ted in my attempts to draw her out. She began
to cry at last. She came to me and rested her head on my shoulder. "Tell
me now," I urged. And she relieved herself of the secret in broken
words, in half-formed phrases.

She had gone walking one night with Lamborn. He had led her into the
woods in search of a rabbit's nest he said was there. He had seized
her, put his hand over her mouth, threatened her with harm, with being
sold down South. He had overcome her. She had returned to Reverdy's
afraid to tell him what had happened. She did not know what Lamborn
would do to her if Reverdy went after him. She felt that she was in the
wrong for having gone walking with Lamborn, and that she would be blamed
by Sarah. Therefore she had not told her secret before. She was sure
that neither Sarah nor Reverdy suspected it.

What was I to do? I could not conceive of a wrong like this going
unpunished. But my brain refused to plan, to think out what was best to
do. I did not know the community well enough, nor enough of the laws to
make a decision by myself. I decided that I must consult with Reverdy. I
hurried away from Zoe, telling her on no account to leave the hut; and
went to find Reverdy. He was at work on my house, looked at me
wonderingly as if to question what had brought me over so soon. I drew
him aside and told him what I knew.

Reverdy's blue eyes grew terribly deep. They darkened like clouds in a
rapidly gathering storm. They were full of comprehending compassion.
They expressed alarm, but also an inexorable sense of futility, as if
there was nothing to be done. He was silent. He had fought the Indians;
he was used to the rough life of the West. He did not betray fear;
rather he acted as if there was nothing to be done. When he began to
speak that was the tenor of his words. He revealed to me possibilities
that I had never dreamed of. I could see that I was caught in
unforeseen circumstances. Some of the dangers involved in the situation
he only hinted at. For example, the matter of my living with Zoe. There
might be people in Jacksonville who believed that my attitude toward Zoe
was not of a brotherly nature. Such a suspicion seemed horrible to me.
But Reverdy went on to show me why it might be entertained. This remote
country, lacking in opportunity for legitimate expression, held secrets
of bestial and gross departures from nature. Here was Zoe, young and
beautiful. What did our kindred blood have to do with the matt