deferential to white women, and they might treat me 
 with some sort of respect, which they would never 
 show to you." 
 
 For some time they sat laying their plans. Mean 
 while Miss Nancy, having passed Rick s door and 
 seeing Sol in the room, went in and insisted upon 
 taking his place. Rick allowed it, for he wished to 
 question Aunt Nancy. As soon as they were alone 
 he asked, suddenly, 
 
 " Has anything happened this morning to make 
 Rita nervous ?" 
 
 " I should say there had !" exclaimed she, thrown 
 off her guard. " Sakes alive !" she added, thoroughly 
 frightened, " I didn t mean that at all ! Guess I m 
 out o my head !" 
 
 " You are not out of your head at all," he replied, 
 decidedly. " Something has happened which Rita 
 has asked you to keep from me, and you meant to do
 
 204 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 it, but forgot yourself. Depend upon it, since I know 
 there is something wrong, it will harm me less to hear 
 the whole story than to remain in suspense. If you 
 tell me I won t trouble Rita about it at all ; but if you 
 won t, I shall insist upon knowing the whole from her." 
 
 "Good airth !" cried Aunt Nancy, "what a scrape 
 I ve got myself inter, to be sure ! But I knowed it ! 
 I knowed I d tell it the fust chance. Miss Rita 
 didn t hev any idee what sort of a woman I be, er she 
 wouldn t a-telled me a word, though she couldn t help 
 it very well," remembering how it occurred. 
 
 "But what is it?" asked Rick. 
 
 " This mornin when the doctor was here," and 
 Rick was sure she never spoke in so low a tone be 
 fore, " Miss Rita was a-talkin to him fer the best 
 part of an hour. You was asleep when he went away, 
 so she went in the nursery an was a-talkin ter Tot. 
 When you waked up I went ter call her, an I heered 
 her say sotnethin bout sojers comin to tack a sick 
 man, an when she found out I heered her, she turned 
 to an telled me Dr. Cathcart was afraid to come any 
 more. Thet s all I know, true s the world, but I 
 don t believe its all she knows by a long sight ! I 
 ain t scairt, but I intend to keep my eyes open, even 
 ef I dunno enough to keep my mouth shet !" 
 
 Rick took in the situation at a glance, and for a 
 moment his face paled a trifle, not for himself, for he 
 had felt careless about his own life of late ; but the 
 thought that Dolores might be wounded, or perhaps 
 killed, in endeavoring to defend him, as he knew she 
 would, was something he could not contemplate 
 calmly. Suppose his illness did take a serious turn 
 suppose he should become delirious in spite of his 
 efforts at self-control what could that one woman 
 do alone ? True, there was Sol, and Tot and Mr. 
 White, who might render her some assistance, but 
 the able-bodied men on the plantation were gone. 
 The women and children would be panic-stricken 
 did the fact become known ; it was best to keep it as 
 secret as possible.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 265 
 
 "Aunt Nancy," he said, "I beseech you not to 
 mention this to any one else. Keep a sharp watch 
 and report to me all you learn." 
 
 "I will," she answered, "and as nobody else 11 
 think to ask me anything, I shan t forgit myself an 
 tell it." 
 
 Rick asked for a drink, and as she rose to give it to 
 him Dolores entered the room. 
 
 " I think the children want you for a change," she 
 said to the old lady, smiling. " It is time for another 
 powder, and so I will take my place here now." 
 
 " She s afraid I ll tell him," thought Aunt Nancy, 
 smiling a little to herself as she left the room. " What 
 a fool I be, anyhow ? I never did hev much wit, an 
 I seem to grow wuss an wuss as I git older !" 
 
 Meanwhile Rick watched Dolores, as, putting on a 
 smile for him, she came near to his bedside, gave him 
 his medicine, smoothed his bed, bathed his hot face 
 and eyes, gave him a cool pillow and fanned away the 
 troublesome flies. 
 
 "I am sure you are better," she said ; "but don t 
 you think if I were to have Sol and Dick move you 
 up to my room you would be more quiet ?" 
 
 It was hard to say no when he felt the answer 
 would give her pain, but he could not consent to go 
 when he knew it would place her in a position to meet 
 the first force of the attack alone. 
 
 " Dolores," he said, very gently, " listen to me. I 
 am not so ill as you suppose. I am quite able to leave 
 my bed at this moment, only I think it will be better 
 for me to remain, as it might retard my recovery were 
 I to exercise myself now. Don t be troubled, my 
 child. If I am better to-morrow I will think seriously 
 of your plan about going to New York. Only, if I 
 do go, I shall take you and the children and Aunt 
 Nancy, besides enough of the servants to care for a 
 household there. I will then leave you in charge 
 and join the army of the North. I have waited too 
 long already." 
 
 His words gave her great comfort.
 
 266 SUBDUED SOUTHKRN NOBILITY. 
 
 " I am so glad to hear you say so," she replied, a 
 smile which came from her heart breaking over her 
 face. "And now go to sleep, if possible, that you 
 may get strong and well as soon as possible." 
 
 He closed his eyes, and at length, when she fancied 
 he slept, she rose quietly, unlocked the drawer of his 
 secretary where he kept his revolvers (for the key 
 was in the lock), took them carefully out, together 
 with their cartridges and other belongings, and 
 stealthily carried them from the room. Now, Rick 
 had intended asking her for one to place under his 
 pillow, and he determined to do so still, as he did not 
 wish to be without a weapon of any sort ; but he 
 would not frighten her by appearing to discover her 
 in the act of removing them, so he concluded to sleep 
 on for the present and by and by to ask her to bring 
 him one before she retired for the night. 
 
 What she had learned from the physician he could 
 not tell, but he had heard of all manner of outrages, 
 and he did not doubt, since Dolores seemed so 
 alarmed, that something serious was meditated, and 
 he only wondered that he had not suspected some 
 thing of the kind before. 
 
 "I do not fear death," he thought, "but I don t 
 care to meet it in this way. If my life is spared 
 until I have time to do so, I will set my house in order, 
 take Dolores and the children where they will be out 
 of harm s way, and join the Union army as soon as 
 possible. It is hard to be obliged to take up arms 
 against the land in which I was born, and where my 
 home and all landed possessions lie. It must be a des 
 perate cause which would lead me to do it ; but the 
 cause is desperate I think no one could deny that. 
 Perhaps the step will exasperate my neighbors so 
 much that I may never be able to live here again in 
 any sort of security, but I don t care to call a land 
 mine where one cannot express his opinions and live 
 up to them (so they come within the pale of the 
 law), in at least comparative security to himself and 
 family."
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 267 
 
 And then a heaviness came over his brain, and a 
 languor through his whole system that was almost 
 painful. Through his half-opened eyes he saw 
 Dolores enter the room again and then he fell asleep. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIX. 
 
 THE ATTACK. 
 
 Dolores felt certain the attack would be made at 
 night, and the more she thought over the matter the 
 more convinced she became that it would not be 
 delayed. Ever since the capture of Vicksburg there 
 had been Union troops scattered at times through 
 Mississippi, and she was positive that the rebels, who 
 were represented as home on furlough, would not 
 deem it advisable to remain long, as they were liable 
 to capture at any time. 
 
 She now remembered hearing that there was a small 
 body of Union soldiers encamped not five miles dis 
 tant, at least they were there two days before, and if 
 they had not already received marching orders all 
 might yet be well. If she had only shown some 
 presence of mind and sent to the commanding officer 
 for a guard as soon as she received Dr. Cathcart s 
 warning ! 
 
 However, it might not be too late now. But whom 
 could she send ? There was Mr. White, who was 
 gray-haired and rather feeble, being obliged to walk 
 with a cane on account of being partially crippled 
 with rheumatism. Then there was Sol, Tot, and 
 other women servants, but would the General listen to 
 their complaint ? No doubt persons who besought him 
 had been provided with guards, but in many cases they 
 betrayed them into the enemy s hands. If she could 
 go herself ! But she dared not leave Rick and the chil 
 dren, for the attack might possibly be made in her 
 absence. She had no trusty messenger after all but 
 wait ! Aunt Nancy had never expressed herself 
 afraid of anything but a gun. She could be trusted.
 
 268 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 and, as she had heard Rick say Miss Nancy was an 
 unmistakable Yankee, no doubt the General would be 
 far from suspecting her of treachery. She stole out 
 of the room and met Miss Nancy in the hall. To draw 
 her aside into the parlor was the work of a moment. 
 
 " Aunt Nancy," she said, earnestly, "have you ever 
 been to Milton ?" 
 
 " Goodness, yes, child." 
 
 "Are you afraid of Union troops?" 
 
 " Mercy, no, Miss Rita. But what on airth does 
 ail you ?" 
 
 " I heard no matter how that there is to be an 
 attack upon Idlefield, for the purpose of murdering 
 Rick, by some rebels who are now home on furlough. 
 Could you go to the commanding Union officer, 
 stationed a mile this side of Milton, and ask him for 
 half a dozen soldiers to protect some women and chil 
 dren, and a man too ill to leave his bed?" 
 
 " I knowed it !" Miss Nancy cried, in her old war- 
 whoop tone and accent. " I knowed it, child, ever 
 sense mornin . But don t be scairt ; I ll go, an I 
 won t come back till I bring someb dy. Good airth ! 
 shall I ride, drive or walk ? Bring me my bonnet. 
 Tot, bring my gingham bonnet so I won t need a 
 sunshade. I knowed there d be a squirmish o some 
 sort !" 
 
 " Hush," Dolores said, softly ; " I don t want Rick 
 wakened, or any one to know why you are going." 
 
 " That s me all out !" exclaimed Miss Nancy in a 
 disgusted tone. " I haint got no sense !" 
 
 "Yes you have," returned Dolores, "plenty of it, 
 or I could not rely upon you as I do." 
 
 " Bless yer heart, child, I won t disappint ye ! 
 Never you fear !" 
 
 "I know it," said Dolores. "Get ready at once, 
 while I order Sol to have the sorrel harnessed. You 
 can drive her in safety, and you needn t spare her 
 either, only arouse no suspicion in the mind of any 
 one. If acco?ied, simply say you are going for some- 
 .bins: for a sick man, and so you are."
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 269 
 
 Dolores ran out and ordered the sorrel put before 
 a light open carriage, and Sol, seeing her earnest, 
 troubled face, set about it at once, asking no questions. 
 
 " Miss Nancy is going, an errand for me to get 
 something for Mr. Gonzales," she said. Then she 
 returned to the house, where the old lady, who had 
 carefully tied on her shirred sun-bonnet, was drawing 
 over her wrinkled hands a pair of cotton gloves. 
 
 " Ask for the Commanding Colonel," Dolores said ; 
 " I forget his name, but it won t matter. Tell him 
 some rebel soldiers are coming to murder a sick and 
 almost helpless man, and beg for a guard of at least 
 six trusty men to be sent at once to watch the house." 
 
 " I won t leave the Giner l, whoever he is, until I see 
 them air six men start out ; an I won t let the grass 
 grow under my feet till I git there, neither. Don t 
 worry, them rebels ain t a-goin to tack nobody afore 
 night, an long afore that time I ll be back with my 
 body guard. Good airth, just think of it ! Me at my 
 time o life waited on by six men to once ! Mebbe 
 they won t come with me, though. I dunno ; it ll be jest 
 as the Giner l says. Hope old sorrel don t come up on 
 three legs to-day. I swan if I didn t think them air 
 Succession sogers was a-goin to steal every hoss on 
 the place while you was gone they did, purty nigh. 
 But here s old sorrel hitched up to the waggin. Good 
 bye, Rita, I ll be back in a jiffy." 
 
 Dolores watched the faithful old woman drive 
 away. It was now three o clock in the afternoon ; she 
 could not return before five,, and she might be absent 
 longer. Five miles an hour was a ^low pace, but old 
 Sorrel was not gifted with wonderful speed, and Miss 
 Nancy might be detained, perhaps. However, the 
 difference of an hour or so mattered little ; the only 
 important thing was to have the guard there before 
 dark, and there was little doubt about that, unless the 
 men had already received marching orders. 
 
 Seeing that the children were quiet and comfortable 
 in good Tot s care, with Mammy near in case of need, 
 and leaving word for Mr. White and Sol to be wi fV : : :i
 
 2 /0 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 call if needed, Dolores went into Rick s room and 
 found him wide awake. 
 
 " Don t think I have neglected you," she said, " but 
 I had a few matters to attend to, and you seemed to 
 be sleeping quietly. It is now time for you to take 
 another powder." 
 
 "Wait," he said. " Dolores, come here, I want to 
 speak with you a moment." 
 
 A trifle frightened, she approached the bedside. 
 
 " What is it, Rick ?" she said. 
 
 " Is there not morphine in the powders you are 
 giving me ?" 
 
 " There is a little." 
 
 " Then I must take no more. Child, I may need 
 all my faculties to-night. Don t dull them with any 
 opiate. Why will you not confide in me, Dolores ?" 
 And he -put out his hand to clasp hers. " It will not 
 frighten me nor make me more ill than I am now. 
 We are on the eve of a great danger, are we not ? I 
 know you would be brave and face it alone, but I am 
 not so ill, believe me, as to render this necessary. 
 Tell me the whole truth and let us meet the danger 
 hand in hand." 
 
 " Rick," she answered, "we have truly been threat 
 ened with something terrible, but, believe me, the 
 danger is almost past. I thought it best not to tell 
 you this morning, for two reasons. First, I feared it 
 would prey upon your mind ; and, second, though Dr. 
 Cathcart is a physical and moral coward he is not 
 hard-hearted, and I promised to shield him. He 
 warned me this morning ; but I have sent Aunt 
 Nancy to the e ncampment of Union soldiers near 
 by to ask for a strong guard. They must surely 
 be here before dark. Do you not think all will 
 be well?" 
 
 " I do, indeed," he said. "You have shown your 
 self in this, as in all things, a regular general for 
 managing. Still, let us be prepared for the worst. 
 Lay my dressing-gown and slippers near, close and 
 fasten all the doors and shutters in the house, and
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 271 
 
 bring me at least one of those revolvers you carried 
 away so slyly a short while ago." 
 
 Dolores blushed scarlet. 
 
 " Did you see me ?" she said. 
 
 " Of course I did. And now promise me one thing : 
 If anyone does come, don t you go to the door. You 
 take the children and remain in the background ; I 
 will meet anyone who may chance to make his appear 
 ance." 
 
 "Why, Rick, I don t believe you could stand alone 
 a moment." 
 
 "I could, under excitement, never fear." 
 
 "But that excitement would kill you. Luckily, if 
 all is well, there will be no need to exert yourself. 
 Take your medicine, and then I will go and fasten 
 up the house, and bring the revolvers immediately 
 after." 
 
 " Don t you think it better to miss it once, until 
 Aunt Nancy s return, at least ?" 
 
 " No, for if persisted in I have strong hopes the 
 fever will be broken in spite of everything, and to 
 miss even one powder might be losing the vantage 
 ground we now hold." 
 
 "All right, little woman, I will do as you wish." 
 
 She mixed the medicine and gave it to him, 
 brought his dressing-gown and slippers, and then, clos 
 ing the shutters of his room, she ran out to fasten the 
 others. She was gone for some time, and Rick, with 
 the heavy languor of the fever and the soothing effect 
 of the opiate contained in the powder, in the face of 
 all danger though he apprehended little now fell 
 asleep. Dolores, having closed up the house, was 
 about to go up for the revolvers, but the children 
 waylaid her, and she paused to quiet them before 
 going up-stairs. It was some time before they would 
 release her, and then, glancing into Rick s room and 
 seeing he was slumbering quietly, she stole away. 
 
 The clock in the hall, as she passed up the stair 
 case, pointed to five. The time had passed quickly 
 after all since Aunt Nancy s departure, and Dolores
 
 272 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 felt a great weight removed from her mind, for the 
 old lady would soon return and all real danger was 
 past. Still, she must get the revolvers as she had 
 promised ; how thankful she was that they would not 
 be needed now. Under dire necessity she felt that 
 she could use one, but it would be far from pleasant 
 to say the least, and by this time she had reached her 
 room. Taking up the revolvers she was about to 
 return, when she paused a moment to look from her 
 window in order to see if Aunt Nancy was in sight. 
 
 With the first outward glance her heart stood still,, 
 then it throbbed painfully. She saw a man s form 
 hide quickly behind the trunk of a huge sycamore ; 
 another had suddenly halted in the middle of a field 
 near by, as though he fancied a moving figure would 
 be observed sooner than a motionless one ; a third 
 was peering out from a bunch of shrubbery upon the 
 farther end of the lawn ; and she saw the shadow of a 
 fourth clearly outlined upon the grass behind two 
 large trees, whose trunks completely hid the figure, 
 casting the tell-tale shade. How many more there 
 were she knew not, for all this she saw in an instant, 
 and like lightning also flashed the thought across her 
 mind, that so long as she remained at the window 
 without appearing to see them just so long would they 
 remain hidden. She must gain time somehow, for 
 Aunt Nancy might not return for an hour yet, and the 
 guard could not possibly arrive before her. There 
 was no doubt as to the errand of the men she saw, 
 for they were armed, and in partial uniform, though 
 they had evidently attempted to put on citizens dress, 
 and had only been prevented because such articles of 
 gentlemen s wearing apparel were scarce in that 
 vicinity. 
 
 She turned away from the window a moment to 
 put the revolvers down and take up a piece of sew 
 ing which lay near. Then she sat down, with her 
 profile to the window, where she could see any move 
 ment made without appearing to look, and began 
 humming a song. Low and uncertain her voice was
 
 SUHDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 273 
 
 at first, but gradually she braced her nerves and drew 
 it under control ; and, after humming in a low tone, 
 she broke out in a clear, sweet voice, the air being 
 one of her own, set to a portion of the angel chorus 
 in Mrs. Browning s " Drama of Exile." 
 
 " Future joy and far-light 
 Working such relations, 
 Hear us singing gently 
 Exiled is not lost. 
 God, above the starlight, 
 God, above the patience, 
 Shall at last present ye 
 Guerdons worth the cost." 
 
 She paused a moment, examining her sewing closely, 
 and glancing carelessly out. The man in the field 
 had crept behind a rock ; the shadows discovered two 
 behind the trees, and the fourth was completely hidden 
 in the shrubbery. Again her voice took up the song 
 where she had left it : 
 
 " Patiently enduring, 
 Painfully surrounded, 
 Listen how we love you, 
 Hope the uttermost. 
 Waiting for that curing, 
 Which exalts the wounded, 
 Hear us sing above you 
 Exiled, but not lost !" 
 
 Dolores sang almost as sweetly as she played ; 
 there seemed a touch of magnetism in both. When 
 she paused again she glanced steadily out once more. 
 From the position of the shadows the men seemed lis 
 tening she could see no one now ; so she changed 
 her position and her song, this time singing a light, 
 merry air with a tripping measure to the words of a 
 love-song, pausing occasionally, because it seemed to 
 her she could not sing another note, and to make the 
 singing irregular, as though she did not dream any 
 listeners lingered near. She sang and sewed for 
 what seemed to her an age, and until her audience- 
 seemed to grow restless. She saw the shadows move, 
 and when they had disappeared she arose, still hum-
 
 274 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 ming, took her revolvers and went down-stairs to 
 Rick s room. 
 
 Going gently to his bedside, she found he was 
 still sleeping, and she bent over him a moment, her 
 lips breathing softly a prayer. Laying a revolver 
 by his side she left the room, which opened into the 
 hall, and closing the door after her, locked it and 
 put the key into her pocket. Next she went and 
 bade Tot go and lock up Mammy and the children 
 in the nursery, bidding her caution Mammy to 
 keep them quiet ; after which she went back to her 
 own room, sitting down again at the window with 
 her sewing, and beginning a Spanish song, an ode to 
 Jiberty : 
 
 " i O lauro inmarcesible, 6 glorioso 
 Hado de nacion libre, quien le alcanza, 
 Llamarse con verdad puede dichoso ! 
 i O santa Libcrtad ! tii la esperanza 
 Eres de cuanto espi ritu brioso 
 El despotismo en sus mazmorras lanza." 
 
 Here the song came to a close, for one shadow had 
 passed out through the field to meet the other shadow, 
 and the man who had been hiding behind the rock 
 rose and came forward to join the two. The figure 
 in the shrubbery came out in full view and waited the 
 action of his comrades, who, after a slight pause, 
 advanced toward him. Then the four walked abreast, 
 in full view beneath her window. 
 
 Dolores glanced downward, showing a white but 
 calm face, and as she did so four heads were bared in 
 a moment in the most respectful manner. 
 
 " They will treat a woman with seeming politeness 
 one moment," thought Dolores, " and murder her 
 husband, father or brother the next. If I can only 
 detain them a little longer relief must come." So 
 she bowed and waited for them to break the silence. 
 
 " Is Mr. Gonzales within ?" asked one, in a respect 
 ful manner and tone. 
 
 "He is," she answered, "but too ill to leave his 
 bed. Did you wish to see him ?
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 275 
 
 "We did," spoke a second, more roughly, " or, 
 rather, we do ; and, as our business is urgent, will 
 you be kind enough to inform him that we are here, 
 and ask him to make a special effort to rise and allow 
 us a few moments conversation with him ? We will 
 not detain him long, I promise you," with a laugh 
 which made Dolores blood run cold. 
 
 " He is not able to rise, unfortunately," she an 
 swered, in as calm a tone as she could command. 
 " If you will leave a message with me I will deliver it 
 as soon as he wakes, and I have no doubt he will give 
 it due attention, provided he is not delirious. In that 
 case, perhaps, I can attend to it myself." 
 
 She made her answer as long as possible, though 
 almost too nervous to form her words, fully appreci 
 ating Queen Elizabeth s craving for a moment of 
 time, when she felt that death was near. 
 
 " It will be impossible to deliver our message to 
 you," said the second spokesman, gruffly. "We 
 have something to say to him which is not well suited 
 for a lady s ear." 
 
 "Whatever you have to say to Mr. Gonzales," 
 she replied, " must be said in my hearing, as I am his 
 nurse and physician both. I am unable to get a 
 physician to attend him ; even Dr. Cathcart has re 
 fused, though he told me coolly that Mr. Gonzales 
 would undoubtedly become delirious, and since I am 
 obliged to prescribe for him myself I recommend 
 utter quiet. I am sorry to seem discourteous, gentle 
 men, but you cannot see Mr. Gonzales to-day, what 
 ever your errand may be. He is too ill to decide for 
 himself, and it is my place to act for his good. I 
 will not have him disturbed with business of any 
 kind, and therefore your errand must wait." 
 
 " I m sorry to contradict a lady," was the answer, 
 in a tone of irony, " but our errand cannot and will 
 not wait. We are going to see Rick Gonzales, by fair 
 means or foul. We are going to transact our business 
 with him, and when we are done with the coward you 
 will have no reason to fear the effects of the fever
 
 276 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOlilLITY. 
 
 upon him. You see it would be wrong to let it prove 
 fatal while we were so near. It s a shame for a man 
 who was born to be hung to be allowed to die in his 
 bed." 
 
 " What do you mean ? she cried. 
 
 " You know very well what we mean. We don t 
 intend to take the trouble to hang him, for we have 
 an easier way of accomplishing our purpose. Open the 
 door and let us in quietly, and we promise not to 
 harm a hair of your head, but if you resist us I will 
 not answer for the consequences." 
 
 " I forbid you to enter!" she said. "Surely there 
 is law enough yet existing in this desperate land to pro 
 tect a peaceable man and his family in his own house." 
 
 " You forget that for the present martial law takes 
 the precedence." 
 
 "Surely martial law has not been declared." 
 
 "No matter. Each man is a law unto himself." 
 
 "Then the law of defence is all that is left me. I 
 warn you that if you enter this house by force it will 
 be at your peril." 
 
 " What is the use," cried one of the men who had 
 not spoken until now, "of disputing so long with a 
 woman when you know she will have the last word ? 
 Without doubt the door is fastened, or she would not 
 stand here so complacently arguing with you. We 
 must break it in, and we may as well do it first as 
 last. You act as though we had an eternity be 
 fore us." 
 
 Dolores gave a quick glance without, but no hint 
 of succor was near. The men made a move toward 
 the front of the house, and she hurriedly rushed to 
 the staircase, hoping Rick had slept until the last 
 moment, for she knew he would attempt to rush out 
 at the first sound. For this reason she had locked 
 him in and detained the men at the opposite side of 
 the house without noise as long as possible. She 
 glanced at the clock as she hurried down. To her 
 surprise, with all her singing and prolonging the con 
 versation, it was not yet six.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 277 
 
 With all her anguish of mind she was perfectly 
 calm, and she thought drearily of the time when 
 she had fought for her own life and that of her 
 infant child, with Tot s efficient aid fought against 
 not death alone, but a bitter bondage and how, 
 the struggle over, she had fallen at Rick s feet and 
 besought his protection, which had been so cheer 
 fully granted. 
 
 " If I can only save his life now, even at the cost 
 of my own, I shall be thankful," she thought. " He 
 would then care for my child as his own. But, oh ! for 
 the dear children s sake, God grant these fiends may 
 not murder both of us !" She looked about for Tot, 
 but did not see her, though she was certain she was 
 close at hand. 
 
 The men made straight for the front door and 
 attempted to open it. It was locked, a state of the 
 case evidently expected, for without a moment s delay 
 the leader thrust the butt of his gun through the nar 
 row window at the side, put his hand through the 
 aperture and turned the key, which Dolores had failed 
 to take from the lock. He tried it again, but the 
 door refused to open ; there was a bolt which held it 
 still. To put his hand through the broken window a 
 second time and draw the bolt was but the work of 
 an instant, however, and then the door was thrown 
 open suddenly. 
 
 Dolores stood upon the staircase on the lowest 
 stair, motionless as a statue and colorless as marble. 
 The instant the man s form was visible through the 
 opening of the door, without a word of warning, she 
 fired and missed him. Before he advanced another 
 step, however, a second shot, which seemed to Dol 
 ores to come from the clouds, struck him in the 
 breast. He dropped his gun and fell to the floor, 
 with what sounded more like a cry of surprise than a 
 groan. 
 
 Nothing daunted, the man who stood behind him 
 sprang quickly toward Dolores, not offering to fire, 
 but in order to wrest the revolver from her hand, as
 
 278 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 he supposed she had fired both shots. She stood her 
 ground, firing twice as he approached, the second 
 shot taking effect, though not seriously enough to 
 turn him from his purpose. He caught her roughly 
 by the hand, but the blood gushed from his side 
 as he did so. He staggered but did not release his 
 hold until a third came to his rescue. 
 
 " Take the pistol away from the bloody she-devil, 
 Tom," he cried. 
 
 As the first relaxed his hold, Dolores looked up 
 and saw there were two unwounded men in the hall, 
 besides those near her, making five in all, and Sol 
 was struggling with one of them near the door. She 
 fired twice with desperate effort, not hoping to harm 
 any one, but because she knew she could not retain 
 her revolver against the force of these men, and she 
 wished to empty it before it came into their posses 
 sion. It was a small seven-shooter, and still con 
 tained two charges. While she struggled to retain 
 it a voice from behind her called out, 
 
 "Put down yer head, Miss Rita!" 
 
 It was Tot, who had fired the first effective shot 
 from the head of the stairs, where she had stationed 
 herself, and Dolores was quick to obey the order. 
 But the man behind her was quite as quick, and 
 Tot s shot came crashing over the heads of both, 
 striking the man Dolores had already wounded and 
 bringing him to the floor. Meanwhile the revolver 
 was wrenched from Dolores hand, just as Tot, spring 
 ing down the staircase, shot once more, this time with 
 better effect, for the man staggered and seemed about 
 to fall. Recovering himself, he turned, and, aiming 
 at Tot, fired. She fell forward almost at Dolores feet 
 without a word. 
 
 Dolores, thinking her dead, uttered a cry. She 
 had been roughly shaken in the fight for her revolver, 
 and her right wrist terribly sprained. The pain 
 and the thought that Tot was dead and herself 
 lisabled nearly crazed her. She gave one horri 
 fied glance at the scene, saw Sol still struggling,
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 279 
 
 and Mr. White hobbling to her aid, while the soldier 
 who had captured the revolver cried out : 
 
 " Rick keeps a devilishly efficient body-guard, d n 
 him !" 
 
 She struggled against the feeling of fear, bid 
 ding herself be brave, for no doubt she alone would 
 soon be left to care for the children. She heard 
 Rick trying to open the door, calling to the men out 
 side that he was there and would meet them at once 
 if they would help him break down the door. Great 
 waves of mingled faintness and darkness swept 
 over her, and, bending over Tot s body, she felt as if 
 sense and reason were leaving her. 
 
 But suddenly her form thrilled with new life and 
 hope, for Tot s hand, warm, steady and strong as 
 ever, closed firmly over hers. There was promise in 
 the silent clasp an assurance of protection stronger 
 than the loudest word-promise could have given and 
 with it Dolores took heart, for she knew Tot was at 
 worst but slightly injured, and as she still held her 
 revolver, she was only waiting for a good opportunity 
 to use it. 
 
 CHAPTER XL. 
 
 HOW IT ENDED. 
 
