飘

And　she；　the　most　timid　of　females；　had　not　been　frightened　to　be　alone　with　him　in　her　house。
　“Miz　Wilkes　is　right　sensible；　for　a　woman。　She　lowed　that　I　was　all　right　She　‘lowed　that　a　liar　allus　kept　on　lyin’　and　a　thief　kept　on　stealin’　but　folks　don’t　do　more’n　one　murder　in　a　lifetime。　And　she　reckoned　as　how　anybody　who’d　fought　for　the　Confederacy　had　wiped　out　anything　bad　they’d　done。　Though　I　don’t　hold　that　I　done　nothin’　bad；　killin’　my　wife。　。。。　Yes；　Miz　Wilkes　is　right　sensible；　for　a　woman。　。。。　And　I’m　tellin’　you；　the　day　you　leases　convicts　is　the　day　I　quits　you。”
　Scarlett　made　no　reply　but　she　thought；
　“The　sooner　you　quit　me　the　better　it　will　suit　me。　A　murderer！”
　How　could　Melly　have　been　so—so—　Well；　there　was　no　word　for　Melanie’s　action　in　taking　in　this　old　ruffian　and　not　telling　her　friends　he　Was　a　jailbird。　So　service　in　the　army　wiped　out　past　sins！　Melanie　had　that　mixed　up　with　baptism！　But　then　Melly　was　utterly　silly　about　the　Confederacy；　its　veterans；　and　anything　pertaining　to　them。　Scarlett　silently　damned　the　Yankees　and　added　another　mark　on　her　score　against　them。　They　were　responsible　for　a　situation　that　forced　a　woman　to　keep　a　murderer　at　her　side　to　protect　her。
　
　Driving　home　with　Archie　in　the　chill　twilight；　Scarlett　saw　a　clutter　of　saddle　horses；　buggies　and　wagons　outside　the　Girl　of　the　Period　Saloon。　Ashley　was　sitting　on　his　horse；　a　strained　alert　look　on　his　face；　the　Simmons　boys　were　leaning　from　their　buggy；　making　emphatic　gestures；　Hugh　Elsing；　his　lock　of　brown　hair　falling　in　his　eyes；　was　waving　his　hands。　Grandpa　Merriwether’s　pie　wagon　was　in　the　center　of　the　tangle　and；　as　she　came　closer；　Scarlett　saw　that　Tommy　Wellburn　and　Uncle　Henry　Hamilton　were　crowded　on　the　seat　with　him。
　“I　wish；”　thought　Scarlett　irritably；　“that　Uncle　Henry　wouldn’t　ride　home　in　that　contraption。　He　ought　to　be　ashamed　to　be　seen　in　it。　It　isn’t　as　though　he　didn’t　have　a　horse　of　his　own。　He　just　does　it　so　he　and　Grandpa　can　go　to　the　saloon　together　every　night”
　As　she　came　abreast　the　crowd　something　of　their　tenseness　reached　her；　insensitive　though　she　was；　and　made　fear　clutch　at　her　heart。
　“Oh！”　she　thought。　“I　hope　no　one　else　has　been　raped！　If　the　Ku　Klux　lynch　just　one　more　darky　the　Yankees　will　wipe　us　out！”　And　she　spoke　to　Archie。　“Pull　up。　Something’s　wrong。”
　“You　ain’t　goin’　to　stop　outside　a　saloon；”　said　Archie。
　“You　heard　me。　Pull　up。　Good　evening；　everybody。　Ashley—Uncle　Henry—is　something　wrong？　You　all　look　so—”
　The　crowd　turned　to　her；　ripping　their　hats　and　smiling；　but　there　was　a　driving　excitement　in　their　eyes。
　“Something’s　right　and　something’s　wrong；”　barked　Uncle　Henry。　“Depends　on　how　you　look　at　it。　The　way　I　figure　is　the　legislature　couldn’t　have　done　different。”
　The　legislature？　thought　Scarlett　in　relief。　She　had　little　interest　in　the　legislature；　feeling　that　its　doings　could　hardly　affect　her。　It　was　the　prospect　of　the　Yankee　soldiers　on　a　rampage　again　that　frightened　her。
