The Law of the Land

occupants had certain problems of their own to absorb them. A strange unrest seemed in possession of the pl

er hands at labor than there should have been, he did not notice the fact as he rode on, his hat p

age. She strolled about the yard, finding fellowship with the hounds, with the horses in the neighboring pasture. She looked up in pensive question at the clouds

been so eager, even from the first day when he met her at the Big House? What had he to do with her coming to the Big House? Why did her mother now leave

n hour ago she had last seen Henry Decherd. He was not there as she peered in at the door; wherefore she needed no

ight head, and her shoulders carried back with a certain haughtiness. Yet only a gracious, pensive goddess might have had this wistfulness in the deep eyes, this little pensive droop of the mouth corne

ok, a little old-fashioned book, in the French language, the covers now broken and faded, though once of brave red morocco. The type was old and quaint, and the paper yellow with age. Miss Lady had never seen this book before, and now, failing

p so close. You are always frightening me that

we must not keep Colonel Bl

oisson-isn't that a pretty name!-who was a captive among the Indians, or something of that sort. She was an heiress, like enough, too, I can't make out just what, but certainly well-bo

spend your time better tha

rl went to France, to Paris, a

to begin reading books of proper sort. I don't kn

e book you

se not. I don't k

er! How much, too, that had meant in the life of Miss Lady, its chance finder! Yet this was not to be. Fate sometimes teaches a woman to

interest in the little volume was far greater than she cared to evince. She hesitated. Her eyes turned to it again and again, her hands longed to clutch it. Once more in her

; you know we've Mr. Decherd, and perhaps other company. That girl Delphine has r

s Lady, coolly, and swep

ut turned away presently, quite as anxious as she was ang

with his people that evening, though he could not tell what. Some of them talked too much. Miss Lady laughed too much. The boss was too thoughtful, and young Massa Decherd-whom Sam had never learned to l

Sam?" asked C

e, sah, h-h-h-he wa

t with us? Don't you know your manners, Sam? Why do I give you this place to run if

, "b-b-but he wouldn't c-c-c- come in;

uldn't co

ome out, sah. W-w-w-wants to se

e gallery awaiting the appearance of Colonel Blount. The lat

re just in time for dinner

n your dinner! I have come back because as a white man I've got to tell you what you o

said he, shor

wn below

rds the Sa

plot going on for a long time. They think you have been too rough with them, and, in fact, I reckon they are just generally right desperate and dangerous. They've heard a lot of this political and educational talk from up Nort

Blount, simply

"I am telling you this because you are

man threw a long arm over his shoulders, so that for an instant they looked in

til you take back this infernal

se you better. There's no time for that sort of thing now. Come in and sit down at my table-and now you,

bove the clear-seeing dark eyes. Here again, by miracle, had come his friend, to meet him in the smother of the grimy way of life! Yet he thought the girl looked at him but coldly as he stood wearily apart. He felt himself unaccredited, a man of no station. Again ther

lance indifferently turned, a word calmly or coolly spoken. And so he raged, unhappy in his own ignorance, and most of all unhappy for that, now disobedient to all his mandates,

etter course of action to set him straight; and in the uneasy silence, tense, overs

g, dimly aware that now in spite of himself he was established on some sort of footing in the Big House, none the less reflected that the occasion counted for but little from a social standpoint. He caught himself looking at the door where the tall young woman had disappeared. For the time he forgot his own station, and his own errand in that place. He forgot no more than an instant, for there ca

s; and he smiled with yet greater pleasure when he peered out of the window into the twilight and saw riding up to the gate his other neighbor, Jim Bo

own gun 'long heah, 'lowin' I might see somethin' 'long the road, even if it is gittin' a little dark

something is

uckner, evincing n

e can get. Bowles, take your wife inside to get something to eat, and you,

moving figures, but within the Big House there was no confusion. Colonel

g for every black head you can make a hole in to- night. What would you like? Say about two dollars?" Decherd gulped and reddened, and made such shamefac

he Blount pack going out, I don't believe I would ride along." He was away before Decher

dring, "don't you hear it? That'

of white men face

s here to me at once." He turned to them, a

wo pistols, and go into Miss Lady's room. No matter what happens, you stay there until you are called. If any one tries to get into the room, wait until he gets almost in, then shoot, and shoot straight. Don't be scared

eye did not flicker or falter. She looked straight at each man, at Bowles and Buckner, both impassive, at Calvin Blount, now beginning to f

that did not tremble as much as did his in stammering a reply. So s

u people, every one of you. If I see a head out of the window this night it will get a hole put through it. Do you hear? Get under

e, there arose the challenge of the white man's bell, ca