 Perhaps the thought of having a guard for Idlefield, 
 while he himself was so helpless, was a relief to Rick s 
 mind, or, possibly, the fever oppressed his senses with 
 increasing heaviness and languor, aided by the narco 
 tic he had taken. However this may have been, he 
 slept very soundly, half-waking once, to find his 
 revolver by his side, and thinking he heard the voice 
 of Dolores singing to the children in a distant room. 
 He smiled a trifle in a helpless sort of contentment 
 as he closed his eyes again, all sounds and realities 
 seeming far away, and then he slept once more. 
 
 Again he was half-wakened by a crash, followed 
 quickly by the turning of a key and the drawing of a 
 bolt, significant sounds all, and sufficient to rouse
 
 280 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 him, though at first he half-wondered if they were 
 not the imaginings of a dream. But immediately 
 after there came two sharp reports of a revolver ; a 
 ;ry, followed by two other shots in quick succession ; 
 a scuffling sound, two or three muttered oaths fol 
 lowed, and a low moan which he felt sure broke from 
 the lips of Dolores all these were too real to admit 
 of a moment s doubt. With feverish haste he had 
 thrown on his dressing-gown, and now he thrust his 
 feet into his slippers, caught his revolver and rushed 
 for the door. 
 
 It was locked ! He shook it in his frenzy, hop 
 ing the key might be upon the other side and 
 some one would open it. He heard the rough 
 remark about his body-guard, heard Mr. White cry 
 that Sol was shot, and then he shouted in a voice 
 that seemed hollow and strange even to himself : 
 
 " Here I am, you cowards ! Open the door ! Did 
 you come to war with helpless women ?" 
 
 " Helpless !" cried a voice from the other side of 
 the door, whose owner was evidently striving to break 
 it down. " If this woman and that she-devil she has 
 with her are helpless, God deliver us from the women 
 who are strong !" 
 
 " If the South had an army of such," continued a 
 second voice, whose owner had come to assist in 
 forcing the door, " we would have been in New York 
 by this time and the Yankees driven into Canada." 
 
 By this time the door gave way. Rick stood to one 
 side as it fell, and then presented himself before his 
 foes. He was calm and haughty ; his cheeks were 
 sunken and deadly pale, his eyes bright, but set far 
 back in their sockets. There was not the slightest 
 expression of fear in face or manner, and he looked 
 as he was : a man very ill perhaps dangerously so 
 vho had been roused from his bed to fight for his 
 tfe, and who was determined to sell it as dearly as 
 possible. 
 
 He took in the situation in a moment. Two of the 
 nen were evidently dead, and Dolores was en-
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 281 
 
 -deavoring, though all in vain, to stanch the blood 
 which flowed from Sol s side. One other man was 
 wounded ; he had a revolver in his hand, the one 
 which had been taken from Dolores, and which still 
 contained one charge. Two were unharmed and 
 a rmed with rifles, but all three seemed dazed for a 
 moment at sight of Rick, for they saw how ill he 
 really was. 
 
 The wounded man was the first to recover himself, 
 and, raising the revolver, he aimed at Rick s breast. 
 Dolores, observing this action, struck up the weapon 
 a second before he pulled the trigger. None too 
 soon, for the shot went in the casement above Rick s 
 head. 
 
 This was too much for the villain, who, though 
 wounded, had expressed a sort of brutal delight as he 
 aimed, being sure of his victim. With some difficulty 
 lie rose to his feet and made a dash at Dolores. 
 
 "You re a devil!" he cried. "You are a devil! 
 
 and I ll be " Here he surged to the floor, his 
 
 sentence ending in a groan instead of the oath 
 intended. 
 
 Rick shot twice, off hand, and as he did so he saw 
 Tot rise quickly as far as her knees and fire twice 
 also. Unfortunately, both shot the same man, and 
 the other, quite unharmed, fired at Rick with a sure 
 and deliberate aim, for he fell seriously wounded. 
 
 Tot fired again but missed, and Dolores caught up 
 the revolver Rick had been using. As her right hand 
 was helpless, she took it in her left, aiming at the 
 last of the men, who was preparing to give Rick an 
 other shot, fearing he might not be mortally wounded. 
 Both were deterred a moment from their purpose by 
 the appearance of Mammy, who, destitute of any 
 other weapon, now came hastily forward to the scene 
 of slaughter, actually bearing in her hands what she 
 had so often threatened to use upon those who 
 chanced to offend her "a kittle o bilin \vatah." 
 
 " Foah de Lord !" she exclaimed, wrathfully, as 
 she interposed her fat form between Rick and the
 
 282 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 rebel soldier, regardless of his aim, " I se gwine ter 
 scald de life outen ebery one o yo murdahin rebels." 
 
 She raised the kettle and threw its contents toward 
 the man, who dodged it, with a shout of derisive 
 laughter, which he fancied Dolores echoed, for she 
 gave a sharp, wild, hysterical cry. The space of a 
 breath later he recognized his mistake, as half a dozen 
 armed Union soldiers poured into the hall, Aunt 
 Nancy bringing up the rear. 
 
 Their first act was to seize and bind the man ; of 
 the other assailants, two were dead and two wounded. 
 
 " You are too late !" .Dolores said, as she sank to 
 the floor and drew Rick s head upon her knee. " Poor 
 Sol is dead and Rick is surely dying. Is there a 
 surgeon among you ?" 
 
 There was none, but one man came forward and 
 drew Rick s head into a more comfortable position, 
 while he began to search for his wounds. 
 
 At this Rick opened his eyes. 
 
 " Don t grieve," he said to Dolores, faintly, but 
 cheerily. " I am not quite well or whole, but I am 
 worth several dead men yet. My wounds are in my 
 left arm and my right side, and, while they are de 
 cidedly painful, I do not believe either is fatal." 
 
 " Only for Tot," said Dolores, " I know they would 
 have murdered us all." 
 
 " The murdering," interposed the captured rebel, 
 " was chiefly upon the other side. This woman here 
 winged one man and killed another when we made 
 our entrance. Her chief of staff there, who played 
 death so perfectly we thought it was real, disabled 
 another, and she and Rick shot the fourth between 
 them. She missed me afterwards, that is the only 
 thing which surprises me. But she and her mistress 
 were about to finish me when that absurd old wench 
 came out with her boiling water. Your coining saved 
 my life, though, perhaps, if he isn t mortally wounded, 
 it saved Rick s, too. As for the nigger you lost he 
 knocked Tom down and would have got his arms 
 away from him, only I turned and clubbed him witn
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 283 
 
 my rifle, and Sam yonder brought him down with a 
 shot from the revolver we took from that Spanish 
 captain. We might have killed her over and over 
 again, but we rather liked her pluck and thought she d 
 be harmless if we got her revolver away. We might 
 have shot Rick dead the moment he came to the door, 
 but he looked like a man who had got out of his 
 grave to come and fight us, and, being tender-hearted, 
 we hadn t the nerve to send him back again imme 
 diately." 
 
 His flippant tone and manner jarred painfully upon 
 the ear of Dolores, and she begged that he might be 
 removed. 
 
 " Put the wounded men in one of the vacant cabins," 
 she said, "and see that poor, brave Sol is laid de 
 cently in another. If there is a horse to be had, 
 let some one go quickly and bring the army surgeon, 
 and let him come prepared to stay at least through 
 the night." 
 
 Her orders received respectful attention at once. 
 Rick declared his position was as comfortable as 
 possible, therefore, Dolores would not have him 
 moved until the surgeon came. She dispatched Tot 
 to quiet the children, who were screaming at the top 
 of their voices, having been left alone by Mammy, 
 who escaped through the window. Tot was not to 
 allow them to come out, as the hall was still in a fear 
 ful state, and the sight might frighten them still more, 
 which would have a bad effect upon Rick, who ought 
 to be kept perfectly quiet. 
 
 Mr. White, Aunt Nancy and three of the Union 
 soldiers were carrying out the directions Dolores had 
 given about the rebels, and Mammy, with tearful eyes 
 and wrathful ejaculations, proceeded to remove the 
 blood and all traces of the affray as far as possible. 
 
 Dolores, never moving a muscle lest she might give 
 Rick pain, sat wiping his brow and speaking to him 
 cheerfully, keeping her right hand well out of sight. 
 She forgot nothing. The children must retire ; she 
 would come in later, tell them a story and kiss them
 
 284 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NoUlLlTY. 
 
 good-night. Tot was to soothe them, if possible, p and 
 get them something to eat ; and Rick s bed must be 
 aired and made ready for him. Mandy and Mammy 
 worked faithfully, and when the surgeon came he 
 found everything in order. 
 
 Rick was laid upon the bed and his wounds 
 dressed. One ball had passed through his right side, 
 making a wound not serious to a man in perfect 
 health, and a ball had lodged in his left arm, near the 
 shoulder. The wound was probed and the ball ex 
 tracted, and Dolores would not leave until all was 
 done. Forgetting that the children needed her, 
 Rick insisted upon her telling him about the approach 
 and attack of the rebels, which she did in a modest 
 and unassuming way. Her wrist was growing very 
 painful, but she was resolved to say nothing until she 
 had left the room, when she would send for the sur 
 geon to eat his supper and have him examine it. 
 
 " I must go and see the children now," she said, 
 at last. " They are waiting for me." 
 
 " Certainly," said Rick. " I have been selfish in 
 keeping you from them so long ; but before you go, 
 Rita, let me thank you for all you have done for me 
 to-day." 
 
 He put out his hand and she gave him her left. 
 
 " The other," he said. " Do you not know the left 
 is unlucky ?" 
 
 She made an attempt to raise it but could not, and 
 she set her lips as the pain almost made her reel. 
 
 "What is it?" he said, a suspicion of the truth 
 dawning upon his mind. " Doctor, bring the light, 
 please, and examine her hand. It is hurt, I fear." 
 
 "It is really nothing," Dolores said, "though I in 
 tended to show it to the doctor as soon as I had 
 spoken to the children." 
 
 She lifted it up with the other, showing a wrist 
 and fingers swollen to twice their natural size, while 
 the former was discolored in spots. 
 
 " Is it possible," Rick exclaimed, " you have borne 
 the pain of that all these hours without a word of
 
 SUISDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 285 
 
 complaint ? Don t you think her a pretty good soT- 
 dier, doctor ? She certainly has put me to shame." 
 
 "I think her a heroine," the surgeon said, very de 
 cidedly, as he proceeded without a moment s delay to 
 bathe her wrist and prepare a bandage for it. 
 
 "Is that your only injury ?" Rick asked. 
 
 " It is, indeed," she replied, " and it amounts to 
 very little, though it is rather painful, I confess." 
 
 " No doubt it has hurt you more than both my 
 wounds have pained me," said Rick, contritely, " and 
 yet I allowed you to sit in a most uncomfortable posi 
 tion and hold my head for a long time. I am really 
 very much ashamed of myself." 
 
 "You need not be," the surgeon, Dr. Ohlsen, re 
 plied. " It was very necessary for you to remain 
 quiet. Mrs. Castellar was wise in ordering it, and it 
 is well for you that you obeyed her directions. Her 
 hurt was painful, but yours might, by bad treatment, 
 have been rendered exceedingly dangerous. 
 
 " Do you consider them so now ?" Rick asked,, 
 quietly. 
 
 "Not at all. With care you will pull through, but 
 you must still be quiet and begin by not speaking 
 again to-night, except it is absolutely necessary." 
 
 Dolores now rose to leave the room, and for the 
 first time thought of her appearance. Her dress, 
 being black, showed no trace of the combat ; but she 
 wore an apron, a pretty affair of muslin and lace, and 
 it was red with blood. She removed it and threw it 
 over her arm, to lay aside before going to see the 
 children, and, as Rick was watching her, she said in 
 a light tone : 
 
 " It is your blood, Rick, and I am going to keep it 
 as a souvenir of the struggle." 
 
 The children had fallen asleep, rather discon 
 tentedly, Tot said, so Dolores went up to her room,, 
 smoothed her hair and laid the apron away. 
 
 " It will not be more interesting to others," she 
 thcught, "than are Aunt Nancy s relics ; but I have 
 so little in the way of remembrancers of the past.
 
 286 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 If Rick lives, this will be a bright day in my 
 memory, though I was never before in more torture 
 of mind and that is saying much than when I 
 thought Tot dead and Rick advancing to meet his 
 murderers. What my life would be with those two 
 gone out of it I shudder to think. Tot has always 
 been faithful and efficient, a true child of her mur 
 dered mother free to risk her life, if need be, for 
 me and Rick is as kind as any brother." 
 
 CHAPTER XLI. 
 
 DR. OHLSEN. 
 
 Dr. Ohlsen, the army surgeon who dressed Rick s 
 wounds, was a young man who had received his diploma 
 only a year before. Having his fortune to make, and 
 considering a position as surgeon in the army one cal 
 culated to give him much experience in a short time, he 
 obtained the humble appointment of assistant-surgeon 
 in a regiment which was just leaving for the seat of 
 war, soon after he took his degree of M. D. He was 
 only twenty-one years of age at this time, but, being 
 a thorough student, thorough, in fact, in all he un 
 dertook, he proved as efficient in his profession as 
 many an older man, and soon became a favorite in the 
 regiment. 
 
 He was of Norwegian descent, though born in the 
 United States, and he had spent some years at a 
 school in Germany. He had, therefore, met with 
 nearly all phases and conditions of life, and had 
 learned the secret of winning the good-will of those 
 around him, not only by deserving it, as he usually 
 did, but by the possession of an extremely agreeable 
 manner, or, as his companions were won t to express 
 it, "Ohlen is one of those taking fellows whose way is 
 irresistible." It was not strange, therefore, when from 
 ill health the regular surgeon of the regiment was 
 obliged to resign his post, that Dr. Ohlsen was called 
 upon to fill his place. His position and salary being
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 287 
 
 good, and having no one dependent upon him (as he 
 was an orphan, without brother or sister), he began to 
 think of laying aside something for a rainy day, or, 
 rather, something to subsist upon while building up a 
 profession in some pleasant locality when his services 
 were no longer needed with his command. 
 
 It chanced that both Rick and Dolores were 
 favorably impressed with this young physician. 
 At first, as the regiment was in a very healthy state 
 and he had little to do, he remained all night 
 with Rick, fearing if his fever returned with 
 full force it might produce inflammation in his 
 wounds and render them fatal ; and afterward, when 
 he felt the danger was past, it became a habit for him 
 to spend every night at Idlefield, until his regiment 
 received marching orders, as it relieved the mono 
 tony of his life, which recently had but little change. 
 
 As Dolores shared his watch a portion of the first 
 night, her little Rose (or Baby Rose, as she was usu 
 ally called, and often her name was dropped entirely 
 and the infantile adjective used alone) was left with 
 Tot and Master Halbert in the nursery. The child 
 was quite large for her age, and looked at least 
 twelve years. She was very like her mother, with 
 coal-black hair and large dark eyes, but from her 
 father she had inherited a very fair complexion. 
 
 Rick passed the first part of the night favorably, 
 and as there was no longer any need lor Dolores to 
 remain, Dr. Ohlsen insisted upon her taking some 
 sleep, as she required it after the anxiety and excite 
 ment of the previous day. About three in the 
 morning she went up to her room, feeling quite se 
 cure with the guard on watch below, and Rick sleeping 
 soundly and naturally, she soon fell into a refreshing 
 slumber. 
 
 Not half an hour after she left, the physician was 
 startled by what seemed to him a cry of terror pro 
 ceeding from the next room. He was reclining upon 
 the lounge, but he rose hastily and went out into 
 the hall to ascertain the cause. He opened the
 
 288 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 door of the dining-room and saw, by the light that 
 streamed through the open door of the nursery be 
 yond, a young girl, almost too large to be called a 
 child, and looking unusually tall in her long white 
 gown, with her dark hair floating over her shoulders 
 and reaching nearly to her waist. She seemed very 
 much frightened, and was trembling with excitement. 
 After regarding him a moment in the dim light, she 
 seemed favorably impressed with his appearance, for 
 she came to him and put out both hands in a manner 
 that was extremely childish. 
 
 "What is it?" he asked, kindly. "Has anything 
 troubled you ?" 
 
 "I want my mamma," she said, in a manner which 
 showed she was accustomed to having her wishes 
 granted without delay. 
 
 " Who is your mamma?" he asked. 
 
 "Don t you know ?" she returned. "Why, she is 
 Aunt Rita. Won t you take me to her, please ?" and 
 she came closer, squeezing her plump hands still 
 farther into his own. "And, oh! don t stay here in 
 the dark, but tell me where my mamma is." 
 
 He saw she had either been frightened by some 
 dream or strange reality, probably the former, so he 
 .led her out into the hall where the light was burning, 
 and sitting down, took her upon his knee. She crept 
 close to him, taking the shelter of his arms as a mat 
 ter of course, not knowing that the situation was to 
 him somewhat novel, for in his whole life he had had 
 little to do with women and children. 
 
 " Now tell me what wakened you ?" he said in, his 
 gentlest tone. 
 
 " I went to bed," she said, " and my mamma prom 
 ised to come and kiss me good-night. I waited for 
 her a long time, but she never came. Halbert went 
 to sleep, but I kept awake. At last why it seemed 
 like forty nights afterward mamma came to me 
 and said she could not bid me good-night because 
 a bad man killed her, and the blood was all running 
 over her face. Was she dead, do you think, or was
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 289 
 
 I asleep ? I don t know. I opened my eyes and 
 could see nothing, but my heart was going thump, 
 thump, and it is going so yet. I started to come 
 out and see if I could find mamma, but it was 
 dark and I was afraid. Do you think I dreamed 
 what I saw ?" 
 
 "Certainly," he replied, reassuringly. "Your 
 mamma s wrist was hurt a little, and I had to keep 
 !ier to bind it up, so you were asleep when she went 
 in to kiss you good-night. I heard her tell your uncle 
 Mr. Gonzales is your uncle, is he not ?" 
 
 " Uncle Rick ? Why, of course ; but where is 
 mamma now ?" 
 
 " She is very tired and has gone to bed. You don t 
 wish to disturb her, do you ?" 
 " N-n-o," hesitatingly. 
 
 " And you will go back to bed yourself, like a good 
 child, will you not ?" 
 "VVill you come, too?" 
 " And tuck you up ? Certainly. 
 " Oh, no !" and she clung to him. "You wouldn t 
 leave me alone, would you ?" 
 
 "Not unless you wish it, child ; but I must sit in the 
 room with your uncle, for he may want something." 
 " Let me sit with you please, let me sit with you !" 
 and she crept up and put her arms around his neck. 
 "I won t say a word not one. Ah, you may trust 
 me, my mamma says so," earnestly. 
 
 Here was a dilemma. As she crept nearer, the doc 
 tor could feel her heart still beating violently. 
 
 " Poor little heart, how frightened it is !" he said, 
 and then he bent his head and kissed her. 
 
 The kiss startled him a trifle ; he was unused to giv 
 ing kisses. But the child received it quietly ; indeed, 
 she seemed to take it as a sort of anodyne, for it cer 
 tainly had a soothing effect. 
 
 " She has, no doubt, lived in such an atmosphere 
 of love and harmony," he thought, "that a harsh 
 word would startle her, but a kiss is something to be 
 expected."
 
 290 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 "Now, I know you are going to take me with you," 
 she said, heaving a great sigh of relief. "You are 
 very good and I like you." 
 
 He smiled. Of course he would take her. No 
 doubt she had heard the dreadful scenes of yesterday 
 recited until she became nervous, arid they were re 
 peated in her dreams. Falling asleep without her 
 mother s good-night kiss had only made things worse. 
 It was a new thing for him to attempt to amuse and 
 comfort children, but there was something very satis 
 fying about it after all. 
 
 " What is your name !" he asked. 
 
 "Its Baby, almost always; but sometimes it s. 
 Rose." 
 
 " Well, Baby," he said, " I m going to take you in 
 your uncle s room and tuck you up upon the lounge 
 Will that do ?" 
 
 "Beautifully, if you ll only sit where I can see 
 you," and she smiled for the first time, showing her 
 white, pearly teeth and looking as pretty as possible, 
 which moved the doctor to kiss her once more. 
 
 This time the kiss was returned. 
 
 "You are the new doctor, aren t you?". she in 
 quired. "I m glad," as he nodded, "for Tot said 
 you were going to make Uncle Rick well, and I said 
 you were my doctor." 
 
 "And so lam," he replied. "Shall we go in now?" 
 
 " Yes," and she sprang from his knee, waiting, how 
 ever, to give him her hand before she advanced a 
 step into the room. 
 
 He led her to the lounge and lifted her upon it. 
 Before lying down she busied herself for a moment 
 in trying to cover up her ten little pink toes with the 
 skirt of her gown, but when she laid down the toes 
 peeped out in spite of her precaution, whereupon 
 the doctor came to her assistance. He tucked the re 
 fractory toes under a shawl which he found hang 
 ing across a chair and drew the other portion of it 
 up under her chin, but she threw one hand over her 
 head, as if to say she always slept with that one out,
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 291 
 
 smiled her thanks, and, according to her promise, 
 did not speak a word. 
 
 A little later there was a stir from Rick, and the 
 doctor went to the bedside, quite forgetting for the 
 moment his second patient upon the lounge ; but lit 
 tle Rose never lost sight of him for a moment, her 
 bright dark eyes watching his every movement with 
 a sort of earnest satisfaction, mingled with a certain 
 pride of ownership, since he had acknowledged him 
 self as her especial property. What would Hal say 
 in the morning when he found she had spent a por 
 tion of the night in his father s room, and in such 
 grand company, too ? The thought of this great 
 triumph over Halbert, and how very envious he would 
 be when duly informed of all that had happened, was 
 very comforting indeed. 
 
 When Rick relapsed into slumber the doctor re 
 turned to his charge upon the lounge, and was sur 
 prised to find the bright eyes still open, though they 
 had lost all shadow of fear. The plump form was 
 still closely tucked in the shawl, mummy fashion, 
 showing the child had not stirred. Evidently there 
 was no more sleep for the restless black eyes that 
 night, unless some sedative influence was brought to 
 bear upon them. 
 
 Dr. Ohlsen drew an ottoman to the side of the 
 lounge, and, taking the little hand outside the cover 
 in one of his own, began to brush the hair lightly 
 back from the child s forehead with the other. The 
 eyelids drooped a little at first, half-shyly, which 
 showed, in the absence of fear, my little lady might 
 be a trifle bashful after all. Lower and lower the 
 white lids fell, half-lifting occasionally to shoot out a 
 gleam of perfect content, and then they closed alto 
 gether ; yet the doctor did not move from his posi 
 tion, but sat stroking the soft hair lightly, and 
 apparently studying the lineaments of the beautifully 
 molded childish face. 
 
 How sweet she was, and gentle and trusting, and 
 how perfectly she kept her promise not to speak a
 
 2qi SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 word ; this was what the doctor thought as he watched 
 beside her. Well, the child of such a mother as hers 
 must have some strength of character, and no doubt 
 she would prove a most interesting study. There 
 was the charm of freshness and novelty about her, at 
 least, and here there flashed across the doctor s mind 
 something akin to regret a feeling that his childhood, 
 yes, and his manhood too, had missed much that was 
 gentle and tender in its dearth of association with 
 women, and especially little children. It was some 
 thing so pleasant to remember so different from 
 anything in his experience that this little child had 
 sought his arms for comfort and sympathy, sought 
 them with a certainty of receiving shelter, though she 
 had never met him before that night. 
 
 CHAPTER XLII. 
 
 DR. CATHCART IS SURPRISED. 
 
 For two weeks after what Miss Nancy persisted in 
 calling the "squirmish" Dr. Ohlsen was a daily 
 visitor at Idlefield. Rick improved slowly, yet he 
 certainly did improve. There had been some fever, 
 which had been duly checked by the watchful 
 physician, and now there was no danger except the 
 patient caught cold. The doctor was loth to leave 
 him before he recovered, but at last was obliged to 
 do so, as his regiment received marching orders. 
 
 " Keep us informed of your movements," Dolores 
 said, " and I will occasionally drop you word to let 
 you know how Mr. Gonzales gets along ; and if ever 
 you are near us, whether here or in New York City, 
 remember that we will always be more than glad to 
 see you." 
 
 The doctor thanked her, and then took leave of 
 Rick very regretfully, as his words and manner 
 plainly evinced, while Rick declared he had not the 
 courage to say good-by, and wished the thing were 
 impossible. Miss Nancy gave him a hearty shake of
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 293 
 
 the hand and a vigorous blessing. Mammy bobbed 
 her tui baned head two or three times and wiped her 
 eyes upon her apron, and then the doctor went out 
 upon the veranda, where little Rose awaited him, 
 rather tearfully, for she had been told this was his 
 last visit, and she would probably see him no more. 
 
 " I don t see why you are going, doctor," she said, 
 as he sat down in a chair and drew her to his knee. 
 
 " I don t want to go one bit, Baby, but I must," he 
 replied, stroking back her hair as he spoke, and won 
 dering why it was he regretted leaving this child 
 worst of all. 
 
 " Why must you ? Does anybody make you go ? 
 Are you going because you are afraid of any one ?" 
 
 " Oh, no, child, not that. But, you see, long before 
 I saw you at all I promised to go with this regiment 
 of soldiers and attend to all who were sick or wounded. 
 They are going away and I must go with them, for 
 if I don t I will break my word." 
 
 "Oh!" acknowledging the necessity for his going 
 for the first time, as she twisted the ends of his sash 
 about her fingers, her lips too unsteady to say any 
 thing more. 
 
 " You are going to be a good girl while I am away, 
 are you not ?" 
 
 " While you are away ?" she repeated, eagerly. 
 " Are you ever coming back again ? Hal said you 
 were not that I would never see you again." 
 
 " I am coming back if I live," he said, reassur 
 ingly. " It may be a long time it may not be until 
 the war is over and you are grown to be a young lady, 
 and perhaps you will have forgotten me then." 
 
 " / forget ?" reproachfully. 
 
 " No, you will not, I hope. But I must go. Good 
 bye, dear," and kissing her gently he took his de 
 parture. 
 
 She wound one arm around a pillar of the veran 
 dah and watched him ride away watched him very 
 gravely, though there were no tears in her eyes. Be 
 fore he mounted his horse he turned, lifted his hat
 
 294 SUKDUKJ) SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 and threw her a kiss and a smile. The kiss she re 
 turned, but gave no answering smile. When he was 
 gone out of sight she went into the house, and 
 Dolores, watching her then and all the day, saw how 
 grave and womanly she had grown. 
 
 Boys arrive at manhood s estate gradually, but with 
 girls the change from childish pleasures to womanly 
 thoughts and aims nearly always come suddenly, and 
 with Baby Rose it came that day, with her first deep 
 regret, her first fully realized sorrow. Nothing that 
 she really missed went out of her life when her Aunt 
 Rose died. Her uncle and her mother were scarcely 
 graver afterward than before, and she had more of 
 her mother s society than she had ever enjoyed pre 
 viously. But there was nothing in mother-love which 
 could comfort her to-day ; indeed, she did not men 
 tion that she was sad at all, as though half ashamed 
 of the feeling. And Hal, if he only knew how she 
 felt, would laugh, she was sure. 
 
 The two wounded rebels were attended by the phy 
 sician until shortly before the regiment marched ; 
 then, as both were on the road to recovery (though 
 one would be maimed for life), they were transferred 
 as prisoners of war to the camp. Sol was buried, 
 and many of the servants left Idlefield altogether, as 
 they had been doing, in fact, ever since their emanci 
 pation. A few, anxious to see something of the 
 world, had gone of their own accord, but the greater 
 number, in fact all who had left recently, had been 
 induced to do so by threats or bribes. It would 
 never do for Rick s system of paying his servants to 
 become in any degree a success, for the example was 
 very bad. 
 
 " You see it won t work," these wiseacres would 
 say. " Why, Rick Gonzales paid all his old slaves 
 princely wages and they deserted him after all, just 
 the way our slaves that we paid nothing and kicked 
 about the same as we used to do did to us. 1 
 
 So far, though the slaves had been released from a 
 bitter bondage, the Emancipation was as yet chiefly in
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 295 
 
 name. It was hard for them to throw aside the idea 
 that they were not in subjection to their old masters, 
 and to white men generally, and their labor was taken 
 without any compensation being offered. When Mr. 
 White began to look about the plantation in cotton- 
 planting time, he found he had not an able-bodied 
 negro, Sol, who was his chief help in everything per 
 taining to the place, having been killed in the attack 
 on the house. 
 
 The day Dr. Ohlsen left Idlefield Mr. White was 
 allowed by Dolores to go into Rick s room and have 
 a long conversation. 
 
 " It is of no consequence," Rick said. " If you 
 planted a crop it would be destroyed, either before or 
 after it was gathered. As soon as I am well enough 
 I am going to close up the house and take the family 
 North. Do not be concerned, you shall go with us." 
 
 " But it will be a great loss," said Mr. White. 
 
 " Fortunately, I shall not feel it. I have abundant 
 means to live upon during my lifetime without ever 
 receiving another penny from Idlefield." 
 
 " But if we leave it the ground will all grow up 
 with weeds, and, no doubt, the house will be burned." 
 