　“What’s　the　legislature　been　up　to　now？”
　“They’ve　flatly　refused　to　ratify　the　amendment；”　said　Grandpa　Merriwether　and　there　was　pride　in　his　voice。　“That’ll　show　the　Yankees。”
　“And　there’ll　be　hell　to　pay　for　it—I　beg　your　pardon；　Scarlett；”　said　Ashley。
　“Oh；　the　amendment？”　questioned　Scarlett；　trying　to　look　intelligent。
　Politics　were　beyond　her　and　she　seldom　wasted　time　thinking　about　them。　There　had　been　a　Thirteenth　Amendment　ratified　sometime　before　or　maybe　it　had　been　the　Sixteenth　Amendment　but　what　ratification　meant　she　had　no　idea。　Men　were　always　getting　excited　about　such　things。　Something　of　her　lack　of　comprehension　showed　in　her　face　and　Ashley　smiled。
　“It’s　the　amendment　letting　the　darkies　vote；　you　know；”　he　explained。　“It　was　submitted　to　the　legislature　and　they　refused　to　ratify　it。”
　“How　silly　of　them！　You　know　the　Yankees　are　going　to　force　it　down　our　throats！”
　“That’s　what　I　meant　by　saying　there’d　be　hell　to　pay；”　said　Ashley。
　“I’m　proud　of　the　legislature；　proud　of　their　gumption！”　shouted　Uncle　Henry。　“The　Yankees　can’t　force　it　down　our　throats　if　we　won’t　have　it”
　“They　can　and　they　will。”　Ashley’s　voice　was　calm　but　there　was　worry　in　his　eyes。　“And　it’ll　make　things　just　that　much　harder　for　us。”
　“Oh；　Ashley；　surely　not！　Things　couldn’t　be　any　harder　than　they　are　now！”
　“Yes；　things　can　get　worse；　even　worse　than　they　are　now。　Suppose　we　have　a　darky　legislature？　A　darky　governor？　Suppose　we　have　a　worse　military　rule　than　we　now　have？”
　Scarlett’s　eyes　grew　large　with　fear　as　some　understanding　entered　her　mind。
　“I’ve　been　trying　to　think　what　would　be　best　for　Georgia；　best　for　all　of　us。”　Ashley’s　face　was　drawn。　“Whether　it’s　wisest　to　fight　this　thing　like　the　legislature　has　done；　rouse　the　North　against　us　and　bring　the　whole　Yankee　Army　on　us　to　cram　the　darky　vote　down　us；　whether　we　want　it　or　not。　Or—swallow　our　pride　as　best　we　can；　submit　gracefully　and　get　the　whole　matter　over　with　as　easily　as　possible。　It　will　amount　to　the　same　thing　in　the　end。　We’re　helpless。　We’ve　got　to　take　the　dose　they’re　determined　to　give　us。　Maybe　it　would　be　better　for　us　to　take　it　without　kicking。”
　Scarlett　hardly　heard　his　words；　certainly　their　full　import　went　over　her　head。　She　knew　that　Ashley；　as　usual；　was　seeing　both　sides　of　a　question。　She　was　seeing　only　one　side—how　this　slap　in　the　Yankees’　faces　might　affect　her。
　“Going　to　turn　Radical　and　vote　the　Republican　ticket；　Ashley？”　jeered　Grandpa　Merriwether　harshly。
　There　was　a　tense　silence。　Scarlett　saw　Archie’s　hand　make　a　swift　move　toward　his　pistol　and　then　stop。　Archie　thought；　and　frequently　said；　that　Grandpa　was　an　old　bag　of　wind　and　Archie　had　no　intention　of　letting　him　insult　Miss　Melanie’s　husband；　even　if　Miss　Melanie’s　husband　was　talking　like　a　fool。
　The　perplexity　vanished　suddenly　from　Ashley’s　eyes　and　hot　anger　flared。　But　before　he　could　speak；　Uncle　Henry　charged　Grandpa。
