飘

the　middle　of　November　and　then　he　lit　out。　And　he　set　fire　to　the　whole　town　when　he　left　and　burned　everything。”
　“Oh；　surely　not　everything！”　cried　the　girls　in　dismay。
　It　was　inconceivable　that　the　bustling　town　they　knew；　so　full　of　people；　so　crowded　with　soldiers；　was　gone。　All　the　lovely　homes　beneath　shady　trees；　all　the　big　stores　and　the　fine　hotels—surely　they　couldn’t　be　gone！　Melanie　seemed　ready　to　burst　into　tears；　for　she　had　been　born　there　and　knew　no　other　home。　Scarlett’s　heart　sank　because　she　had　come　to　love　the　place　second　only　to　Tara。
　“Well；　almost　everything；”　Frank　amended　hastily；　disturbed　by　the　expressions　on　their　faces。　He　tried　to　look　cheerful；　for　he　did　not　believe　in　upsetting　ladies。　Upset　ladies　always　upset　him　and　made　him　feel　helpless。　He　could　not　bring　himself　to　tell　them　the　worst。　Let　them　find　out　from　some　one　else。
　He　could　not　tell　them　what　the　army　saw　when　it　marched　back　into　Atlanta；　the　acres　and　acres　of　chimneys　standing　blackly　above　ashes；　piles　of　half…burned　rubbish　and　tumbled　heaps　of　brick　clogging　the　streets；　old　trees　dying　from　fire；　their　charred　limbs　tumbling　to　the　ground　in　the　cold　wind。　He　remembered　how　the　sight　had　turned　him　sick；　remembered　the　bitter　curses　of　the　Confederates　when　they　saw　the　remains　of　the　town。　He　hoped　the　ladies　would　never　hear　of　the　horrors　of　the　looted　cemetery；　for　they’d　never　get　over　that。　Charlie　Hamilton　and　Melanie’s　mother　and　father　were　buried　there。　The　sight　of　that　cemetery　still　gave　Frank　nightmares。　Hoping　to　find　jewelry　buried　with　the　dead；　the　Yankee　soldiers　had　broken　open　vaults；　dug　up　graves。　They　had　robbed　the　bodies；　stripped　from　the　coffins　gold　and　silver　name　plates；　silver　trimmings　and　silver　handles。　The　skeletons　and　corpses；　flung　helter…skelter　among　their　splintered　caskets；　lay　exposed　and　so　pitiful。
　And　Frank　couldn’t　tell　them　about　the　dogs　and　the　cats。　Ladies　set　such　a　store　by　pets。　But　the　thousands　of　starving　animals；　left　homeless　when　their　masters　had　been　so　rudely　evacuated；　had　shocked　him　almost　as　much　as　the　cemetery；　for　Frank　loved　cats　and　dogs。　The　animals　had　been　frightened；　cold；　ravenous；　wild　as　forest　creatures；　the　strong　attacking　the　weak；　the　weak　waiting　for　the　weaker　to　die　so　they　could　eat　them。　And；　above　the　ruined　town；　the　buzzards　splotched　the　wintry　sky　with　graceful；　sinister　bodies。
　Frank　cast　about　in　his　mind　for　some　mitigating　information　that　would　make　the　ladies　feel　better。
　“There’s　some　houses　still　standing；”　he　said；　“houses　that　set　on　big　lots　away　from　other　houses　and　didn’t　catch　fire。　And　the　churches　and　the　Masonic　hall　are　left　And　a　few　stores　too。　But　the　business　section　and　all　along　the　railroad　tracks　and　at　Five　Points—well；　ladies；　that　part　of　town　is　flat　on　the　ground。”
　“Then；”　cried　Scarlett…bitterly；　“that　warehouse　Charlie　left　me；　down　on　the　tracks；　it’s　gone　too？”