 " It would be burned just as quickly if we remained. 
 No, White, I am going away. It would be wrong 
 for me to keep my family exposed to such danger, 
 especially this season, as there is to be a Presi 
 dential election, and the feeling against us will likely 
 be more bitter than ever. All you have to do is to 
 put the place in as good order as possible for leav 
 ing. Board up the doors and windows of the de 
 serted negro cabins and see that whatever live stock- 
 there is on the place - 
 
 " No trouble about that, sir. The rebel soldiers 
 (and some I suspect are not soldiers at all) are carry 
 ing off everything as fast as possible, even to the 
 fowls." 
 
 "Very well, we will begin and eat up the fowls 
 ourselves. I am truly thankful that my father did 
 not live to see this day, for it would have broken his
 
 296 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 heart to see the old place thus deserted and despoiled. 
 Should they burn the house while I am gone, when 
 the country is at peace once more I will return and 
 rebuild it that is, if I am spared. If not, perhaps 
 Halbert may." 
 
 The old man went out sorrowfully to begin to carry 
 out his master s instructions. 
 
 " I never saw a place I loved like this," he said to 
 Dolores, as he passed her in the hall, "and I cannot 
 bear to leave it." 
 
 "But we may all return some day," she replied. 
 
 " Not all," he answered. "I never shall." 
 
 A week passed, and though Dolores watched Rick 
 carefully and dressed his wounds according to 
 Dr. Ohlsen s directions, he did not seem to gain 
 strength or get better in any way, and a fear began 
 to creep into her heart that he would never live to 
 leave Idlefield. She knew of no physician for miles 
 around except Dr. Cathcart, and she had no idea that 
 he could be induced to come. There were no rebel 
 soldiers about at present, but he would feel that his 
 actions were watched, and would not dare do any 
 thing that would bring upon himself a day of reckon 
 ing when they did return. He could not afford to 
 incur their displeasure, and would, no doubt, refuse to 
 attend Rick even now, though he thought as she did, 
 that unless he received medical aid, and that speedily, 
 he would die. 
 
 She thought it all over as she sat with him one 
 day and noted how like a skeleton he was growing, and 
 how his strength had gone so he could scarcely hold 
 a glass of water to his lips. He dozed fitfully when he 
 slept at all, and seldom spoke except when addressed. 
 
 " He must have help or he will die," she said, "for 
 I do not understand his case at ajl. There is no one 
 but me to act, and I must procure a physician without 
 delay." 
 
 She saw Mr. White passing the house, and went 
 out to meet him. 
 
 " Ts okl Sorrel still left us ?" she asked him.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN MOBILITY. 297 
 
 "Yes," and the old man smiled. "She is twenty 
 years old, blind in one eye, and sometimes is very 
 lame, so nobody will take her. If she had been fit to 
 eat she would have been stolen long ago." 
 
 " Harness her at once and drive directly to Dr. 
 Cathcart s," she said. "Tell him that I wish him to 
 come and attend Mr. Gonzales immediately, for I 
 think him dangerously ill." 
 
 The old man looked troubled. 
 
 " Is he worse, then ?" he said. 
 
 " Yes. Not suddenly so, but he has been growing 
 worse gradually ever since Dr. Ohlsen left." 
 
 The old man nodded and hobbled away, and a few 
 moments later Dolores saw him set out. 
 
 She awaited anxiously his return, and at length saw 
 him coming back alone. Unable to endure the sus 
 pense, she went out to meet him. 
 
 " Is he coming ?" she said. 
 
 He shook his head. 
 
 "I tried all I could to persuade him, but he said it 
 would be sure death to him and might not help Master 
 Rick." 
 
 " Is Sorrel able to go to Milton and back again to 
 day ? she asked. 
 
 " She is in good condition to-day, but I think that 
 would be taxing her almost too far." 
 
 "Poor beast," she said. "White, unharness her, 
 rub her down well and give her some oats, and as 
 soon as she is cool and rested harness her again 
 and bring her around to the door. I m sorry to 
 abuse the faithful thing, but if she knew how great 
 was the necessity she would go willingly." 
 
 She patted the horse and spoke to her in a tone 
 which caused the intelligent animal to neigh in an 
 swer, and then she went into the house. 
 
 " Baby," she said, " come here, my child. I am 
 going away for an hour or two presently, and I want 
 you to sit by Uncle Rick s side until I return. Don t 
 speak to annoy him, but give him a drink whenever 
 he wishes it, and if he asks for me say I am coming
 
 290 SUUDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 soon. I am going to ask Tot to keep Hal out of the 
 room, but if he should come in don t speak to him 
 much ; just say to him I forbade you to talk. 
 
 " Yes, mamma," she answered, " I ll be good and 
 remember all ycu say." 
 
 Arranging everything for Rick s comfort, Dolores 
 went up to her room as soon as he fell asleep 
 again, and dressed for going out. She put on a 
 traveling dress she had worn in Italy, and it had 
 a pocket for carrying a revolver. When she had 
 donned the dress she made sure the pocket was not 
 empty. 
 
 When Mr. White brought old Sorrel around to the 
 door Dolores was in readiness. Before she started off 
 she had a few words of conversation with Tot and 
 Miss Nancy, and, though Mammy could not dis 
 tinguish anything that was said, she felt quite sure 
 Miss Nancy did not once declare that she " knowed 
 it," and from that Mammy argued that something 
 unusual was about to be done. However, she tried 
 her best to " possess her soul in patience," though 
 she could see that Aunt Nancy was restless and 
 troubled, and kept a constant watch upon the 
 road from the time Dolores rode away. 
 
 Meanwhile old Sorrel seemed bent upon dis 
 tinguishing herself. Not once did Dolores need to 
 urge her forward, though again and again she told 
 her what a splendid animal she was, and if she 
 kept on at that rate, she would be the means of 
 saving her master s life. Possibly Sorrel failed to 
 understand the words fully, but one thing she seemed 
 to know perfectly, and that was that she was pleasing 
 the woman who was calling her pet names and prais 
 ing her, so she pricked up her ears contentedly and 
 went right on, reigning up of her own accord at Dr. 
 Cathcart s door. 
 
 Dolores did not stop to tie her in fact, there was 
 little need but she paused to give her a lump of 
 sugar, to pat her bony shoulder, and declare she was 
 the loveliest horse that ever lived. While this was
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOUILITY. 299 
 
 going on she caught a glimpse of Dr. Cathcart within 
 the house, and, bowing, she turned and went in at 
 once, fearing he might escape her. Fortunately he 
 was alone in the parlor, the very thing she desired, 
 and he had his medicine case near, and his hat in his 
 hand as though he was just going out. 
 
 "Really, Mrs. Castellar," he began, " this is insuffer 
 able. Am I to be besieged in my own house to go to 
 a place which will endanger my life ?" 
 
 " Dr. Cathcart," she answered, " are you any better 
 than other men who have been murdered in their own 
 houses since the war began ? It appears that the 
 only law now recognized here is that might makes 
 right. 
 
 " What do you mean ?" he asked, looking into her 
 determined face with great uneasiness. 
 
 " Simply this : You are to put on your hat, bring 
 your medicine case, and come with me to attend 
 Rick Gonzales immediately." 
 
 " And suppose I refuse ?" loftily, yet unable to hide 
 his nervousness. 
 
 " If you do," she said, "I will blow your cowardly 
 heart out, even though 1 find it to be infinitely 
 smaller than I deem it now !" And, to the doctor s 
 terror and astonishment, she drew forth a revolver 
 from the pocket of her dress, in readiness to execute 
 her threat. 
 
 " Surely you are not in earnest ?" he ventured, 
 though he grew white, even to the lips. 
 
 " Do not trifle with me," she said, warningly. " I 
 am desperate. Will you go with me ?" 
 
 " I will go." 
 
 "Take up your medicine case and precede me to 
 the carriage." 
 
 He obeyed, for there was something more awful in 
 her face and tone of command, if possible, than in 
 the weapon in her hand, though it must be confessed 
 this gave great emphasis to her manner, which, 
 probably, would have availed little without the re 
 volver.
 
 300 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 Sorrel looked up, as she caught a glimpse of her 
 mistress coming out to enter the carriage, expecting 
 a word, and perhaps a lump of sugar, but she got 
 neither, and was somewhat disappointed. Instead, 
 Dolores spoke in a cold, hard tone to the man ac 
 companying her. 
 
 " Sit at the right and take the reins." 
 
 He did so, and she took her place by his side, her 
 revolver still in her hand. Then she spoke, and her 
 voice was gentle and natural. 
 
 " Come, my good Sorrel," she said, " be patient a 
 little longer. Once home and you shall rest for a 
 week ; and if we can get it for you, you shall live on 
 the fat of the land." 
 
 "And ami to walk back?" queried the doctor, 
 who was slightly uneasy in regard to the fate that 
 was intended for him. 
 
 " No," she said, " you are to remain at Idlefield for 
 the present until Rick is well once more." 
 
 " And if he does not recover ?" 
 
 " In that case," and the desperate look came back 
 into her face as she gazed squarely into his, " you 
 v.-ill not come back at all." 
 
 " Do I understand that you threaten my life in 
 case I am unable to preserve his ?" he asked, with all 
 the dignity he could command. 
 
 "You do," she answered, concisely. "And, * she 
 added a moment later, " I think you have a faint ink 
 ling of the fact that I am a woman of my word." 
 
 The doctor made no audible response, but drawing 
 up the reins a trifle he removed his hat and wiped 
 the perspiration from his brow. 
 
 "One of the most disagreeable things I know," he 
 was saying, mentally, " is to see a woman, who has 
 always appeared ladylike and quiet, unsex herself and 
 put on masculine airs." 
 
 "I knowed it!" exclaimed Miss Nancy, a litue 
 later, as she looked out and saw Dr. Cathcart driving 
 down the road and reining the horse up at the steps, 
 poor jaded old Sorrel picking up a little as she neurecl
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 30! 
 
 home. The doctor assisted Dolores to alight, she 
 gravely and demurely thanking him .for the attention. 
 The physician repaired to the sick room, but Dolores 
 paused before she went into the house to give Sorrel 
 another lump of sugar and to beg Mr. White to care 
 for her as tenderly as though she were a baby. 
 
 "Well," said Mammy, in answer to Miss Nancy s 
 exclamation, " ef you knovved it, den all I has ter say 
 is dat yer acted bery much like as if yer didn t knowed 
 nuffin at all ebery bressed minit dat Miss Rita s been 
 done gone. Yer knows it now, dat I lows, but ef yer 
 knowed it afore yo seen it wid yer own eyes, den yo 
 is got de mos deceivin way bout yer ob any woman 
 I knows." 
 
 CHAPTER XLIII. 
 
 TWO LIVES. 
 
 The following September found Rick settled in a 
 comfortable mansion in New York, only two or three 
 blocks from Mrs. Eeale s residence. His family com 
 prised his son, Dolores and daughter, Aunt Nancy, 
 Mammy, Mandy and Tot, with Mammy s eldest son, 
 Mose, who returned to Idlefield a few days before 
 they left the place and desired to accompany them. 
 As he was capable of taking care of and managing 
 horses he proved extremely useful, for Rick sported 
 a modest turnout, as he said Dolores would need it for 
 herself and the children while he was gone, and for 
 the present it was necessary to his own health. 
 
 Dolores had urged him to break up the household, 
 or, rather, not to establish one in New York. 
 
 "Mrs. Beale will gladly care for Halbert, I know," 
 she said, "and will furnish a home for Aunt Nancy 
 also ; besides, she will be glad to have you with her 
 whenever you are in the city. You could find no one 
 more capable of taking care of your boy and bringing 
 him up." 
 
 " I beg your pardon," he said, " but I think I can, 
 though I regard Mrs. Beale with the deepest respect.
 
 302 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 She has told ma that children tire her of late, and, 
 besides, I promised the boy s mother that you should 
 rear him and no one else. Even if I had not prom 
 ised her I would trust him to no one but yourself, for 
 you have a firm and gentle way with children, and it 
 would break the boy s heart to part with you. I won 
 der you wish such a thing, Dolores." 
 
 "I don t wish it," she exclaimed. "I was only 
 thinking it would save you much trouble and ex 
 pense." 
 
 " It would save no trouble, and I don t care for the 
 expense. But in case I wished to do as you suggest, 
 where would you go ?" 
 
 " I think I could find a place as nurse in some hos 
 pital." 
 
 "On a starving salary. No, Dolores, I must have 
 a home and you must take care of it nothing less 
 will satisfy me and Mrs. Beale thinks my plan a 
 wise one. Did you fear she would not ?" 
 
 " N-o," hesitatingly. " I did not think I mean I 
 knew she was my faithful friend, and would only seek 
 my good " 
 
 " I know what you thought, and I forbid you to ever 
 think anything so treasonable of her or me again." 
 
 This subject was settled. Rick was now quite well, 
 except that he had been, until very recently, ex 
 tremely weak. He was fast regaining his former 
 strength and was making arrangements to join the 
 army of the Potomac. As soon as he was comfortably 
 settled in his new home, he made a will, leaving 
 a large share of his property to his son, a hand 
 some legacy each to Dolores and little Rose, and 
 smaller bequests to Aunt Nancy and his servants. 
 .Mr. Beale and Dolores or, rather, Mrs. DoloritaCas- 
 tellar were made executors, and Dolores was to have 
 charge of Halbert until he became of age. 
 
 Mr. Beale greatly admired Dolores, her beauty, 
 her manner, her playing, and especially her manage 
 ment of the children. He knew nothing of her former 
 history, as his wife had never betrayed the confidence
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 303 
 
 placed in her more than four years previously. One 
 evening when he had gone around to Rick s to hear her 
 play, they all drifted into conversation after. 
 
 " A lady called upon me to-day," he said, " who has 
 recently been visiting in Virginia. Now that Grant is 
 besieging Richmond, one has no trouble in passing 
 back and forth to and from Virginia I mean the 
 Northern portion as the rebel troops are pretty well 
 employed farther South. She had a budget of news 
 from Alfred Hastings and family. Ever since well, 
 for a number of years, we have heard little from Alfred, 
 directly or indirectly. Mrs. Tait, whom I saw to-day, 
 has a friend who resides near Riverton, and she heard 
 no end of gossip concerning Alfred, his first and 
 second wife, and his children." 
 
 " Perhaps," said Mrs. Beale, observing that Dolores 
 turned suddenly white, " Rick doesn t care to hear 
 the gossip. You know he and Alfred are scarcely so 
 good friends as they once were." 
 
 Before Rick (who at once decided to turn the con 
 versation, and learn the facts from Mrs. Beale privately 
 afterward) could speak, Mr. Beale replied : 
 
 " Oh, he isn t so foolish as all that. Report says 
 Alfred s first wife was a wonderful woman, a favorite 
 with all, beautiful, accomplished, and everything that 
 was good and amiable. They thought Alfred would 
 go insane when she died he wasn t himself at all for 
 a year or so afterward. At last, I think, he had a re 
 turn of his old complaint a lack of money so he 
 married an heiress, belonging to the old F. F. V s, 
 who was about ten years older than himself, and as ugly 
 as possible in form, feature and mind. Well, she has 
 led him a sorry life for four years, or at least she did, 
 until she drove him into the army. He was too great 
 a coward, it seems, to go of his own accord, but his 
 wife made such a pandemonium of his home he got 
 so desperate he went at last. People were constantly 
 drawing comparisons between his two wives ; their 
 reports came to her ears, and this made her worse 
 than ever.
 
 304 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 "You spoke of his family," Rick said, at last. 
 " Has he any children ?" 
 
 " Yes, two girls. He was very anxious for a son to- 
 inherit Riverton, but his children, one a trifle over 
 three and the other about two years of age, are both 
 girls. They, too, are spoiled, and are just about as 
 unlovable as possible. As for Ida, Alfred s sister, 
 she became so annoyed with her sister-in-law that she 
 eloped with her music-teacher a fancy young gentle 
 man who already had a wife. In short, things have 
 gone very wrong with the Hastings family ever since 
 the death of Alfred s first wife. Everybody declares 
 he never loved the second one a particle, and only 
 married her for the money she brought him. She 
 herself says so, and out of revenge keeps a tight hold 
 of her purse-strings. It seems that part of his first 
 wife s property reverted to her relatives in Cuba, as- 
 her child died before she did, and Alfred did not come 
 in for as much as he expected. That is the story 
 he tells, though he made the money fly while she was 
 living, paid up the debts on Riverton, and dashed 
 out in style. I can imagine his first wife must have 
 been a favorite if she resembled her cousin here, Mrs. 
 Castellar," Mr. Beale continued, turning to Dolores 
 as he spoke. 
 
 She did not answer him, though even he observed 
 her face was white. 
 
 " Mrs. Hastings resembled Mrs. Castellar very 
 closely, Rick answered for her, " and the two were 
 so closely united in their earlier years that any allu 
 sion to her friend affects her still. I remember the 
 visit I paid to Alfred Hastings just before my own 
 marriage, to assure myself that his wife was happy. 
 I thought then she was the most beautiful woman I 
 ever met." 
 
 The night came back to Dolores, with its perfume 
 and flowers, and dancing and song. Could Rick have 
 thought her lovely ? She remembered how his kind 
 words to her had touched her that night. Only for 
 them she never could have had the courage to go
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 305 
 
 through all she did to reach Idlefield with her child 
 when her sore trouble came upon her. Rick and 
 Mr. Beale were saying something else, but she 
 did not understand clearly what it was at first. 
 Presently Mr. Beale made a remark which recalled 
 her, and she listened, interested once more. 
 
 " Alfred has put up an elaborate monument to his 
 dead wife s memory," he said, "one of the most ex 
 tensive things of the kind in that region of the coun 
 try, enumerating her perfections and graces." 
 
 " I would like to see it," Dolores said, speaking for 
 the first time. "I never cared to meet any of them 
 when I heard she was dead, but I would like to see 
 her grave, and read her epitaph." 
 
 " What is it, mamma ?" asked little Rose, who, in 
 consideration of its being almost the last evening her 
 uncle would have at home, had been allowed to sit up 
 beyond her usual hour. "Who is Alfred Hastings? 
 Did I ever see him, and is he nice ?" 
 
 Dolores turned toward Rick, as though he might 
 relieve her. 
 
 " Rick," she said, " Baby is asking who who " 
 
 "Yes, I know," he answered. " Baby (to the child), 
 it is a gentleman you do not know, and whom you 
 will probably never see. Don t trouble mamma with 
 questions, dear, she is tired to-night." 
 
 With this Dolores rose and asked to be excused, 
 until she saw Rose to bed. When she returned 
 she had regained her usual composure, and Mrs. 
 Beale had changed the subject altogether. 
 
 Dolores did not fail to attract attention in New 
 York, as she did in Virginia. At Idlefield she shunned 
 every one outside the family, and during their Euro 
 pean tour she had been so devoted to Rose, scarcely 
 ever appearing without her, that, though her beauty and 
 grace, more remarkable on account of her white hair, 
 were freely remarked, she received no especial atten 
 tion from the opposite sex. In truth, she was usually 
 set down as Rick s wife by all who took the trouble 
 to examine the hotel registers where they stopped.
 
 306 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILI1 V. 
 
 Now, however, when Rick was reported to be a 
 widower, and Rose called him uncle and Dolores 
 " mamma," while Halbert designated them respectively 
 as "papa" and "Aunt Rita," it came to be the general 
 supposition that Rick and Dolores were brother and 
 sister. They were called "the handsome Cubans," and 
 since the " Diamond Wedding," in 1860, all Cubans 
 were supposed to be millionaires. It therefore was 
 noised about that Senor Gonzales, as he was called, 
 was immensely wealthy, and the Senora Castellar had 
 a large fortune in her own right. 
 
 Notwithstanding all that she had passed through, 
 Dolores still looked young. Her hair, instead of mak 
 ing her appear aged, simply had the effect of blonde 
 hair with a brunette face, and was wonderfully becom 
 ing, for it had all turned there was not a single dark 
 thread to be found in it, though her brows and 
 lashes were jet black. Rick took great pride in the 
 respectful admiration she excited, and this evening, 
 when Dolores left the room, he took occasion to 
 speak of it to Mr. and Mrs. Beale, after saying that 
 any allusion to Alfred Hastings wife always affected 
 her deeply. 
 
 Mr. Beale joined in her praises, and turning sud 
 denly to Rick, said : 
 
 " My boy, why don t you marry Senora Castellar ? 
 Or have you the act in contemplation ? Surely there 
 could never be a more suitable match." 
 
 Rick opened his eyes in astonishment, and it was a 
 moment or two before he could find words to answer 
 this unexpected query. 
 
 "Why why " he said, at last, " 1 never thought 
 of such a thing, Mr. Beale ; and, in fact, the thing is 
 impossible !" 
 
 " Why impossible ?" asked Mr. Beale, persistently. 
 " Where can you find a woman who can compare with 
 the lady in question ?" 
 
 " I acknowledge the lady s suitability," Rick re 
 plied, more composedly, " but I am certain she has 
 no idea of marrying again."
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 307 
 
 "Still she might be induced to think otherwise," 
 said Mr. Beale, >l and my opinion is, if you don t 
 convince her that the best thing she can do is to 
 change her name, some one else will." 
 
 ".My dear," said Mrs. Beale, rather sharply for her, 
 I am ashamed of you. How can you show so little 
 tact and sense ? You persist in conversing upon 
 subjects which are unpleasant to Rick, and positively 
 painful to Rita ; in fact, your suggestions are begin 
 ning to border upon impertinence, and my advice 
 to you is to shun personal topics, for the remainder of 
 the evening at least." 
 
 Mr. Beale looked greatly surprised. 
 
 " Why, my dear," he said, " I had no idea of being 
 so odious as you seem to think me, and 1 am sure I 
 meant no offence." 
 
 "You have given none," Rick quickly answered, 
 " though I confess the last subject is a rather deli 
 cate one." 
 
 Mrs. Beale changed the conversation and began 
 to speak of the latest operatic star and the prospects 
 of amusement for the winter, and Dolores walked in, 
 looking white and tired, but calm as usual. 
 
 After Mr. and Mrs. Beale took their leave, Rick, 
 seeming somewhat agitated, bade Dolores good 
 night, for Miss Nancy came in to see if the drawing- 
 room windows were closed. 
 
 An hour or two later, finding it impossible to sleep, 
 Rick came down to the back parlor, which was fitted 
 up as a library, in search of a book with which to while 
 away the time. He wore a pair of soft slippers and 
 descended noiselessly, fearing to disturb any one, and 
 upon entering the room was surprised to find it occu 
 pied. The light was turned low, and he saw that 
 some one was lying upon the sofa at the farther end 
 of the room some one who was softly sobbing and 
 sighing to herself, after the strong burst of passionate 
 weeping was over. It was Dolores. 
 
 She did not hear him enter the room or seem aware 
 of his presence, and his first thought was to leave her
 
 308 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 alone in her grief ; not that he was unsympathetic, 
 but he felt a delicacy in intruding upon her sor 
 row ; besides, what comfort could he bestow? And 
 then he recognized how much deeper was a living 
 than a dead sorrow. The last can be put aside some 
 times ; the first, never. It is always ready to spring 
 up in some new, unlooked-for shape, each more dread 
 ful than the guise in which we last beheld it. This 
 woman before him, keenly alive to the trouble and 
 mortification of her present position, was dead to the 
 rest of the world her husband married again, with 
 children born in only a mockery of wedlock, but 
 which supplanted his lawful, living child, the child he 
 despised and denied, and whom he had sought to sell 
 into a life-long bondage. Here was his true wife liv 
 ing under a false name, not daring to reveal herself 
 to any one, lest her husband would learn of it and 
 seek out some means of taking her life. 
 
 Feeling an infinite compassion for her, and resolv 
 ing to make his presence known, he approached 
 and gently laid his hand upon her head. 
 
 " Dolores !" he said, softly. 
 
 She did not seem greatly startled, but half rose and 
 put up her hand to shade her eyes even from the dim 
 light. 
 
 " Is it you, Rick ?" she asked, wearily. " I can 
 scarcely see you." 
 
 He turned up the light and saw that her face looked 
 strange and wild, and her eyelids were so much swol 
 len with weeping that she was unable to raise them. 
 
 " Lie down," he said, gently placing her back upon 
 the sofa. Then wetting his handkerchief in the ice- 
 water which stood near, he bathed her hot face and 
 temples with it, dipping it in the fresh, cool water 
 as it became heated. Under this soothing operation 
 Dolores grew calmer, her sobs ceasing altogether, 
 though she still sighed occasionally, her sighs seem 
 ing, however, of physical rather than mental origin, 
 as her grief had so shaken her frame that, even 
 after her mind and feelings were benumbed, the
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 309 
 
 tumult was still indicated by an occasional sigh and 
 a nervous twitching of the hands. 
 
 Seeing this, Rick reached forward and took both 
 her hands in his until their fluttering motion ceased. 
 It was so strange to see the calm, self-contained and 
 thoughtful Dolores in this nervous state. Sometimes, 
 indeed, he had almost fancied the old sorrow had 
 ceased to affect her. 
 
 "You are very foolish," he said at last, "to sob 
 like this. I am afraid you have made yourself ill." 
 
 " Oh, no," she said, "indeed I feel nothing now. I 
 am simply benumbed from head to foot. If I could 
 sleep I should be all right to-morrow." 
 
 " Can you sleep now," he asked. " If so, I will sit 
 by you until you waken." 
 
 "No, it is late, and you must retire. I did not 
 think of disturbing you, Rick. I only thought well, 
 I could not help crying, and I remained here because 
 I thought I would have my cry out alone, and no one 
 would be the wiser. I don t often cry, Rick not 
 often but when I do " 
 
 " You make yourself sick and then pretend it is a 
 headache. Dolores, is it only the old sorrow, revived 
 and made keener by Mr. Beale s thoughtless gossip to 
 night, or is it something which has hurt you recently ? 
 Can I help you in any way, or make your burthen 
 lighter?" 
 
 " No," she answered quickly, "oh, no, Rick ! You 
 have done everything already that a thoroughly 
 thoughtful and kind heart could suggest. I shall be 
 all right to-morrow. I live two lives, you know. To 
 night I am Dolores Hastings, living over again the 
 old torture I felt as a scorned outcast, a disowned 
 wife, fighting for my life and freedom, and the safety 
 of my child ; to-morrow I shall be Senora Castellar, 
 a respected, though lonely woman, and I shall think, 
 with a feeling akin to pity, of poor Dolores Hastings 
 who died so young long ago, and picture in my mind s 
 eye the monument with its touching epitaph her 
 mourning husband erected to her memory."
 
 310 SUBDUED SOUTHKKN NOBILITY. 
 
 She rose slowly, her white hair falling over her 
 dark dress, as long, as heavy and as luxuriant as ever. 
 Her cheeks were flushed with a warm, bright color, 
 and though her eyes were almost veiled by the droop 
 ing lids and lashes, her white teeth gleamed through 
 her scarlet lips as she spoke, and there was something 
 in her appearance that was so dazzling, Rick remem 
 bered it long after that night. 
 
 " Good night, Rick," she said, " and may God bless 
 you always for what you have been to me." And 
 slowly, but with her accustomed grace and calm 
 ness, she left the room and went up-stairs to her own. 
 
 CHAPTER XLIV. 
 
 AN UNEXPECTED MEETING. 
 
 A clear Indian summer day in Virginia, with a 
 purple, sleepy haze over the hills, and a soft, yellow 
 sunlight over all. 
 
 Two armies lay basking in the sunlight, one on 
 each side of the river, both seemingly idle, yet both 
 watchful and alert, enjoying to the fullest extent the 
 quiet of the serene autumn day, even while feeling 
 that the stillness in the air might be that portentous 
 calm which comes before a storm. One discouraged 
 and weary, yet with the fierceness in its veins which 
 attends the death struggle ; the other, patient, endur 
 ing and biding its time. 
 
 Scouts being sent out by each, it so happened that 
 three men in blue and three in gray found themselves 
 opposite each other some distance south-east of Rich 
 mond. 
 
 " What are you about ?" shouted one from the 
 lower side. 
 
 " What are you Rebs about ?" was the questioning 
 answer. 
 
 " Have any of you Yanks got such a thing as 
 chewing tobacco about you ?" was the next unwarlike 
 query.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 311 
 
 " Lots of it. Have any of you Rebs got such a 
 thing as money about your clothes ?" 
 
 " Very little ! But what s the use of money, any 
 how ? Will you give a fellow a chew of tobacco if he 
 comes over ?" 
 
 " Yes, and free lodging for a month thrown in. 
 Come on, if you d like to have it !" 
 
 " Your goodness is enough to bring tears to the 
 eyes of a hippopotamus. Victuals thrown in besides ?" 
 
 " Yes, and better than you heathen give our poor 
 boys at Andersonville, too." 
 
 " Oh, pshaw ! What s the use of getting up an 
 argument? We don t victual the Andersonville boys." 
 
 " No, for if you did I suppose they would fare worse 
 than they do now, if such a thing could be possible." 
 
 " To the deuce with you ! Do you suppose when 
 we soldiers get parched corn for steady rations we re 
 going to give our prisoners porter-house steak and 
 fried chicken ? Come, none of your nonsense, let s 
 declare a truce for half an hour and meet in the mid 
 dle of the river on neutral ground." 
 
 " But there s no boat on our side." 
 
