Drummond, whose gorge had risen at these evidences of hopeless
incapacity and utter shiftlessness, was not relieved by the presence of
Mrs. Reed--a soured, disappointed woman of forty, who still carried in
her small dark eyes and thin handsome lips something of the bitterness
and antagonism of the typical "Southern rights" woman; nor of her two
daughters, Octavia and Augusta, whose languid atrabiliousness seemed a
part of the mourning they still wore. The optimistic gallantry and good
fellowship of the major appeared the more remarkable by contrast with
his cypress-shadowed family and their venomous possibilities. Perhaps
there might have been a light vein of Southern insincerity in his good
humor. "Paw," said Miss Octavia, with gloomy confidence to Courtland,
but with a pretty curl of the hereditary lip, "is about the only
'reconstructed' one of the entire family. We don't make 'em much about
yer. But I'd advise yo' friend, Mr. Drummond, if he's coming here
carpet-bagging, not to trust too much to paw's 'reconstruction.' It
won't wash." But when Courtland hastened to assure her that Drummond
was not a "carpet-bagger," was not only free from any of the political
intrigue implied under that baleful title, but was a wealthy Northern
capitalist simply seeking investment, the young lady was scarcely more
hopeful. "I suppose he reckons to pay paw for those niggers yo' stole?"
she suggested with gloomy sarcasm.

"No," said Courtland, smiling; "but what if he reckoned to pay those
niggers for working for your father and him?"

"If paw is going into trading business with him; if Major Reed--a
So'th'n gentleman--is going to keep shop, he ain't such a fool as to
believe niggers will work when they ain't obliged to. THAT'S been tried
over at Mirandy Dows's, not five miles from here, and the niggers are
half the time hangin' round here takin' holiday. She put up new quarters
for 'em, and tried to make 'em eat together at a long table like those
low-down folks up North, and did away with their cabins and their melon
patches, and allowed it would get 'em out of lying round too much, and
wanted 'em to work over-time and get mo' pay. And the result was that
she and her niece, and a lot of poor whites, Irish and Scotch, that she
had to pick up ''long the river,' do all the work. And her niece Sally
was mo' than half Union woman during the wah, and up to all No'th'n
tricks and dodges, and swearin' by them; and yet, for all that--the