VOLUME ONE
SCARLETT 0'HARA was not beautifu, but men seldom realzed it when caught by her charm asthe Tareton twins were.lnher face wer to sharply blended the delcate features of her mothe, a Coast anistocrat of French descent,andthe heavy ones of her flond lish father. ut itwas an aresting ace,pointed ofchin,square of aw. Her eyes were pale gren without a touch ofhazel,staed withbistyblack lashes and siohtly tited at the ends. Above them, her thick black brows slanted upward,cuting a tarting oblique ine in her manola-white skin-that skin so pnzed by outhem women nd so carefully quarded with bonnets, veils and mittens against hot Georgia sunsSeated with shatand Brent adetoninthe coolshade ofthe porch of ara. her athers plantation,that biohtApnl aftemoon of1861,she made a prety picture.Her new qren flowered-musindfespread its weNe yards ot oowing maienal over her hoops and exactly matched the atheled ren moroco silppersher tather had recenty orouoht her rom Atanta.The dres set ofto perection the seventeen-inch waist, the smallest in three counties, and the tightly fitting basque.showed breasts well matured for her sixteen years, But for all the modesty of her spreading skirts, the demuenes of hai neted smoothlyinto a chignon and the quietnes of smalwhite hands folded in herlap, her true sef was poonyconcealed. The gren eyes in the carefly siet face were turtbuent, wilu,lusty with ile, distinctlyatvanance with her decorous demeanou. Her maners had ben imposed upon her by her mother's gentle admonitions and the stemer disdipine of her mammr;her eveswere her own.
On either side of her the twins lounged easily in their.suinting at the sunlight through tall mint-garnished glasses as they laughed and talked, their long legs, booted to the knee and thickwith sadle muscdes, rosed nealigenty. Nineteen yearsold, sxfeet two inches tal,long of bone and hard of musdle, with sunbured faces and dep aubum hair,their eyes mery and arogant their odies clothed in identical blue coats and mustard-coloured breeches, they were as much alike as two bols of cottonOutside,the late aftermoon sun slanted down inthe yard,throwinginto gleaming brightnes the dogwood trees that were soid mases of white blosoms against the background ofnew gren. The twins horses were hitchedinthe diveway,big animaks,red as their masters hair;and around the horses legs quareed the pack oflean, nenous posum hounds that acompganied stuart and Brentwherever they went. A litle aloof as became an aristocrat, lay a blackspoted cariage dog, muzzle on paws, patienty waiting for the boys to go home to super.Betwenthe hounds and the horses and the twinstherewas a kinship deeper than that of their onstant companionship. They were al healthy, thoughtes young animals,slek, gfaceful high-spiited, the bovs as metlesome as the horses they rode, mettlesome and dangerous but, witha, sweet-tempered to those who knew how to handle themAlthough born to the ease of plantation life, waited on hand and foot since: infancy, the faces of the three on the porch were neither slack nor soft. They had the vigour and alertness of country pecple who have spent alther ives in the open and troubled therheads very itle wth du things in books. ifeinthe noth Gorgia county of Claytonwas stllnew and,acording to the standards of Auousta, Sauvamnah and chareston, a itle crude, The more sedate and older sections ofthe south looked down their noses at the up- countnyGeorgians,but here in norh Georlia.a lack ofthe nicetiesof dlasrcal educaton caed no shame, prowided a man wasmart in thethings that matered. And raisng good coton, iding wel,shooting straight, dancing ichtl,squing theladieswith eleganceand carrying one's liquor like a gentleman were the things that matteredIn these acomplishments the twins exceled,and they were equaly outstanding in their notonousimabity to lea anything contained betwen the covers of book. Their amly had more moneymore horses, more slaves than anyone else in the County, but the boys had less grammar than most of thei poor Cracker neighboursIt was forthis predise reason that stuart and Brentwere iding on the porch of ara this Aprl aftemoon.They had justben expeled fromthe Uhiversity of Geargia,the fourth unversily that had thown them out in two vears; and their older brothers,om and Bovd, had come home withthem,because they refused to remain at an insitution wherethe twins were not welcome. stuart and Brent considered theirlatest exousion afine ioke.and scaet.who had notwiinalv opened a booksince leavina the favetevile female Academv the vear before.thouoht it ust as amusina as thev did.
