But；〃 still more demurely； and affectedly smoothing out her crisp
skirt with her little hands； 〃yo' haven't been troubling me much
with yo'r counsel lately。〃
A swift and utterly new comprehension swept over Courtland。 For
the first time in his knowledge of her he suddenly grasped what
was； perhaps； the true conception of her character。 Looking at her
clearly now； he understood the meaning of those pliant graces； so
unaffected and yet always controlled by the reasoning of an
unbiased intellect； her frank speech and plausible intonations！
Before him stood the true…born daughter of a long race of
politicians！ All that he had heard of their dexterity； tact； and
expediency rose here incarnate； with the added grace of womanhood。
A strange sense of reliefperhaps a dawning of hopestole over
him。
〃But how will this insure Cato's safety hereafter； or give
protection to the others？〃 he said； fixing his eyes upon her。
〃The future won't concern YO' much； co'nnle； if as yo' say here
yo'r resignation is sent in； and yo'r successor appointed；〃 she
replied； with more gravity than she had previously shown。
〃But you do not think I will leave YOU in this uncertainty；〃 he
said passionately。 He stopped suddenly； his brow darkened。 〃I
forgot；〃 he added coldly； 〃you will be well protected。 Your
COUSINwill give you the counsel of raceandcloser ties。〃
To his infinite astonishment； Miss Sally leaned forward in her
chair and buried her laughing face in both of her hands。 When her
dimples had become again visible； she said with an effort； 〃Don't
yo' think； co'nnle； that as a peacemaker my cousin was even a
bigger failure than yo'self？〃
〃I don't understand；〃 stammered Courtland。
〃Don't yo' think；〃 she continued； wiping her eyes demurely； 〃that
if a young woman about my size； who had got perfectly tired and
sick of all this fuss made about yo'； because yo' were a No'th'n
man； managing niggersif that young woman wanted to show her
people what sort of a radical and abolitionist a SO'TH'N man of
their own sort might become； she'd have sent for Jack Dumont as a
sample？ Eh？ Only； I declare to goodness； I never reckoned that he
and Higbee would revive the tomfooling of the vendetta； and take to
shootin' each other at once。〃
〃And your sending for your cousin was only a feint to protect me？〃
said Courtland faintly。
〃Perhaps he didn't have to be SENT for； co'nnle；〃 she said； with a
slight touch of coquetry。 〃Suppose we say； I LET HIM COME。 He'd
be hanging round； for he has property here； and wanted to get me to
take it up with mine in the company。 I knew what his new views and
ideas were； and I thought I'd better consult Champneywho； being a
foreigner； and an older resident than yo'； was quite neutral。 He
didn't happen to tell YO' anything about itdid he； co'nnle？〃 she
added with a grave mouth； but an indescribable twinkle in her eyes。
Courtland's face darkened。 〃He didand he further told me； Miss
Dows； that he himself was your suitor； and that you had refused him
because of the objections of your people。〃
She raised her eyes to his swiftly and dropped them。
〃And yo' think I ought to have accepted him？〃 she said slowly。
〃No！ butyou knowyou told me〃he began hurriedly。 But she had
already risen； and was shaking out the folds of her dress。
〃We're not talking BUSINESS co'nnleand business was my only
excuse for coming here； and taking Sophy's place。 I'll send her in
to yo'； now。〃
〃But； Miss Dows！Miss Sally！〃
She stoppedhesitateda singular weakness for so self…contained a
natureand then slowly produced from her pocket a second letter
the one that Courtland had directed to the company。 〃I didn't read
THIS letter； as I just told yo' co'nnle； for I reckon I know what's
in it； but I thought I'd bring it with me too； in case YO' CHANGED
YO'R MIND。〃
He raised himself on his pillow as she turned quickly away； but in
that single vanishing glimpse of her bright face he saw what
neither he nor any one else had ever seen upon the face of Sally
Dowsa burning blush！
〃Miss Sally！〃 He almost leaped from the bed； but she was gone。
There was another rustle at the doorthe entrance of Sophy。
〃Call her back； Sophy； quick！〃 he said。
The negress shook her turbaned head。 〃Not much； honey！ When Miss
Sally say she goesshe done gone； shuah！〃
〃But； Sophy！〃 Perhaps something in the significant face of the
girl tempted him； perhaps it was only an impulse of his forgotten
youth。 〃Sophy！〃 appealingly〃tell me！is Miss Sally engaged to
her cousin？〃
〃Wat dat？〃 said Sophy in indignant scorn。 〃Miss Sally engaged to
dat Dumont！ What fo'？ Yo' 're crazy！ No！〃
〃Nor Champney？ Tell me； Sophy； has she a LOVER？〃
For a moment the whites of Sophy's eyes were uplifted in speechless
scorn。 〃Yo' ask dat！ Yo' lyin' dar wid dat snake…bit arm！ Yo'
lyin' dar； and Miss Sallywho has only to whistle to call de fust
quality in de State raoun hercoming and going here wid you； and
trotting on yo'r arrantsand yo' ask dat！ Yes！ she has a lover；
and what's me'； she CAN'T HELP IT； and yo' 're her lover； and
