飘

word　of　honor　of　a　Scalawag　and　a　dozen　fancy　ladies；　we　may　have　a　chance　of　getting　the　men　off。”
　There　was　a　sardonic　grin　on　his　face　at　the　last　words　but　it　faded　as　Melanie　turned　up　to　him　a　face　that　blazed　with　gratitude。
　“Captain　Butler；　you　are　so　smart！　I　wouldn’t　have　cared　if　you’d　said　they　were　in　hell　itself　tonight；　if　it　saves　them！　For　I　know　and　every　one　else　who　matters　knows　that　my　husband　was　never　in　a　dreadful　place　like　that！”
　“Well—”　began　Rhett　awkwardly；　“as　a　matter　of　fact；　he　was　at　Belle’s　tonight。”
　Melanie　drew　herself　up　coldly。
　“You　can　never　make　me　believe　such　a　lie！”
　“Please；　Miss　Melly！　Let　me　explain！　When　I　got　out　to　the　old　Sullivan　place　tonight；　I　found　Mr。　Wilkes　wounded　and　with　him　were　Hugh　Elsing　and　Dr。　Meade　and　old　man　Merriwether—”
　“Not　the　old　gentleman！”　cried　Scarlett。
　“Men　are　never　too　old　to　be　fools。　And　your　Uncle　Henry—”
　“Oh；　mercy！”　cried　Aunt　Pitty。
　“The　others　had　scattered　after　the　brush　with　the　troops　and　the　crowd　that　stuck　together　had　come　to　the　Sullivan　place　to　hide　their　robes　in　the　chimney　and　to　see　how　badly　Mr。　Wilkes　was　hurt。　But　for　his　wound；　they’d　be　headed　for　Texas　by　now—all　of　them—but　he　couldn’t　ride　far　and　they　wouldn’t　leave　him。　It　was　necessary　to　prove　that　they　had　been　somewhere　instead　of　where　they　had　been；　and　so　I　took　them　by　back　ways　to　Belle　Watling’s。”
　“Oh—I　see。　I　do　beg　your　pardon　for　my　rudeness；　Captain　Butler。　I　see　now　it　was　necessary　to　take　them　there　but—　Oh；　Captain　Butler；　people　must　have　seen　you　going　in！”
　“No　one　saw　us。　We　went　in　through　a　private　back　entrance　that　opens　on　the　railroad　tracks。　It’s　always　dark　and　locked。”
　“Then　how—？”
　“I　have　a　key；”　said　Rhett　laconically；　and　his　eyes　met　Melanie’s　evenly。
　As　the　full　impact　of　the　meaning　smote　her；　Melanie　became　so　embarrassed　that　she　fumbled　with　the　bandage　until　it　slid　off　the　wound　entirely。
　“I　did　not　mean　to　pry—”　she　said　in　a　muffled　voice；　her　white　face　reddening；　as　she　hastily　pressed　the　towel　back　into　place。
　“I　regret　having　to　tell　a　lady　such　a　thing。”
　“Then　it’s　true！”　thought　Scarlett　with　an　odd　pang。　Then　he　does　live　with　that　dreadful　Watling　creature！　He　does　own　her　house！”
　“I　saw　Belle　and　explained　to　her。　We　gave　her　a　list　of　the　men　who　were　out　tonight　and　she　and　her　girls　will　testify　that　they　were　all　in　her　house　tonight。　Then　to　make　our　exit　more　conspicuous；　she　called　the　two　desperadoes　who　keep　order　at　her　place　and　had　us　dragged　downstairs；　fighting；　and　through　the　barroom　and　thrown　out　into　the　street　as　brawling　drunks　who　were　disturbing　the　place。”
　He　grinned　reminiscently。　“Dr。　Meade　did　not　make　a　very　convincing　drunk。　It　hurt　his　dignity　to　even　be　in　such　a　place。　But　your　Uncle　Henry　and　old　man　Merriwether　were　excellent。　The　stage　lost　two　great　actors　when　they　did　not　take　up　the　drama。　They　seemed　to　enjoy　the　affair。　I’m　afraid　your　Uncle　Henry　has　a　black　eye　due　to　Mr。　Merriwether’s　zeal　for　his　part。　He—”