 " That s bad," in a disappointed tone. " Say," a 
 moment later, " suppose we come over and give you 
 a friendly call, and you treat us like distinguished 
 guests. We won t mention the war, but meet like a band 
 of brothers. You furnish us with some tobacco and 
 we ll give you anything we happen to have in return. 
 For my part I ll give you a fancy tobaQCO-pouch my 
 girl worked me, that I vowed to keep forever, but 
 when I promised I never expected to come to this. 
 We will only stop with you a minute, shake hands and 
 vow to kill each other if we can in the next brush. 
 I ve done a great deal for my country s sake, and now 
 I feel like doing almost anything for the sake of a 
 little tobacco." 
 
 There was a short parley among the boys in blue, 
 and then the one who had acted as spokesman the 
 others lazily enjoying the conversation called out, 
 
 " All right. Come on !"
 
 .312 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 " Honor bright?" 
 
 " Honor bright !" 
 
 It was but a few moments work to cross the river. 
 Two of the Union soldiers watched the approach of 
 the rebels ; the third, who wore a captain s uni 
 form, had thrown himself carelessly upon the ground, 
 though more than once he scanned the horizon in 
 every direction. 
 
 The boat soon touched the shore, and three men 
 sprang out : one, in a Confederate captain s uniform, 
 lingering behind the other two and seeming to take 
 little interest in the transaction that was going on be 
 tween the two " Rebs " and two "Yanks," as they 
 politely styled each other. 
 
 "At a little distance upon the other side the cap 
 tain in the blue uniform listened without comment to 
 what was passing, the Confederate captain being par 
 tially hidden by a clump of bushes near which he 
 stood. A little later the latter spoke, suggesting that 
 it was time to return. At the sound of his voice the 
 man upon the ground sprang to his feet and stalked 
 toward him with quick strides, the other four turning 
 to regard him in some surprise. 
 
 The Confederate captain looked up as he ap 
 proached, and his bronzed face turned two or three 
 shades paler. 
 
 "Rick Gonzales !" he cried, "by all the saints in 
 heaven !" 
 
 " You are right," Rick answered, " doubly so. 
 Right as to my name, and right to call on the saints 
 while you have breath to do so." 
 
 " Come, Rick," said the other, "we meet on neutral 
 ground by pre-arrangement ; we were to shake hands 
 and part as we met. Don t you be the first to break 
 the compact, but for the present let bygones go. Here 
 is my hand." 
 
 Rick drew back. All the old, fierce passions of his 
 boyhood seemed to stir his breast as he looked upon 
 the man and thought of Dolores and the wrongs she 
 had suffered at his hands.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 313 
 
 The soldiers looked on at first in silence, the rebels 
 seeming to enjoy the scene as much as the Union 
 boys, for their captain was by no means a favorite 
 with his men. One smiled a trifle and quoted, audibly : 
 
 " The hand of Douglas is his own !" 
 
 " The ways of God are indeed past finding out," 
 said Rick, at last. " I cannot understand why He 
 allows such a reptile to crawl about the earth, leaving 
 a slimy trail that poisons everything it touches." 
 
 " Its very well for you to stand there and preach," 
 returned Alfred, with a faint show of blustering 
 courage " you, a traitor to the land in which you 
 were born !" 
 
 " And you call me a traitor ?" said Rick, more 
 calmly than he had spoken. " Well, commendation 
 from your lips would indeed be hard to bear ! Call 
 me traitor and I have some slight respect for you, but 
 for God s sake don t offer me your hand and call me 
 friend, for that is simply maddening !" 
 
 " Why, Rick," Alfred said, with an uneasy glance 
 toward the boat, " what has come over you ? It is 
 true you told me the last time we met that you could 
 not forgive me because I stole your sweetheart from 
 you " 
 
 " Take care !" cried Rick, warningly. " My wife 
 is dead ; don t dare to mention her name !" 
 
 " I m sure I have no wish or power to speak of her 
 but in the most respectful and deferential terms. Why 
 you are so bitter toward me when she chose to marry 
 you at last I cannot say. But, friends or foes, we 
 must part, as we have not time for recrimination." 
 
 " One moment !" Rick answered, carried farther 
 in his passion than he meant to go. "Alfred Hast 
 ings, shall I tell you why I despise you ? Fiend, traitor, 
 hypocrite, would-be murderer, bigamist that you are?" 
 
 At the last word Alfred threw up his hands and 
 uttered a wild cry. 
 
 " Rick ! Rick !" he shrieked, " say it again ! For 
 God s sake tell me if your words are true !" 
 
 "They are true," he said, "and I am ready to nn-
 
 314 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 swer for them here and now. Come, though opposed 
 to duelling, it may be right in extreme cases, and 
 surely this is one. These men will see fair play be 
 tween us. What weapons can we muster ? You shall 
 choose them and shall take your pick of the kind 
 selected. I will take no advantage. Come, are you 
 ready ?" 
 
 " Rick, listen to reason," cried Alfred, desperately. 
 " If you will fight you may as well shoot me at once, 
 for you are a dead shot, while I was a bad marksman 
 always, that you know." 
 
 1 know this," Rick answered. "You did not 
 prove a bad shot when you killed poor Sue at a long 
 range, so long that you mistook her for your wife be 
 cause she chanced to wear her shawl, so that is 
 not your reason for refusing to fight. I acknowledge 
 I am a fair shot, but I could never eclipse that telling 
 shot of yours, never." 
 
 " But I am opposed to duelling from principle," 
 Alfred said. " It is unsoldierly, it is unlawful, it is, 
 in fact, cowardly." 
 
 " If that were all that constituted a coward," re 
 turned Rick, scornfully, "you surely would be ac 
 counted the bravest of men. This I know, you have 
 been brave enough in the past to attempt to poison 
 and then shoot a defenceless woman. Probably, if 
 my back were turned at this moment, much as you 
 despise duelling, you would have the courage to 
 shoot me." 
 
 "Rick," in unfeigned astonishment, "you are the 
 devil ! Even she never knew that that 
 
 That you attempted to poison her ?" 
 
 "I did not say so," cried Alfred, recollecting him 
 self. "But tell me, I beg of you to tell me, if she yet 
 lives? Rick, if you knew the tortures through which 
 I have passed on account of of 
 
 " Not on account of your sin," said Rick, finishing 
 the sentence for him, " but lest it would be found 
 out. Naturally you were somewhat anxious to 
 know whether your victim escaped or not, but it was
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 315 
 
 only for your own sake that you wished to find out. 
 What her fate might have been you did not care, so 
 long as you were certain she would never trouble you. 
 Your idea of selling your lawful wife for a slave after 
 you had appropriated her money was one which only 
 a fiend incarnate could have invented. But I will not 
 discuss the matter longer; it sickens me to think over 
 your crimes. And now, for the last time, I ask you 
 do you refuse to fight ?" 
 
 " I do," returned Alfred, "for reasons of my own." 
 " In that case," said Rick, " I advise you to leave 
 at once. But remember, I shall not lose sight of you. 
 Depend upon it, your future life will not be a pleasant 
 or successful one. If I ever know you are about to 
 taste any joy I shall see that the cup is dashed from 
 your lips. If you seek distinction you shall be brought 
 to disgrace, and whatever I can do to make your life 
 unbearable shall be to me a cheerful task." 
 
 " There is no need, Rick, to do that. My life is a 
 burthen to me already." 
 
 "You seem loth to part with it, nevertheless." 
 " Perhaps so. But, truly, what I have suffered you 
 can never know. I have longed to feel that Dolores 
 was living, for to-day don t sneer, Rick, I speak the 
 truth I love her better than I did in the full tide of 
 her popularity. She has haunted me night and day, 
 not in the way you think not because I feared but 
 only that I longed unutterably for her presence and 
 her forgiveness. I was mad when I first discovered 
 who she was. I was mad for months after, but when 
 I came back and found how desolate my home 
 was without her, when I heard her praises far and 
 near, uttered by high and low, when I listened to 
 their questions concerning her and her death, I 
 longed to find her and restore her to the place she had 
 ornamented and so nobly filled. But it was too late. 
 Friends said I was going mad, but the truth was my 
 reason had returned." 
 
 " I trust you will retain it, so far as your capability 
 for suffering is concerned," replied Rick. " There is
 
 316 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 no fear for your reason, Alfred, your feelings are not 
 deep enough to overthrow it. You have a false pride, 
 that is all, but through that I may be able to touch 
 you yet. Now, all I ask is for you to go as soon as 
 possible." 
 
 It had been a bitter humiliation to Alfred that two 
 of his men had listened to this conversation. To do 
 him justice, he was more afraid of Rick than of any 
 person living, except it might be the woman he now 
 called wife, and, much as it galled him to have his 
 evil deeds published by Rick before these men, he 
 had not dared to go aside and carry on the dis 
 cussion privately. 
 
 " Is there to be no hand-shaking after all ?" in 
 quired one of the Confederates. " The only satisfac 
 tion there seems to be in this meeting is what I have 
 gained by getting a supply of tobacco," with a smile. 
 
 The two Union soldiers put out their hands to him 
 and his comrade as they passed, and Rick did the 
 same, much to their surprise. However, as he had 
 managed to inspire them with a feeling of respect, 
 notwithstanding his exhibition of temper, they saluted 
 him respectfully, took their seats in the boat with their 
 silent and rather crestfallen captain, and pulled away 
 for the opposite shore, wondering how much truth and 
 how much fiction there was in his charges against the 
 character of Captain Hastings. 
 
 Meanwhile, Rick mounted his horse and with his 
 companions rode away, regretting, for Dolores" sake, 
 that he had made known to Alfred the fact she 
 was living, or at least that she had not died before his 
 supposed second marriage. 
 
 "If he believes her to be alive," he said, "he will 
 seek her out, either for the sake of taking her life or 
 making that life miserable. I hope I have done noth 
 ing to injure her. I would cut my tongue out before 
 I would say anything with the thought of harming her. 
 If I am spared, I will try and find means to pro 
 tect her from him, but if I fall she might, to a cer 
 tain degree, be in his power. Still, in that case, she
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 317 
 
 will have the means to leave the country and seek a 
 home elsewhere. She has a strange trust in me and 
 my ability to protect her, although through my mis 
 taken action her life was rendered what it is now. I 
 can never atone for that, but I will do what I can to 
 make it endurable." 
 
 CHAPTER XLV. 
 
 A STITCH IN TIME. 
 
 Richmond had fallen at last. The war was virtu 
 ally at an end, and there was already talk of muster 
 ing out some of the volunteers. But the satisfaction 
 was tempered with sorrow, for the assassination of 
 President Lincoln had overshadowed the great suc 
 cess of the Federal army under Grant. Johnston s 
 surrender to Sherman quickly followed, and then the 
 great work of reconstruction began. 
 
 The South was in a dreadful state, and the condi 
 tion of the negroes pitiful indeed. 
 
 " There is plenty of work for us at Idlefield now," 
 Rick wrote to Dolores, " and I regret that I shall not 
 receive my discharge in time to do much the present 
 year. It will be too late to plant anything whatever, 
 and it is useless to gather a lot of plantation hands 
 together unless I can give them something to do. I 
 suppose our people are scattered to the four winds, 
 but if we cannot find them there will be plenty of 
 others, needy and oppressed, who will require a help 
 ing hand. I think we will go down by the first of 
 February next year, or, possibly, soon after New 
 Year s Day a long time to look ahead you will think, 
 no doubt, but I have preparations to make, and I 
 think I will give myself a holiday during this interval 
 and gather strength for the coming campaign. We 
 will still meet with much opposition, no doubt in 
 deed, it may be serious ; but I think we are both will 
 ing to enter upon the work notwithstanding that, and 
 I trust we may yet prove that the negro is a human
 
 318 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 being and worthy to be dealt with fairly. He needs 
 much in the way of education, too, and we must try 
 and organize schools for that purpose. It may be 
 some time before our efforts are crowned with 
 marked success, but if we are patient and work faith 
 fully it will surely come at last." 
 
 It was in May he wrote, but summer had come be 
 fore he received his discharge, and then he hastened 
 home. He telegraphed the date of his intended 
 arrival in New York, and Dolores and the children 
 were at the depot to meet him. She came forward, 
 putting Halbert before her to greet his father first, but 
 Rick passed him by and for the first time took Dolores 
 in his arms and kissed her fervently. 
 
 Her face grew quite white at this, it was so unex 
 pected, and she could scarcely find voice to answer 
 his questions for the next few moments. Rick seemed 
 overjoyed and could scarcely act like a sane man dur 
 ing the whole day. 
 
 " Aunt Nancy was coming, too," Dolores said, at 
 length. " She was preparing an elaborate toilet, but 
 was detained, and found she had not time to array 
 herself in it, so she would not come. She is waiting 
 anxiously to see you." 
 
 " I suppose she is anxious to tell me she knowed 
 it/ " laughed Rick. 
 
 "Perhaps so," Dolores returned, "though Mammy 
 has taken to laughing at her for using the expression 
 so constantly, and she has in a great measure dropped 
 it and substituted did you ever ! This Mammy does 
 not object to, as it is infinitely less assuming, appeal 
 ing rather to the superior knowledge of the person 
 addressed than boasting of her own. 
 
 Then the children, anxious to come in for their 
 share of attention, began to relate to Rick how well 
 they were getting along at school, for they had just 
 finished their first school year, although, thanks to 
 the teachings of Dolores, both could read well in 
 English and Spanish, and they possessed also quite a 
 little knowledge of French and Italian. With this
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOF.1L1TY. 319 
 
 much gained they were able, as soon as they began- 
 the regular routine of school life, to progress very 
 favorably, and when it was all explained to Rick he 
 declared they had done wonders. 
 
 That evening, when they were sitting in the draw 
 ing-room, with Mr. and Mrs. Beale, the bell rang 
 and Professor Harding was announced. Dolores 
 received him politely, Mr. and Mrs. Beale in an 
 exceedingly friendly manner, while the children ran 
 to him seeming delighted to see him. Of course 
 Rick was extremely gracious, and the professor (who 
 did not wear glasses) expressed sincere pleasure in 
 meeting him, saying he had heard of Captain Gon- 
 zales so constantly through Mrs. Castellar and the 
 children he must consider him already a friend. 
 
 The professor conversed fluently and well, and 
 though Rick (if the truth were told) was slightly 
 taken aback at his very friendly footing in the family, 
 he was obliged to confess to himself that the man ap 
 peared both sensible and attractive. Why he objected 
 to this appearance of friendliness he could not have 
 told, and, perhaps, would have been ashamed to ac 
 knowledge, but the thought that it did exist made him 
 very uncomfortable in spite of himself. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Beale seemed delighted with his com 
 pany but he fancied Dolores was not quite at her 
 ease. The professor turned to her and asked for 
 some music, and she rose and went to the piano. 
 He lingered near her, turning the pages when she did 
 not play from memory, and at last he proposed a 
 song. Dolores was about to ask to be excused, but 
 Mr. Beale interposed, insisting on hearing his favor 
 ite. To Rick s horror Dolores brought out a popu 
 lar song, played the prelude and began to sing, the 
 professor joining, not only in the chorus but accom 
 panying her in what was usually sung as a solo. It 
 was very bad taste, Rick thought, though the effect 
 was good upon the whole. After it was finished 
 the professor hung around Dolores for some time, 
 chatting upon various topics, and his manner, while
 
 320 SUBDUED SOUTHERN MOBILITY. 
 
 it could scarcely have been called affectionate in the 
 extreme, was undeniably devoted. 
 
 The only comfort Rick received from the incident 
 was that Dolores did not in the least encourage the 
 professor s attentions. Still she might feel reserved 
 in the presence of others. It could not be possible 
 that any man would make such a fool of himself un 
 less he had been led on to some extent. Could it be 
 that Dolores, tired of her lonely life, had resolved to 
 deny that she was Dolores Hastings, the despised 
 wife of Alfred Hastings, and declare herself to be a 
 widow as she seemed of a Cuban gentleman named 
 Castellar, and, as such, enter into a second marriage ? 
 
 It made his blood run cold to think of it. Without 
 Dolores what would be his home ? There would be 
 devoted but tiresome old Aunt Nancy, it was true, 
 Halbert running wild and what would become of his 
 schemes and plans concerning Idleneld ? How could 
 he ever carry them out without the help of Dolores, 
 who had always been so faithful, so efficient, so brave 
 and true ? Why, she had saved his life over and over 
 again. Could it be that she was going to desert him 
 now ? 
 
 He answered "Yes" and "No" at random to Mr. 
 Beale s questions, until at last one of them struck 
 home, and he opened his eyes and listened attentively, 
 taking an interested part in the conversation. 
 
 " How do you like Professor Harding?" said Mr. 
 Beale in a low tone. 
 
 " He seems very pleasant and companionable," re 
 plied Rick in the same tone, determined not to show 
 what was going on in his mind. 
 
 "You see," said Mr. Beale, confidentially, "ever 
 since the night you told me you had no intentions in 
 that direction (with a nod over to where Dolores sat), 
 I ve been on the look-out for a suitable person for the 
 Senora or Mrs. Castellar, as she desires to be called. 
 Not long ago I hit upon the professor here, brought 
 him around and introduced him. Of course, Mrs. 
 Castellar is reserved, but her reserve is more attrac-
 
 SUbDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 321 
 
 live than an effusive manner would be. The professor 
 was charmed entranced, I may say. I didn t take 
 my wife into my confidence, as she probably wouldn t 
 approve of such a thing, though she likes the professor 
 very much indeed, and Mrs. Castellar does not as 
 yet dream what is going on." 
 
 Rick bowed but said nothing, though he thought 
 Dolores must be more blind than she usually was if 
 she did not. At this moment Mrs. Beale rose, and, as 
 it appeared to him, from a mute telegram from Dol 
 ores went over and joined her, engaging the pro 
 fessor in conversation, and Dolores took the oppor 
 tunity to excuse herself and marshal the children off 
 to bed. Perhaps, after all, the calls and attentions 
 of the professor had been gradually thrust upon 
 Dolores in a manner which she could not well 
 refuse at once. If Mr. Beale brought him often 
 to the house she could not order him away. 
 
 Meanwhile Mr. Beale sat and wondered why Rick 
 did not enter into the thing with more spirit. He was 
 sure he had done a wise and excellent action, for the 
 professor was a gentleman of unexceptional habits 
 and morals, and in receipt of a very large salary, 
 which, no doubt, would last for life. There was no 
 sense in having such an attractive woman as Dolores 
 remain a widow. She ought to marry and make some 
 good man happy, and the professor was the best man 
 he kne\v, after Rick, who didn t want her, because he 
 said so. Mr. Beale meant well, but he never could 
 learn that meaning well and doing a wise thing were 
 not one and the same. " 
 
 Still, he was not in the least hurt by Rick s silence. 
 No doubt the boy was tired, and then, of course, he 
 would feel badly in losing Mrs. Castellar, as he was 
 bound to do, and that very soon. He must prepare 
 for it, and the sooner the better, as sudden surprises 
 were not good for any one. He really felt it his duty 
 to inform him at once of the fact that he must be 
 prepared for a change, so he began a dissertation 
 upon the changes in life, and said, no doubt, Rick
 
 J22 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NUBILITY. 
 
 would meet with a change soon. Rick wondered it 
 he was going to hear a sermon upon religious sub 
 jects, but was not left long in doubt, as it was not 
 Mr. Beale s way to make a secret of anything. 
 
 " I mean in your household," he said. " No doubt 
 the professor and Mrs. Castellar will marry soon, and 
 it will be perfectly right if they do." 
 
 "You think, then," said Rick, " that all the profes 
 sor has to do in the case is to propose and he will be 
 accepted at once ?" 
 
 " I see no reason why he should not," returned Mr. 
 Beale. "I am very sure I would never have intro 
 duced the professor to Mrs. Castellar if I had thought 
 she would refuse him. If she does, he will think I 
 encouraged him with false hopes." 
 
 " Had you any reason whatever for encouraging 
 him at all?" inquired Rick. 
 
 " Well I cannot say I had any special reason, but 
 let an attractive woman and a sensible, pleasant man 
 meet often and they are pretty sure to fall in love." 
 
 " What are you two discussing so gravely ?" in 
 quired Mrs. Beale from the opposite end of the room. 
 " Professor Harding, don t you think we had better 
 join them ?" and she came forward, the professor fol 
 lowing. 
 
 " Oh, we were talking a little natural philosophy, " 
 said Mr. Beale, " though I dare not lisp a word on 
 such subjects before the professor here." 
 
 " He is safe to do so before me," laughed Rick, as 
 suming a cheerfulness he was far from feeling, "be 
 cause of my ignorance in such matters." 
 
 " No," exclaimed Mr. Beale, fearing he had said 
 something impolite, " I did not mean to suggest any 
 thing of the kind ; far from it. I have never met a 
 man who possessed such a fund of general informa 
 tion as you." 
 
 " Or who was so ignorant of philosophy," added 
 Rick, determined, for any sake, to turn the conver 
 sation completely, and not to show how Mr. Beale j 
 former remarks had galled him.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 323 
 
 Mr. Beale continued to protest against Rick s infer 
 ence. It was quite late when Mr. and Mrs. Beale 
 and the professor took their leave, and Miss Nancy 
 had retired. 
 
 "Shall I put out the lights, Rick?" Dolores asked, 
 " or are you not going to retire at once? I think I 
 will go up now." 
 
 "Not yet," he said. "I want to speak with you, 
 Dolores. We have not had a moment together to dis 
 cuss matters quietly, and if you are not too tired I 
 would like you to give me a little time. I will not de 
 tain you long." 
 
 Rick had learned a costly lesson years before, but 
 he learned it perfectly. It was that a slight explana 
 tion in the beginning of a mystery or estrangement 
 might clear it all away, but the thing allowed to run 
 on might lead to serious results. 
 
 " There is nothing like a stitch in time," he thought. 
 " There is a wide and wise meaning in that homely 
 old proverb, for it applies to friendships, to health, -in 
 short to almost everything. Perhaps that stitch in 
 time may save Dolores for me, and prevent her 
 doing a foolish if not a wicked thing." 
 
 " I am not tired," she said, " and am quite at your 
 service." 
 
 She sat down, and Rick, looking across the centre- 
 table to where she sat, scanned face, figure and dress 
 before he spoke. She was a regal-looking woman, 
 indeed. It was very warm, and she wore white to 
 night. She had seated herself in a crimson chair, 
 which made an admirable background to her lithe but 
 graceful form. The dress was high to the throat, and 
 fell in soft hazy folds at her feet. Face and hair were 
 white, too, but there were the dark eyes and brows and 
 the red lips for relief. She held in her hand an open 
 white feather fan, with a small scarlet bird in the 
 centre, which she waved slowly like Spanish women, 
 she was fond of carrying a fan, and always used one 
 gracefully. Whatever she did was with a slow, glid 
 ing movement haste seemed entirely foreign to her
 
 324 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 yet there was a certain determination about her which 
 caused her to accomplish more than many a fussy, 
 blustering woman who seemed twice as busy. 
 
 She looked up and met his gaze. There was some 
 thing like displeasure or dissatisfaction in his face, 
 even while he confessed how fair she was. 
 
 " Well, Rick," she said, slowly, " in what have I 
 offended you ?" 
 
 " Offended me ?" he repeated, in surprise. 
 
 "Yes," she answered, still quietly. "You are 
 offended, are you not ?" 
 
 " No," he said, very decidedly, after waiting a mo 
 ment. " I am not offended with you, Dolores, but I 
 believe I am hurt, and Mr. Beale has unconsciously 
 annoyed me." 
 
 " Ah !" she said, inquiringly. " How, Rick ?" 
 
 "Do you think of marrying again?" he asked, 
 abruptly. 
 
 " You know," with a shade of reproach in her tone, 
 " that I am already married, Rick ?" 
 
 " Still, no one at least not more than two or three 
 knows of the fact." 
 
 " I know it, however, and that is enough," a little 
 hurt, but speaking proudly still. 
 
 " Have I hurt you ? I did not mean to do so. Let 
 me tell you how what I heard and saw affected me. 
 i saw the professor tenderly attentive to you, and was 
 surprised. Then Mr. Beale told me he had brought 
 the gentleman around and introduced him to you with 
 the hope that you would fall in love with and marry 
 him. He warned me to prepare to lose you, as 
 there was no doubt about your marrying the professor, 
 and that soon." 
 
 "Is it possible he said that to you?" a sudden, 
 painful glow mantling her pale cheeks. 
 
 "Did you suspect nothing of the kind?" 
 
 "I certainly did not dream it was so bad as that. 
 Mrs. Beale is my best friend, and Mr. Beale has been 
 very kind also. But did you never read the old fable 
 of the man and his friend the bear, Rick ? How one
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 325 
 
 day when the man was sleeping there was a fly upon 
 his face, and the bear, in throwing a stone to kill the 
 fly, unintentionally killed his friend ? There are 
 friends and friends, Rick, but I think Mr. Beale is 
 determined to be such a friend to me as the bear was 
 to the man in the fable. He knows nothing of me 
 except what he has seen, looking at my present life. 
 If he knew of the old one I suppose he would still 
 misunderstand me." 
 
 " I can see, Dolores, how the thing was forced upon 
 you. In my heart I did not doubt you, and yet I was 
 afraid, as I cannot afford to lose you, for our life work 
 lies together. But did you suspect nothing?" 
 
 " I suspected nothing at first, but at length I felt 
 the professor was visiting here too frequently. This 
 was when he first began to call alone. In my per 
 plexity I consulted Mrs. Beale. She saw the unpleas 
 ant situation in which I was placed, though I am sure 
 she had no thought of the part Mr. Beale confesses 
 to have taken in it. So we entered into an agree 
 ment : She was always to happen around when Pro 
 fessor Harding came, for the moment he called I 
 would send her word. If I knew she was out (and 
 she kept me informed), I made it a point to go out 
 too, or to plead a headache, and leave word that I 
 could see no one. It has only been a little while, and 
 I knew you were coming soon and that the thing 
 would then settle itself. I had no opportunity to 
 speak of it to you to-day, and I did not dream you 
 would misunderstand me. To-night I knew you did, 
 and it made me very unhappy." 
 
 She had turned her face away from him, the fan 
 was moving faster now, and she raised her hand higher, 
 while she waved it to and fro, until her profile was 
 almost hidden. But Rick knew by her voice that 
 there were unshed tears in her eyes, and as he came 
 forward quickly and took a seat on an ottoman at her 
 feet, he saw two clear drops fall. 
 
 "Forgive me," he said, "for I have acted like a 
 brute," and he drew down the fan which she held up
 
 326 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 to screen her face, imprisoning in his the hand that 
 held it. 
 
 " No," she answered, struggling for composure, 
 "you have not. Perhaps I am only foolish, but I did 
 think you understood me better, Rick." 
 
 " It was not that I misunderstood you, Dolores, it 
 was not that. It was only because the thought that 
 any other man would dare to love you drove me al 
 most wild." 
 
 She made a movement to withdraw her hand, but it 
 only resulted in his capturing the other and holding 
 both fast. 
 
 " Don t be offended," he said, " wait until I explain. 
 When I went away I did not know how dear you were 
 to me, but in camp I had much time for reflection, 
 and there I found I thought of you constantly. 
 Later, I met Alfred don t start, he cannot harm you 
 and when I met him I knew I was very sure, indeed 
 that you were all the world to me. The sight of 
 his face drove me wild. I challenged him to fight. 
 It was very wicked, I know, but I thought if he 
 killed me it would not matter, and if I killed him you 
 would be free. I suppose I was a murderer at heart. 
 But he refused, and we parted. Dolores, I am not 
 going to insult you by asking you to marry me. I am 
 going on just as before, to treat you like a dear sister, 
 a true friend. It is worth much to me to have you in 
 my home, acting a sister s part to me, and that of a 
 kind guardian to my child. Men have loved and been 
 obliged to see the object of their affections wedded 
 to another man ; surely my lot will not be so hard as 
 that ? It is no crime to love you, Dolores, so long as 
 I keep my affection within bounds. Ah, you need not 
 fear me. Rest assured I shall never annoy you with 
 unseemly regrets or outbursts of passion. We will go 
 on together as we have done since Rose died, and if 
 fate never gives me the right to call you a dearer 
 name than sister I will strive to be content yes, and 
 will succeed so well no one will ever guess the true 
 state of my heart."
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 327 
 
 She trembled slightly as she listened. She longed 
 to speak some word, but she could not. She sat look 
 ing, startled and pale, trying to find an answer, but 
 unable to frame one. 
 
 " You are not angry with me ?" he said. 
 
 " No, oh no ! I have no wish to ever leave you, 
 Rick. Let us remain just as we are." 
 
 He waited a moment, hoping she would say some 
 thing more, but he was disappointed. He was sure, 
 from her former devotion to him, that she cared for 
 nim to a certain degree, but he longed to hear her 
 say so just once. But she did not, and he dared not 
 trust himself to ask her again. He would not tell her 
 the conversation which passed between Alfred and 
 himself, fearing to frighten her. So they sat for a few 
 moments in silence, and then she rose to go. He 
 made a movement to detain her, then he paused, and 
 at last, as she drew her hands away, he let them go 
 with only a slight pressure of his own. 
 
 " Better curb myself in trifles," he thought, "for " 
 and then he rose and paced the floor hurriedly a 
 moment, turned out the lights and went to his room. 
 
 CHAPTER XLVI. 
 
 MR. BEALE MEANS WELL. 
 