what's me'； YO' can't help it either！ And yo' can't back out of it
nowbo'fe of yo'nebber！ Fo' yo' 're hers； and she's yo'rsfo'
ebber。 For she sucked yo' blood。〃
〃What！〃 gasped Courtland； aghast at what he believed to be the
sudden insanity of the negress。
〃Yes！ Whar's yo'r eyes？ whar's yo'r years？ who's yo' dat yo'
didn't see nor heah nuffin？ When dey dragged yo' outer de swamp
dat nightwid de snake…bite freshen yo'r armdidn't SHE； dat poh
chile！dat same Miss Sallyfrow herself down on yo'； and put dat
baby mouf of hers to de wound and suck out de pizen and sabe de
life ob yo' at de risk ob her own？ Say？ And if dey's any troof in
Hoodoo； don't dat make yo' one blood and one soul！ Go way； white
man！ I'm sick of yo'。 Stop dar！ Lie down dar！ Hol' on； co'nnle；
for massy's sake。 Well； darI'll call her back！〃
And she did！
〃Look heredon't you knowit rather took me by surprise；〃 said
Champney； a few days later； with a hearty grip of the colonel's
uninjured hand； 〃but I don't bear malice； old fellow； and； by Jove！
it was SUCH a sensible； all…round； business…like choice for the
girl to make that no wonder we never thought of it before。 Hang it
all； you see a fellow was always so certain it would be something
out of the way and detrimental； don't you know； that would take the
fancy of a girl like thatsomebody like that cousin of hers or
Higbee； or even ME； by Jove that we never thought of looking beyond
our nosesnever thought of the BUSINESS！ And YOU all the time so
cold and silent and matter…of…fact about it！ But I congratulate
you！ You've got the business down on a safe basis now； and what's
more； you've got the one woman who can run it。〃
They say he was a true prophet。 At least the Syndicate affairs
prospered； and in course of time even the Reeds and the Higbees
participated in the benefits。 There were no more racial
disturbances； only the districts polled a peaceful and SMALLER
Democratic majority at the next election。 There were not wanting
those who alleged that Colonel Courtland had simply become MRS。
COURTLAND'S SUPERINTENDENT； that she had absorbed him as she had
every one who had come under her influence； and that she would not
rest until she had made him a Senator （to represent Mrs。 Courtland）
in the councils of the nation。 But when I last dined with them in
Washington； ten years ago； I found them both very happy and
comfortable； and I remember that Mrs。 Courtland's remarks upon
Federal and State interests； the proper education of young girls；
and the management of the family； were eminently wise and practical。
THE CONSPIRACY OF MRS。 BUNKER。
PART I。
On the northerly shore of San Francisco Bay a line of bluffs
terminates in a promontory； at whose base； formed by the crumbling
debris of the cliff above； there is a narrow stretch of beach； salt
meadow； and scrub oak。 The abrupt wall of rock behind it seems to
isolate it as completely from the mainland as the sea before it
separates it from the opposite shore。 In spite of its contiguity
to San Francisco；opposite also； but hidden by the sharp re…
entering curve of coast；the locality was wild； uncultivated； and
unfrequented。 A solitary fisherman's cabin half hidden in the
rocks was the only trace of habitation。 White drifts of sea…gulls
and pelican across the face of the cliff； gray clouds of sandpipers
rising from the beach； the dripping flight of ducks over the salt
meadows； and the occasional splash of a seal from the rocks； were
the only signs of life that could be seen from the decks of passing
ships。 And yet the fisherman's cabin was occupied by Zephas Bunker
and his young wife； and he had succeeded in wresting from the hard
soil pasturage for a cow and goats； while his lateen…sailed
fishing…boat occasionally rode quietly in the sheltered cove below。
Three years ago Zephas Bunker； an ex…whaler； had found himself
stranded on a San Francisco wharf and had 〃hired out〃 to a small
Petaluma farmer。 At the end of a year he had acquired little taste
for the farmer's business； but considerable for the farmer's
youthful daughter； who； equally weary of small agriculture； had
consented to elope with him in order to escape it。 They were
married at Oakland； he put his scant earnings into a fishing…boat；
discovered the site for his cabin； and brought his bride thither。
The novelty of the change pleased her； although perhaps it was but
little advance on her previous humble position。 Yet she preferred
her present freedom to the bare restricted home life of her past；
the perpetual presence of the restless sea was a relief to the old
monotony of the wheat field and its isolated drudgery。 For Mary's
youthful fancy； thinly sustained in childhood by the lightest
literary food； had neither been stimulated nor disillusioned by her
marriage。 That practical experience which is usually the end of
girlish romance had left her still a child in sentiment。 The long
absences of her husband in his fishing…boat kept her from wearying
of or even knowing his older and unequal companionship； it gave her
a freedom her girlhood had n