University of Virginia Library

13. CHAPTER XIII.
TOM GORDON.

“I say, Nina,” said her brother, coming in, a day or two
after, from a survey that he had been taking round the
premises, “you want me here to manage this place. Everything
going at sixes and sevens; and that nigger of a Harry
riding round with his boots shining. That fellow cheats
you, and feathers his own nest well. I know! These white
niggers are all deceitful.”

“Come, Tom, you know the estate is managed just as
father left word to have it; and Uncle John says that Harry
is an excellent manager. I 'm sure nobody could have been
more faithful to me; and I am very well satisfied.”

“Yes, I dare say. All left to you and the executors, as
you call them; as if I were not the natural guardian of my
sister! Then I come here to put up with that fellow's impudence!”

“Whose? — Harry's? He is never impudent. He is
always gentlemanly. Everybody remarks it.”

“Gentlemanly! There it is, Nin! What a fool you are
to encourage the use of that word in connection with any
of your niggers! Gentleman, forsooth! And while he plays
gentleman, who takes care? I tell you what, you 'll find,
one of these days, how things are going on. But that 's
just the way! You never would listen to me, or pay the
least attention to my advice.”

“O, Tom, don't talk about that — don't! I never interfere
about your affairs. Please leave me the right to
manage mine in my own way.”

“And who is this Clayton that 's hanging about here?
Are you going to have him, or he you — hey?”

“I don't know,” said Nina.

“Because I, for one, don't like him; and I shan't give
my consent to let him have you. That other one is worth
twice as much. He has one of the largest properties in
New York. Joe Snider has told me about him. You shall
have him.”

“I shall not have him, say what you please; and I shall
have Mr. Clayton, if I choose!” said Nina, with a heightened
color. “You have no right to dictate to me of my
own affairs; and I shan't submit to it, I tell you frankly.”

“Highty-tighty! We are coming up, to be sure!” said
Tom.

“Moreover,” said Nina, “I wish you to let everything
on this place entirely alone; and remember that my servants
are not your servants, and that you have no control
over them, whatever.”

“Well, we will see how you 'll help yourself! I am not
going to go skulking about on my father's own place as if I
had no right or title there; and if your niggers don't look
sharp, they 'll find out whether I am the master here or not,
especially that Harry. If the dog dare so much as to lift
his fingers to countermand any one of my orders, I 'd put
a bullet through his head as soon as I would through a
buck's. I give you warning!”

“O, Tom, pray don't talk so!” said Nina, who really
began to be alarmed. “What do you want to make me
such trouble, for?”

The conversation was here suspended by the entrance of
Milly.

“If you please, Miss Nina, come and show me which
of your muslins you wish to be done up, as I 's starching
for Miss Loo.”

Glad of an opportunity to turn the conversation, Nina
ran up to her room, whither she was followed by Milly,
who shut the door, and spoke to her in mysterious tones.

“Miss Nina, can't you make some errand to get Harry
off the place for two or three days, while Mas'r Tom 's
round?”

“But what right,” said Nina, with heightened color,
“has he to dictate to my servants, or me? or to interfere
with any of our arrangements here?”

“O, dere 's no use talking about rights, honey. We must
all do jest what we ken. Don't make much odds whether
our rights is one way or t' other. You see, chile, it 's just
here. Harry 's your right hand. But you see he an't learnt
to bend 'fore the wind, like the rest of us. He is spirity;
he is just as full now as a powder-box; and Mas'r Tom is
bent on aggravating him. And, laws, chile, dere may be
bloody work — dere may so!”