　“If　it　was　near　the　tracks；　it’s　gone；　but—”　Suddenly　he　smiled。　Why　hadn’t　he　thought　of　it　before？　“Cheer　up；　ladies！　Your　Aunt　Pitty’s　house　is　still　standing。　It’s　kind　of　damaged　but　there　it　is。”
　“Oh；　how　did　it　escape？”
　“Well；　it’s　made　of　brick　and　it’s　got　about　the　only　slate　roof　in　Atlanta　and　that　kept　the　sparks　from　setting　it　afire；　I　guess。　And　then　it’s　about　the　last　house　on　the　north　end　of　town　and　the　fire　wasn’t　so　bad　over　that　way。　Of　course；　the　Yankees　quartered　there　tore　it　up　aplenty。　They　even　burned　the　baseboard　and　the　mahogany　stair　rail　for　firewood；　but　shucks！　It’s　in　good　shape。　When　I　saw　Miss　Pitty　last　week　in　Macon—”
　“You　saw　her？　How　is　she？”
　“Just　fine。　Just　fine。　When　I　told　her　her　house　was　still　standing；　she　made　up　her　mind　to　come　home　right　away。　That　is—if　that　old　darky；　Peter；　will　let　her　come。　Lots　of　the　Atlanta　people　have　already　come　back；　because　they　got　nervous　about　Macon。　Sherman　didn’t　take　Macon　but　everybody　is　afraid　Wilson’s　raiders　will　get　there　soon　and　he’s　worse　than　Sherman。”
　“But　how　silly　of　them　to　come　back　if　there　aren’t　any　houses！　Where　do　they　live？”
　“Miss　Scarlett；　they’re　living　in　tents　and　shacks　and　log　cabins　and　doubling　up　six　and　seven　families　in　the　few　houses　still　standing。　And　they’re　trying　to　rebuild。　Now；　Miss　Scarlett；　don’t　say　they　are　silly。　You　know　Atlanta　folks　as　well　as　I　do。　They　are　plumb　set　on　that　town；　most　as　bad　as　Charlestonians　are　about　Charleston；　and　it’ll　take　more　than　Yankees　and　a　burning　to　keep　them　away。　Atlanta　folks　are—begging　your　pardon；　Miss　Melly—as　stubborn　as　mules　about　Atlanta。　I　don’t　know　why；　for　I　always　thought　that　town　a　mighty　pushy；　impudent　sort　of　place。　But　then；　I’m　a　countryman　born　and　I　don’t　like　any　town。　And　let　me　tell　you；　the　ones　who　are　getting　back　first　are　the　smart　ones。　The　ones　who　come　back　last　won’t　find　a　stick　or　stone　or　brick　of　their　houses；　because　everybody’s　out　salvaging　things　all　over　town　to　rebuild　their　houses。　Just　day　before　yesterday；　I　saw　Mrs。　Merriwether　and　Miss　Maybelle　and　their　old　darky　woman　out　collecting　brick　in　a　wheelbarrow。　And　Mrs。　Meade　told　me　she　was　thinking　about　building　a　log　cabin　when　the　doctor　comes　back　to　help　her。　She　said　she　lived　in　a　log　cabin　when　she　first　came　to　Atlanta；　when　it　was　Marthasville；　and　it　wouldn’t　bother　her　none　to　do　it　again。　‘Course；　she　was　only　joking　but　that　shows　you　how　they　feel　about　it。”
　“I　think　they’ve　got　a　lot　of　spirit；”　said　Melanie　proudly。　“Don’t　you；　Scarlett？”
　Scarlett　nodded；　a　grim　pleasure　and　pride　in　her　adopted　town　filling　her。　As　Frank　said；　it　was　a　pushy；　impudent　place　and　that　was　why　she　liked　it。　It　wasn’t　hidebound　and　stick…in…the…muddish　like　the　older　towns　and　it　had　a　brash　exuberance　that　matched　her　own。　“I’m　like　Atlanta；”　she　thought。　“It　takes　more　than　Yankees　or　a　burning　to　keep　me　down。”
　“If　Aunt　Pitty　is　going　back　to　Atlanta；　we’d　better　go　back　and　stay　with　her；　Scarlett；”　said　Melanie；　interrupting　her　train　of　thought。　“She’ll　die　of　fright　alone。”