 Unfortunately, the attentions of Professor Harding 
 to Dolores did not cease with Rick s return ; on the 
 contrary, they became more marked, as though the 
 professor recognized the fact that delays were dan 
 gerous, especially in this particular case. It was 
 impossible for her to elude the man he followed her 
 about like a shadow. 
 
 " What shall I do ?" Dolores asked Rick, in despair. 
 " If the man would ask me to marry him I could re 
 fuse ; but he does not, and he seems wilfully blind to 
 the fact that I do not desire his attentions." 
 
 " We will all take a trip to Niagara," said Rick, 
 " and stop awhile at Saratoga upon our return. We
 
 328 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 won t mention the fact until the last moment, and 
 perhaps by this means we shall avoid him for the 
 summer." 
 
 Delusive hope ! They had been in Niagara but two 
 days when the professor made his appearance at the 
 Cataract House, where they were stopping. Soon 
 after they changed their quarters to the Clifton. The 
 professor followed, and then Dolores was in despair, 
 while Rick was angry. 
 
 "Dolores," he said, "we cannot well prevent him 
 from going where he likes, and especially as his con 
 duct is that of a gentleman. I believe the best thing 
 for you to do is to give him an opportunity of offering 
 himself and then refuse him." 
 
 A month earlier this would have been a very hard 
 thing for her to do, as she shrank from wounding his 
 feelings ; now she was desperate enough to do almost 
 anything to send him away, so she consented. Rick 
 took it upon himself to escort the children every 
 where, taking Tot with him, and this left Dolores to 
 the tender mercies of the professor. The plan, how 
 ever, worked admirably, for, as the man was terribly 
 in earnest, he lost no time in offering his heart and 
 hand. 
 
 " I have no desire to marry," she said. " Had I 
 been left a widow with a happy marriage to look back 
 upon I might have felt differently now; but it was far 
 otherwise. Besides, I do not love you." 
 
 She did not say she regarded him with deep re 
 spect, nor ask for his friendship. He already was 
 sure of her respect, and he did not care for her friend 
 ship since she could not grant him her love. 
 
 " I would have told you before if I could," she 
 added; for the man seemed stunned. "I tried to be 
 reserved, as soon as I saw your object, but that you 
 would not heed." 
 
 "Mr. Beale misled me," he said. "I knew you 
 were reserved, but he insisted it was only your way." 
 
 " Mr. Beale meant no harm, I am sure," she replied, 
 "but he has annoyed us both and given us unneces-
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERA NOBILITY. 329 
 
 sary pain. He had no right to speak to you in regard 
 to the matter at all, for he has heard me say I never 
 intend to marry." 
 
 At length the professor went his way, respecting 
 her more in his heart for her plain speaking than he 
 would had she attempted to give him a half-way an 
 swer, in order to keep him dangling. He soon after 
 returned to New York, and, accidentally meeting Mr. 
 Beale in the street, astonished that gentleman by 
 bowing coldly and passing him hurriedly by. When 
 they met again, after chatting for some time, Mr. 
 Beale asked how his love affair was progressing, and, 
 on being informed that Dolores had given him a 
 most uncompromising refusal, he expressed all the 
 surprise he felt. 
 
 " Mrs. Castellar also in aned me that you knew of 
 her determination not to marry," the professor added, 
 when the story was told. 
 
 " Bless me, you did not tell her I had anything to 
 do with the affair, did you ?" inquired Mr. Beale, 
 beginning to feel uncomfortable. 
 
 " I certainly did," returned the professor, " in ex 
 cuse for my acting like a fool." 
 
 "And what did Mrs. Castellar say?" 
 
 "That you had caused us both much annoyance." 
 
 " Then I suppose she is angry with me ? Professor 
 Harding, your course, to say the least, was neither 
 discreet nor kind." 
 
 " Precisely what I think of your course toward me," 
 said the professor. 
 
 " But I meant well," declared Mr. Beale. 
 
 " For one who meant well you have done very badly, 
 indeed," said the professor. "For my own part I 
 would rather acknowledge being a knave than a fool." 
 
 With a very stiff bow Professor Harding left Mr. 
 Beale, who was apparently transfixed to the sidewalk 
 with astonishment. 
 
 " I don t wonder Mrs. Castellar refused him," he 
 said, as soon as his speech returned. "The man 
 hasn t good sense, and she has met with a narrow
 
 33 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 escape. I must be more careful when I select a 
 gentleman for her again," and, his mind occupied 
 with the narrow escape she had had, he walked 
 briskly home, determined not to tell his wife any 
 thing about the affair, as she might prevent him from 
 trying the thing over again with some other man, for 
 he felt that it was only a sort of affectation in Dolores 
 to declare she would not marry again. She ought to 
 marry, and she would yet be convinced of the fact. 
 For himself, it was his duty to introduce her to the 
 first suitable gentleman he could find. 
 
 As he walked along he became impressed with the 
 idea that some one was following him, and his blood 
 began to boil. This was too much. No doubt that 
 silly professor was bent on some sort of revenge. 
 Well, he would lose no time in telling the man what 
 he thought of him and his conduct. So he turned 
 quickly around and met the man who seemed dog 
 ging his footsteps face to face. As he did so each 
 uttered an ejaculation. 
 
 It was Alfred Hastings. 
 
 " I thought I could not be mistaken," Alfred said, 
 as soon as he recovered from his surprise at this unex 
 pected movement of Mr. Beale s. " I was not quite 
 sure, and I waited to catch a glimpse of your face 
 before I made myself known. Your turning around 
 so abruptly startled me a trifle." 
 
 Mr. Beale laughed heartily and gave Alfred his 
 hand. 
 
 "I thought it was another person entirely," he said, 
 " or I would not have been so abrupt. In fact, you 
 are about the last person in the world I expected to 
 meet. I am on my way home, will you walk around 
 with me ?" 
 
 "Thanks," said Alfred, hesitatingly. "I fancy 
 neither you nor your wife will be very glad to see me. 
 
 "For my part," said Air. Beale, who was anxious 
 to hear what Alfred had to say for himself and his 
 present wife, " I am willing to let the past go. I ac 
 knowledge I did feel rather bitter at one time. Your
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 331 
 
 act seemed to me very mercenary, and there is no 
 doubt the mortification resulting from it was the cause 
 of what proved the fatal illness of Rose." 
 
 " You cannot blame me more deeply for my con 
 duct than I blame myself," he replied, determined to 
 eat any amount of humble pie rather than lose the 
 prospect of entering Mr. Beale s house, even for a few 
 moments. In truth, he had been following him, not 
 to make himself known, but to see if he could find 
 out anything concerning Rick or his whereabouts. 
 He had found Rick s name in the directory, but on. 
 going to the house it seemed to be closed. After 
 watching a long time he saw an elderly and peculiar- 
 looking woman come out of the basement door. She 
 was so unlike any one Rick would be likely to have 
 about him he was somewhat taken by surprise, and 
 before it occurred to him to accost her she had disap 
 peared around the corner. He then betook himself 
 to Mr. Beale s office, where he arrived in time to see 
 that gentleman set out on his way home. He saw 
 the altercation with the professor, though he was 
 not near enough to hear what it was about. 
 
 "Still," said Mr. Beale, with his usual faculty of 
 coming directly to the point, " it takes a mean man to 
 do such a thing." 
 
 Alfred winced. 
 
 " But my financial affairs were in such a state I 
 was nearly crazed," said he. " I could no more have 
 married a poor girl than I could have ridden to the 
 moon. I felt sure of being misunderstood in the 
 matter, and, therefore, did not give an elaborate ex 
 planation." 
 
 Well, its done and past, and there isn t any use in 
 talking it over at this late day. Come around to the 
 house to dinner, anyhow. I don t think Sarah will 
 object. She is busy getting ready to go out in the 
 country. Rick went some days ago, and she misses 
 Mrs. Castellar very much." 
 
 " Ah," returned Alfred, " I believe I have not the 
 honor of knowing who Mrs. Castellar is."
 
 33 2 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOJJ1L1TY. 
 
 " Why, bless me ! you ought to know. She s a cou 
 sin to your first wife and has lived in Rick s family 
 for several years. Her father, it seems, was a friend of 
 Rick s father. She started to come on from Cuba to 
 visit your wife, and when she got to Rick s she found 
 her cousin was dead and went no farther. Rose was 
 sick, and she turned right in and nursed her, 
 and poor Rose got so fond of her, believing she saved 
 her life, she could never let her go afterwards. So 
 she remained in the family, went with them to 
 Europe, and has taken care of Rick s child ever 
 since Rose died; in fact, she did that for years before." 
 
 " It is strange I never heard that Mrs. Castellar 
 came on," said Alfred, speaking with difficulty, for he 
 trembled like an aspen even his teeth chattered. 
 
 " Ifnvasn t so strange when you come to reflect that 
 her cousin was dead and Rick unfriendly to you. 
 But what is the matter with you. Have you got the 
 chills?" 
 
 " I seem to have one now," Alfred said, " but I 
 cannot account for it. True, I did suffer slightly 
 from chills when in the army, but I thought I had re 
 covered. Perhaps the change of climate has brought 
 them back." 
 
 " Perhaps so. Will you take anything for it? Here 
 we are just by a druggist s 
 
 " No, I won t take any drugs, if you please, but if 
 you ve no objection I ll stop and get a pony of 
 brandy. Will you have something, too ?" 
 
 "Thanks, no. I seldom drink anything." 
 
 "Take a cigar, then. 
 
 "1 believe I will. Honestly, Alfred, you have aged 
 fast since I saw you." 
 
 "And no wonder. My life has been a hell upon 
 earth ever since my poor first wife died." 
 
 Mr. Beale opened his eyes as Alfred ordered and 
 tossed off at a gulp a tumbler of brandy. 
 
 " A desperate remedy," he said, as they passed out, 
 "but the disease is equally desperate. Nothing but 
 brandy ever relieves me in the slightest degree. I
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 333 
 
 believe I interrupted you while you were speaking of 
 .Mrs. Castellar. I beg your pardon." 
 
 " Oh, don t mention it," said Mr. Beale. " I m ex 
 tremely sorry to find you so ill, Alfred. I m afraid 
 you are almost broken down," and he really began to 
 be quite concerned. 
 
 " Bother the illness !" thought Alfred. " It s of no 
 consequence," he said aloud. "I think Mrs. Castel 
 lar has a child, has she not?" 
 
 "Yes, a daughter. It was a mere infant when she 
 reached Idlefield, and she named it for Rose." 
 
 " I have heard," said Alfred, shaking in spite of the 
 brandy, " that Mrs. Castellar closely resembled my 
 wife Dolores." 
 
 " So I am told. She is a magnificent appearing 
 woman still, and she must have been a great beauty 
 when younger." 
 
 "Why, is she greatly changed?" asked Alfred, 
 quickly, for he was thrown off his guard. It never 
 occurred to him that Dolores could have grown old. 
 
 "That I cannot say, replied Mr. Beale, "as I 
 never saw her until her hair was quite white." 
 
 "Is her hair white, then?" said Alfred, quite 
 taken aback at the information. 
 
 "As white as cotton," declared Mr. Beale; "but 
 her face is perfectly beautiful." 
 
 Alfred was silent. How strange to think of Dolores 
 with white hair ! He was almost resolved to return 
 without attempting to see her; but no, he would 
 prove what Mr. Beale said for himself. 
 
 "She is not at home now, I think you said," Alfred 
 remarked, casually. " I am sorry, for I would like to 
 see her, although I don t care to meet Rick. He is a 
 perfect Indian, and never forgives an injury, so we 
 would only quarrel." 
 
 " They are away have been to Niagara, and I 
 think are now at Saratoga. They may return soon, 
 or may remain some time. I am not positive about 
 their movements, though Sarah will probably know." 
 
 By this time they had reached the house, and Mr.
 
 334 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 Beale ushered Alfred into the parlor, while he went 
 up to tell his wife of the arrival, half expecting a 
 gentle reprimand, for it was not Mrs. Beales custom 
 to give any other. 
 
 To his great surprise she seemed much excited as 
 soon as he imparted his information. 
 
 " I will not see the wretch !" she said. Then, 
 remembering that she must not betray Dolores secret 
 to her husband, whatever else she did, she added, 
 "Perhaps I ought not to speak so, but indeed I can 
 not bear to meet him. I am sure he has come for no 
 good purpose. He either wishes to spy out some 
 thing My dear," suddenly, " what did you say to 
 
 him ?" 
 
 " Nothing at all, Sarah, that will do harm, trust me 
 for that. Really, now I come to think of it, we talked 
 of very little besides Mrs. Castellar, who, you know, 
 was a cousin to his first wife. It appears he never 
 heard of her coming on to Rick s at all, so I told him 
 how it happened that it was just after his wife s 
 death. He said he had heard she was greatly like 
 his wife and would like to see her. He knew she had 
 a child. Really, my dear, if you could see him you 
 would pity him. He had a dreadful chill as we were 
 walking up, his teeth chattered so he could hardly 
 speak, and he looked dreadfully. Good gracious, 
 Sarah ! are you going to have a chill too? What does 
 ail everybody ? Or am I going out of my senses ? 
 D n it, woman, don t faint !" 
 
 Mr. Beale was not usually profane or even rough in 
 speech, but he was thoroughly frightened and wished 
 to show a bold front. Besides, he felt a shock might 
 restore his wife. 
 
 " I m not going to faint," she said, tartly, recovering 
 herself in a moment, "and you are not losing your 
 senses either, for a very excellent reason, you never 
 had any to lose." 
 
 " I m sure I don t know what I ve done," he re 
 plied, astonished at his wife s strange conduct. " But 
 this I do know, Sarah, I meant well."
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. . 335 
 
 CHAPTER XLVII. 
 
 A STARTLING DEMAND. 
 
 It chanced that Rick and Dolores returned home 
 sooner than they expected. Both had in their minds 
 a pet scheme to go down to Idlefield in September, 
 collect, care for and teach a number of needy negroes 
 through the winter, giving them only a home and cloth 
 ing during this season, and in the spring to set about 
 cultivating the plantation, paying regular wages to all 
 upon the place. There were negro cabins enough to 
 house two hundred, and they proposed to take the 
 largest for a school-room. 
 
 The professor disposed of, there was nothing to 
 prevent them from consulting about what was to be 
 done, and they decided that the sooner they entered 
 upon their work the better. Accordingly, they arrived 
 home the very evening that Alfred called at Mr. 
 Eeale s and began laying out their plans. 
 
 " My adventure with the professor," said Dolores, 
 " and several other things which occurred during 
 your absence, has taught me that it is impossible for 
 me to ever move in society with any pleasure, situ 
 ated as I am now. I am in a false position. People 
 seem to think it necessary for me to marry again, and 
 this subjects me to many annoyances. But I have 
 made up my mind to devote my life to my mother s 
 people, and to do so I must be free of all encum 
 brances other than I now have." 
 
 It was now August, and they decided to leave New 
 York by September ist and go down to Idlefield. 
 Rick wrote to Mr. White that same evening, asking 
 him to meet them at that time. The old man had 
 been stopping with some friends in Ohio his native 
 State and had expressed himself willing to return to 
 Idlefield as soon as they were ready to go. 
 
 It was a warm night, and when Dolores went up to 
 her room she turned the gas low and opened the 
 windows to let in all the air possible. It was past 
 eleven o clock and the street was nearly deserted.
 
 336 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 She sat for some moments with the moon shining 
 upon her, until at length she saw some one standing 
 in the shade opposite, apparently gazing intently at 
 the house. She was not alarmed, yet something in 
 the figure of the man who watched seemed strangely 
 familiar, even in the gloom, calling up the past with 
 startling distinctness, and causing her to close the 
 blinds quickly and retire. 
 
 She thought of it through the night and again in 
 the morning, but she did not mention it, even when 
 Rick remarked her unusually grave face and asked 
 the cause. He went out, thinking she had something 
 upon her mind of which she did not care to speak. 
 He had not been absent more than five mirute.s when 
 the bell rang, and, unfortunately for Dolores, Aunt 
 Nancy chanced to be going through the hall, at the 
 moment and opened the door. There was not a ser 
 vant in the house who would not have recognized 
 Alfred, but Aunt Nancy had never seen him. To 
 avert suspicion he mumbled over something about 
 music and wishing to see Mrs. Castellar a moment. 
 
 Thrown quite off her guard, for she did not dream 
 that Alfred was in the city, Dolores went to the room, 
 which was kept dark on account of the heat, and was 
 standing quite near him before she had the slightest 
 idea who he was. Then she gave a little start, and, 
 turning, would have escaped from the room, but he 
 sprang between her and the door. 
 
 "Dolores," he said, in a low tone, "for God s sake 
 grant me one moment ! Sit down. I must speak 
 with you, if only to tell you of my sorrow and re 
 morse." 
 
 She sat down, for she was unable to stand, and 
 turned her face toward him, white and pained, but 
 cold and proud still. 
 
 " I will listen to you just five minutes," she said, 
 taking out her watch as she spoke, " though your 
 sorrow and your remorse are nothing to me." 
 
 " Why ?" he asked. "Am I nothing to you now?" 
 trying to throw a world of pathos in his tone.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 337 
 
 "You are nothing," she returned, "except a ter 
 rible nightmare to me a nightmare of which only the 
 sleep of death will relieve me." 
 
 "I do not wonder you think of me with bitterness," 
 he said, after a pause. "I treated you vilely, and my 
 only excuse is that I was insane at the time." 
 
 "Your insanity has lasted for some years," she 
 replied. " It led you to forget me and marry again. 
 I suppose you are aware that the crime you com 
 mitted was a State s prison offence?" 
 
 " I did not know you were living, believe me," he 
 said. " I have suffered all the torments of the damned 
 with my second wife." 
 
 "Ah !" coolly. " I did not know a man could take 
 a second wife while the first one was alive except 
 he procured a divorce." 
 
 " It is true. You, whom I once despised, are my 
 only true wife. The arrogant woman who now bears 
 my name, though she is high-born and very proud, 
 has no right to bear it. Dolores, I have come with 
 no thought to annoy you, but to beg you humbly to 
 return with me as my wife. We can tell some story 
 of your miraculous return to life which the people 
 will believe, and then I shall be happy once more. I 
 promise you tenfold the devotion I ever showed you 
 in days past and gone. I " 
 
 "You forget," she interrupted, "that I have not a 
 cent in the world now, but earn my living in Rick s 
 house by caring for his child. I could bring you no 
 dower." 
 
 " Perhaps you have a right to taunt me thus. If it 
 gives you any comfort to do it, I certainly can bear 
 it. I will take anything at your hands if you will 
 only promise to come back to me once more. Cannot 
 will you not forgive me, my wife ?" 
 
 He came forward and knelt at her feet. She mo 
 tioned him to arise, at the same time drawing away. 
 
 " I can never forgive you," she said. " If I were 
 obliged to choose to-day between your arms and 
 those of death I would gladly accept the embrace of
 
 33^ SUBJDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 :he latter. No, Alfred, I will never see you again of 
 my own free will. I do not believe in your contrition, 
 I do not believe in your love. I believe in nothing 
 which has once failed me so utterly. How you found 
 me out I cannot tell, but rest assured I shall take 
 means to protect myself from you in the future." 
 
 " I cannot take this as your final decision," he said. 
 " I first knew you were alive when Rick called me a 
 bigamist, when we met during the war, and when I 
 came on yesterday I was so fortunate as to meet Mr. 
 Beale, who gave me a long account of you, or rather 
 Mrs. Castellar, and I knew at once it could only be 
 you. While I was in doubt as to your existence I 
 mourned you as no one ever mourned the dead ; 
 now I know you are living I will not rest until you 
 have promised to forgive me and return with me to 
 my home. Dolores, surely you cannot refuse me ?" He 
 tried to take her hand as he ceased speaking, but she 
 drew it quickly away. 
 
 "Do not touch me!" she cried, "or I will alarm 
 the house." She trembled with fright, and the horri 
 ble dread his presence gave her, and the thought ol 
 having to endure his touch was more than she could 
 bear. For a moment he seemed inclined to desist 
 then, as if seized with a sudden determination, he 
 sprang forward and caught her in his arms. 
 
 "Hush!" he said, "hush!" as she attempted to 
 cry out, drawing her face down upon his shouldei 
 to muffle the sound of her voice. "Do you think ) 
 would harm you ? Why do you fear me, Dolores ?" 
 
 " I loathe and abhor you !" she said ; and she tried to 
 scream for Tot, thinking she would render the most 
 efficient aid ; but again he pressed her face against hu 
 shoulder, to prevent her from calling. 
 
 " Will you go with me at once ?" he asked, with 
 brutal fierceness. 
 
 " Never !" she exclaimed, raising her head with an 
 effort. And then her ear caught the sound of a key 
 turning in the lock of the street door. 
 
 "Rick!" she called, desperately, and though her
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 339 
 
 face was again hidden, she heard the quick footsteps 
 of some one entering the room. 
 
 The new-comer uttered no word, but, from the step, 
 she was sure it was Rick. A moment later a hand 
 was laid heavily upon Alfred s shoulder, and, looking 
 up, he released her, with a muttered oath. As he did 
 so a blow sent him reeling to the floor, and Rick 
 caught Dolores, who also seemed about to fall. 
 
 " I would take you up-stairs," he said, "but some 
 one then might know. Don t be frightened " in a 
 soothing tone " he shall not harm you now or ever." 
 
 He placed her upon a sofa, and then turned to 
 Alfred, who had risen to his feet, and, white with 
 rage, was advancing toward him. 
 
 " How dare you enter my house ?" Rick demanded, 
 as he closed the door. " Fortunately, I heard of 
 your arrival in the city, and came back to warn 
 Dolores. I find I am not a moment too soon. Do 
 you know what I am going to do with you?" 
 
 " I am not afraid of your threats," said Alfred, put 
 ting on a bold face. " I came for my wife, and I will 
 have her, too, or I will know the reason why." 
 
 "I am going," said Rick, without heeding his in 
 terruption, "to have you arrested for attempted 
 murder in two special instances, and then for bigamy. 
 That makes three indictments, to say nothing of 
 numerous other crimes. However, these three will be 
 enough to keep you in prison for the remainder of 
 your life." 
 
 " How are you going to get your proof ?" asked 
 Alfred, defiantly. 
 
 " Probably," returned Rick, in a quiet tone, " you 
 are not aware that you failed to murder Sue, and in 
 this State the evidence of a negro holds good, more 
 especially when it is strengthened by a long chain of 
 circumstantial evidence. Perhaps you are not aware 
 that there are other witnesses that can readily be pro 
 cured ? There is Ryan, and there are the man and 
 his wife who occupied the cabin where Dolores found 
 shelter when you were pursuing her, and where you
 
 34 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 failed to find her, though she heard every word that 
 passed during your short call, which was brought to a 
 hasty close by Peter s appearance upon the scene. 
 And then " 
 
 " Enough !" cried Alfred, blanching at Rick s 
 words. " You seem to have dogged my steps from 
 the day I first angered you years ago and possessed 
 yourself of the facts concerning all the evil acts of 
 my life 
 
 " With convincing proofs. Knowing this, are you 
 willing to retire, promising never to molest Dolores 
 further during your natural life ? 
 
 "I am, for I am powerless." 
 
 " And will you leave this city at once ?" 
 
 " This very day the sooner the better. Have you 
 any further demands ?" 
 
 " There is a young mulatto boy the only son you 
 ever had named Pete. Where is he now ? He was 
 Sue s grandchild, you know." 
 
 " He has left the place I speak the truth and I 
 do not know where he has gone." 
 
 ." Where is the boy s mother ?" 
 
 " Honestly, I do not know." 
 
 At this moment the door opened and Rose ran into 
 the room, the picture of health and beauty, now a tall 
 girl of ten or eleven years. 
 
 " Mamma !" she said, but observing the stranger, 
 she stopped suddenly and walked shyly to her 
 mother s side. " Are you not well this morning, 
 mamma ?" she asked, affectionately, but in a low tone. 
 
 Alfred watched her, his face showing strong emotion. 
 
 " Is this my my ?" he began. 
 
 "Yes," returned Rick, " it is Mrs. Castellar s child. 
 Rose, come and speak to the gentleman, dear," for he 
 had not the heart to refuse the miserable man the 
 sight of his child, though his look warned Alfred 
 that there was not to be a scene. 
 
 Rose went and put out her hand dutifully, scanning 
 the face of the man whose eyes- sought hers wildly 
 with evident distrust.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 341 
 
 " Will you kiss me, my dear ?" he asked, in as quiet 
 a tone as he could command. 
 
 " No," she said. " I am too old to kiss strange 
 gentlemen. Mamma says so." 
 
 " Then may I not kiss you ?" 
 
 She looked in his face again, and, child as she was, 
 she understood from the tense lines about the mouth 
 and the wild, baffled look in his face that he was un 
 dergoing some strong emotion which he was endeavor 
 ing to control, and something like pity came into her 
 soft eyes as she said, very seriously : 
 
 " I don t see why you care to kiss me, but if you 
 truly do you may." 
 
 He folded her in his arms and kissed her twice, so 
 impetuously she was frightened, and as soon as she 
 was released she crept back to her mother s side. 
 
 " Mamma," she said, ".let us go up-stairs." 
 
 Alfred s eyes followed her until his gaze was dis 
 tracted by a curly head peeping in at the door. It 
 was Halbert, who usually followed Rose like a 
 shadow. 
 
 " What is it, my son ?" Rick asked, and Dolores 
 rose to go, taking her child by the hand as she 
 did so. 
 
 "Great Heaven !" Alfred cried. "What I threw 
 away years ago I would give all the world to regain !" 
 
 " Will you please send Tot for Halbert ? Rick 
 asked of Dolores, as she was passing out of the room. 
 
 " I will," she answered, pausing a moment. " Mr. 
 Hastings, I wish you good morning," and this was 
 her only farewell. 
 
 Alfred glanced toward Halbert, saying, in an ab 
 sent sort of way, that he was a fine boy, and, as Tot 
 entered the room, he started to his feet. 
 
 " Come, Mas r Halbert," she said, without glancing 
 toward Alfred. Seeing this, Rick spoke. 
 
 " Tot," he said, " do you recognize this man ?" 
 
 " I do, Mas r Rick," she answered, calmly, almost 
 contemptuously. "Least, I knowed him once, to my 
 cost. Den I sposed he was very grand ; but, deed,.
 
 34 2 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 Mas r, I wouldn t change places with him now. No, 
 deed I wouldn t." And taking Halbert by the hand 
 she led him away. Alfred was the first to speak. 
 
 " I am satisfied," he said, huskily. "I was a fool, 
 Rick, to ever cross your path as I did years ago. It 
 was an even question with me whether to do it or not. 
 If I had not, I might have led a tolerably respectable 
 life all through ; as it is, it could not be much worse. 
 I have failed even to achieve the success bad men 
 sometimes accomplish. The only thing I have done 
 is to retain Riverton in the family ; but that is now of 
 little consequence, since the family is so disgraced in 
 other respects. One thing, however, I have not lost, 
 and that is capacity for suffering." 
 
 " You can never suffer the half you deserve," Rick 
 answered, affecting a sternness he was far from feel 
 ing, for he began to pity the miserable man before 
 him. " Neither can you suffer one-tenth the pangs 
 Dolores endured at your hands. Go ! I have been 
 lenient with you. I promised Rose I would care for 
 her and your child, and I shall do it. But never cross 
 our paths again or I will not answer for the conse 
 quences." 
 
 Without another word Alfred left the house. He 
 went down the street to the corner, crossed over and 
 came back on the opposite side, watching the upper 
 windows to try and catch another glimpse of his wife s 
 face ; but not succeeding in the attempt, he walked 
 away, drooping his head in a dejected manner, and 
 wishing in his heart he had the courage to end his 
 miserable life. 
 
 "One thing I am resolved upon," he muttered, 
 " and that is to never live another day with the hate 
 ful woman I have called wife for the past few years. 
 She fears nothing but disgrace for herself, and I can 
 manage her. I will tell her I have just found out 
 that my first wife is still living, and if she will go 
 away quietly I will not proclaim the fact or attempt 
 to live with Dolores. That will be enough ; she will 
 then leave me in comparative peace."
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 345 
 
 CHAPTER XLVIII. 
 
 RICK S SCHOOL. 
 
 The first of September found Rick and his house 
 hold established at Idleiield. The old place was left 
 standing, but that was all. It had been converted 
 during the last year of the war into headquarters for 
 the colonel of a rebel regiment, the negro cabins 
 doing duty for the under officers. The furniture was 
 broken, some of it having been split up for firewood. 
 The walls were defaced, the carpets cut into strips 
 and the staircase nearly cut away. The grounds 
 about the place were devoid of grass, it having been 
 trampled upon constantly by men and horses. The 
 windows were broken, the shutters unhinged, and 
 obscene legends were written in pencil all over the 
 walls, without and within. The piano had been de 
 stroyed and the pictures were all broken or defaced. 
 
 The place looked the picture of desolation. The 
 only verdure about the house or grounds consisted of 
 rank weeds, which thrust up their tall heads here and 
 there, their seeds having been wind-blown and taken 
 root. Within, the house was in such a filthy condition 
 it was impossible to live in it until it was thoroughly 
 cleansed. 
 