“Why, do you think he 'd dare —”

“Chile, don't talk to me! Dare! — yes; sure 'nough he
will dare! Besides, dere 's fifty ways young gentlemen
may take to aggravate and provoke. And, when flesh and
blood can't bear it no longer, if Harry raises his hand, why,
den shoot him down! Nothing said — nothing done. You
can't help yourself. You won't want to have a law-suit
with your own brother; and, if you did, 't would n't bring
Harry to life! Laws, chile, ef I could tell you what I 've
seen — you don't know nothing 'bout it. Now, I tell you,
get up some message to your uncle's plantation; send him
off for anything or nothing; only have him gone! And
then speak your brother fair, and then may be he will go
off. But don't you quarrel! don't you cross him, come
what may! Dere an't a soul on the place that can bar de
sight on him. But, then, you see the rest dey all bends!
But, chile, you must be quick about it! Let me go right
off and find him. Just you come in the little back room,
and I 'll call him in.”

Pale and trembling, Nina descended into the room; and,
in a few moments after, Milly appeared, followed by Harry.

“Harry!” said Nina, in a trembling voice, “I want you

to take your horse and go over to Uncle John's plantation,
and carry a note for me.”

Harry stood with his arms folded, and his eyes fixed upon
the ground, and Nina continued,

“And, Harry, I think you had better make some business
or errand to keep you away two or three days, or a week.”

“Miss Nina,” said Harry, “the affairs of the place are
very pressing now, and need overlooking. A few days'
neglect now may produce a great loss, and then it will be
said that I neglected my business to idle and ride round the
country.”

“Well, but, if I send you, I take the responsibility, and
I 'll bear the loss. The fact is, Harry, I 'm afraid that you
won't have patience to be here, now Tom is at home. In
fact, Harry, I 'm afraid for your life! And now, if you have
any regard for me, make the best arrangement with the work
you can, and be off. I 'll tell him that I sent you on business
of my own, and I am going to write a letter for you to carry.
It 's the only safe way. He has so many ways in which he
can provoke and insult you, that, at last, you may say or do
something that will give him occasion against you; and I
think he is determined to drive you to this.”

“Is n't this provoking, now? is n't this outrageous?”
said Harry, between his teeth, looking down, “that everything
must be left, and all because I have n't the right to
stand up like a man, and protect you and yours!”

“It is a pity! it is a shame!” said Nina. “But, Harry,
don't stop to think upon it; do go!” She laid her hand
softly on his. “For my sake, now, be good — be good!”

The room where they were standing had long windows,
which opened, like those of the parlor, on the veranda, and
commanded a view of a gravel-walk bordered with shrubbery.
As Harry stood, hesitating, he started at seeing Lisette
come tripping up the walk, balancing on her head a
basket of newly-ironed muslins and linens. Her trim little
figure was displayed in a close-fitting gown of blue, a snowy
handkerchief crossed upon her bust, and one rounded arm

raised to steady the basket upon her head. She came tripping
forward, with her usual airy motion, humming a portion
of a song; and attracted, at the same moment, the attention
of Tom Gordon and of her husband.

“'Pon my word, if that is n't the prettiest concern!”
said Tom, as he started up and ran down the walk to meet
her.

“Good-morning, my pretty girl!” he said.

“Good-morning, sir,” returned Lisette, in her usual tone
of gay cheerfulness.

“Pray, who do you belong to, my pretty little puss? I
think I 've never seen you on this place.”

“Please, sir, I 'm Harry's wife.”

“Indeed! you are, hey? Devilish good taste he has!”
said he, laying his hand familiarly on her shoulder.

The shoulder was pulled away, and Lisette moved rapidly
on to the other side of the path, with an air of vexation which
made her look rather prettier.

“What, my dear, don't you know that I am your husband's
young master? Come, come!” he said, following
her, and endeavoring to take hold of her arm.

“Please let me alone!” said Lisette, coloring, and in a
petted, vexed tone.

“Let you alone? No, that I shan't, not while you ask it
in such a pretty way as that!” And again the hand was
laid upon her shoulder.

It must be understood that Harry had witnessed so far,
in pantomime, this scene He had stood with compressed
lips, and eyes slowly dilating, looking at it. Nina, who
was standing with her back to the window, wondered at the
expression of his countenance.

“Look there, Miss Nina!” he said. “Do you see my
wife and your brother?”

Nina turned, and in an instant the color mounted to her
cheeks; her little form seemed to dilate, and her eyes
flashed fire; and before Harry could see what she was doing,

she was down in the gravel-walk, and had taken Lisette's
hand.

