飘

d　her　still　more　of　the　times　preceding　the　Klan　foray　when　Frank　lost　his　life。　She　remembered　with　dread　Rhett’s　remark　that　he　would　even　join　their　damned　Klan　to　be　respectable；　though　he　hoped　God　would　not　lay　so　heavy　a　penance　on　his　shoulders。　Suppose　Rhett；　like　Frank—
　One　night　when　he　was　out　later　than　usual　she　could　stand　the　strain　no　longer。　When　she　heard　the　rasp　of　his　key　in　the　lock；　she　threw　on　a　wrapper　and；　going　into　the　gas　lit　upper　hall；　met　him　at　the　top　of　the　stairs。　His　expression；　absent；　thoughtful；　changed　to　surprise　when　he　saw　her　standing　there。
　“Rhett；　I’ve　got　to　know！　I’ve　got　to　know　if　you—if　it’s　the　Klan—is　that　why　you　stay　out　so　late？　Do　you　belong—”
　In　the　flaring　gas　light　he　looked　at　her　incuriously　and　then　he　smiled。
　“You　are　way　behind　the　times；”　he　said。　“There　is　no　Klan　in　Atlanta　now。　Probably　not　in　Georgia。　You’ve　been　listening　to　the　Klan　outrage　stories　of　your　Scalawag　and　Carpetbagger　friends。”
　“No　Klan？　Are　you　lying　to　try　to　soothe　me？”
　“My　dear；　when　did　I　ever　try　to　soothe　you？　No；　there　is　no　Klan　now。　We　decided　that　it　did　more　harm　than　good　because　it　just　kept　the　Yankees　stirred　up　and　furnished　more　grist　for　the　slander　mill　of　his　Excellency；　Governor　Bullock。　He　knows　he　can　stay　in　power　just　so　long　as　he　can　convince　the　Federal　government　and　the　Yankee　newspapers　that　Georgia　is　seething　with　rebellion　and　there’s　a　Klansman　hiding　behind　every　bush。　To　keep　in　power　he’s　been　desperately　manufacturing　Klan　outrage　stories　where　none　exist；　telling　of　loyal　Republicans　being　hung　up　by　the　thumbs　and　honest　darkies　lynched　for　rape。　But　he’s　shooting　at　a　nonexistent　target　and　he　knows　it。　Thank　you　for　your　apprehensions；　but　there　hasn’t　been　an　active　Klan　since　shortly　after　I　stopped　being　a　Scalawag　and　became　an　humble　Democrat。”
　Most　of　what　he　said　about　Governor　Bullock　went　in　one　ear　and　out　the　other　for　her　mind　was　mainly　occupied　with　relief　that　there　was　no　Klan　any　longer。　Rhett　would　not　be　killed　as　Frank　was　killed；　she　wouldn’t　lose　her　store　or　his　money。　But　one　word　of　his　conversation　swam　to　the　top　of　her　mind。　He　had　said　“we；”　linking　himself　naturally　with　those　he　had　once　called　the　“Old　Guard。”
　“Rhett”　she　asked　suddenly；　“did　you　have　anything　to　do　with　the　breaking　up　of　the　Klan？”
　He　gave　her　a　long　look　and　his　eyes　began　to　dance。　“My　love；　I　did。　Ashley　Wilkes　and　I　are　mainly　responsible。”
　“Ashley—and　you？”
　“Yes；　platitudinously　but　truly；　politics　make　strange　bedfellows。　Neither　Ashley　nor　I　cared　much　for　each　other　as　bedfellows　but—　Ashley　never　believed　in　the　Klan　because　he’s　against　violence　of　any　sort。　And　I　never　believed　in　it　because　it’s　damned　foolishness　and　not　the　way　to　get　what　we　want。　It’s　the　one　way　to　keep　the　Yankees　on　our　necks　till　Kingdom　Come。　And　between　Ashley　and　me；　we　convinced　the　hot　heads　that　watching；　waiting　and　working　would　get　us　further　than　nightshirts　and　fiery　crosses。”