　“You　God—you　blast—　I　beg　your　pardon；　Scarlett—　Grandpa；　you　jackass；　don’t　you　say　that　to　Ashley！”
　“Ashley　can　take　care　of　himself　without　you　defending　him；”　said　Grandpa　coldly。　“And　he　is　talking　like　a　Scalawag。　Submit；　hell！　I　beg　your　pardon；　Scarlett。”
　“I　didn’t　believe　in　secession；”　said　Ashley　and　his　voice　shook　with　anger。　“But　when　Georgia　seceded；　I　went　with　her。　And　I　didn’t　believe　in　war　but　I　fought　in　the　war。　And　I　don’t　believe　in　making　the　Yankees　madder　than　they　already　are。　But　if　the　legislature　has　decided　to　do　it；　I’ll　stand　by　the　legislature。　I—”
　“Archie；”　said　Uncle　Henry　abruptly；　“drive　Miss　Scarlett　on　home。　This　isn’t　any　place　for　her。　Politics　aren’t　for　women　folks　anyway；　and　there’s　going　to　be　cussing　in　a　minute。　Go　on；　Archie。　Good　night；　Scarlett。”
　As　they　drove　off　down　Peachtree　Street；　Scarlett’s　heart　was　beating　fast　with　fear。　Would　this　foolish　action　of　the　legislature　have　any　effect　on　her　safety？　Would　it　so　enrage　the　Yankees　that　she　might　lose　her　mills？
　“Well；　sir；”　rumbled　Archie；　“I’ve　hearn　tell　of　rabbits　spittin’　in　bulldogs’　faces　but　I　ain’t　never　seen　it　till　now。　Them　legislatures　might　just　as　well　have　hollered　‘Hurray　for　Jeff　Davis　and　the　Southern　Confederacy’　for　all　the　good　it’ll　do　them—and　us。　Them　nigger…lovin’　Yankees　have　made　up　their　mind　to　make　the　niggers　our　bosses。　But　you　got　to　admire　them　legislatures’　sperrit！”
　“Admire　them？　Great　balls　of　fire！　Admire　them？　They　ought　to　be　shot！　It’ll　bring　the　Yankees　down　on　us　like　a　duck　on　a　June　bug。　Why　couldn’t　they　have　rati—radi—whatever　they　were　supposed　to　do　to　it　and　smoothed　the　Yankees　down　instead　of　stirring　them　up　again？　They’re　going　to　make　us　knuckle　under　and　we　may　as　well　knuckle　now　as　later。”
　Archie　fixed　her　with　a　cold　eye。
　“Knuckle　under　without　a　fight？　Women　ain’t　got　no　more　pride　than　goats。”
　
　When　Scarlett　leased　ten　convicts；　five　for　each　of　her　mills；　Archie　made　good　his　threat　and　refused　to　have　anything　further　to　do　with　her。　Not　all　Melanie’s　pleading　or　Frank’s　promises　of　higher　pay　would　induce　him　to　take　up　the　reins　again。　He　willingly　escorted　Melanie　and　Pitty　and　India　and　their　friends　about　the　town　but　not　Scarlett。　He　would　not　even　drive　for　the　other　ladies　if　Scarlett　was　in　the　carriage。　It　was　an　embarrassing　situation；　having　the　old　desperado　sitting　in　judgment　upon　her；　and　it　was　still　more　embarrassing　to　know　that　her　family　and　friends　agreed　with　the　old　man。
　Frank　pleaded　with　her　against　taking　the　step。　Ashley　at　first　refused　to　work　convicts　and　was　persuaded；　against　his　will；　only　after　tears　and　supplications　and　promises　that　when　times　were　better　she　would　hire　free　darkies。　Neighbors　were　so　outspoken　in　their　disapproval　that　Frank；　Pitty　and　Melanie　found　it　hard　to　hold　up　their　heads。　Even　Peter　and　Mammy　declared　that　it　was　bad　luck　to　work　convicts　and　no　good　would　come　of　it。　Everyone　said　it　was　wrong　to　take　advantage　of　the　miseries　and　misfortunes　of　others。
　“You　didn’t