“Tom Gordon,” she said, “I 'm ashamed of you! Hush!
hush!” she continued, fixing her eyes on him, and stamping
her foot. “Dare to come to my place, and take such
liberties here! You shall not be allowed to while I am
mistress; and I am mistress! Dare to lay a finger on this
girl while she is here under my protection! Come, Lisette!”
And she seized the trembling girl by the hand, and
drew her along towards the house.

Tom Gordon was so utterly confused at this sudden burst
of passion in his sister, that he let them go off without opposition.
In a few moments he looked after her, and gave a
long, low whistle.

“Ah! Pretty well up for her! But she 'll find it 's easier
said than done, I fancy!” And he sauntered up to the
veranda, where Harry stood with his arms folded, and the
veins in his forehead swelling with repressed emotion.

“Go in, Lisette,” said Nina; “take the things into my
room, and I 'll come to you.”

“'Pon my word, Harry,” said Tom, coming up, and
addressing Harry in the most insulting tone, “we are all
under the greatest obligations to you for bringing such a
pretty little fancy article here!”

“My wife does not belong to this place,” said Harry,
forcing himself to speak calmly. “She belongs to a Mrs.
Le Clere, who has come into Belleville plantation.”

“Ah! thank you for the information! I may take a fancy
to buy her, and I 'd like to know who she belongs to. I 've
been wanting a pretty little concern of that sort. She 's a
good housekeeper, is n't she, Harry? Does up shirts well?
What do you suppose she could be got for? I must go and
see her mistress.”

During this cruel harangue Harry's hands twitched and
quivered, and he started every now and then, looking first
at Nina, and then at his tormentor. He turned deadly
pale; even his lips were of ashy whiteness; and, with his

arms still folded, and making no reply, he fixed his large
blue eyes upon Tom, and, as it sometimes happened in moments
of excitement and elevation, there appeared on the
rigid lines of his face, at that moment, so strong a resemblance
to Col. Gordon, that Nina noticed and was startled
by it. Tom Gordon noticed it also. It added fuel to the
bitterness of his wrath; and there glared from his eyes a
malignancy of hatred that was perfectly appalling. The
two brothers seemed like thunder-clouds opposing each
other, and ready to dart lightning. Nina hastened to interfere.

“Hurry, hurry, Harry! I want that message carried.
Do, pray, go directly!”

“Let me see,” said Tom, “I must call Jim, and have my
horse. Which is the way to that Belleville plantation? I
think I 'll ride over there.” And he turned and walked
indolently down the steps.

“For shame, Tom! you won't! you can't! How can
you want to trouble me so?” said Nina.

He turned and looked upon her with an evil smile, turned
again, and was gone.

“Harry, Harry, go quick! Don't you worry; there 's
no danger!” she added, in a lower voice. “Madam Le
Clere never would consent.”

“There 's no knowing!” said Harry, “never any knowing!
People act about money as they do about nothing
else.”

“Then — then I 'll send and buy her myself!” said Nina.

“You don't know how our affairs stand, Miss Nina,” said
Harry, hurriedly. “The money could n't be raised now for
it, especially if I have to go off this week. It will make a
great difference, my being here or not being here; and very
likely Master Tom may have a thousand dollars to pay down
on the spot. I never knew him to want money when his
will was up. Great God! have n't I borne this yoke long
enough?”

“Well, Harry,” said Nina, “I 'll sell everything I 've got

— my jewels — everything! I 'll mortgage the plantation,
before Tom Gordon shall do this thing! I 'm not quite so
selfish as I 've always seemed to be. I know you 've made
the sacrifice of body and soul to my interest; and I 've always
taken it, because I loved my ease, and was a spoiled child.
But, after all, I know I 've as much energy as Tom has,
when I am roused, and I 'll go over this very morning and
make an offer for her. Only you be off. You can't stand
such provocation as you get here; and if you yield, as any
man will do, at last, then everything and everybody will go
against you, and I can't protect you. Trust to me. I 'm
not so much of a child as I have seemed to be! You 'll
find I can act for myself, and you too! There comes Mr.
Clayton through the shrubbery — that 's right! Order two
horses round to the door immediately, and we 'll go over
there this morning.”

