The Crisis, Complete

s hand while his young mistress leaped into Vixen's saddle. Leaving the darkey to follow upon black Calhoun, she cantered off up the street, gr

taine Road, especially to proclaim her detestation for a certain young Yankee upstart.

ing confusedly about the eaves again, marvelling at the balmy air, and the two Misses Russell, Puss an

s Russell. "Here's Elise Saint Simon from New

She was disappointed at finding the stranger. "I only came-to say that I am going to

from Ned, and Miss Russel

ot going?

for dinner," an

n o'clock," said

es

o say his appearance is very striking-not ex

said Virginia.

" demanded Puss a

gentleman," s

do you kn

an ups

to a very good Bosto

, with conviction, as she separated her reins. "He ha

you, Virginia?" asked

. But her grievance was too h

ing the Court House, with Clarence, when she was put up for sale. We crossed the street to see what was going on, and there was yo

help it?" sa

k no notice

er in for me. I know he did. And yet he goes in and outbids Clarence, and

onished Miss Russell. "Why I thought t

s Carvel, contemptuously, "Judge

y to see him now,"

rty, Virginia," she

d have him in my hou

't see why not. You have Judge Whipple ever

drew he

ever insulted me," s

rayers for forgiveness, Virginia took to her mare again and gall

rest, the black dirt of the driveway flying from Vixen's hoofs, and there was the Colfax house on the edge of the gentle slope; and beyond it the orchard, and the blue grapes withering on the vines,-and beyond that

ere's your

iss Jinny, she was h

' niggah," said Ned, warmly. "Ain't yo' be'n r

hint, when Miss Vir

s Mr. C

He jes come home f'um seein' that thar tr

is mistress's bridle, sniffed. He had been

die befo' the day a gemman'd own er trottah,

teen in two weeks and a young lady. On

d both astonishm

power ovah yo'? Ain't I cooked fo' yo', and ain't I followed you everywheres since I quit ridin'

Virginia answered. "One week from t

hasis on the word, "I'se call you Miss Jinny ef you'll call me Mist

Ned," she demanded suddenly,

gro st

ax me dat

Hester is fr

ne free

out here to meddle with what doesn't concern him. I wanted Heste

ghed un

added with privileged impudence, "There

aped to the ground w

" she said, and star

inny!" The cal

l, w

n young gemman. Lan' sakes,

sternly, "do you want

-Lan' sakes, no'm. I

she ran into her cousin. He, too, was booted and spurred. He reached ou

he cried, "wha

m so, his middle name being Maxwell

said Clarence,

Virginia, curtly. "

right?" he asked, i

t, unless I choose.

t. Uncle Comyn made me come away. You should ha

king this morning,

e race track to see the new trotter. I've called him Halcyon, Jinny

her hands. The air was heavy with the perfume of the grapes and the smell of lat

ed me you wouldn

ed. "But I met old Sparks at the Tavern, and he sta

th of character," she said

leman must be a gentl

d nothing. Then she said, wi

you might be w

rgi

ing toward the water. He began

in front of her. "There are some thi

her riding-whip, and

fool, Max,

a summer house perched on a knoll at the edge of the wood. Then she seated herself on a ben

en there was no one else to take you riding, and jump off the barn for your amusement, Miss. Now you have Tom Catherwood and Jack B

smile as he sat s

"why don't you settle down to

's arm swept aro

look after here, and a few nigger

ion. Aunt Lillian doesn't farm for money. If she did, you

I do as much work as my ancest

the trouble,"

mean?" her co

ntlemen too long

generations was indeed in his handsome face. And something e

and idleness at the Virginia Springs, and fighting with other boys. What do you know? You wouldn't go to college. You wouldn

rrow to join Walker's Nicaragua expedition. We've got to beat t

ye flashed a

d Anne on the road, and Bert Russell and Jack and I came along? We whipped 'em, Jinny. And my eye w

nd her tone changed. "Max, can't you understand? It isn't that. Max, if you would only work at something. That is why the Yankees beat

care for m

care too much for a good time, for horses, Max. You love the South, but you think too little how she is to be saved. If war is to

Clarence was

o into politics, after Pa's

an Virginia

-?" h

u must s

she met it, with her lips tightly

l never forgive th

rted quickly. "But we are not talking about

e, but she avoided him an

ot?" h

irst that you are

er rushing on and on with tranquil power, and the slow panting of the steamboat.

marry me, Jinny?"

another, we shall see whether

," he exclaimed, "since we pl

inia promptly. "And I should think that you woul

in

corner of the porch she ran into her aunt Mrs. Colfax was a beautiful woman. Beautiful when Addison Colfax married her in Kentucky at nineteen, beautiful still at thre

n knew that she was the daughter of old Judge Colfax's overseer at Halcyondale. If she had not been beautiful, Addison Colfax would not have run away with her. That is certain. He left her a rich widow at

t, "how you scared me! Wha

," said

put in Clarence, half in

ite hands on each of her niece's cheeks, kissed her,

're quite pretty

rbarous not to wear a mask when you ride. Your Pa doesn't look after you properly. I would ask you to stay to the dance to-night if your skin were

mot

h a grand air at the head of the table, while Alfred took the lid from the silver soup-tureen in front of her. "Jinny, can't you say

horse talk?" said Virginia. "Wh

Colfax, laughing,

irginia. "He hasn't a se

n. And his mother, as

He has the place here to look after, a very gentle

men in the South. What do we know about business an

ear," was her aunt's reply.

It was all very well to be a gentleman in the days of my great-grandfather. But now we have railroads and steamboats. And who builds them? The Yankees. We of the South think of our ancestors, and dr

guidly on her niece's faces w

o send you to boarding-school. How mean of Mr. Vance not to come! You've be

reprobate," said

t. "Don't be eccentric. It isn't fashionable. I

o make a locomotive or a cotton press, or to build a bridge, I should go into a

aid Mrs. Colfax, and added