　The　back　door　swung　open　and　India　entered；　followed　by　old　Dr。　Dean；　his　long　white　hair　tumbled；　his　worn　leather　bag　bulging　under　his　cape。　He　nodded　briefly　but　without　words　to　those　present　and　quickly　lifted　the　bandage　from　Ashley’s　shoulder。
　Too　high　for　the　lung；”　he　said。　“If　it　hasn’t　splintered　his　collar　bone　it’s　not　so　serious。　Get　me　plenty　of　towels；　ladies；　and　cotton　if　you　have　it；　and　some　brandy。”
　Rhett　took　the　lamp　from　Scarlett　and　set　it　on　the　table　as　Melanie　and　India　sped　about；　obeying　the　doctor’s　orders。
　“You　can’t　do　anything　here。　Come　into　the　parlor　by　the　fire。”　He　took　her　arm　and　propelled　her　from　the　room。　There　was　a　gentleness　foreign　to　him　in　both　hand　and　voice。　“You’ve　had　a　rotten　day；　haven’t　you？”
　She　allowed　herself　to　be　led　into　the　front　room　and　though　she　stood　on　the　hearth　rug　in　front　of　the　fire　she　began　to　shiver。　The　bubble　of　suspicion　in　her　breast　was　swelling　larger　now。　It　was　more　than　a　suspicion。　It　was　almost　a　certainty　and　a　terrible　certainty。　She　looked　up　into　Rhett’s　immobile　face　and　for　a　moment　she　could　not　speak。　Then：
　“Was　Frank　at—Belle　Watling’s？”
　“No。”
　Rhett’s　voice　was　blunt。
　“Archie’s　carrying　him　to　the　vacant　lot　near　Belle’s。　He’s　dead。　Shot　through　the　head。”
　
　CHAPTER　XLVI
　FEW　FAMILIES　in　the　north　end　of　town　slept　that　night　for　the　news　of　the　disaster　to　the　Klan；　and　Rhett’s　stratagem　spread　swiftly　on　silent　feet　as　the　shadowy　form　of　India　Wilkes　slipped　through　back　yards；　whispered　urgently　through　kitchen　doors　and　slipped　away　into　the　windy　darkness。　And　in　her　path；　she　left　fear　and　desperate　hope。
　From　without；　houses　looked　black　and　silent　and　wrapped　in　sleep　but；　within；　voices　whispered　vehemently　into　the　dawn。　Not　only　those　involved　in　the　night’s　raid　but　every　member　of　the　Klan　was　ready　for　flight　and　in　almost　every　stable　along　Peachtree　Street；　horses　stood　saddled　in　the　darkness；　pistols　in　holsters　and　food　in　saddlebags。　All　that　prevented　a　wholesale　exodus　was　India’s　whispered　message：　“Captain　Butler　says　not　to　run。　The　roads　will　be　watched。　He　has　arranged　with　that　Watling　creature—”　In　dark　rooms　men　whispered：　“But　why　should　I　trust　that　damned　Scalawag　Butler？　It　may　be　a　trap！”　And　women’s　voices　implored：　“Don’t　go！　If　he　saved　Ashley　and　Hugh；　he　may　save　everybody。　If　India　and　Melanie　trust　him—”　And　they　half　trusted　and　stayed　because　there　was　no　other　course　open　to　them。
　Earlier　in　the　night；　the　soldiers　had　knocked　at　a　dozen　doors　and　those　who　could　not　or　would　not　tell　where　they　had　been　that　night　were　marched　off　under　arrest。　René　Picard　and　one　of　Mrs。　Merriwether’s　nephews　and　the　Simmons　boys　and　Andy　Bonnell　were　among　those　who　spent　the　night　in　jail。　They　had　been　in　the　ill…starred　foray　but　had　separated　from　the　others　after　the　shooting。　Riding　hard　for　home　they　were　arrested　before　they　learned　of　Rhett’s　plan。　Fortunately　they　all　replied；　to　questions；　that　where　they　had　been　that　night　was　their　own　business　and　not　that　of　any　damned　Yankees。　They　had　been　locked　up　for　further　questioning　in　the　morning。　Old　man　Merriwether　and　Uncle　Henry　Hamilton　declared　shamelessly　that　they　had　spent　the　evening　at　Belle　Watling’s　sporting　house　and　when　Captain　Jaffery　remarked　irritably　that　they　were　too　old　for　such　goings　on；　they　wanted　to　fight　him。