Nina gave her orders with a dignity as if she had been a
princess, and in all his agitation Harry could not help marvelling
at the sudden air of womanliness which had come
over her.

“I could serve you,” he said, in a low voice, “to the last
drop of my blood! But,” he added, in a tone which made
Nina tremble, “I hate everybody else! I hate your country!
I hate your laws!”

“Harry,” said Nina, “you do wrong — you forget yourself!”

“O, I do wrong, do I? We are the people that are never
to do wrong! People may stick pins in us, and stick
knives in us, wipe their shoes on us, spit in our face — we
must be amiable! we must be models of Christian patience!
I tell you, your father should rather have put me into quarters
and made me work like a field-negro, than to have given
me the education he did, and leave me under the foot of
every white man that dares tread on me!”

Nina remembered to have seen her father in transports of
passion, and was again shocked and startled to see the

resemblance between his face and the convulsed face before
her.

“Harry,” she said, in a pitying, half-admonitory tone,
“do think what you are saying! If you love me, be
quiet!”

“Love you? You have always held my heart in your
hand! That has been the clasp upon my chain! If it
had n't been for you, I should have fought my way to the
north before now, or I would have found a grave on the
road!”

“Well, Harry,” said Nina, after a moment's thought,
“my love shall not be a clasp upon any chain; for, as there
is a God in heaven, I will set you free! I 'll have a bill
introduced at the very next legislature, and I know what
friend will see to it. So go, now, Harry, go!”

Harry stood a moment, then suddenly raised the hand of
his little mistress to his lips, turned, and was gone.

Clayton, who had been passing through the shrubbery,
and who had remarked that Nina was engaged in a very
exciting conversation, had drawn off, and stood waiting for
her at the foot of the veranda steps. As soon as Nina saw
him, she reached out her hand frankly, saying,

“O, there, Mr. Clayton, you are just the person!
Would n't you like to take a ride with me?”

“Of course I should,” said he.

“Wait here a moment,” said she, “till I get ready. The
horses will be here immediately.” And, running up the
steps, she passed quickly by him, and went into the house.

Clayton had felt himself in circumstances of considerable
embarrassment ever since the arrival of Tom Gordon, the
evening before. He had perceived that the young man had
conceived an instinctive dislike of himself, which he was at
no particular pains to conceal; and he had found it difficult
to preserve the appearance of one who does not notice. He
did not wish to intrude upon Nina any embarrassing recognition
of her situation, even under the guise of sympathy
and assistance; and waited, therefore, till some word from

her should authorize him to speak. He held himself, therefore,
ready to meet any confidence which she might feel disposed
to place in him; not doubting, from the frankness of
her nature, that she would soon find it impossible not to
speak of what was so deeply interesting to her.

Nina soon reäppeared, and, mounting their horses, they
found themselves riding through the same forest-road that
led to the cottage of Tiff, from which a divergent path went
to the Belleville plantation.

“I 'm glad to see you alone this morning, for many
reasons,” said Nina; “for I think I never needed a friend's
help more. I 'm mortified that you should have seen what
you did last night; but, since you have, I may as well
speak of it. The fact is, that my brother, though he
is the only one I have, never did treat me as if he loved
me. I can't tell what the reason is: whether he was jealous
of my poor father's love for me, or whether it was because
I was a wilful, spoiled girl, and so gave him reason
to be set against me, or whatever the reason might be, — he
never has been kind to me long at a time. Perhaps he
would be, if I would always do exactly as he says; but I
am made as positive and wilful as he is. I never have been
controlled, and I can't recognize the right which he seems to
assume to control me, and to dictate as to my own private
affairs. He was not left my guardian; and, though I do
love him, I shan't certainly take him as one. Now, you see,
he has a bitter hatred, and a most unreasonable one, towards
my Harry; and I had no idea, when I came home, in how
many ways he had the power to annoy me. It does seem
as if an evil spirit possessed them both when they get together;
they seem as full of electricity as they can be, and
I am every instant afraid of an explosion. Unfortunately
for Harry, he has had a much superior education to the generality
of his class and station, and the situation of trust in
which he has been placed has given him more the feelings
of a free man and a gentleman than is usual; for, except
Tom, there is n't one of our family circle that has n't always