I knowyou two don'tcare aboutbeing expeled, orfom eithet’she said. "But what about Bovd? Hes kind of set on geting an education, and you two havepuled him out ofthe UhiversiyoVirginia and Alabama and South Carolina and now Georgia. He'll never get finished at this rate. '
'Oh, he can read law in Judge Parmalee's office over in Fayetteville,'answered Brent carelessly.. 'Besides, it don't matter much. We'd have had to come home before the term was out anyway.
"Why?'The war, goose! The war's going to start any day, and you don't suppose any of us would stay in college with a war going on, do you?You know there isn't going to be anywar’ said carelt bored. "ts aljust tak.Wwhy, Ashley Wikes and his father told Pa just ast wekthat ourcommisioners in Washington would come to-to-an-amicable agrement with Mrt lincoln about the Confederacy. And anway,the Yankees are too scared ofus to fight. There won't be any wa, and 'm tired of heaning about it'Not going to be any war!’ cried the twins indignantly, as though they had been defrauded.Why, honey, of coursetheres going to be awar,’ said stuart. "The Yankes maybe scared ofus, but after the way General Beauregard sheled them out ofort umter day before yesterday, they'l have to fight or stand branded as cowards before the whole world. Why the Confederacy-.Scarlett made a mouth of bored impatienc
lfyou say "war" just once more,!lgo in the house and shut the doorlve never oten so tred ofanyone word inmylfe as "war",unles its "ecesion".Patalks war moming, non andmight,and a the gentiemen who come to se him shout about fort sumter and states Riohts and Abe lincon illaetso bored lcoud sceam! And thats althe boustak about too.that and their od Trop. There hasn't ben anyfun at any partythispnng because the boyscan't tak about anything else.'m miohty glad Georgia waited il after Chistmasbeforeitseceded or it would have ruinedthe Christmas parties, too. lf you say“warmaqain,i'll go in the house.
She meant what she said, for she could never long endure any conersation of whichshe was not the chief subject. ut she smed when she spoke, conciously deepening her dimple and futeringher bistlyblack lashes as swiftly as buteries wings,.The boyswere enchanted, as she had intended themto be ,and they hastened to apologize for boing her. hey thoughtnone theles of herfor her lack of interest. indeed, they thought more, War was men's business, not ladies, and they took her attitude as evidence of her femininity.Having manoeuvred them away from the boring subject of war, she went back with interest to their immediate situation."What did your mother say about you two being expelled again?The boys looked uncomfortable,recalling their mother's conduct three months ago when they had come home,by reouest from the University of Viroinia"Wel,’ said stuart, $he hasn't had achance to say anything yet. Tom and us eft home eary this moming before she gotup and om's laying outover at the fontaines while we came over hel2'Didn't she say anything when you got home last night?'
We werein ucklastnioht ust beforewe got homethatnew stalion Ma gotin enuckvlast monthwas brouohtin and the place was in asiew The bio butehes a grand hore.scanet. you m
ustel our pato come over and se him noht awalv-hed already bten a hunkout ot his cirm on he way down here andhed tramled two otMas oarkes whomethe train atlonesbor. And usbefore we got home, he'd about kicked the stable down and half-killed Strawberry, Ma's old stallion.. When we got home, Ma was out in the stable with a sackful of sugar smoothing him down and doingit mighty wel,toa. The darkies were hangjing from the raters,pop-eyed,they were so scared, but Ma was taking to the horse ike he was foks and he was eating out of herhand. There aint nobodyAnd then the horse began snorting and rearinlike Ma with a horse. And when she saw us she said: "in Heaven's name, what are you four doing home again? You're worse than the plagues of Eqypt!"g andshe saidt. "Getout ot here! an't you see he's nervous,the big daning? ltend toyou fourin the moming!”l so we went to bed,and this moming we gotaway before she could caitch us and lelt Boyd to handle her.
"Do you suppose shellhit Bovd?’scanet,lkethe rest ofthe County could never et used to the way smal Mrs. areton bulied her grown sons and laid her riding-crop ontheir backsifthe ocasion seemed to warrant it.