 Dolores regarded it with eyes overflowing with 
 tears, as she compared it with its appearance when, 
 weary, homeless wanderers, she and Tot had sought 
 its shelter. Mammy, Mandy and Tot bewailed the 
 general devastation, and wished all manner of bad 
 luck to the perpetrators, Mose joining in with the 
 general chorus. Even Mr. White, who awaited them, 
 and had been viewing the scene for some hours, felt 
 his eyes moisten afresh as he saw the pained look 
 upon Rick s face. 
 
 " Did you ever !" Miss Nancy cried at last. " Why, 
 it looks as ef a passle o hogs had been rootin round, 
 out-door an in. Good airth ! you don t tell me any 
 thing human ever put the place in sich a condition?" 
 
 " I am truly thankful that my poor father is in his
 
 344 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 grave," said Rick, uttering the same thought he had 
 expressed once before and felt a hundred times. 
 " But," he added, after a moment s reflection, " it is of 
 no use to lament the fact longer. We must begin at 
 once and endeavor to bring order out of chaos." 
 
 While he spoke Dolores returned from the garden, 
 where she had found one late-blooming, lonely rose. 
 
 " See," she said, "here is a beautiful flower which I 
 have found in the place that looks so like a desert. 
 Is it not a good omen ?" 
 
 " It is, indeed," Rick answered. " You are always 
 sure to find something bright, Rita, however dark the 
 day may be. Perhaps it is to show us we ma yet 
 make this wilderness blossom as the rose." 
 
 He bent to inhale the perfume of the flower as he 
 spoke, and as he did so, Dolores, struck suddenly 
 with the idea, drew the stem through the button-hole 
 of his coat and fastened it. 
 
 " Come," she said, brightly, breaking into his 
 murmured thanks, " let us begin work at once. We 
 will clear out one of the cabins and make it comfortable 
 for the children, and for you to rest in when tired ; 
 another we will clear out and have for our dining- 
 room ; and a third we will take tostoie our trunks and 
 belongings. Fortunately, I anticipated encountering a 
 great quantity of dirt, and one trunk is filled with 
 soap, brushes, cleaning cloths, and similar articles." 
 
 As soon as this was mentioned Miss Nancy, Mandy, 
 Mammy and Tot wiped their eyes and gathered 
 around Dolores. They were in their element now, or 
 were to be as soon as the trunk mentioned could be 
 got at. Mr. White came forward with a couple of 
 brooms, which, with his usual forethought, he had 
 provided. One cabin, the cleanest of all, was swept 
 out and the trunks deposited in it, the children climb 
 ing upon them and munching crackers and ginger- 
 snaps with a resigned air. Next, Mandy s cottage was 
 swept and scrubbed, and one or two chairs cleaned 
 and brought from the house to put in it. This was to 
 be the family sitting-room. The dining-room was
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOUIL1TY. 345 
 
 then got ready and a lunch was prepared, after which 
 beds were arranged for the night, as it was growing 
 late. 
 
 And so they passed the first night after their return, 
 on beds suddenly improvised, but weariness of body 
 rendered them comfortable, even enjoyable. 
 
 Rick had sent on the furniture from his New York 
 house by way of New Orleans, as to have sent it by 
 rail would have cost a large amount for transporta 
 tion. It would not arrive, in all probability, in a 
 week or more, but the house was made ready to re 
 ceive it. 
 
 Meanwhile the news of his return was spread 
 about the vicinity, and soon after negroes came flock 
 ing to the place. All had tales of suffering and pri 
 vation to tell. They had been robbed of the greater 
 portion of their labor robbed of all of it, indeed, in 
 one way and another. 
 
 " I was not prepared to hear that these dependent 
 freedmen had been the victims of so much wrong 
 doing," thought Rick. " If all they tell me be true, 
 they are indeed worse off now than ever. The sys 
 tem of farming out their land on shares now prac 
 tised by many of the planters is one that must be 
 radically changed if we expect to retain these ac 
 climated workers ; and what would the Southern 
 States be without them ?" 
 
 Rick listened to each tale very attentively, because 
 he wanted to get at the true situation, if possible, so 
 as to be able to combat the difficulties the more 
 readily. He was fast learning of the many little 
 underhand games his old neighbors were practising 
 upon their former slaves, hoping thereby to make 
 their lives more miserable, if possible, than before 
 their emancipation ; and none seemed to him more 
 cruel than to make an agreement with the negro 
 whereby all the crops should be sold by the planter, 
 and, after deducting expenses, the proceeds to be 
 divided between them in a certain ratio. This looked 
 very fair on its face, and if carried out in a true spirit
 
 34^ SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 would have been entirely satisfactory ; but when it is- 
 known thaf the negro was compelled to purchase all 
 his daily supplies from the planter or his go-between 
 at prices many times more than they were worth, and 
 these and many extras had to be deducted from his 
 share, it will be understood why these deluded people 
 had tales to tell to one in whom they had every reason 
 to confide. 
 
 Rick received all who came until he had room for 
 no more. Many of his old slaves were among the 
 number nearly one-third of those he once possessed 
 and the remainder were strangers. As soon as 
 the furniture arrived the house was made more 
 comfortable, and men were set to work to sod the 
 lawn and otherwise beautify it. 
 
 The place was then put in order to receive the crops 
 of next season, for the fields were overgrown with 
 weeds. For all this work Rick paid wages, and he 
 personally superintended all purchases, taking pains 
 that his men should not be cheated. By this means, 
 when the work was done, the families were comfort 
 ably clad, and, being snugly housed, were ready to 
 attend the school. 
 
 It was the first of December when the school began. 
 The morning of each day was spent by half the peo 
 ple upon the place in labor, the other half attending 
 to their lessons, much of the instruction being oral 
 at first. In the afternoon those who had morning 
 lessons labored, and the remainder repaired to the 
 school-room. The progress made was wonderful. 
 Aside from teaching their students how to read and 
 write, Rick and Dolores gave lessons in mental arith 
 metic, a branch greatly needed, as it aided in pre 
 venting their people from being cheated in making 
 change. Many other rudimental branches were taught, 
 together with subjects not often introduced in schools, 
 but all of importance in fitting their pupils to battle 
 with the new life just opened to them in the most 
 practical way. 
 
 Hundreds of the freed negroes sought IdlefieUl
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 347 
 
 during the year which followed, and for lack of room 
 Rick was obliged to turn many away. It was his de 
 sire to change his pupils every two years. His old 
 slaves, he declared, were welcome to remain if they 
 wished, but when the new-comers had received a 
 practical education to fit them to cope with the world, 
 he preferred to take in their place the ignorant and 
 needy who flocked to him on every side. Accord 
 ingly, when two years had passed, he made a radical 
 change, taking in nearly two hundred strangers ; but, 
 before two months had passed away, those who had 
 been his pupils for the past two years returned, sick 
 and weary, unable to find work. He looked about 
 and saw the mistake he had made. It was not the 
 busiest season of the year ; he should have waited 
 until the spring-time. So he put up a number of 
 extra cabins and accommodated them as well as he 
 could, striving when the spring came to find them 
 suitable employment. 
 
 Again he failed, not because the people were in 
 competent, but because all the Southern men who 
 had heard of his plan condemned it, and were deter 
 mined to throw cold water upon his efforts to elevate 
 in any degree the negro race. He then saw that his 
 only plan was to send them to a distance, charging 
 them to say nothing of the education they had re 
 ceived, but let it show in their acts. This worked 
 better, yet still there was great difficulty. 
 
 Open rebellion there was not at the time, as there 
 were still Union troops stationed here and there 
 throughout the South ; but there was much inward 
 profanity and curses, not loud but deep, against Rick 
 and his efforts to ameliorate the condition of the 
 negroes. Had the neighboring planters coincided 
 with him it would have been far better for both. 
 Their plantations were in need of laborers, and if 
 properly cultivated would have doubly repaid them 
 for paying the highest wages ; but they had sworn 
 not to humor Rick in his whim. The idea of teaching 
 negroes was utterly absurd, they said. All they
 
 34 SUBDUED SOUTI1MKN NUi.lLliV. 
 
 needed to know was how to work, and they would 
 never do that so long as the lash was withheld. 
 Many whom the war had impoverished could have 
 readily retrieved their fortunes within a few years 
 afterward, had they not neglected everything and let 
 the golden opportunity pass by. 
 
 Meanwhile cotton was still bearing a high price. 
 Idlefield paid its expenses, school, food and clothing 
 for the laborers, everything included, because, as yet, 
 cotton crops through the South, generally, had been 
 neglected, and the price of that staple was so great 
 that those who went at once to work to raise it 
 realized almost a fortune from a single crop. Thus 
 it was that Rick, in the face of all predictions to the 
 contrary, made his experiment a success in every way. 
 
 Not that careful management came to him naturally. 
 He had spent money too lavishly in his youth to know 
 how to practice economy in anything all at once ; but 
 Mr. White was invaluable in this way, and Miss 
 Nancy, having been trained in a strict school, had 
 learned how to make the most of everything. She 
 taught Dolores, Mandy and Mammy many lessons in 
 domestic economy, which proved of great benefit 
 to them, and to Rick, so far as expenses were 
 concerned. 
 
 Dolores tried to teach this to the women who were 
 being educated as cooks, chambermaids and seam 
 stresses, for the negroes, having been reared in the 
 midst of plenty, where waste, so far as their masters 
 tables were concerned, was the order of the day, had 
 no idea of anything but extreme prodigality, so long 
 as there was anything to be prodigal with. It re 
 quired patience and tact to teach all these things 
 thoroughly ; but the effect of the teaching was 
 wonderful, for it gradually fitted the pupils to take 
 positions where they could earn their bread, not in 
 ease, but with moderate labor and for this, at the 
 time the slaves were set free, they were far from being 
 competent, as their previous training had all been 
 with, a view to keep them in ignorance of everything
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 349 
 
 except hard work in some special way, and to do that 
 in the hardest possible manner. 
 
 A few other men to co-operate with Rick in rinding 
 situations for his pupils would have made everything 
 easy, but these were not to be found. The Southerners 
 did not want " educated niggers," and as the years 
 went on he found himself with a larger and larger 
 number of pupils and ex-pupils, until he saw that 
 something must be done, or, notwithstanding his good 
 management, the school would in a few years eat up 
 all his large fortune. 
 
 CHAPTER XLIX. 
 THE DOCTOR S RETURN. 
 
 The years passed by without material change to 
 Rick and the people in his charge. His school went 
 on gaining in numbers with each year, and, though a 
 rich man still, Rick had expended a large sum of 
 money to maintain it and raise his pupils to a more 
 elevated position, with, as it sometimes seemed, the 
 solid world against him certainly the solid South. 
 Yet, in spite of the determination of the Southern* 
 whites to keep the despised race in a bondage almost 
 as bitter as before, in spite of their outcry against all 
 who strove to ameliorate their condition, and their 
 expressed dislike of educated negroes, as they called 
 those who were able to read, write, and keep their 
 own small accounts, many of those who left Rick s 
 protection, though baffled at first at every turn, at 
 length, through sheer force of their superiority, 
 drifted into positions, and kept them through their 
 capability, though they were still cheated in every 
 manner possible. The Southern people would not 
 learn the lesson, that their servants did not belong to 
 them, body and soul ; that they were rational beings, 
 deserving of kind treatment. 
 
 Rose had now grown to be a beautiful and ac 
 complished young woman, being invaluable to Rick
 
 35 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 and her mother. Halbert was in a Northern college, but 
 she had received her whole education at home from 
 her mother, the rudimental branches, with Spanish and 
 music ; from Rick, mathematics, and the higher scien 
 tific studies taught in schools. She became a great 
 favorite of his, and at length solved the problem of 
 how the negroes should be disposed of as soon as 
 they had finished the simple course laid out for them. 
 
 " Uncle Rick," she said, " I remember, though only 
 a child, the trouble Aunty Beale had with her servants, 
 and she used often to envy mamma hers. Why 
 wouldn t it be a good plan to have intelligence offices 
 established for our negroes in the North ? It would 
 never do to send them on alone and unprovided for 
 into a strange country ; but certainly it would pay to 
 start some sort of establishment where they could 
 work for their board a certain number of hours in the 
 day until they found suitable places. You could give 
 each a recommendation, saying for what work they 
 were best fitted, and that would help them, would it 
 not?" 
 
 "Why, Rose," he answered, greatly pleased, "your 
 idea is a good one, and I will act upon it. In one 
 way the trouble to get them places here is greater 
 than ever. Since the withdrawal of the troops from 
 the South the planters fear nothing, and their conduct 
 is, if possible, more disgraceful than ever. Instead of 
 finding that matters are mending, they grow worse 
 and worse." 
 
 " Perhaps at the first," she said, " there might be a 
 little difficulty; but as soon as it was generally known 
 how competent our people are they would be picked 
 up at once. This might probably cause the price of 
 labor to fall at the North, as it would make more- 
 servants than employers, but then the matter 
 would, no doubt, adjust itself in time, for the 
 white servants at the North could come down here. 
 Uncle Rick, I would really like Mrs. Thorburn, who 
 knocked poor Sally s eye out when she threw the fiat- 
 iron at her, had for a month or two the Bfidget
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 351 
 
 Aunty Beale happened to get once. If there were 
 any eyes to be knocked out Bridget would be the one 
 to do it, and it wouldn t be her eye that was harmed, 
 either." 
 
 Rick laughed, and was about to answer, when a 
 light carriage came in sight, and, a moment later, 
 paused at the gate below. Some one who looked 
 strangely familiar sprang from it, fastened his horse, 
 and came up the walk to the house. It was a gentle 
 man of thirty years or more, with close-cut blonde 
 hair, and a heavy blonde moustache concealing his 
 mouth, though his face was somewhat bronzed. He 
 was distinguished-looking, rather than handsome, and 
 he had a slightly foreign air. 
 
 "Mr. Gonzales ?" he said, question ingly, with a 
 graceful bow, and lifting his hat, with a slight glance 
 toward Rose, as he spoke. 
 
 Rick rose and gave his hand. 
 
 " Your face is perfectly familiar," he said, "but " 
 
 " Why, Uncle Rick," broke in Rose, " it is Dr. 
 Ohlsen," and then, in turn, she put out her hand to 
 the doctor, with a smile which seemed to say, " You 
 see, I have not forgotten," though aloud she only 
 uttered the usual words of greeting. 
 
 " I had begun to think we should never see you 
 again," said Rick. "We often speak of you still, 
 though at the moment of your arrival I was occupied 
 with thoughts foreign to anything connected with you, 
 and that, perhaps, accounts for my failing to recog 
 nize you immediately." 
 
 " I have been absent from the country nearly ever 
 since I left the service," the doctor replied. " A dis 
 tant relative sent for me a childless great-uncle 
 who was old and ill, and wished to see me. I did not 
 intend to remain long, but he fancied my medical 
 treatment benefited him, and he would not consent 
 to part with me. I remained with him until he died, 
 which was less than a year ago, and he left me what 
 property he had not a great amount, but something 
 which will be a help to me. I have heard that Dr.
 
 352 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 Cathcart is dead, and I thought I might, perhaps, be 
 able to establish a practice at Milton. What do you 
 think of the idea?" 
 
 " For my own sake," said Rick, " and for the sake 
 of what respectable specimens of humanity we have 
 about here, I shall be heartily glad to welcome you ; 
 but I tell you frankly, you will need the physical 
 strength of a Hercules, the moral courage of a saint, 
 and the patience of Job, if you ever establish yourself 
 here in any sort of comfort or security. Of course, 
 you wont starve, you will get enough practice to 
 keep you from that ; but you will never be recog 
 nized as respectable, or be patronized by the first 
 families, except in case of sheer necessity, if you make 
 it known that you are a friend of mine." 
 
 And Rick proceeded to tell the doctor his efforts, 
 his failures, his successes, and Dr. Ohlsen became 
 so much interested that he declared he would settle 
 down in Milton at once and give him whatever help 
 was in his power. 
 
 He spent the evening there, discussing the work 
 Rick was carrying on, and seeming greatly interested. 
 Dolores played for them, and Rose played and 
 sang, and the doctor felt so much at home he would 
 fain have petitioned to become one of the household ; 
 but he knew he was not needed there he must carve 
 out a record for himself. 
 
 A week later he had rented the cottage formerly 
 owned by Dr. Cathcart and put out a neat sign. He 
 told no one his business, or whence he came ; but it 
 chanced that the man who had escaped unhurt out of 
 the five who attacked Rick at Idlefield during the war 
 still resided in the vicinity, and he recognized him 
 and branded him as a Yankee adventurer. This 
 young man belonged to what was called one of the 
 best families in the vicinity, his father having been 
 Colonel Parke, a rebel officer. Anson Parke was him 
 self about Dr. Ohlsen s age, and he had been very 
 bitter against Rick and his school, causing him all the 
 annoyance possible, though he feared him too much
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 353 
 
 to ever head a second expedition to Idlefield to call 
 him to account. 
 
 Singularly enough Dolores was held in high regard 
 by the surrounding planters, owing, in a measure, to 
 the reports concerning her prowess spread by Parke, 
 and partly because, at the funeral services of the 
 colonel himself, which were conducted in the church 
 at Milton the church upon which the colonel had 
 bestowed a fine organ shortly before his death it 
 chanced that the only available organist was too ill to 
 play, and no one could be found to take his place, 
 until, at Rick s suggestion, Dolores offered, and 
 played in such a manner as to bring tears to the eyes 
 of the whole congregation. After this she was held 
 in a sort of awe, and this was, in a certain degree, 
 one reason why Rick had not been molested before, 
 further than by occasional threats and petty slights 
 paid to the negroes under his charge. 
 
 Shortly before the advent of Dr. Ohlsen, Anson 
 Parke had been able to render a service to Rose. She 
 had driven to Milton upon an errand with a rather 
 restive horse, who became utterly unmanageable, when 
 a sudden storm arose and a peal of thunder frightened 
 him. Several men, lounging inside the liquor saloon 
 in Milton, rushed into the street and made divers 
 ineffectual dashes at the frantic horse, which only 
 maddened him the more. But Mr. Parke, coming in 
 an opposite direction, sprang from his own carriage 
 and caught him by the head, and succeeded, at the 
 risk of being trampled under the frightened animal s 
 feet, in bringing him under his control. 
 
 Of course, Rose was very grateful and expressed her 
 thanks in a graceful and somewhat impetuous manner, 
 whereupon the gentleman begged permission to take 
 the reins and drive the horse home. Rose, still ex 
 cited with the thought of her recent peril, accepted 
 the offer thankfully, and during the ride succeeded in 
 capturing her escort as effectually as he had captured 
 the restive horse, though the fact was unknown to her. 
 
 She was well known to him, though she had no idea
 
 354 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 who he was until he gave her his name when he 
 deposited her at the gate at Idlefield, and ventured 
 the parting remark, as he tied the horse to the post, 
 that she herself had behaved in a very courageous 
 manner, but he should have expected this as she ap 
 peared the true child of her mother. 
 
 Perhaps, only for a sort of ideal love which she had 
 treasured in her heart for Dr. Ohlsen since a child, 
 Rose might have been more impressed with the hero 
 of this adventure. As it was, though she gave him 
 due praise for his valor, his act failed to touch her 
 heart so far as love was concerned. She had met him 
 but once since that day, and then, by accident it 
 seemed, he entered the little store in Milton where 
 she was making some purchases, and, receiving from 
 her a rather shy recognition, he advanced, expressed a 
 hope that the fright had not made her ill, and re 
 mained conversing with her until she was ready to go, 
 when he placed her in her carriage, with the remark 
 that, since she had a more tractable horse, he pre 
 sumed she would not need a gentleman to drive him. 
 
 At this she thanked him, expressed her belief in her 
 capability so far as managing the horse was concerned, 
 and bade him adieu, with a smile which set his pulse? 
 bounding in a most unaccountable way, and caused 
 him, with greater rashness than they display who build 
 upon the sand, to build castles innumerable upon the 
 slight foundation of a beautiful woman s smile. 
 
 He never dreamed of their crumbling, until one day- 
 he met Rose in the street accompanied by Dr. Ohlsen. 
 They were conversing pleasantly, and did not observe 
 him until he was directly opposite. Rose made 
 haste to recognize him, and she smiled, too, yet 
 he saw plainly the smile he had thought far brighter 
 than the sunlight was dim compared to that she 
 bestowed upon her companion. He went home, in 
 wardly vowing vengeance upon the "Yankee quack," 
 as he was pleased to call him, Rick, Dolores, and even 
 Rose herself. He had no plan of revenge as yet in 
 his mind, but, stopping at the saloon for a drink, be-
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 355 
 
 fore he drove away he dropped one or two remarks 
 disrespectful of the new doctor, and said he was all 
 one could expect from a friend of Rick Gonzales. 
 
 His words had the effect that a match would have 
 if applied to tinder. Not that he meant to pro 
 duce any special harm, at least immediately, for he 
 did not altogether despair of winning Rose as yet. 
 Me only wished that something might be done so far 
 as the doctor was concerned. If he could be made 
 to fly the place all might yet be well. He went home, 
 and the rabble at the saloon began to vow vengeance 
 on Rick, and to condemn his actions, interspersed with 
 threats of violence to Dr. Ohlsen. 
 
 Milton had grown since the war into a fair-sized 
 town, but its population was considerably mixed, the 
 lower class consisting of uncouth, coarse, reckless 
 men, that sprang up at the close of the war a type 
 quite different from the gentlemanly desperadoes who 
 existed before it, though, possibly, the difference con 
 sisted mainly in the fact that the desperadoes of the 
 present were nearly destitute of money, and, in conse 
 quence, considered as a lower class. 
 
 There had been no dearth of outrages in the town 
 and its vicinity upon helpless negroes, and equally 
 helpless whites, who, in search of a living, had sought 
 this place from the North. In consideration of these 
 Rick sometimes marveled at his being left the little 
 freedom he had enjoyed. However, he had become 
 a power ;:i one way : he was considered by the Gov 
 ernment as the most responsible man in that region 
 of country. Vexed that his negroes were passed by 
 when the people of the town were in quest of serv 
 ants, he determined to make an effort to place them 
 in whatever position he could that they were fitted for. 
 
 He had in his school, and just about to leave it, a 
 fine-looking young man, a mulatto, about twenty-five 
 years of age, named Nathan Ayre, who showed a re 
 markable aptitude for business. He knew, if he recom 
 mended the appointment, he could procure for him 
 the situation of postmaster in the town. Nathan was
 
 35 6 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 a fine young fellow, unassuming, yet fearless, and 
 Rick was certain that he was perfectly trustworthy 
 and honest. He had thought for some months he 
 would like to get this appointment for Nathan, but 
 had almost feared to do so, since there was no one in 
 the immediate town who would take the slightest 
 interest in him. 
 
 When Dr. Ohlsen arrived, however, and offered to 
 give Nathan all the aid and encouragement in his 
 power, Rick at once determined to carry his long- 
 cherished plan into execution. It was only a matter 
 of time, for the appointment was given upon the ask 
 ing. It so chanced that the news was brought to 
 the people of the town upon the very evening after 
 Anson Parke had stirred up the half-drunken blood 
 hounds in the saloon, and, in consequence, the liquor 
 flowed more freely than ever, and the air rang with 
 curses upon the President, Dr. Ohlsen, Rick and 
 his protcgj until long past midnight. 
 
 In the morning Dr. Ohlsen received a letter threat 
 ening him with personal violence if he failed to leave 
 the town within five days. As his practice, so far, 
 was made up of poor patients who would probably 
 pay him nothing in the end, it would have been no 
 loss for him to have left the place, but he had no in 
 clination to do so. Accordingly, after attending to 
 the few patients he had, he rode over to Idlefield and 
 took Rick into his confidence. Neither being aware 
 that Mr. Parke and his jealousy had anything to do 
 with the matter, attributed it solely to Nathan s ap 
 pointment, and felt that it was only the beginning of 
 demonstrations, and that similar ones would be directed 
 to him. 
 
 CHAPTER L. 
 
 A MOB S WORK. 
 
 For the next two days an ominous hush reigned 
 in the streets of Milton, though the mutterings and 
 cursings were both loud and deep within the saloon
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 357 
 
 and other like places of resort. Rick, driving through 
 the town and visiting several of the worst localities, 
 became convinced that if once the mob broke out into 
 deeds of murderous violence the result would be 
 fearful, and, among other things, a death blow would 
 be dealt to his own enterprise. As he thought of all 
 this he felt inclined to advise Dr. Ohlsen to leave, for 
 he feared greatly that his life would fall the first sac 
 rifice to brutal violence ; but he remembered that 
 to show a faint heart at the beginning would be to 
 resign all. 
 
 The only thing to be done was to stand his ground, 
 and he must assist the doctor to defeat the attack at 
 all hazards. He thought of how, but for the bravery 
 shown by Dolores and Tot when Idlefield was at 
 tacked, he would be sleeping in his grave, and that 
 even their courage might have been of little avail had 
 not the arrival of the Union troops ended the conflict. 
 The mob was different from the men who came for his 
 life that day. They might be frightened away more 
 easily, perhaps, in the beginning, but if able to stand 
 against the force brought to bear, they would be ter 
 ribly brutal and implacable, stopping at nothing. The 
 only question in his mind was whether to appeal to 
 the Government for help or not. 
 
 If he did there would be the everlasting howl about 
 military rule in the South, and columns upon columns 
 written for the Southern papers, and their sympa 
 thizers in the North, concerning the outrages which 
 these troops perpetrated upon Southern law-abiding 
 citizens. Such articles would be written in any case, 
 but the slightest move made by the Government to 
 render it possible for Northern people to live in any 
 sort of security at the South was magnified and twisted 
 into all manner of false statements, and he wished to 
 avoid anything of the kind, if possible. 
 
 The first move he made and Dolores suggested 
 this was to place Tot in the doctor s kitchen. The 
 negro woman he at first employed as housekeeper 
 left, because her life had been threatened in case she
 
 35& SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 remained, so Tot was informed of the circumstance, 
 and expressed her willingness to go. In truth, Dolores 
 took her completely into her confidence, explaining 
 that the position would be a dangerous one, and she 
 was not to take it except entirely willing. 
 
 Rick next selected a dozen trusty men and secreted 
 them in the doctor s house. He would not allow 
 Nathan to become one of the number, as he did not 
 wish to render him odious to the people, even to the 
 mob. He did not dare leave Idlefield unneces 
 sarily, lest the threats made toward the doctor 
 might be aimed at his own place instead, and the 
 intention was to take it when off its guard. So he 
 organized a similar force at home, and upon the 
 night of the third day, being assured by Dolores 
 that she feared nothing and would keep watch, having 
 the men in readiness, and a messenger and fleet horse 
 to send him word in case Idlefield was attacked, he 
 went to pass the night with the doctor. 
 
 It was nearly midnight when they heard, in the dis 
 tance, the sound of voices and the tramping of feet 
 not a regular tread, but a medley of footfalls and 
 the roar of discordant voices. It came gradually 
 nearer, until they could distinguish oaths and abusive 
 epithets directed toward some one. As they ap 
 proached the house they were coupled with the name 
 of "Yankee quack." At length, hooting and shout 
 ing, the crowd paused before the doctor s door, and 
 invited him, in the most derisive manner, to come out 
 and face them like a man. 
 
 " Shall I go ?" the doctor asked Rick, in his usual 
 voice. 
 
 " Not a step, if you value your life," Rick replied. 
 "You might as well reason with enraged tigers. We 
 must meet them in a far different manner. Now 
 boys," in a low tone, " when I give the signal all fire 
 at once, but remember to fire the first shot high, 
 almost in the air. If this does not disperse them, fire 
 the next volley into their ranks, and see what effect 
 that will have."
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 359 
 
 The signal was given, and fourteen shots were 
 simultaneously fired, causing a loud report, which 
 evidently astonished the rioters, for, after a slight 
 pause, they took to their heels and ran with what 
 speed they could, stumbling over each other in the 
 dark, and not knowing whether any of their number 
 were killed or not. They repaired to the saloon and 
 regaled themselves with a few drinks apiece, until 
 gradually one after another of their number joined 
 them, and they came at last to the conclusion that 
 there was nobody hurt after all. They, however, 
 concluded it was best to postpone the attack for that 
 night, to organize more thoroughly, and stand in 
 readiness for the time when Nathan Ayre should take 
 possession of the post-office. 
 
 " This ere thing must be put down," said one. 
 " Twon t do to let it go no furder. Why, demme, ef 
 it s kep up the niggers 11 be ownin the plantations 
 direc ly, an we ll be a-workin fer em ! The North 
 gained the day at the time o the war by brute force 
 jest by brute force ; but, demme, ef they go much 
 furder they ll rouse the lion, as it were, thet slumbers 
 in our bosoms " 
 
 " Hear, hear !" cried the others. 
 
 "They ll find out, demme, thet Southern gentlemen 
 hes got rights, gentlemen, as they won t give up while 
 they live !" he resumed, though he did not state what 
 those rights were. 
 
 They were not obliged to wait long for Nathan 
 Ayre to take his place as postmaster. He entered 
 upon his duties, attending to his business faithfully, be 
 cause he felt that much depended upon doing every 
 thing in the right manner and at the right moment. 
 He had one assistant, also a mulatto, and both were 
 as prompt as possible and respectful to all, whatever 
 insults were offered. At first, some of the members 
 of the crowd who met regularly at the saloon made it 
 a point to call every hour of the day and ask for let 
 ters, when they well knew there were but four mails 
 in twenty-four hours.
 