treated him with kindness, and even with deference — and
I think this very thing angers Tom the more, and makes him
take every possible occasion of provoking and vexing. I
believe it is his intention to push Harry up to some desperate
action; and, when I see how frightfully they look at
each other, I tremble for the consequences. Harry has
lately married a very pretty wife, with whom he lives in a
little cottage on the extremity of the Belleville estate; and
this morning Tom happened to spy her, and it seemed to
inspire him with a most ingenious plan to trouble Harry.
He threatened to come over and buy her of Madam Le
Clere; and so, to quiet Harry, I promised to come over here
before him, and make an offer for her.”

“Why,” said Clayton, “do you think her mistress would
sell her?”

“I can't say,” said Nina. “She is a person I am acquainted
with only by report. She is a New Orleans creole,
who has lately bought the place. Lisette, I believe, hires
her time of her. Lisette is an ingenious, active creature,
and contrives, by many little arts and accomplishments, to
pay a handsome sum, monthly, to her mistress. Whether
the offer of a large sum at once would tempt her to sell
her, is more than I know until it 's tried. I should like to
have Lisette, for Harry's sake.”

“And do you suppose your brother was really serious?”

“I should n't be at all surprised if he were. But, serious
or not serious, I intend to make the matter sure.”

“If it be necessary to make an immediate payment,” said
Clayton, “I have a sum of money which is lying idle in the
bank, and it 's but drawing a check which will be honored
at sight. I mention this, because the ability to make an
immediate payment may make the negotiation easier. You
ought to allow me the pleasure of joining you in a good
work.”

“Thank you,” said Nina, frankly. “It may not be
necessary; but, if it should be, I will take it in the same
spirit in which it is offered.”

After a ride of about an hour, they arrived in the boundaries
of Belleville plantation.

In former days, Nina had known this as the residence of
an ancient rich family, with whom her father was on visiting
terms. She was therefore uncomfortably struck with the
air of poverty, waste, and decay, everywhere conspicuous
through the grounds.

Nothing is more depressing and disheartening than the
sight of a gradual decay of what has been arranged and
constructed with great care; and when Nina saw the
dilapidated gateway, the crushed and broken shrubbery,
the gaps in the fine avenue where trees had been improvidently
cut down for fire-wood, she could not help a feeling
of depression.

“How different this place used to be when I came here
as a child!” said she. “This madam, whatever her name
is, can't be much of a manager.”

As she said this, their horses came up the front of the
house, in which the same marks of slovenly neglect were
apparent. Blinds were hanging by one hinge; the door
had sunk down into the rotten sill; the wooden pillars that
supported it were decayed at the bottom; and the twining
roses which once climbed upon them laid trailing, dishonored,
upon the ground. The veranda was littered with
all kinds of rubbish, — rough boxes, saddles, bridles, overcoats;
and various nondescript articles formed convenient
hiding-places and retreats, in which a troop of negro children
and three or four dogs were playing at hide-and-go-seek
with great relish and noise. On the alighting of Nina
and Clayton at the door, they all left their sports, and arranged
themselves in a grinning row, to see the new comers
descend. Nothing seemed to be further from the minds of
the little troop than affording the slightest assistance in the
way of holding horses or answering questions. All they
did was alternately to look at each other and the travellers,
and grin.