　Belle　Watling　herself　answered　Captain　Jaffery’s　summons；　and　before　he　could　make　known　his　mission　she　shouted　that　the　house　was　closed　for　the　night。　A　passel　of　quarrelsome　drunks　had　called　in　the　early　part　of　the　evening　and　had　fought　one　another；　torn　the　place　up；　broken　her　finest　mirrors　and　so　alarmed　the　young　ladies　that　all　business　had　been　suspended　for　the　night。　But　if　Captain　Jaffery　wanted　a　drink；　the　bar　was　still　open—
　Captain　Jaffery；　acutely　conscious　of　the　grins　of　his　men　and　feeling　helplessly　that　he　was　fighting　a　mist；　declared　angrily　that　he　wanted　neither　the　young　ladies　nor　a　drink　and　demanded　if　Belle　knew　the　names　of　her　destructive　customers。　Oh；　yes；　Belle　knew　them。　They　were　her　regulars。　They　came　every　Wednesday　night　and　called　themselves　the　Wednesday　Democrats；　though　what　they　meant　by　that　she　neither　knew　or　cared。　And　if　they　didn’t　pay　for　the　damage　to　the　mirrors　in　the　upper　hall；　she　was　going　to　have　the　law　on　them。　She　kept　a　respectable　house　and—　Oh；　their　names？　Belle　unhesitatingly　reeled　off　the　names　of　twelve　under　suspicion；　Captain　Jaffery　smiled　sourly。
　“These　damned　Rebels　are　as　efficiently　organized　as　our　Secret　Service；”　he　said。　“You　and　your　girls　will　have　to　appear　before　the　provost　marshal　tomorrow。”
　“Will　the　provost　make　them　pay　for　my　mirrors？”
　“To　hell　with　your　mirrors！　Make　Rhett　Butler　pay　for　them。　He　owns　the　place；　doesn’t　he？”
　Before　dawn；　every　ex…Confederate　family　in　town　knew　everything。　And　their　negroes；　who　had　been　told　nothing；　knew　everything　too；　by　that　black　grapevine　telegraph　system　which　defies　white　understanding。　Everyone　knew　the　details　of　the　raid；　the　killing　of　Frank　Kennedy　and　crippled　Tommy　Wellburn　and　how　Ashley　was　wounded　in　carrying　Frank’s　body　away。
　Some　of　the　feeling　of　bitter　hatred　the　women　bore　Scarlett　for　her　share　in　the　tragedy　was　mitigated　by　the　knowledge　that　her　husband　was　dead　and　she　knew　it　and　could　not　admit　it　and　have　the　poor　comfort　of　claiming　his　body。　Until　morning　light　disclosed　the　bodies　and　the　authorities　notified　her；　she　must　know　nothing。　Frank　and　Tommy；　pistols　in　cold　hands；　lay　stiffening　among　the　dead　weeds　in　a　vacant　lot。　And　the　Yankees　would　say　they　killed　each　other　in　a　common　drunken　brawl　over　a　girl　in　Belle’s　house。　Sympathy　ran　high　for　Fanny；　Tommy’s　wife；　who　had　just　had　a　baby；　but　no　one　could　slip　through　the　darkness　to　see　her　and　comfort　her　because　a　squad　of　Yankees　surrounded　the　house；　waiting　for　Tommy　to　return。　And　there　was　another　squad　about　Aunt　Pitty’s　house；　waiting　for　Frank。
　Before　dawn　the　news　had　trickled　ab