 360 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 To their disappointment no notice was taken of 
 this. Each time the inquiry was made the answer was 
 returned in a polite manner, leaving nothing of which 
 they could complain ; so they abandoned it at last, as 
 it was impossible to pick a quarrel in this way. 
 
 Soon after, they began sending Nathan anonymous 
 letters, spelled in the most illiterate manner and con 
 taining all manner of threats. This time, however, 
 there was no clue given as to when they would at 
 tack him. Dr. Ohlsen immediately insisted that 
 Nathan and his assistant should both sleep in his 
 house, and they were glad to accept the offer. They 
 were all well armed, and Rick said, if they desired it, 
 he would keep a constant guard of his own men, to 
 remain in the post-office by day and at Dr. Ohlsen s 
 by night. 
 
 But Nathan objected to this. It would look as 
 though he was afraid, he said, and he was not. The 
 ease with which the crowd was dispersed the night 
 the doctor s house was attacked tended to throw them 
 off their guard. 
 
 A few evenings afterward Dr. Ohlsen was called 
 upon to attend a sick patient. He knew there was 
 no hoax about it, as he was acquainted with the mes 
 senger ; but, as Nathan had retired, the doctor called 
 Tot and told her to inform him of his absence, and 
 to keep a strict watch until his return. There was 
 apparently no disturbance without, and, though habit 
 ually cautious, the doctor felt no fear. However, he 
 walked down a back street, that no one might observe 
 him and visit the house during his absence. 
 
 His patient was really very ill, and required his 
 care for an hour or more, and he was so much en 
 gaged with the case he thought of nothing further 
 until he was about to leave. 
 
 Meanwhile, about five minutes after he left the 
 house, there was a knock at the door. Tot called, 
 asking who was there, and receiving no answer re 
 fused to open the door. At this, some one engaged 
 her in conversation while one of the back windows
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 361 
 
 was forced with as little noise as possible, and before 
 she, with all her alertness, was aware of it, the house 
 was entered by several masked men, who seized her 
 and locked her securely in one of the rooms, tying 
 her to a chair and placing a gag in her mouth. Leav 
 ing her thus, they proceeded to Nathan s room and 
 dragged him, with Jerry, his assistant, from their 
 beds. The unfortunate men were bound, gagged 
 and, with ropes about their necks, dragged, until 
 nearly insensible, to a wood about a mile from the 
 town, and there hung to a tree and left, their brutal 
 captors waiting, however, until sure life was extinct 
 before they left the spot. They determined, when 
 they set about their hellish work, to conduct it 
 quietly, allowing no noise to be made. They were 
 afraid, in spite of the brutal sort of courage which is 
 sometimes bestowed upon men of fiendish instincts, 
 lest Rick or Dr. Ohlsen should come to the rescue 
 of their victims, and they had a certain dread of 
 the power of these two men, who, as yet, had baffled 
 them as far as their own personal safety was con 
 cerned. 
 
 But when their work, over which devils must have 
 confessed themselves outdone, was completed it was 
 impossible to restrain their brutal glee, and with wild 
 shouts, like the noise of a herd of beasts, they made 
 their way back to the town. 
 
 Dr. Ohlsen, returning from his professional visit, 
 heard these shouts, and his very blood ran cold. He 
 hastened home, to find Tot in the same position in 
 which the wretches had left her and nearly uncon 
 scious. As soon as she was restored and able to 
 speak she told him all she knew of the horrible out 
 rage. At this, promising to leave her but a moment, 
 he rushed out of the house and up the street, but the 
 town was again quiet not a sound broke the stillness 
 of the summer night. 
 
 A horrible fear crossed his mind that they might 
 have gone to Idlefield ; so, making all possible haste, 
 he fastened the horse to his carriage, and taking Tot,
 
 362 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 more dead than alive, with him, he set out at once in 
 the direction he feared the mob had taken. 
 
 To his great relief he found all was quiet, and, going 
 to the window of the chamber which Rick still occu 
 pied, he woke him and made his errand known. Do 
 lores and Rose came down and ministered lovingly to 
 Tot, who had been somewhat relieved by the ride in 
 the open air. 
 
 " Don t blame me for her injuries," the doctor said. 
 " Until it is perfectly safe I shall never ask another 
 woman to take charge of my home in any capacity 
 whatever. Mr. Gonzales, have you a man among 
 your servants who can cook a tolerable meal ? If so, 
 I beg of you to let me have him. I mean to keep 
 right on and shall not leave the place until I have won 
 some sort of a position there, unless they kill me. 
 However, this is a secondary consideration. Where 
 could they have taken Nathan and Jerry ? Do you 
 suppose 
 
 Here he paused, fearing to alarm Rose and Dolores, 
 but Rick answered quickly : 
 
 " I fear the worst. Let us set out to look for them 
 at once. They may have left them in the woods, 
 beaten almost to death, or well, doctor, I can think 
 of nothing that would be too brutal and too vile for 
 those wretches to do." 
 
 " Oh, Uncle Rick !" cried Rose, hastily coming 
 forward, " do not go ! Do not either of you 
 risk your lives so ! The poor boys are, no doubt, 
 dead and past your help, while those horrible fiends, 
 whom I cannot call men, may lie in wait to murder 
 you both !" 
 
 " Rose," said Rick, almost reproachfully, " I must 
 go, my child. Do you not see that Nathan and Jerry 
 may be left in such a condition that help in time may 
 save their lives, but if withheld they may die for want 
 of it." 
 
 " Yes, yes," she answered. " Forgive me, Uncle 
 Rick ! But I do so fear for you !" 
 
 He kissed her and went out to order a fresh
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 363 
 
 horse, or, rather, two horses. He would have gone 
 without a carriage, as he was accustomed to horse 
 back riding, but he wished some way of conveying 
 the bodies home, if found. 
 
 " Rose," said Dr. Ohlsen, addressing the girl, who 
 was weeping quietly (Dolores had gone to look after 
 Tot), " if I had a home that could be called by the 
 name, I should have something to tell you and some 
 thing to ask of you this very night, but it is not the 
 time to speak of it. Only, before I go, won t you 
 bid me God-speed ?" 
 
 He put out his hand (Rick was returning) and she 
 laid her s within it. 
 
 " Go," she said softly, "and God be with you." 
 Then she turned to speak to her uncle, but he had 
 gone for a parting word with her mother. 
 
 He came out a moment later. They only took one 
 of the men to drive, and hurried away. 
 
 " If it were light," Rick said, " we might find a 
 clue, "but as it is we must guess the course they 
 took. Did you say you went to the post-office, 
 doctor ?" 
 
 "Yes, but no one was there. The whole town 
 seemed suddenly to have dropped asleep, while less 
 than half an hour before it rang with the most fiend 
 ish yells." 
 
 " Their work was evidently done," Rick said, sadly. 
 " I don t think we will drive through the town. 
 Hank," to the negro who held the reins, " did they 
 not shoot poor Mose in the wood just beyond Milton ?" 
 "Yes, sir, and there is where they pounded old man 
 Jones into a jelly, too," replied Hank, who, having 
 been a pupil in Rick s school for nearly two years, 
 spoke quite grammatically. 
 
 "We will search the wood first," said Rick. "It 
 will begin to grow light by the time we reach it. 
 Drive as fast as possible, Hank. If we do not find 
 the boys we will come back to town, rouse the saloon 
 keeper, and, if possible, frighten him into telling us 
 what he knows about it."
 
 364 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 The gray morning twilight began to creep over the 
 hills when they reached the wood. Alighting, they 
 began their search, and were soon able, in the dim 
 light, to discover a trail. Here was a bit of clothing, 
 and there yes, there was blood. And then they sud 
 denly came upon two figures stark and cold, suspended 
 from the trees. Each had the fragment of a shirt 
 still clinging to his body, and both were covered with 
 blood from head to foot, which had flowed from where 
 their flesh had been cut with the sharp stones as they 
 were dragged along. It was a horrible, sickening 
 sight, and Rick felt his head reel as he hastened to 
 cut down one of the bodies. Dr. Ohlsen cut down 
 the other, and they laid them side by side. 
 
 " Surely both are dead," Rick said, as soon as he 
 could find voice to speak. 
 
 " They have been dead at least two hours," the 
 doctor replied. 
 
 " I feel as though their blood was on my head," 
 Rick continued, sorrowfully. " And Nathan was so 
 bright and capable, so sensible, too, in everything, 
 I felt he would succeed in the performance of his 
 duty so well that a great point would be gained for our 
 people. But I was mistaken. It is of no use to attempt 
 to establish them here at the South. We must fix upon 
 some plan to send them North and West. Sometimes 
 I am wholly disheartened in my work ; everything 
 is against me and them. And after this, Ohisen 
 after this frightful outrage do you know it will be 
 utterly impossible to convict any one of the foul mur 
 der ? I might spend my whole fortune, yes, even my 
 life, in endeavoring to bring the murderers to justice, 
 and it would avail nothing. Ah, never in our life 
 time will we cease to feel the ill effects of slavery ! 
 There is but one thing that can ever place this beau 
 tiful country before -the world on the footing it 
 deserves, and that is, immigration ; but that will 
 never be large until our planters conclude to divide 
 up their immense estates into small farms. When 
 this is done, and our people become loyal enough to
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 365 
 
 -obey the laws of the country, then will we become 
 a prosperous and happy people, and not one minute 
 before. We want capital and brains, and they go 
 hand in hand to the Far West, while our climate is 
 more inviting and our soil twice as productive. But 
 for the blight that slavery has left and the villainous 
 actions of those who seek to control our political ele 
 ments, it would be now tending this way. You, 
 doctor, came here with the best intentions in the 
 world ; and while you are one in a hundred that 
 wants to come, it is only those possessed of such 
 brave spirits as your own who dare do so !" 
 
 CHAPTER LI. 
 
 CONFESSIONS. 
 
 The inhabitants of Milton were somewhat surprised 
 to find that Rick Gonzales had taken the post-office 
 and introduced negro assistants. There was a solemn 
 hush about the town for some days after the outrage 
 recorded in the previous chapter. One of the boldest 
 of the mob had visited the wood where the diabolical 
 murder was perpetrated the morning after it occurred, 
 and reported to his astonished companions in crime 
 that the bodies were gone. A spy being sent to watch 
 Dr. Ohlsen s cottage, he discovered that the doctor was 
 at his post, attending to his patients, and a negro man 
 was officiating in the kitchen, but there was no sign of 
 any one else, living or dead, about the place. 
 
 "Ite Rick Gonzales, d - him!" they cried. 
 " That man beats the devil himself ! Guess we got 
 ahead of him a little, though, the other night. But 
 what he s done with the bodies, or that gal we tied up, 
 is a mystery." 
 
 Dr. Ohlsen rode down to Rick s the next day, ex 
 amined the bodies, and made out a written statement 
 of the case ; then they were buried in the plot at Idle- 
 field which had for years been devoted to a burial-
 
 366 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 ground for the slaves upon the plantation, an old 
 negro clergyman officiating at the simple funeral. 
 
 Tot slowly recovered, but she seemed dazed, and, 
 to some extent, to have lost her mind. Dolores and 
 Rose nursed her very tenderly, humoring her slightest 
 whim. Still, though she was soon able to walk about 
 the house, she was never the bright, helpful Tot again. 
 
 The negroes who assisted Rick in carrying on the 
 post-office were brought every evening to sleep at 
 Idlefield, and taken back to town the following morn 
 ing. Dr. Ohlsen was for the time allowed to go on 
 unmolested, except so far as posting up ridiculous and 
 insulting notices were concerned. One, referring to 
 Rick, stated that the great philanthropist was about 
 starting an asylum for lame kittens, and the Yankee 
 quack was about to have the honorable post of head 
 physician. 
 
 About this time a new doctor came to Milton a 
 man with flowing hair, who made great pretensions of 
 skill, and who believed, or professed to believe, that 
 the negroes ought to be exterminated. The ttite of 
 the vicinity patronized him at once, and in a month s 
 time he had quite a large practice. He was invited 
 to visit the best families, and, being unmarried, was 
 quite a lion among the ladies, it being impossible to 
 have even a small croquet party without Dr. Aldridge 
 was present. 
 
 It was now midsummer, and there came reports of 
 yellow fever from New Orleans, which frightened the 
 people somewhat, though Dr. Aldridge assured them 
 that he had had a large experience in treating the 
 disease, and was nearly always successful. No one 
 doubted this, and yet well, how it came about no 
 one could tell, but there were no more insulting 
 posters put up concerning Dr. Ohlsen, and, somehow, 
 it came to be whispered through the town that he had 
 shown masterly skill in treating patients who had 
 been so fortunate as to consult him. 
 
 A hum of uneasiness was heard through the town, 
 and people conversed by twos and threes at the gate-
 
 SU1JDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 367 
 
 ways, and in greater numbers upon the corners of the 
 streets. There was nothing riotous, however, in their 
 conversation or manner. Once or twice, in pass 
 ing these groups, Dr. Ohlsen received a nod of recog 
 nition, which he invariably returned in his own affable 
 yet dignified way, and after this people began to re 
 mark that the Yankee doctor had a very pleasant, 
 manner. Soon after some one objected to using the 
 term "Yankee," as applied to him, seeing he was evi 
 dently a foreigner his name would tell that so with 
 one accord they called him Dr. Ohlsen. 
 
 The fever was spreading North gradually. Some 
 of the wealthy families were preparing to leave the 
 town. Among others, Anson Parke concluded to take 
 u trip to New York and vicinity, with his mother and 
 sisters, and they hastened their preparations when it 
 came to be reported that there were one or two cases 
 of yellow fever about town. But, alas ! for their plans. 
 The morning they were to start Mrs. Parke was un 
 able to leave her bed, and her symptoms were alarm 
 ing in the extreme. Dr. Aldridge was sent for in hot 
 haste, but his office was closed, and upon making in 
 quiry the messenger found he had left the town. He 
 dared not call upon Dr. Ohlsen, so he returned home, 
 a distance of two miles, without medical aid. 
 
 Anson Parke was watching his return anxiously and 
 went out to meet him when he came in sight. 
 
 " Dr. Aldridge hes done clean gone," he said. " He 
 !ef widout sayin a word to nobody, and everybody 
 specs he s run away !" 
 
 " Did you go for Dr. Ohlsen ?" asked Anson, hur 
 riedly. 
 
 " No, sah, I dassertt, cause I se heered ye say " 
 
 " Go for him this instant, you fool !" he cried. 
 "Do you not know that my mother is dying?" 
 
 Without a word the man turned his horse about 
 and made his way back to Milton, but he did not find 
 Dr. Ohlsen in his office, as he was out attending some 
 patients, it was more than an hour before he could 
 be found, but when he was he put on his hat and went
 
 368 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 immediately. Anson was awaiting him, and when he 
 saw him coming at last he went to the door to meet 
 the doctor, with an apology for some slight he had 
 previously given him. One glance, however, told him 
 this was unnecessary. 
 
 " Mr. Parke, I believe ?" Dr. Ohlsen said, question- 
 ingly, in his pleasant, gentlemanly way, though his 
 face was serious, yet calm. " It is your mother who 
 is ill, the messenger said. May I see her at once, 
 please ? I regret the delay, but it was unavoidable, 
 as I have many patients now, and I was absent when 
 your man called for me." 
 
 " I am thankful you are here at last," Anson said, 
 chokingly. " My mother must have been ill all night, 
 though, as she slept alone, we did not know it until 
 morning." 
 
 The doctor glanced at the clock it was high noon 
 and then he followed Anson to the sick room. One 
 glance at the sufferer told him that she was past all 
 hope. However, he did what he could, and gave ex 
 plicit directions concerning the treatment that was to 
 be carried out ; then he adjourned to the parlor, 
 Anson following. 
 
 " I have little encouragement to give you," he 
 said, sadly. " I fear your mother must die, but you 
 may wish to send your sisters away, or, perhaps, go 
 yourself. The only thing is, any of you are now as 
 likely to be stricken with the disease as was your 
 mother a few days since. It may not be so violent if 
 you go farther North ; indeed, you may escape it 
 altogether. You seem free from it at present, and 
 your sisters also. Did I see them all ?" 
 
 "There is one," the stricken- man gasped, "the 
 youngest, who is deeply affected by my mother s ill 
 ness. Perhaps she 
 
 "By all means let me see her," the doctor said, 
 quickly. "Go and prepare her for my visit." 
 
 He left, and in a moment sent word for the doctor 
 to come up at once. He did so, and after examining 
 his patient carefully prescribed, acting the part of
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 369 
 
 physician and chemist, as he carried his drugs with 
 him. He spoke cheeringly to the young girl, said he 
 feared she must postpone her trip North for a few 
 days on account of her mother s illness, and then left 
 her in charge of her old nurse, a faithful old negro 
 woman. 
 
 " She will have it too," the doctor said to Anson s 
 questioning glance as they left the room. " But her 
 case, since it is taken in time, I have every reason to 
 hope may prove light. I am obliged to return to 
 town, but I will come out again this evening and remain 
 here a portion of the night. Meanwhile, see that my 
 directions are carried out to the letter. Under the 
 circumstances I suppose you will not think of leaving 
 at once." 
 
 " Under any circumstances," Anson replied, " I 
 prefer to remain where I can receive the benefit of 
 your treatment, for I have faith in you." 
 
 " Thanks," Dr. Ohlsen said, and though that was 
 all, except a kindly glance and bow as he left, there 
 was a silent promise in look, act and tone which An 
 son felt and was grateful for. 
 
 That very morning Rick received a letter from 
 Mr. Beale, which contained the sad intelligence of 
 the death of his wife. Rick had been very grave for 
 some days almost moody at times ever since poor 
 Nathan Ayre had been forced to give up his life in so 
 brutal and horrible a manner. He was making ar 
 rangements to have a number of his pupils sent North 
 soon, and he carried on the post-office and attended 
 to his manifold labors as zealously as ever, but he 
 appeared unusually dispirited. 
 
 He took the letter and went in to bear the news to 
 Dolores. She had finished her morning lessons and 
 had gone to look after Tot, but she came back pres 
 ently, looking sad and tired. 
 
 " Rick," she said, " in spite of all we can do, poor 
 Tot s mind is going. She is not frightened as she 
 used to be when left alone, she is docile and appar 
 ently happy ; but she remembers nothing clearly, and
 
 37 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 I fear the remainder of her life will be almost a 
 blank." 
 
 "Poor girl !" he replied, "it is very sad. I, too, 
 have bad news. Mr. Beale writes me that his wife 
 died very suddenly on Monday last." 
 
 " Mrs. Beale !" and then she could say no more, for 
 the tears choked her voice. 
 
 " Dolores," Rick saia, drawing his chair nearer to 
 her s, " you have been very sad of late. I have ob 
 served it to my own sorrow." 
 
 "And you, Rick," she returned, quickly, "have not 
 you, too, been sad ?" 
 
 " I have, indeed," he answered ; " but I have met 
 with many discouragements lately. It is not that I 
 am too weak to bear the troubles that naturally fall to 
 the lot of most men. It is that I have so little real 
 enjoyment. We have both been having top much 
 work and too little play of late, Dolores." 
 
 "True, but where will we find time for play unless 
 we throw our work aside ? Remember, Rick, when 
 we began it we both said, It is our life-work. " 
 
 " I know it, and I have no thought of giving it up. 
 But one thing I have thought of it has filled my 
 mind of late, until it seems as though I could never 
 let it go. Dolores, within the past month the two 
 persons who knew the secret of your life have been 
 called away. Mrs. Beale is dead and Tot s mind is 
 departed. No one on this earth except Alfred knows 
 you are not a widow, and whatever happens he will 
 now make no sign. Could my life be crowned with 
 your love, I could then go on and bear- whatever 
 came, so I was not separated from you. I love you 
 so tenderly I have loved you so long surely, surely, 
 Dolores, it would not be a sin in God s sight for us to 
 marry. Don t speak now don t ! for I can see a re 
 fusal in your face but think of it. Think on it by 
 night and day, as I have done. And remember, if 
 you refuse me I must give up my work and go away. 
 I cannot live longer as I have lived for the past few 
 years, loving you always and seeing you near me, it is
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 371 
 
 true, but just out of the reach of my empty arms. I 
 
 can bear it no longer " And here his lips grew 
 
 unsteady, and he sat forcing them together and star 
 ing at her half blindly through his tear-dimmed eyes. 
 
 " Hush !" she said, softly, as she looked into his 
 white face, every nerve of which seemed quivering 
 with pain. " Hush, Rick ! We will not speak of it 
 further now. Only be calm for my for any sake ! 
 Hark ! Rose is calling. Yes, dear !" she answered 
 to the call. 
 
 " One moment more," Rick said, following her and 
 reaching out a detaining hand to clasp hers. " Give 
 me one little grain of comfort before you go at least 
 tell me you are not angry !" 
 
 "No, Rick," she said, slowly, "I am not angry, 
 for I don t think you intended any disrespect when 
 you asked me this hard question." 
 
 "Hard ? he repeated. " How was it hard ?" 
 
 " You know I cannot be your wife in God s sight 
 while I have another husband living, whatever the 
 world might think or say. And I could not be your 
 wife in your own sight or mine. If weak enough to 
 consent to your proposal the day would surely come 
 when you would despise me." 
 
 " Never !" he cried, " never ! And I now see 
 that, notwithstanding your apparent devotion to me 
 for years past, you never loved me in any degree, or 
 you would know the time could not come when I 
 would despise you." 
 
 She waited a moment, irresolutely, while he sank 
 back into his chair, an almost desperate look settling 
 slowly over his face. 
 
 " He is nervous and dispirited," she thought, " and 
 I have never seen him look so thoroughly disheart 
 ened before. I must not let him sink into despon 
 dency just now ; perhaps by and by he can bear the 
 whole truth better." 
 
 So she went back and stood before him, laying her 
 hand upon his head. 
 
 " Have you come to repeat your cruel words ?" he
 
 37 2 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 asked, looking up into her face with earnest, search 
 ing eyes. " Dear, I know you did not mean to hurt me, 
 and I know, too, you are come to tell me so. With 
 your usual kindness of heart you cannot bear to give 
 me pain ; but there is little comfort in that, since I 
 know you could not bear to hurt even a worm. Am 
 I wrong ? (more eagerly.) Do you, indeed, repent 
 your words ?" 
 
 " No," she answered, steadily and courageously, 
 " I have nothing to retract, but I have something 
 more to tell you if you care to hear it, Rick." 
 
 " Tell me !" he said, reaching forward and clasping 
 in his eagerness the folds of her dress. 
 
 " I have loved you, Rick, ever since I cannot tell 
 when ! and, whatever comes, I shall love you until 
 I die." 
 
 CHAPTER LII. 
 
 THE FEVER PLAGUE. 
 
 Dr. Ohlsen sent a message to Rick that afternoon. 
 He could not go out to Idlefield himself. The message 
 explained the state of affairs in Milton the spread of 
 the fever and stated that the doctor was about to 
 turn his house into an hospital for the sick, as he 
 could attend to them in no other way. The note 
 concluded by asking if there were any efficient nurses 
 among his pupils who would help him, adding 
 that it was a serious question to ask, since all who 
 came were likely to take the fever themselves. " But 
 I must have help," he wrote, "and I know of no one 
 who will aid me but you." 
 
 Rick read the note, first to himself, and then to 
 Dolores and Rose. 
 
 " Are there any good nurses, do you think, who will 
 go ?" 
 
 "I am sure of it," Dolores answered, "but I will go 
 and see. Before I go, however, I want to tell you 
 that when I ask any of our people about it I shall
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 373 
 
 not say Will you go ? but Will you come ? for, 
 Rick, I shall lead them." 
 
 "You, Dolores? I can never consent to that 
 never!" he cried, springing to his feet. "Do you 
 think I would permit it?" 
 
 " I hope so," she answered, " for, if you do not, I 
 must go without your consent." 
 
 Rose, deeply affected, stole away to her room to 
 ponder upon a thought which had just occurred to 
 her own mind. She knew her mother was quite de 
 cided upon going, and she was determined to hinder 
 her by no look or word. 
 
 " Do you know if you go it will be with your life in 
 your hands ?" said Rick, reproachfully. 
 
 " I know it," quietly. 
 
 " And you know what that life is worth to me ?" 
 
 " Do you know, Rick, what I said to myself to-day 
 when I listened to your words ? I said I must leave 
 Idlefield, and that right soon. I can never be more 
 to you than I have been, and if you cannot endure 
 that we should live on as before I must go away. 
 Listen. I am not excited. I have thought it over as 
 calmly as possible. I have kept my promise to Rose. 
 I have remained with you and taken charge of Halbert 
 until he needs me no longer. As to our work I can 
 still aid you. If in nothing else I can take charge of 
 our people when they go North. This I have thought 
 since you spoke to me to-day. But now, Rick, a 
 golden opportunity has come to me. I can help 
 with the noble women among our pupils who will aid 
 me our enemies and theirs. I can show them that 
 we are not narrow-minded or fanatical, but that our 
 sympathies are with the suffering and oppressed, 
 wherever they may be. Do you not see they cannot, 
 then, resist us longer ? Will their hearts not open 
 toward us and our work ? Think of the great good 
 it may accomplish in imbuing them with a spirit of 
 kindness toward our school and our people ! Is my 
 life of any consequence compared to this ? And per 
 haps who knows ? the dear God will spare my life.
 
 374 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 But if he does not it is a blighted life after all, Rick, 
 and of little worth. For, oh ! though you say it will 
 be hard to live coldly on with me henceforth, you do 
 not dream, you cannot know, how hard it will be for 
 me, too !" 
 
 " Dear," he answered, gently, " is it, after all, neces 
 sary? Think upon it first, I beseech you ! Must you 
 go away from me at all ? And if you feel that this 
 must be, is it necessary for you to throw away your 
 precious life that you may save many low and hard 
 ened lives ?" 
 
 " Rick, in your heart of hearts, you see the truth as 
 I see it. I know you too well to doubt it for a mo 
 ment. Come ! be your nobler self, and tell me I may 
 go with your full consent. Surely you will not refuse 
 me this ?" 
 
 In her earnestness she came and laid one hand per 
 suasively upon his arm. 
 
 " You do consent," she said. 
 
 "I do," he answered, "for, my darling, I know you 
 are right. But I am going with you." 
 
 " You ?" 
 
 "I." 
 
 " But how will Idlefield fare ?" 
 
 " Miss Nancy and Mr. White can take charge of it 
 for a time, though both are rather feeble and old. 
 Our school must give way to a greater necessity for 
 the present. We will go together, Dolores, and if we 
 die it will be hand in hand." 
 
 " It would be easy to die thus," she said, smiling, 
 "and you have made my duty easier by saying this. 
 For, oh ! it would be hard to go away and die alone !" 
 
 He put out his arms to clasp her within them, but 
 she eluded his grasp, and went out among the cabins 
 to see who would join her in the work so quickly he 
 could only follow at a distance ; so he turned back 
 and began to pace the veranda while he awaited her 
 return. But he did not wait long, for in a few mo- 
 nents she came hastening back, her face aglow, and 
 ike an April day with tears and smiles.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 375 
 
 " They will all go, Rick," she said ; " there was not 
 one dissenting voice. And I explained to them fully 
 what the consequences might be, for I do not think 
 it right to urge one to go against her will, or without 
 understanding the great risk she must run." 
 
 "I was sure they would not fail us," Rick answered, 
 overjoyed at the result. 
 
 "And now," said Dolores, "lose no time in going 
 to the doctor and telling him what we can do. He 
 must go out to visit Mrs. Parke at six, the note says. 
 Go, and in the meantime I will gather together what 
 things we will need, for the doctor must have beds, 
 bedding, and all sorts of jellies and little aids to the 
 appetite for his patients." 
 
 " For our patients," corrected Rick. 
 
 "Yes, ours. And in the morning we will go out, 
 taking whatever help is necessary, and fit out the 
 hospital at once." 
 
 "And Rose?" 
 
 " Ah, Rick, I cannot bear to take her. Surely she 
 will not be needed ?" 
 
 " No, surely not. She can remain at home and 
 assist Miss Nancy in caring for Tot and looking after 
 things generally." 
 
 So he set out. The doctor received his proffered 
 aid with tears in his eyes, and protested that Dolores 
 should not run so great a risk ; but, when informed 
 that she insisted upon it, he confessed that her help 
 would be everything to him. 
 
 That evening he went out and found his first 
 opinions in regard to Mrs. Parke and her daughter 
 were in a fair way to be realized. The mother was 
 sinking fast, while the daughter was no worse, and 
 that, in the beginning of the fever, was saying much 
 in her favor. He remained the greater part of the 
 night, and then returned to Milton, to catch a few 
 moments sleep before setting out upon his round of 
 calls. 
 
 The next day the people who could do so began to 
 leave the town, but many of the best families were
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 already stricken. The doctor posted notices through 
 out the place inviting all who had sick friends, who 
 were able to be moved, to bring them to his house, 
 where they would receive the best of care. To their 
 shame be it said, many families sent their sick to him 
 at once, while they hurried out of the plague-stricken 
 place in search of safety for themselves, too eager to 
 save their own lives to care whether their own friends 
 recovered or not. Fathers yes, even mothers left 
 children to the doctor s care and hastened away; hus 
 bands deserted wives, and children aged parents. 
 