A tattered servant-man, with half a straw hat on his head,

was at length raised by a call of Clayton, who took their
horses — having first distributed a salutation of kicks and
cuffs among the children, asking where their manners were
that they did n't show the gentleman and lady in. And
Nina and Clayton were now marshalled by the whole seven
of them into an apartment on the right of the great hall.
Everything in the room appeared in an unfinished state.
The curtains were half put up at the windows, and part
lying in a confused heap on the chairs. The damp, mouldy
paper, which hung loosely from the wall, had been torn away
in some places, as if to prepare for repapering; and certain
half-opened rolls of costly wall-paper lay on the table, on
which appeared the fragment of some ancient luncheon; to
wit, plates, and pieces of bread and cheese, dirty tumblers,
and an empty bottle. It was difficult to find a chair sufficiently
free from dust to sit down on. Nina sent up her
card by one of the small fry, who, having got half-way up
the staircase, was suddenly taken with the desire to slide
down the banisters with it in his hand. Of course he
dropped the card in the operation; and the whole group
precipitated themselves briskly on to it, all in a heap, and
fought, tooth and nail, for the honor of carrying it up stairs.
They were aroused, however, by the entrance of the man
with half a hat; who, on Nina's earnest suggestion, plunged
into the troop, which ran, chattering and screaming like so
many crows, to different parts of the hall, while he picked
up the card, and, with infinite good-will beaming on his
shining black face, went up with it, leaving Nina and Clayton
waiting below. In a few moments he returned.

“Missis will see de young lady up stairs.”

Nina tripped promptly after him, and left Clayton the sole
tenant of the parlor for an hour. At length she returned,
skipping down the stairs, and opening the door with great
animation.

“The thing is done!” she said. “The bill of sale will
be signed as soon as we can send it over.”

“I had better bring it over myself,” said Clayton, “and
make the arrangement.”

“So be it!” said Nina. “But pray let us be delivered
from this place! Did you ever see such a desolate-looking
house? I remember when I 've seen it a perfect paradise —
full of the most agreeable people.”

“And pray what sort of a person did you find?” said
Clayton, as they were riding homeward.

“Well,” said Nina, “she 's one of the tow-string order
of women. Very slack-twisted, too, I fancy — tall, snuffy,
and sallow. Clothes looked rough-dry, as if they had been
pulled out of a bag. She had a bright-colored Madras
handkerchief tied round her head, and spoke French a little
more through her nose than French people usually do.
Flourished a yellow silk pocket-handkerchief. Poor soul!
She said she had been sick for a week with tooth-ache, and
kept awake all night! So, one must n't be critical! One
comfort about these French people is, that they are always
`ravis de vous voir,' let what will turn up. The good soul
was really polite, and insisted on clearing all the things off
from a dusty old chair for me to sit down in. The room was
as much at sixes and sevens as the rest of the house. She
apologized for the whole state of things by saying that they
could not get workmen out there to do anything for her;
and so everything is left in the second future tense; and
the darkeys, I imagine, have a general glorification in the
chaos. She is one of the indulgent sort, and I suspect
she 'll be eaten up by them like the locusts. Poor thing!
she is shockingly home-sick, and longing for Louisiana,
again. For, notwithstanding her snuffy appearance, and
yellow pocket-handkerchief, she really has a genuine taste
for beauty; and spoke most feelingly of the oleanders, crape
myrtles, and cape jessamines, of her native state.”

“Well, how did you introduce your business?” said Clayton,
laughing at this description.

“Me? — Why, I flourished out the little French I have
at command, and she flourished her little English; and I

think I rather prepossessed the good soul, to begin with.
Then I made a sentimental story about Lisette and Harry's
amours; because I know French people always have a
taste for the sentimental. The old thing was really quite
affected — wiped her little black eyes, pulled her hooked
nose as a tribute to my eloquence, called Lisette her `enfant
mignon,' and gave me a little lecture on the tender passion,
which I am going to lay up for future use.”

“Indeed!” said Clayton. “I should be charmed to have
you repeat it. Can't you give us a synopsis?”

