the sandy road: "S'pose I meet a white man an' he asks me where I'm
goin', what will I tell him? Was there ever a white man, was there ever
a Charlotte put to this test before. If ever a Charlotte knew that I
engaged in this business what would I say to him? Did I ever think I'd
come to this? Me, Colonel Charlotte, hauling niggers to a ball." And he
again cussed the reconstruction laws.

Arriving at the country store the dance was already under full headway.
The fiddles and scraping of feet could be plainly heard.

The voice of the caller, "Swing your partners; all hands around; first
gent lead off to the right," floated out on the damp air.

"Git out," was the Colonel's orders to his fares. "Now, don't stay all
night or you'll walk back," were his last words to Sam and his company
as they ran upstairs to the ball room.

Tying the horses to the fence, the Colonel lighted his pipe, walking to
and fro to warm his chilled blood, he gave way to his gloomy thoughts
again. "What would Captain Barbour, Colonel Woodburn and Major Hinkle
say if they found out that he, Colonel Charlotte, was engaged in
carrying niggers to a ball. Ef I was to be ketched yar by a white man,
what explanation could I make that would protect the honor of my
family?"

For himself the Colonel felt that he was eternally disgraced and had
reached the point where he was willing to be ostracized but hoped to
protect the family name.

Sam returned to the carriage to find a wrap or other article the women
had forgotten. The air was very chilly. "Sam, have you all got any fire
upstairs," asked the Colonel.

"Yes, sah, dars a roarin' fire up yander Colonel. Jus walk up sah an'
warm yoself."

Pulling his hat down over his eyes, turning his coat collar up to
disguise himself, the Colonel climbed the narrow stairs. Peeping
through the door at the whisking dancers he skulked along the side of
the room until he reached the big, open wood fireplace. The warmth was
very grateful to his benumbed frame. He had not the assurance to look
around at the dancers; while his front side was thoroughly warmed, the
rear of his anatomy was still numb. About the time he had determined to
about face, the dance ceased. He heard several remarks not intended for
his ears:

"Who is dat ole white man 'trudin' yar? Whar did dat ole white man kum
frum? Who fetched him up yar?"

The Colonel couldn't bear it longer. Stalking out, he descended the
stairs, asking himself if he c