sed behind
his overseer he took the lamp to the opposite wall and examined it
carefully. There was the distinct hole made by a bullet which had missed
Cato's head at the open window by an inch.

CHAPTER VI.

In an instant Courtland had regained complete possession of himself. His
distracting passion--how distracting he had never before realized--was
gone! His clear sight--no longer distorted by sentiment--had come back;
he saw everything in its just proportion--his duty, the plantation, the
helpless freedman threatened by lawless fury; the two women--no longer
his one tantalizing vision, but now only a passing detail of the work
before him. He saw them through no aberrating mist of tenderness or
expediency--but with the single directness of the man of action.

The shot had clearly been intended for Cato. Even if it were an act
of mere personal revenge, it showed a confidence and security in the
would-be assassin that betokened cooperation and an organized plan.
He had availed himself of the thunderstorm, the flash and long
reverberating roll of sound--an artifice not unknown to border
ambush--to confuse discovery at the instant. Yet the attack might be
only an isolated one; or it might be the beginning of a general raid
upon the Syndicate's freedmen. If the former he could protect Cato from
its repetition by guarding him in the office until he could be conveyed
to a place of safety; if the latter, he must at once collect the negroes
at their quarters, and take Cato with him. He resolved upon the latter
course. The quarters were half a mile from the Dows' dwelling--which was
two miles away.

He sat down and wrote a few lines to Miss Dows stating that, in view
of some threatened disturbances in the town, he thought it advisable
to keep the negroes in their quarters, whither he was himself going. He
sent her his housekeeper and the child, as they had both better remain
in a place of security until he returned to town. He gave the note to
Zoe, bidding her hasten by the back garden across the fields. Then he
turned to Cato.

"I am going with you to the quarters tonight," he said quietly, "and you
can carry your pistol back to the armory yourself." He handed him the
weapon. The negro received it gratefully, but suddenly cast a searching
glance at his employer. Courtland's face, however, betrayed no change.
When Zoe had gone, he continued tranquilly, "We will go by the back way
through the woods." As the negro starte