Beatice areton wasa busy woma. awo onhet handsnot ony a ate colan pantatin. a hundeo neores ano eintchlren outhe arest horse-predin am unthe state aswel she washotiempered and easiy plaoued bvthe freaent scapes of her foursons. and while no one was pemitedto whip a hore ora save.she fet that a icknow and then didn't do the bovs any ham.'Ofcourse she won't hit Boyd. she never did beat Boyd much because he's the oldest and besideshe's the nunt ofthe iter,’ said stuart, proud ofhis six feet two. "Thats why welet him at home to explain things to her. God'lmighty, Ma ought to stop licking us! We're nineteen and Tom's twenty-one, and she acts like we're six years old.'"Will your mother ride the new horse to the Wilkes barbecue tomorrow?She wants to,but Pa savs he's too dangerous.And, anwway, the ils won't let her. They said they were going to have her goto one party at eatlike a lady iding inthe camage.said Scarlett.. 'it's rained nearly every day for a week, There's nothing worse than a barbecue tured into an indoor picnic.'I hope it doesn't rain to-morrow,'Oh, it'l be clear to-morrow and hot as June,' said Stuart.'Look at that sunset, | never saw one redder, You can always tell weather by sunsetsThey looked out acros the endes acres of Gerald 0Hara's newyploughed coton felds toward the red honzon. Now thathe sunwas seting in a welterof imson behind the hilsacros thefint River, the warmth of the April day was ebbing into a faint but balmy chill.Spring had come eanythat year,withwarm quick rains and sudden frothing of pik peach blosoms and dogwood dapling wth white stars the dark ier swamp and farof hils.Already the ploughing was near finished,and the bloody glony ofthe sunset oloured the fresh-caut funows of red Geargia day to even redder hues, The moist hungryeanth,waiting uptumed forthe coton seeds showed pinkish on the sandy tops of furrowsvermilion and scarlet and maroon where shadows lay along the sides of the trenches, The whitewashed brick plantation house seemed an island set in a wildred sea.a sea of spralino.cring. rescentblows petied sudeny atthe momentwenthe pinkctipped waves wele breakin into suf forherewere no iono, staiphtfurows such as coud be sen in the yelow claytieldis of the tiat miadle Georgla countny orin the ush black eath of the coastal bantations.The roing fothilcounty of north Georgiawas pouphed in a milon cunes o keep the rich earth from washina down into the river bottoms
Itwas a salvagely red land, blood-coloured after rains,bnck-dustindroughts, the best coiton andinthe wor'd. twas a pleasant land ofwhite houses, peacehul ploughed fielis and sluaish velonmvers, but a and of contrasts,ofbrghtest sun-glare and densest shade, The plantation deanngs and mies of coton fields smed up to a wam sun,placid, complacent Atheir edges rosethe virgin frests, dark and col evenin the hotestnoons,mstenous, a tle sinister,the soughina pines seemina to waitwth an aoe-old patence.to threaten with sot sighs: "e careful! Becarelu we had youonce, We can take you back aqain.
To the ears ofthe thre onthe porch came the sounds of hooves, thejinging of hames chains and the shil careleslaughterof negro woices,as the field hands and mules came in from thefelds.From within the house floated the sotvoice of canetts mothe, Elen 0Hara. as she caled to the itle black oi who caed her basket ofkers.The hioh-pitched dhildish yoice answered "asm.’ and there were sounds of footsteps going outhe backway toward the smokehouse where len would ration outhe food o thehome-coming hands. There wasthe cick ot china andthe ratle of iver as Pork, the valet-butler of Tara, laid the table for supper.
At these lastsounds,the twins realzedit wastimethey were starting home.But they wereloath to face thei mother and they lingered on the porch of ara, momentanly expecting scareto givethem an invitation to supper.
Look Scaret. About tomoow’said Brent. "ust becauseweve ben away and didntknow about the batbecue and the bal thats noreason why we shouldnt et plenhy ofdanresto-morw night. You haven't promised them all, have you?'
"Well, l have! How did l know you all would be home? l couldn't risk being a wallflower just waiting on you two."You a wallflower!' The boys laughed uproariously
Look. honey. You've got to aiwe me the first waltz and stu the last one and youve got to eat super withus, Wellit on the stairlanding ke we did at thelast bal and get Mammy lingyto comtell our fortunes again.
I don't ke Mammy Jincy's fortunes.You know she said was going to mary a gentleman withjet black hair and a long black moustache, and l don' like black haired gentemen.’"You like 'em red-headed, don't you, honey?’ grinned Brent. 'Now, come on, promise us all the waltzes and the supper.'f you'll promise, we'll tell you a secret,' said Stuart.
What?'cried Scarlett, alert as a child at the word.
'ls it what we heard yesterday in Atlanta, Stu? lf it is, you know we promised not to tell. '
"Well, Miss Pitty told us.
'Miss who?"