 But amid all, since the ruling passion is often strong 
 in death, the saloon flourished and did an unusually 
 thriving business. 
 
 When Rick and Dolores, with their volunteer nurses, 
 bedding and other stores were ready to leave Idlefield, 
 when they had given strict charges to those who re 
 mained and turned to bid Rose adieu, that young 
 lady appeared in hat and shawl ready to accompany 
 them. 
 
 " Don t say no, mamma," she pleaded. " I could not 
 remain, for all those I love will be in danger and I must 
 share it with them." 
 
 Dolores turned to Rick questioningly, though she 
 spoke no word. 
 
 " Let her go," he said, " for then we shall not have 
 kept anything back. Only," and he paused a mo 
 ment, " I did write Halbert not to come on for the re 
 mainder of his vacation. I wonder " 
 
 "You were right, Rick," Dolores interposed. "We 
 are keeping him from harm because he has no mother 
 to answer for him. For me, my child is my own. 
 Don t fear you have kept anything back. Halbert 
 would be of no use whatever as a nurse ; he would only 
 be in the way. It is different with Rose, for nursing 
 comes natural to her, as it does with many women." 
 
 " You are sure to make me think inclination my 
 duty," he replied, as he helped them into the carriage. 
 
 " Not when it is wrong, surely?" 
 
 "Oh, no!" and he laughed. "In minor things
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 377 
 
 only. Great sacrifices are, no doubt, good for me in 
 your estimation." 
 
 Rose looked up, wondering what her Uncle Rick 
 could mean, but no explanation was given, and the 
 carriage rolled swiftly away. Each one of its 
 occupants glanced back at the house as it was left 
 behind, as though they might never behold it again, 
 and then they set their faces forward where their 
 duty lay. 
 
 They found plenty of work to do, and whatever 
 each hand found it did with its might. 
 
 Dr. Ohlsen greeted them almost silently as he took 
 one after another by the hand. 
 
 "Welcome !" he said at last, "and may God keep 
 us all from harm ! The fever is already raging fiercely 
 and many members of the very best families are 
 stricken. Already I have more patients than my 
 present space will accommodate, and they are hourly 
 arriving." 
 
 " Let us hasten to make these comfortable," Dolores 
 said, " and then we will prepare for others." 
 
 While she and Rick were giving directions concern 
 ing the unloading of the stores they had brought the 
 doctor turned to Rose. 
 
 " I fully expected you," he said, " yet I cannot tell 
 whether I am glad or grieved to see you here. To 
 know you are in danger is almost torture to me, while 
 the knowledge of the fact that you are noble enough 
 to risk your life for others your young life which is 
 so happy makes me wild with joy. Still, I think 
 perhaps I ought to send you back " 
 
 " Let me stay with you !" she said, simply. 
 
 " And, if both are spared, will you stay with me 
 always, then ?" quickly. 
 
 "Always," she said, after a moment s hesitation, 
 " that is if you wish it very much." 
 
 " I wish it more than everything else," he replied, 
 earnestly. 
 
 He put out his hand and she laid her s within it ; 
 their eyes met, that was all. A strange betrothal,
 
 37$ SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 made at a sad season, so both thought, and wondered 
 whether it would bring them joy or sorrow at last. 
 
 Rick and Dolores, entering the room at the mo 
 ment, saw the pair standing with clasped hands. As 
 they approached the doctor turned to Dolores, offer 
 ing his hand to her. No word was spoken, but there 
 was a request yes, almost entreaty in his look, and 
 her eyes, returning the glance with serious sweetness, 
 spoke a benign assent. 
 
 Rick had two houses situated a little out of town. 
 He sent one of the men out and found they had been 
 deserted by their tenants. They were not very far 
 from the doctor s cottage, which was on the very edge 
 of the place, so it was decided to convert one 
 of these .into an hospital, and in the other Rick estab 
 lished himself. Here he was to send for and keep 
 needed stores ; and here Rose, Dolores, the doctor and 
 nurses were to repair for needed repose when they 
 could snatch the time. Rick was not to attempt to 
 nurse, but his post was scarcely less arduous. 
 
 Money was needed first of all, and this he used 
 without stint. Medicines and everything required in 
 the way of food or drink, or, in fact, to make the pa 
 tients comfortable in every way, he procured. He 
 telegraphed to Mr. Beale to send him these needed 
 articles from New York, and draw upon him for their 
 payment, for many things could not readily be had 
 even in cities nearer home, and they could not be 
 procured in Milton or any of the surrounding towns 
 at any price. He kept two or three trusty men with 
 him, who acted as constant messengers, to save the 
 doctor and himself all unnecessary steps. He saw 
 that certain sanitary rules which the doctor laid down 
 were carried out in the town. He assisted in bring 
 ing those stricken with the fever to the improvised 
 hospitals and made arrangements for the burial of the 
 dead. In short, for the time being, he managed Milton 
 and its vicinity as he had managed his school, and no 
 one said him nay, whatever his commands were. 
 
 For, hard-hearted and depraved though many of
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 379 
 
 them were, being born and educated in a belief 
 totally opposed to the tenets he held and practiced, 
 though they had hated him bitterly and sought his 
 downfall and his life, they could not help seeing he 
 was risking his life and spending his possessions 
 lavishly to protect them and theirs, and life was dear 
 to them all. They had never doubted his sincerity, 
 but they had full faith in him now. 
 
 At first they looked upon his acts with amazement, 
 failing to comprehend, in the narrowness of their own 
 hearts, how great and generous his could be ; but this 
 was not so long. Before three days had passed, 
 whenever he went out into the street a cheer went up 
 for him from every crowd he met, and blessings fol 
 lowed him everywhere sent up from lips more used 
 to uttering curses heartfelt blessings, too, wrung 
 from those to whom he hud given hope for despair. 
 
 Two weeks went by and still the fever raged. Sev 
 eral patients were removed from danger, but many 
 had already died, Mrs. Parke among the number. 
 Anson s sister was recovering, and, as soon as she 
 was able to go, her brother proposed to send her with 
 his other sisters away. He, hearing what Rick was 
 doing, came and offered his assistance, and it was 
 gladly accepted. 
 
 The nurses were, many of them, exhausted, and 
 Rick sent to Idlefield for more, taking those who 
 were worn out into his own lodging for a rest of two 
 or three days. He forced Rose and Dolores to take 
 rest also ; they bore up well, though both were pale 
 and thin. The doctor had received some assistance 
 from the neighboring physicians, but they were 
 wanted at home, as much as a preventive as anything 
 else, which left him almost constantly on the watch. 
 He often said, however, that his efficient nurses took 
 all arduous labor away from him, for, very soon, the 
 most observing could tell the symptoms almost as well 
 as he could himself, and knew what remedies to apply. 
 It was very necessary they should do this, as he was 
 often absent from one hospital visiting the other, and
 
 380 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 many of the changes were sudden and demanded 
 instantaneous relief. 
 
 It was difficult to say whether the people of the 
 town regarded Rick or Dr. Ohlsen with the greatest 
 amount of adoration. Rose they considered an angel, 
 and Dolores, as she passed from hospital to the house 
 to take a little rest, was besieged by mothers and 
 daughters, who offered her grateful thanks. 
 
 One evening Dr. Ohlsen went out to receive one of 
 the patients which had come to the door, and saw it 
 was Anson Parke. 
 
 "I am struck at last," he said, "but I know, doctor, 
 you will do all for me that mortal man can." 
 
 " I promise to do all that lies in my power," the 
 doctor answered. "Much depends upon the nurse, 
 and you shall choose one, because your preference 
 alone may help you." 
 
 " Doctor," he said, seeming half ashamed to make 
 the request, " before you came I held Rose Castellar in 
 high regard, and it was because I saw her with you and 
 felt there was no chance for me that caused me to 
 hate you so. I don t suppose she ever knew that I 
 loved her, but I could not help it," apologetically. " I 
 have seen her moving about the sick since she came 
 here, and I have almost envied them her ministra 
 tions. Be generous enough to allow her to nurse me 
 a portion of the time, any sturdy man will answer for 
 the rest." 
 
 " She shall nurse you if she will," the doctor an 
 swered. " I will see her at once myself." 
 
 He did so, and immediately came back with word 
 that Rose was quite willing and would enter upon her 
 duties in a few moments. 
 
 "Thanks," the sick man murmured, weakly. "I 
 know I am foolish, but, doctor, if she is with me I 
 don t think it will be very hard even to die." 
 
 " You must not think of dying," the doctor an 
 swered, cheerfully, " for truly and I hope you know I 
 would not deceive you I feel assured that you are 
 going to have the fever in a mild form.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 381 
 
 Rose came and hovered about him almost con 
 stantly. He was very tractable and gave her little 
 trouble, seeming happy, even when in pain, if when 
 ever he opened his eyes she was near. 
 
 Soon after, the fever broke out at Idlefield. Rick 
 had tried to use every precaution, had insisted that 
 Mr. White should use disinfectants freely and look 
 carefully after the matter of ventilation, and see all 
 had proper food and regular sleep. The sufferers 
 were at once removed to one of the hospitals there 
 were now three, another building having been pressed 
 into service. First two of the negroes were taken 
 with the fever, and the third was poor Miss Nancy. 
 
 " I knowed it !" she said, faintly, as Dolores went 
 out to receive her when she was brought in, " an so 
 long as the others is spared I don t keer a mite. I m 
 old an childish, Miss Rita. Ef you or Miss Rose, 
 here, was took instid I d never be good fer nothin" 
 agin ." 
 
 Dolores tried to cheer her, and the poor old soul 
 was very patient, but it was soon apparent to all that 
 she could not survive the attack. 
 
 " I know Fm goin , she said, feebly, a few days after. 
 "I know it, honey," falling into the use of the general 
 Southern pet name, " an it s all right. I lowed that 
 mebbe I d live to see ye happier n what ye air now, 
 but it ll all be right. Don t be hard on Rick. Mem 
 ber I telled ye that the day I died. They is sich a 
 thing as a divorce, child. Don t be scairt. I kep one 
 secret that I found out unintentional as clus as I stuck 
 to my faith in the Lord." 
 
 And Dolores did remember, for they were almost 
 the last words Aunt Nancy spoke. She rallied later, 
 for the very last. A smile broke over her wrinkled 
 face, and she partly rose in her bed. 
 
 " Mother," she said, beckoning with one feeble 
 hand, " I m glad ye ve come, fer I want to make you 
 acquainted with Miss Rita, the bes friend I ve had 
 sence you lef me," and then she dropped back upon 
 her pillow
 
 382 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 CHAPTER LIU. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 Ten weeks went by of watching and waiting, weeks 
 of intense anxiety, and then the fever began to wane. 
 Anson Parke had almost recovered, and it was impos 
 sible to tell now whether he was most fond of the 
 doctor or Rose. 
 
 The arrivals were fewer and fewer, and some of the 
 hospital beds were vacant. Idlefield had not suffered 
 greatly in comparison with the town itself. There had 
 been eight deaths altogether four nurses, three 
 others, and Aunt Nancy while the death rate of 
 Milton ran up into the hundreds. It was late in Oc- 
 tober and all were anxiously looking for the first 
 frost to put the enemy to flight. 
 
 Dolores was almost worn out and Rose was grow 
 ing nervous, so the doctor ordered that both should 
 take a rest of at least a day or two. Rick bore up 
 best of all, though he had been deprived of his sleep 
 quite as much as any. Still he had been more in the 
 open air. 
 
 The very morning that Dolores and Rose went to 
 take their rest a patient was brought in who had been 
 ill for some hours. He was a traveler, that was all 
 they knew, and had been ill when he arrived in town. 
 The doctor received him and gave him every possi 
 ble care, though from the first he feared for his life. 
 The man was by turns insensible and delirious, and 
 his ravings were all of his wife whom he had wronged, 
 or fancied so. He begged most piteously to be for 
 given, saying he had never loved any one except his 
 own Dolores, though his fiendish nature had prompted 
 him to be very cruel to her. 
 
 The doctor paid little heed to what he said until he 
 came to make his evening visit. Then, as he ap 
 proached the bed, his patient rose up, caught his 
 hands and besought him to promise that Dolores 
 should never marry Rick when he was gone. 
 
 "Don t let her marry Rick!" he cried. "The
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 383 
 
 thought of it would kill me, for I love her dearly !" 
 And then he fell forward in the bed unconscious. 
 
 The doctor raised him, applied restoratives and 
 sent for Rick. The nurses, weary with the ravings of 
 delirious patients, did not seem to give any weight to 
 the sick man s words, though the report afterwards 
 spread through the town that he was an old lover of 
 Mrs. Castellar s, who, coming to urge his suit for her 
 hand in marriage, was stricken with fever on the way. 
 
 Rick at once recognized him, for, reader, as you 
 already know, it was Alfred Hastings. He briefly ex 
 plained to the doctor that the sick man was in reality 
 the husband of Dolores, that she was obliged to flee 
 from him years ago, because in a fit of rage he had 
 tried to take her life with poison. When she arrived 
 at Idlefield, whither she had fled for protection, she 
 was so changed the servants did not recognize her, 
 and, therefore, for better security, she had changed 
 her name. 
 
 " Can he live ?" asked Rick, wildly. " In the name 
 of humanity, doctor," he implored, " give him every 
 attention possible, because, I cannot deny it, his death 
 
 would give me " He paused a moment to wipe 
 
 the perspiration from his brow before he resumed. 
 "It would give me, "he continued, almost in a whisper, 
 "something I have longed for these many, many 
 years! You understand, perhaps let me have 
 nothing with which I can reproach myself in after 
 years !" 
 
 " I understand," the doctor answered, with emotion, 
 " much that has been a matter of wonder with me be 
 fore. Do not fear, I will watch over him myself, and 
 all that can be done for him I will do. But you had 
 better go away ; if he dislikes you your presence 
 might excite him." 
 
 " I will go," Rick answered, obediently. " Is it 
 necessary for Dolores to come ?" 
 
 " Do not disturb her to-night ; I will send for her 
 in the morning. By that time I shall be able to tell 
 with greater certainty whether he will live or die.
 
 384 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 There is little hope, but the fever may take a favor 
 able turn." 
 
 In the morning, quite early, the doctor went with a 
 message to the house where Rick and Dolores were 
 staying. Rick had not been undressed, but Dolores, 
 suspecting nothing, had slept the whole night through. 
 Rose seemed drooping, but in the other excitement 
 this was not observed. 
 
 Dolores went out to the door at Rick s call. She 
 felt brighter than for many days past, and she met 
 him with a smile. 
 
 " What is it ?" she asked, the smile dying away 
 under his excited glance. 
 
 " Dolores," he began, and then he stopped short. 
 
 " What is it ?" she asked again, in alarm. 
 
 " Alfred Hastings is at the hospital," he gasped. 
 
 She glanced from him to the doctor with widely- 
 opened eyes, but did not speak a word. 
 
 " And he is dying," added Dr. Ohlsen. 
 
 " Dying ?" she repeated, and then she went into her 
 room, from which she returned in a few minutes 
 quite ready to go. 
 
 " Doctor," she said, " I fancy Rose is is going to be 
 ill. Must she go, too ?" 
 
 "No!" the doctor cried, in turn alarmed. "Mr. 
 Gonzales, take her quickly or she may be too late. I 
 will go and attend to Rose." 
 
 Almost before he finished speaking he had rushed 
 into the room where Rose lay. Dolores wavered a 
 moment between love and duty. "Must she leave her 
 child whom she loved so tenderly to bestow caresses 
 upon the man whom she hated who had injured her 
 so even though it was in his dying hour ? But it 
 was only a moment. Rick offered his arm and she 
 took it without a word. She was so faint and weak she 
 could scarcely stand. She recoiled from the meeting, 
 yet, as once before, she endeavored to forget all ex 
 cept that she was to summon strength to put one foot 
 before the other in the direction where duty lay she 
 was to think of nothing beyond.
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 385 
 
 They reached the house and went directly to the 
 bedside of the dying man. At first he recognized 
 neither. He seemed to be breathing his last, but he 
 rallied later, and seeing it Rick drew back to be out of 
 sight, and to guard the door that no one might enter. 
 
 "Dolores!" Alfred cried, faintly, at last, "forgive 
 me, oh, forgive me, my wife !" 
 
 She put out her hand. He fondled it in a feeble, 
 half-stupid way, and then covered it with kisses. 
 
 " God forgive him !" she was sobbing under her 
 breath. " Oh, God, forgive him and me !" 
 
 " I have made it all right," he whispered. " I gave 
 it to the doctor here my will. My mother knows, 
 and is glad. I have left Riverton to you and to Rose, 
 my only lawful child !" 
 
 It pained her to hear him speak thus, and she 
 began to speak to him of the life he was abojit to 
 enter, but he interrupted her. 
 
 " I am not afraid of anything that will happen after 
 I am dead," he said, " except that you will marry 
 Rick. He loves you. I saw it that day in New 
 York. Promise me !" with a sort of frenzy, " promise 
 me, Dolores, that you will not marry him after I die !" 
 
 He caught her hands in a firm clasp and looked 
 eagerly into her face. 
 
 "No," she said, gently, but firmly, knowing Rick 
 was waiting, too, to hear her words. " Alfred, you 
 have blighted my past life, but the future the future 
 is my own ! At least you shall have no claim upon 
 that !" 
 
 He looked up like one suddenly dazed and bereft 
 of reason. Dolores began to utter a prayer. He 
 listened, and then his head sank deeper into the pil 
 low. He tried to speak, but failed, and thus passed 
 away. 
 
 Rick came forward, with something akin to pity 
 upon his face, and pressed his hands over the sight 
 less eyes. Then, calling an attendant, he led Dolores 
 who had found relief in a fit of quiet weeping 
 away.
 
 386 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 Alfred was buried, and all hearts were turned 
 upon Rose, who, when the need for administering to 
 others was almost over, sank herself under the fever. 
 Every moment that he could spare from his other 
 patients the doctor spent by her side. If he slept for 
 an hour it was in an adjoining room, and both Rick 
 and Dolores watched her to report to him instantly 
 any change for the worse that might occur. The 
 people of the town were profuse in expressions of 
 sympathy, and Anson Parke was almost wild ; but at 
 last, thanks to the attention and good nursing, a 
 strong constitution, the lightness of the attack, or, 
 perhaps, all of these, she rallied and came slowly 
 back to health once more. 
 
 The last case of fever in town was that of one of 
 the men the ringleader it might be said of the mob 
 who had its headquarters at the chief saloon in town. 
 He had been a hard drinker, and he seemed to fear 
 death very much, giving them who cared for him 
 great trouble. 
 
 " Will I die, doctor ?" was his constant question, 
 and the answer, which at first was usually "we hope 
 not," came one day to be changed to the more serious 
 " I fear you will." 
 
 The fright and agony of the poor wretch was 
 fearful, and he begged that Rick might come to his 
 bedside. His request was readily granted, and he 
 poured out his confessions in Rick s ear concerning 
 his previous evil deeds. 
 
 " I was one of the leaders in this part of the state 
 in opposition to your plans, and have continually 
 counseled and worked in opposition to anything you 
 did, because I knew your moral strength, and be 
 lieved firmly that if you succeeded there would be no 
 Solid South, and that is what we wanted before the 
 war and have been laboring for since. I, too, assisted 
 in hanging Nate Ayre, for which I am sorry now. I 
 have been watching you very closely during the past 
 few weeks, and I am now certain that you are a phil 
 anthropist, and just such a man as every community
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 387 
 
 most wants if they would prosper. While I have 
 been slow to arrive at this conclusion because of the 
 great opposing influences I found all around me, I 
 believe the tide has now turned, and from this time 
 forward the masses will be on your side. I believe, 
 too, our people are more than willing to return to 
 their allegiance to the Washington Government, and 
 if God spares my life I will give you my influence in 
 the future as thoroughly as I have opposed you in 
 the past !" 
 
 His strength seemed to give way at this point, and 
 his words could scarcely be distinguished one from 
 another. Rick, observing that he was sinking very 
 rapidly, bowed his head and prayed fervently, yet 
 until the moment of his death the miserable wretch 
 seemed to find little relief so little, indeed, that 
 Parson Johnson, the old negro preacher among 
 the pupils at Idlefield, who was present, was in the 
 habit of alluding in his sermons for months afterward 
 to the awful end of Jack Hardy, and to warn his list 
 eners that their s would be like it if they failed to flee 
 from the wrath to come. 
 
 After the hospital had been closed, its manager, 
 with his nurses, returned to Idlefield, where they 
 found the cotton crop ready to be gathered. Rick 
 was greatly surprised to find the season s production 
 good, considering the little attention given it during 
 the two months previous ; and he was equally pleased 
 when the returns began to come in later, because the 
 outlay at the hospital had begun to tell seriously on 
 his bank account, but of this he never spoke. He 
 felt that he had done a wise and good thing ; and 
 even if he could not count as many thousands to his 
 credit at the bank, he could count more real friends 
 than before, and that was full compensation for the 
 outlay. 
 
 Time passed rapidly, and with it came greater 
 evidences that the labor of the past few years had not 
 been in vain. His neighbors seemed more social, 
 and more and more willing to converse with him as to
 
 388 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 his future plans, and after a time he was talked of for 
 high political honors in his district. He had had for 
 years the good-will of the Government at Washing 
 ton, and could have had an official position long be 
 fore if he had been willing to accept it ; but his mind 
 had not run in that direction, always believing he 
 could accomplish more in his own private way than 
 by accepting office. With the exception of placing 
 his colored pupil Ayre in the post-office at Milton 
 he had not used his power to control any official posi 
 tion, although he was frequently consulted by those 
 in authority both at Washington and in his own state. 
 
 During the winter succeeding the death of Alfred 
 Hastings two weddings took place at Idlefield simul 
 taneously. It is needless to say Rick and Dolores 
 began a new life together, while Dr. Ohlsen and Rose 
 made a union that was to carry them down the stream 
 of time for better or worse. 
 
 The doctor, however, did not take his bride to the 
 little cottage which had served the purposes of an hos 
 pital during the time of the fever plague. He built a 
 comfortable mansion in one of the best localities in 
 Milton, furnished it with taste, and there he took Rose 
 after their marriage. The most learned men in the 
 county found, in intercourse with him, that he had a 
 thorough education and understood himself per 
 fectly upon many scientific subjects, and not only this 
 but he was a most agreeable companion. His medi 
 cal skill was unquestioned, his house one of the most 
 beautifully and artistically furnished of any in that 
 region of country, and his wife well, they could find 
 no words too good to use in praising her. 
 
 There was the usual amount of gossip when Rick 
 and Dolores were married. People said he had long 
 desired it, but she was unyielding until, when her other 
 admirer (who proved to be the husband of her cousin 
 Dolores) sought her hand, and died in a most tragic 
 manner, she made the discovery that her heart had 
 long been given to Rick, though by what method of 
 reasoning {.hey evolvecj such a result frqrn such a
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 389 
 
 cause remains a mystery. It was love for her which 
 killed Alfred Hastings, they said, and not the fever. 
 And Anson Parke declared, with his usual flippancy, 
 that it ran in the family to always have more than one 
 man dead in love with the Castellar ladies. 
 
 Shortly before their marriage they were surprised to 
 receive a visit from Mr. Beale ; but, as he was not 
 given to keeping secrets, he did not leave them long 
 in doubt as to the cause of his coining. 
 
 "I always said it was a shame for you not to marry, 
 Mrs. Castellar," he said. " I say so still, and I ve 
 come down here to ask you to be my wife, and for no 
 other purpose." 
 
 " If you had only written !" she said, really an 
 noyed. 
 
 "Why?" he asked, in astonishment, as it had not 
 occurred to him that she could refuse him. 
 
 " Because Rick and I are to be married very soon !" 
 she replied, desperately straightforward 
 
 "Really," he said, seeming greatly disappointed. 
 " Now if I d only known enough to write I might 
 have been ahead of Rick, but I thought you wouldn t 
 have me if I broached the subject too soon after 
 Sarah s death. I m very sorry, Mrs. Castellar, for I 
 never knew a woman like you, not even Sarah. Any 
 how, I meant well, though, if you are not happy with 
 Rick, I shall never forgive myself for not writing." 
 
 Mr. Beale remained only a few hours after this 
 conversation ; but before he left he extended them an 
 invitation to visit him should they ever come to New 
 York again, which was done only to relieve himself 
 of his embarrassment, and was so received. 
 
 Rick and Dolores were compelled to visit Riverton 
 and Washington early the next spring, as the will of 
 the late Alfred Hastings had not been proven, and it 
 became necessary, before the estate fell into wrong 
 hands, that some arrangement should be made in regard 
 to it. The estate consisted of the homestead of River- 
 ton and some property of considerable value in the out 
 skirts of Washington. The will gave it entirely to
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 Dolores and Rose ; but every one at Riverton, believ 
 ing that the first wife and child were dead, thought 
 it would go to his second wife and children, in the 
 regular course of inheritance. Great was the surprise, 
 therefore, when the officials received a letter in 
 forming them of this will and of the existence of his 
 first wife and child. During the interval between the 
 death of Alfred Hastings and the journey to Riverton 
 the will was thoroughly discussed by Dolores and 
 Rose, the heirs under it. They finally concluded the 
 only claim they would make would be for the original 
 ten thousand dollars, with interest, that Dolores had 
 brought to the estate when she married Alfred, and if 
 that was paid they would relinquish everything in 
 favor of Alfred s mother and sister. 
 
 As might be expected, the arrival of Alfred s 
 supposed dead wife at Riverton, created an in 
 tensely interesting sensation ; and so well did she 
 act her part under the trying ordeal that she car 
 ried with her the good-will and high regard of all 
 with whom she came in contact. She met Mrs. 
 Hastings, senior, and made her proposition in a 
 straightforward manner, and without any hesitation 
 it was accepted. The legal papers were soon drawn 
 up and signed, and without any unnecessary cere 
 mony Rick and Dolores took their departure, first, 
 however, visiting the cemetery, where she read her 
 own epitaph on the elegant monument that had 
 been erected to her memory years before ! 
 
 The money received from Alfred s estate, together 
 with a similar sum donated by Rick and Dr. Ohlsen, 
 was, with the sanction of Dolores and Rose, invested by 
 Rick in Government bonds, to form an " Emigration 
 Fund." Under no circumstances was the principal 
 of this fund to be touched, but the interest was to be 
 used to assist poor but worthy colored people to move 
 west, where they could grow up with the country and 
 become landowners something they could never do 
 under the present state of society in Mississippi. Both 
 Dolores and Rose felt that the money would give them
 
 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 391 
 
 the greatest satisfaction if invested in this way ; and 
 thus the " Colored Emigration Fund " was first started, 
 which has been increased from time to time by other 
 well-disposed people from different parts of the coun 
 try, until the fund produces quite a respectable annual 
 income. Kansas has received probably more of these 
 emigrants than all the other states combined, which is 
 entirely in keeping with the fitness of things, since 
 emigration to that state was the original bone of con 
 tention over which the North and South commenced 
 the struggle that finally gave the colored people the 
 right to emigrate when and where they chose. 
 
 "Why is it that Southern politicians cannot realize 
 their twofold mistake when they say the cause is 
 not lost but sleeps," said Rick to one of his neighbors, 
 who was seeking office. " There can be no greater 
 mistake than believing that the general Government 
 will ever succumb to your wishes. The very minute our 
 people fully realize that it is a lost cause, then will 
 they begin to receive benefits at the hands of the Gov 
 ernment. The South must be repopulated, and with 
 men, too, who control money. Then will manufac 
 turers, tradespeople, small farmers, and the many 
 other elements come to us that are necessary to make 
 us a prosperous and happy people." 
 
 " Mr. Gonzales, you speak as few men dare do since 
 the fall of Sumter, but the time is near at hand when 
 your idea will prevail all over this broad, bright, beau 
 tiful country. The old camp fires have been kept 
 burning in the hearts of our people by false pride, 
 but, thank Heaven, both have been subdued, and, I 
 may say, without the least taint of humiliation or mor 
 tification. We thought the cause just and the end 
 justified the means, but, as you say, it is now a lost 
 cause forever ; and if I am elected to Congress I shall 
 use my influence to bring about a new era on this 
 basis," said the would-be Congressman. 
 
 Rick, cutting him off, " And I consent to vote for 
 you only on condition that you promise to assist in 
 welding the social, political and commercial harmony
 
 392 SUBDUED SOUTHERN NOBILITY. 
 
 of this entire country. As a bright-eyed Northern 
 woman years ago subdued my idea of Southern 
 Nobility, I would, in like manner, have the entire 
 South realize that there can be only one nationality 
 with equality before the law for all. 1 
 
 Halbert came home when his college days were 
 over and entered into the work with all the zeal of 
 youth, according always due love and respect to Dol 
 ores, who was the only mother he had ever known. 
 
 Dolores and Rick continue on with their life-work 
 at Idlefield, happy in it and in each other, their 
 happiness being like a long, bright Indian summer, 
 with clearer and fairer days than their spring had 
 ever known. For Dolores, her summer had been one 
 of scorching, blighting heat, with its fiery trials, like 
 burning days with never a cooling night ; and Rick s 
 had been stormy and cold, in which his flowers of 
 hope had been cut off by the frosts of death. 
 
 THE END.
 
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