　“You　don’t　mean　the　boys　actually　took　your　advice　when　you—”
　“When　I　was　a　speculator？　A　Scalawag？　A　consorter　with　Yankees？　You　forget　Mrs。　Butler；　that　I　am　now　a　Democrat　in　good　standing；　devoted　to　my　last　drop　of　blood　to　recovering　our　beloved　state　from　the　hands　of　her　ravishers！　My　advice　was　good　advice　and　they　took　it。　My　advice　in　other　political　matters　is　equally　good。　We　have　a　Democratic　majority　in　the　legislature　now；　haven’t　we？　And　soon；　my　love；　we　will　have　some　of　our　good　Republican　friends　behind　the　bars。　They　are　a　bit　too　rapacious　these　days；　a　bit　too　open。”
　“You’d　help　put　them　in　jail？　Why；　they　were　your　friends！　They　let　you　in　on　that　railroad…bond　business　that　you　made　thousands　out　of！”
　Rhett　grinned　suddenly；　his　old　mocking　grin。
　“Oh；　I　bear　them　no　ill　will。　But　I’m　on　the　other　side　now　and　if　I　can　assist　in　any　way　in　putting　them　where　they　belong；　I’ll　do　it。　And　how　that　will　redound　to　my　credit！　I　know　just　enough　about　the　inside　of　some　of　these　deals　to　be　very　valuable　when　the　legislature　starts　digging　into　them—and　that　won’t　be　far　off；　from　the　way　things　look　now。　They’re　going　to　investigate　the　governor；　too；　and　they’ll　put　him　in　jail　if　they　can。　Better　tell　your　good　friends　the　Gelerts　and　the　Hundons　to　be　ready　to　leave　town　on　a　minute’s　notice；　because　if　they　can　nab　the　governor；　they’ll　nab　them　too。”
　For　too　many　years　Scarlett　had　seen　the　Republicans；　backed　up　by　the　force　of　the　Yankee　Army；　in　power　in　Georgia　to　believe　Rhett’s　light　words。　The　governor　was　too　strongly　entrenched　for　any　legislature　to　do　anything　to　him；　much　less　put　him　in　jail。
　“How　you　do　run　on；”　she　observed。
　“If　he　isn’t　put　in　jail；　at　least　he　won’t　be　reelected。　We’re　going　to　have　a　Democratic　governor　next　time；　for　a　change。”
　“And　I　suppose　you’ll　have　something　to　do　with　it？”　she　questioned　sarcastically。
　“My　pet；　I　will。　I　am　having　something　to　do　with　it　now。　That’s　why　I　stay　out　so　late　at　nights。　I’m　working　harder　than　I　ever　worked　with　a　shovel　in　the　gold　rush；　trying　to　help　get　the　election　organized。　And—I　know　this　will　hurt　you；　Mrs。　Butler；　but　I　am　contributing　plenty　of　money　to　the　organization；　too。　Do　you　remember　telling　me；　years　ago；　in　Frank’s　store；　that　it　was　dishonest　for　me　to　keep　the　Confederate　gold？　At　last　I’ve　come　to　agree　with　you　and　the　Confederate　gold　is　being　spent　to　get　the　Confederates　back　into　power。”
　“You’re　pouring　money　down　a　rat　hole！”
　“What！　You　call　the　Democratic　party　a　rat　hole？”　His　eyes　mocked　her　and　then　were　quiet；　expressionless。　“It　doesn’t　matter　a　damn　to　me　who　wins　this　election。　What　does　matter　is　that　everyone　knows　I’ve　worked　for　it　and　that　I’ve　spent　money　on　it。　And　that’ll　be　remembered　in　Bonnie’s　favor　in　years　to　come。”
　“I　was　almost　afraid　from　your　pious　talk　that　you’d　had　a　change　of　heart；　but　I　see　you’ve　got　no　more　sincerity　about　the　Democrats　than　about　anything　else。”