"You know, Ashley Wilkes’ cousin who lives in Atlanta, Miss Pitty-pat Hamilton-Charles and Melanie Hamilton's aunt.
'I do, and a sillier old lady l never met in all my life.
"Wel, when we were in Atanta yesterday, waiting forthe home train,her cariage went bythe depotand she stoped and talked to us and she told us there wasgoing to be an engagement anounced to-morrow night at the Wilkes ball'
'Oh, lknow about that,’said scanetin disappointment. That sily nephew otfhers,chanie Hamiton, and Honey Wikes. Evenybodys known foryearsthat theyd get mamied some time,even if he did seem kind of lukewarm about it. '
f he did seem kind of lukewarm about it.
'Do you think he's silly?'questioned Brent.'Last Christmas you sure let him buzz round you plenty.
'I couldn't help him buzzing,’ Scarlett shrugged negligently. ' think he's an awful sissy.'Besides, it isn't his engagement that's going to be announced,’ said Stuart triumphantly. "t's Ashley's to Charie's sister, Miss Melanie!Scanelts face did not change but her ips went white ike a person who has receied a stuning blow withoutwaring and who, in the frst moments of shock,does not realze whathas happenedSo still was her face as she stared at Stuart that he, neverr analytic, took it for granted that she was merely surprised and very interested.
"Mis pity told us they hadn't intended announcingitilnext year, because Mis Mely hasn't ben veny wel;but with althe war tak going around,everbodyin both famiesthought it would be beter o get marmed real soon. so it's to be anounced to-morow might at the supperintermsion.Now, caet,weve told you the secret so youve got to promise to eat supper with us.'Ofcourse lwill,"Scarlett said automatically
'And all the waltzes?'
AI.'
"You're sweet! !'ll bet the other boys will be hopping mad.
'Let 'em be mad,’ said Brent. "We two can handle 'em. Look, Scarlett. Sit with us at the barbecue in the morning.
"What?
Stuart repeated his request.
'Of course."
The twins ooked at each other ubilantly but with some surprise.Athough they considered themsewes scanet's favoured sutors, they had never before gained tokens of this favour so easil. sulyshe made them beg and plead, whe she put them ot refusing to give a Yes orNo answer laughing ifthey suked, growing colifthey bercame angy. And here she had practicaly promised themthe whole of to morow-seats by her athe barbecue,al thewalzes (and theyd se to it thathe dances were alwaltzes, and the supper intemision.That wasworth geting expeled fom the univesity.
Filed with new enthusasm by theirsuces, they ingered on,talking abouthe barbecue andthe bal and Ashey Wikes and Melanie Hamiton,interupting each othet making jokes and laughingat them, hintino bradly for invtatons to supper.some timehad pased beforetheyrealzed that canet washavng wen ie to sav. The atmosphere had somehow changed. ust how the twns dinnot kmow, buthe fine qlow had gone out ofthe afternoon.scaret seemed to be paying itle atention to whathey said, athough she made the corect answers.sensing something they could not understand, baffled and annoved by it, the twins strugaled along for a while, and then rose reluctantly, lookina at their watchesThe sun was low acrs the new-ploughed fields and the tal wds acrosthe mver were looming backly in sihouete.chimney swaowswere daring swifty acros the yard and chikens, ducks and turkeys were waddling and strutting and straggling in from the fields.
And after an interval a tallblack boy oftheir own age ran breathlesly around the house and out toward the tethered horses, eems was their body-servant and,like theStuart bellowed: Jeems!dogs,accompanied them everywhere.He had been ther childhood playmate and had ben gwven to the twins for therown on thertenth bithday. Atthe sight ofhim,the Tareton hounds rose up ouof thered dustand stod waiting expectanty fortheir masters. he boys bowed,shook hands and told scanet theyd be over at the Wwikes earyinthe moming; waiting forher. Then they were of down the wak at a rush, mounted their horses and,followed by leems, went down the avenue of cedars at a galop, waving their hats and yeling back to her.
When they had rounded the curve of the dusty road that hid them from ara, Brent drew his horse to a stop under a cump of dogwood.stuart halted, too, and the danky boypuled up a few pacesbehind them.The horses,feing slack reins,stretched down their necks to crop the tender spning gras,and the patienthounds lay dowm again in the soft ed dustand ooked up longjingly athe chimney swallows circling in the gathering dusk, Brent's wide ingenuous face was puzzled and mildly indignant.
'Look,' he said. 'Don't it look to you like she would of asked us to stay for supper?