“I don't know what synopsis means. But, if you want
me to tell you what she said, I shan't do it. Well, now, do
you know I am in the best spirits in the world, now that
I 've got this thing off my mind, and out of that desolate
house? Did you ever see such a direful place? What is
the reason, when we get down south, here, everything
seems to be going to destruction, so? I noticed it all the
way down through Virginia. It seems as if everything had
stopped growing, and was going backwards. Well, now,
it 's so different at the north! I went up, one vacation, into
New Hampshire. It 's a dreadfully poor, barren country;
nothing but stony hills, and poor soil. And yet the people
there seem to be so well off! They live in such nice, tight,
clean-looking white houses! Everything around them looks
so careful and comfortable; and yet their land is n't half
so good as ours, down here. Why, actually, some of those
places seem as if there were nothing but rock! And, then,
they have winter about nine months in the year, I do believe!
But these Yankees turn everything to account. If a man's
field is covered with rock, he 'll find some way to sell it, and
make money out of it; and if they freeze up all winter, they
sell the ice, and make money out of that. They just live
by selling their disadvantages!”

“And we grow poor by wasting our advantages,” said
Clayton.

“Do you know,” said Nina, “people think it 's a dreadful
thing to be an abolitionist? But, for my part, I 've a

great inclination to be one. Perhaps because I have a contrary
turn, and always have a little spite against what
everybody else believes. But, if you won't tell anybody,
I 'll tell you — I don't believe in slavery!”

“Nor I, either!” said Clayton.

“You don't! Well, really, I thought I was saying something
original. Now, the other day, Aunt Nesbit's minister
was at our house, and they sat crooning together, as they
always do; and, among other things, they said, `What a
blessed institution it was to bring these poor Africans over
here to get them Christianized!' So, by way of saying
something to give them a start, I told them I thought they
came nearer to making heathen of us than we to making
Christians of them.”

“That 's very true,” said Clayton. “There 's no doubt
that the kind of society which is built up in this way constantly
tends to run back towards barbarism. It prevents
general education of the whites, and keeps the poorer
classes down to the lowest point, while it enriches a few.”

“Well, what do we have it for?” said Nina. “Why
don't we blow it up, right off?”

“That 's a question easier asked than answered. The
laws against emancipation are very stringent. But I think
it is every owner's business to contemplate this as a future
resort, and to educate his servants in reference to it. That
is what I am trying to do on my plantation.”

“Indeed!” said Nina, looking at him with a good deal
of interest. “Well, now, that reminds me of what I was
going to say to you. Generally speaking, my conscience
don't trouble me much about my servants, because I think
they are doing about as well with me as they would be
likely to do anywhere else. But, now, there 's Harry! He
is well-educated, and I know that he could do for himself,
anywhere, better than he does here. I have always had a
kind of sense of this; but I 've thought of it more lately, and
I 'm going to try to have him set free at the next legislature.

And I shall want you to help me about all the what-do-you-call-'ems.”

“Of course, I shall be quite at your service,” said Clayton.

“There used to be some people, when I was up at the
north, who talked as if all of us were no better than a pack
of robbers and thieves. And, of course, when I was there I
was strong for our institutions, and would not give them an
inch of ground. It set me to thinking, though; and the
result of my thinking is, that we have no right to hold those
to work for us who clearly can do better. Now, there 's
Aunt Nesbit's Milly — there 's Harry and Lisette. Why,
it 's clear enough, if they can support themselves and us
too, they certainly can support themselves alone. Lisette
has paid eight dollars a month to her mistress, and supported
herself besides. I 'm sure it 's we that are the helpless
ones!”

“Well, do you think your Aunt Nesbit is going to follow
your example?”