　“Now；　how　can　I　leave　here；　Melly？”　Scarlett　asked　crossly。　“If　you　are　so　anxious　to　go；　go。　I　won’t　stop　you。”
　“Oh；　I　didn’t　mean　it　that　way；　darling；”　cried　Melanie；　flushing　with　distress。　“How　thoughtless　of　me！　Of　course；　you　can’t　leave　Tara　and—and　I　guess　Uncle　Peter　and　Cookie　can　take　care　of　Auntie。”
　“There’s　nothing　to　keep　you　from　going；”　Scarlett　pointed　out；　shortly。
　“You　know　I　wouldn’t　leave　you；”　answered　Melanie。　“And　I—I　would　be　just　frightened　to　death　without　you。”
　“Suit　yourself。　Besides；　you　wouldn’t　catch　me　going　back　to　Atlanta。　Just　as　soon　as　they　get　a　few　houses　up；　Sherman　will　come　back　and　burn　it　again。”
　“He　won’t　be　back；”　said　Frank　and；　despite　his　efforts；　his　face　drooped。　“He’s　gone　on　through　the　state　to　the　coast。　Savannah　was　captured　this　week　and　they　say　the　Yankees　are　going　on　up　into　South　Carolina。”
　“Savannah　taken！”
　“Yes。　Why；　ladies；　Savannah　couldn’t　help　but　fall。　They　didn’t　have　enough　men　to　hold　it；　though　they　used　every　man　they　could　get—every　man　who　could　drag　one　foot　after　another。　Do　you　know　that　when　the　Yankees　were　marching　on　Milledgeville；　they　called　out　all　the　cadets　from　the　military　academies；　no　matter　how　young　they　were；　and　even　opened　the　state　penitentiary　to　get　fresh　troops？　Yes；　sir；　they　turned　loose　every　convict　who　was　willing　to　fight　and　promised　him　a　pardon　if　he　lived　through　the　war。　It　kind　of　gave　me　the　creeps　to　see　those　little　cadets　in　the　ranks　with　thieves　and　cutthroats。”
　“They　turned　loose　the　convicts　on　us！”
　“Now；　Miss　Scarlett；　don’t　you　get　upset。　They’re　a　long　way　off　from　here；　and　furthermore　they’re　making　good　soldiers。　I　guess　being　a　thief　don’t　keep　a　man　from　being　a　good　soldier；　does　it？”
　“I　think　it’s　wonderful；”　said　Melanie　softly。
　“Well；　I　don’t；”　said　Scarlett　flatly。　“There’s　thieves　enough　running　around　the　country　anyway；　what　with　the　Yankees　and—”　She　caught　herself　in　time　but　the　men　laughed。
　“What　with　Yankees　and　our　commissary　department；”　they　finished　and　she　flushed。
　“But　where’s　General　Hood’s　army？”　interposed　Melanie　hastily。　“Surely　he　could　have　held　Savannah。”
　“Why；　Miss　Melanie；”　Frank　was　startled　and　reproachful；　“General　Hood　hasn’t　been　down　in　that　section　at　all。　He’s　been　fighting　up　in　Tennessee；　trying　to　draw　the　Yankees　out　of　Georgia。”
　“And　didn’t　his　little　scheme　work　well！”　cried　Scarlett　sarcastically。　“He　left　the　damn　Yankees　to　go　through　us　with　nothing　but　schoolboys　and　convicts　and　Home　Guards　to　protect　us。”
　“Daughter；”　said　Gerald　rousing　himself；　“you　are　profane。　Your　mother　will　be　grieved。”
　“They　are　damn　Yankees！”　cried　Scarlett　passionately。　“And　I　never　expect　to　call　them　anything　else。”
　At　the　mention　of　Ellen　everyone　felt　queer　and　conversation　suddenly　ceased。　Melanie　again　interposed。
　“When　you　were　in　Macon　did　you　see　India　and　Honey　Wilkes？　Did　they—had　they　heard　anything　of　Ashley？”
　“Now；　Miss　Melly；　you　know　if　I’d　had