'I thought she would,’ said Stuart. "l kept waiting for her to do it, but she didn't. What do you make of it? '
" don't make anything ofit. But it ust looks to melke she might of Afer al,it's ourfirst day home and she hasn't seenus in quite a spel.And we had lots more things to telher.'
'lt looked to me like she was mighty glad to see us when we came.
' thought so, too.
'And then, about a half-hour ago, she got kind of quiet, like she had a headache.
'Il noticed that but l didn't pay it any mind then. What do you suppose ailed her?"
'I dunno. Do you suppose we said something that made her mad?'
They both thought for a minute.'I can't think of anything. Besides, when Scarlett gets mad, everybody knows it. she don't hold herself in like some girls do.'"es that's what like about her she dontgo around being cold and hateful when shes mad she tels you about it.But itwas somethingwe did or said that made her shut up talking and ook sort of sick. l could swear she was glad to see us when we came and was aiming to ask us to supper. '
"You don't suppose it's because we got expelled? "
"Hell. no! Don't be a fool, she laughed ike evervthing when we told her about it And besides scanet don't set any more store by book leaming than we do.Brent turned in the saddle and called to the negro groom
Jeems!
'suh?"
'You heard what we were talkina to Miss Scarlett about?'Nawsuh, Mist' Brent! Huccome you think Ah be spyin'on w'ite folks?"spying, my God! you dankies know evepything that goes on.Why you lar l saw you with my owneyes side round the comer ofthe porch and squat in the cape jesamine bush by the wa. Nowdid you hear us say anything that might have made Miss Scarlett mad-or hurt her feelings?
Thus appealed to, jeems gave up further pretence of not having overheard the conversation and furowed his black brow.
"Nanwsuh,Ah din notice y al say anything ter mek her mad. Lookter me lakshe sho glad ter see you an'sho had missed you,anshe chep along happy as a bird, tel'blout de time yfal got ter talkin' 'bout Mist' Ashley an' Miss Melly Hamilton gittin' mah' ied. Den she quiet down lak a bird w'en de hawk fly ober.'The twins looked at each other and nodded, but without comprehension."eems is right. But l don't se why,’ said Stuart. "y Lord! Ashley don't mean anything to her,’ cept a fiend. she's not crazy about him. lt's us she's crazy about.Brent nodded an agreement."But doyou suppose,’ he said, "that maybe Ashleyhadnt told herhe was going to announce it to-morow nightand she was mad athim for not teling he, an old fiend, before he told evenbody else? Girls set a big store on knowing such things first.'"We, maybe. But what ifhe hadn't told herit was to-monow? it was supposed to be a secretand a surprise,and aman' got aright to kep hisown engagement quiet hasn'the? We wouldn't have kmownit ifis Melys aunt hadn't etit out. ut Scanet musthave known he was going to mary Mis Mey sometime.Wwhy, we've known i foryears The Wikes and Hamiltons always mary theirown cousins, Everybody knew he'd probably marry her some day, just like Honey Wilkes is going to mary Miss Melly's brother, Charles.Wel,l give it up.But 'm sory she didn't askus to supper.l swear l don'twant to go home and isten to Ma take on aboutus being expelled.lt isn't as ifthiswas the first time.'Maybe Boyd wil have smoothed her down by now. You know what a slick talker that little varmint is. You know he always can smooth her down.Nes, he can doit butit takes Bod time.He hasto tak aroundin dirdles tilMa gets o confused that she gives up and tes him to save hisvoicefor his law practice. uthe aint had time to get good started vet Why.!lbet you Ma is silso excited abouthe new horse that shel never even reaze we're home againtil she sits dowmtosuper to-night and ses Bovd.And before supperis oveshel be going strong and breathing fire. And it!l be ten odlock before Bow ets a chance to tel herthatitwouldnthave been honourable foranyofus to stay in coleoe afterthe wav the chancelatalked to you and me. And itlbe midnight before he gets hertumed around to where shes so mad at the Chancelor shel be asking Boyd why he didn't hoot him.No, we cantgo hom til after midnight. "
The twinsloked at each other glumy Theywere completely feanes ofwld harses,shooting afragys and the inaignation of theirneighbours, buthey had a wholesome fear oftheir red-hared mother's outspoken remarks and the riding-crop that she did not scruple to lay across their breeches.
"Well, look,’ said Brent. Let's go over to the Wilkes. Ashley and the girls’U be glad to have us for supper. '
Stuart looked a little discomforted.