“No! catch her at it! Aunt Nesbit is doubly fortified
in her religion. She is so satisfied with something or other
about `cursed be Canaan,' that she 'd let Milly earn ten
dollars a month for her, all the year round, and never
trouble her head about taking every bit of it. Some folks,
you know, have a way of calling everything they want to
do a dispensation of providence! Now, Aunt Nesbit is one
of 'em. She always calls it a dispensation that the negroes
were brought over here, and a dispensation that we are the
mistresses. Ah! Milly will not get free while Aunt Nesbit
is alive! And do you know, though it does not seem
very generous in me, yet I 'm resigned to it, because Milly
is such a good soul, and such a comfort to me? — do you
know she seems a great deal more like a mother to me
than Aunt Nesbit? Why, I really think, if Milly had
been educated as we are, she would have made a most
splendid woman — been a perfect Candace queen of Ethiopia.
There 's a vast deal that is curious and interesting in

some of these old Africans. I always did love to be with
them; some of them are so shrewd and original! But, I
wonder, now, what Tom will think of my cutting him out
so neatly? 'T will make him angry, I suppose.”

“O, perhaps, after all, he had no real intention of doing
anything of the kind,” said Clayton. “He may have said
it merely for bravado.”

“I should have thought so, if I had n't known that he
always had a grudge against Harry.”

At this moment the galloping of a horse was heard in the
woodland path before them; and very soon Tom Gordon
appeared in sight, accompanied by another man, on horseback,
with whom he was in earnest conversation. There
was something about the face of this man which, at the first
glance, Nina felt to be very repulsive. He was low, thick-set,
and yet lean; his features were thin and sharp; his
hair and eyebrows bushy and black, and a pair of glassy,
pale-blue eyes formed a peculiar contrast to their darkness.
There was something in the expression of the eye which
struck Nina as hard and cold. Though the man was
habited externally as a gentleman, there was still about him
an under-bred appearance, which could be detected at the
first glance, as the coarseness of some woods will reveal
themselves through every varnish.

“Good-morrow, Nina,” said her brother, drawing his horse
up to meet hers, and signing to his companion to arrest his,
also. “Allow me to present to you my friend Mr. Jekyl.
We are going out to visit the Belleville plantation.”

“I wish you a pleasant ride!” said Nina. And, touching
her horse, she passed them in a moment.

Looking back almost fiercely, a moment, she turned and
said to Clayton:

“I hate that man!”

“Who is it?” said Clayton.

“I don't know!” said Nina. “I never saw him before.
But I hate him! He is a bad man! I 'd as soon have a
serpent come near me, as that man!”

“Well, the poor fellow's face is n't prepossessing,” said
Clayton. “But I should not be prepared for such an
anathema.”

“Tom's badness,” continued Nina, speaking as if she
were following out a train of thought without regarding her
companion's remark, “is good turned to bad. It 's wine
turned to vinegar. But this man don't even know what
good is!”

“How can you be so positive about a person that you 've
only seen once?” said Clayton.

“O,” said Nina, resuming her usual gay tones, “don't
you know that girls and dogs, and other inferior creatures,
have the gift of seeing what 's in people? It does n't
belong to highly-cultivated folks, like you, but to us poor
creatures, who have to trust to our instincts. So, beware!”
And, as she spoke, she turned to him with a fascinating air
of half-saucy defiance.

“Well,” said Clayton, “have you seen, then, what is
in me?”

“Yes, to be sure!” said Nina, with energy; “I knew
what you were the very first time I saw you. And that 's
the reason why —”

Clayton made an eager gesture, and his eye met hers with
a sudden flash of earnestness. She stopped, and blushed,
and then laughed.

“What, Nina?”

“O, well, I always thought you were a grandfatherly
body, and that you would n't take advantage of `us girls,'
as some of the men do. And so I 've treated you with
confidence, as you know. I had just the same feeling
that you could be trusted, as I have that that other fellow
cannot!”

“Well,” said Clayton, “that deduction suits me so well
that I should be sorry to undermine your faith. Nevertheless,
I must say such a way of judging is n't always safe.
Instinct may be a greater matter than we think; yet it
is n't infallible, any more than our senses. We try the testimony

even of our eyesight by reason. It will deceive us,
if we don't. Much more we ought to try this more subtle
kind of sight.”

“May be so,” said Nina; “yet, I don't think I shall like
that man, after all. But I 'll give him a chance to alter my
feeling, by treating him civilly if Tom brings him back to
dinner. That 's the best I can do.”