　“Not　a　change　of　heart　at　all。　Merely　a　change　of　hide。　You　might　possibly　sponge　the　spots　off　a　leopard　but　he’d　remain　a　leopard；　just　the　same。”
　Bonnie；　awakened　by　the　sound　of　voices　in　the　hall；　called　sleepily　but　imperiously：　“Daddy！”　and　Rhett　started　past　Scarlett。
　“Rhett；　wait　a　minute。　There’s　something　else　I　want　to　tell　you。　You　must　stop　taking　Bonnie　around　with　you　in　the　afternoons　to　political　meetings。　It　just　doesn’t　look　well。　The　idea　of　a　little　girl　at　such　places！　And　it　makes　you　look　so　silly。　I　never　dreamed　that　you　took　her　until　Uncle　Henry　mentioned　it；　as　though　he　thought　I　knew　and—”
　He　swung　round　on　her　and　his　face　was　hard。
　“How　can　you　read　wrong　in　a　little　girl　sitting　on　her　father’s　lap　while　he　talks　to　friends？　You　may　think　it　looks　silly　but　it　isn’t　silly。　People　will　remember　for　years　that　Bonnie　sat　on　my　lap　while　I　helped　run　the　Republicans　out　of　this　state。　People　will　remember　for　years—”　The　hardness　went　out　of　his　face　and　a　malicious　light　danced　in　his　eyes。　“Did　you　know　that　when　people　ask　her　who　she　loves　best；　she　says　‘Daddy　and　the　Demiquats；’　and　who　she　hates　most；　she　says：　‘The　Scallywags。’　People；　thank　God；　remember　things　like　that”
　Scarlett’s　voice　rose　furiously。　“And　I　suppose　you　tell　her　I’m　a　Scalawag！”
　“Daddy！”　said　the　small　voice；　indignant　now；　and　Rhett；　still　laughing；　went　down　the　hall　to　his　daughter。
　
　That　October　Governor　Bullock　resigned　his　office　and　fled　from　Georgia。　Misuse　of　public　funds；　waste　and　corruption　had　reached　such　proportions　during　his　administration　that　the　edifice　was　toppling　of　its　own　weight。　Even　his　own　party　was　split；　so　great　had　public　indignation　become。　The　Democrats　had　a　majority　in　the　legislature　now；　and　that　meant　just　one　thing。　Knowing　that　he　was　going　to　be　investigated　and　fearing　impeachment；　Bullock　did　not　wait。　He　hastily　and　secretly　decamped；　arranging　that　his　resignation　would　not　become　public　until　he　was　safely　in　the　North。
　When　it　was　announced；　a　week　after　his　flight；　Atlanta　was　wild　with　excitement　and　joy。　People　thronged　the　streets；　men　laughing　and　shaking　hands　in　congratulation；　ladies　kissing　each　other　and　crying。　Everybody　gave　parties　in　celebration　and　the　fire　department　was　kept　busy　fighting　the　flames　that　spread　from　the　bonfires　of　jubilant　small　boys。
　Almost　out　of　the　woods！　Reconstruction’s　almost　over！　to　be　sure；　the　acting　governor　was　a　Republican　too；　but　the　election　was　coming　up　in　December　and　there　was　no　doubt　in　anyone’s　mind　as　to　what　the　result　would　be。　And　when　the　election　came；　despite　the　frantic　efforts　of　the　Republicans；　Georgia　once　more　had　a　Democratic　governor。
　There　was　joy　then；　excitement　too；　but　of　a　different　sort　from　that　which　seized　the　town　when　Bullock　took　to　his　heels。　This　was　a　more　sober　heartfelt　joy；　a　deep…souled　feeling　of　thanksgiving；　and　the　churches　were　filled　as　ministers　reverently　thanked　God　for　the　deliverance　of　the　state。　There　was　pride　too；　mingled　with　the　elation　and　joy；　pride　that　Georgia　was　back　i