f. She could not
read its bad writing, but it served all the better for that.

Next evening, at tea--back again from Suez--"Wife, did you see a letter
in blue ink in your room this morning, with some pencil figures of my
own across the face? If it was with those papers I burned it's all
right, but I'd like to know." His unconcern was overdone.

Barbara was silent. She had battered the reticule's inner latch with a
stone. To get the paper out, the latch would have to be broken. Silence
saved it.

The election was over, but the turmoil only grew. Mere chemicals, did
Fannie call these incidents and conditions? But they were corrosives and
caustics dropped blazing hot upon white men's bare hands and black men's
bare feet. The ex-master spurned political fellowship with his slave at
every cost; the ex-slave laid taxes, stole them, and was murdered.

"Make way for robbery, he cries," drawled Ravenel; "makes way for
robbery and dies."

"Mr. Ravenel," said Judge March, "I find no place for me, sir. I lament
one policy and loathe the other. I need not say what distress of mind I
suffer. I doubt not we are all doing that, sir."

"No," said Jeff-Jack, whittling a straw.

"I'll tell you what it is, Mr. Ravenel," said Fannie Halliday; "it's a
war between decency in the wrong, and vulgarity in the right."

"No," said Jeff-Jack again, and her liking for him grew.

Cornelius's explanation in the House was more elaborate.

"This, Mr. Speaker, are that great wahfare predicated in the New
Testament, betwix the Republicans an' sinnehs on one side an' the
Phair-i-sees on the other. The white-liners, they is the Phair-i-sees!
They is the whited sculptors befo' which, notinstan'in' all they
chiselin', the Republicans an' sinnehs enters fust into the kingdom!"

So, for two more years, and John was fifteen.

Then the Judge decided to explain to him, confidentially, their long
poverty.

"Daphne, dear"--he was going down into Blackland--"if you see no
objection I'll take son with me.--Why, no, dear, not both on one hoss,
you're quite right; that wouldn't be kind to son."

"A merciful man, Powhatan, is merciful to----"

"Yes, deah; Oh, I had the hoss in mind too; indeed I had! Do you know,
my deah, I can tend to business betteh when I have ow son along? I'm
gett'n' to feel like as if I'd left myself behind when he's not with
me."

"You've always been so, Judge March." Her smile was sad. "Oh! no, I
mustn't advise. Take him along