Stuart lookec a ltte discomforted.'No, don't let's go there. They'll be in a stew getting ready for the barbecue to-morrow and besides--'Oh, l forgot about that,' said Brent hastily. 'No, don't let's go there.They dlucked to thei horses and rode along insience for a while, a lush of embarasment on Stuarts brown chek. Untlthe previous summer, tuarthad courted india Wikes withthe aprobaton of both famlesandthe entire County. The County felt that pethaps the cool and contained lndia Wikes would have a quieing efect on him.They ferventyhoped so, at any rate. And stuart mighthave made the match, but renthad not ben satisfied. rentliked indla buthe thoughther mighty plain and tame,and he simply could not falin love wth herhimsef to kep Stuartcompany. that was the first time the twins' interests had ever diverged, and Brent was resentful of his brother's attentions to a girl who seemed to him not at all remarkable.Then, last summerat a potical speakingin a grove of oaktres at Jonesbor, they both sudenly became aware of scanet 0"Hara. Theyhad kmown herforyears,and, ince their chidhood,she hid been a favourite playmate, for shecould ride horse:ano cio treealmost as well as thev, But now to their amazement she had become a grown-up voung lady and auite the most charming one inall the world.
They noticed for the rstime how her gren eyes danced, how dep her dimpleswere when she laughed, howtiny her hands and fetand what asmal waist she had. Their deveremarks sent herinto merry peals of laughter and,inspired by the thought that she considered them a remarkable pai, they fairly outdid themselves.It was a memorable day in the te ot he twns. hereate, when they taked t over, hey always wondered ust whythey had taled to notice Scanetts charms betre. They never arved athe corct answer, which wasthat scanet onthat day had deaided to make them notice,.she wasconsitutionaly unabe to endure any man being in ove with any woman nothersel. and the sioh oflndia Wkes and stuart at thespeaking had been too much forherpredatony nature, Not contentwith suar alone she had sether cap for rentas wel and with a thorouohesthat ovepwhelmed the wo ofthem.
Nowythey were both in love with he. and nda wikes and lety Mumrge,from Loveioy, whom Brent had been half heartedly courting,werefarinthe back oftheir minds.just whathe loser woulddo.should scanet aceot eitherone ofthem.the twins did not ask. They would crosthat bidge when they came to it For the presenthey were qute satisied to be in acrd aain aboutone qil, fr they had no jealousies between them. it was a situation which interested the neighbours and annoyed their mother, who had no liking for Scarett."twilsenve you ightif that siy piece does accept one ofyouy,’ shesaid. '0rmavbe shellaceptboth of you,and then you'lhave to move to Utah.ifthe Momonsl have you:which doubt.Althat bothers me is that some one of these davs youre both goingto oetlickered up and ealous of each other abouthattwo faced.ie qen-eved bagage.andyowl shot each other.But tha
might not be a bad idea either.'Since the day of the speaking, Stuart had been uncomfortable in India's.presence. Not that lindia ever reproached him or even indicated by look or gesture that she was aware of his abruptly chanced aleaiance. shewas too much ofa ladv. But tuant felt quty andilatease wither Heknewhe had made india lov him and he knewthatshe stiloved him and,deep in his heant hehad thefeina that he had not plaved the genleman.He stiliked her tremendousyand respected her for her cool good breeding, her bokleaming and al the stering qualties she posesed. ut damn it sheWas lustso palld and uninteresino and awaus the same bespe scael's broht and chanpeaple cham, You awausKhew whele wou stod with nodla andyou neer had he siotestnotionvith srarett, That was enough to drive a man to distraction, but it had its charm.
Well, let's go over to Cade Calvert'sScarlett said Cathleen was home from charleston, Mavbe she'll havenews about Fort Sumter that we haven't heard.
INot Cathlen. lay you two to one she didn't even knowthe fort was out there in the harbou, much les thatitwas iulof ankes untlwe sheled them out. shel know about is the bals she went to and the beaux she collected.'
"Well, it's fun to hear her gabble. And it'll be somewhere to hide out till Ma has gone to bed.Wiel, hel! like Cathlen and she is fun and 'd like to hear about Caro Rhet and the rest ofthe chaneston foks; but 'm damned if can stand siting through another mealwith that Yanke stepmother of hers."
'Don't be too hard on her Stuart, She means well"'mnot being hard on he. feel soryfor her but l don't ke people lve got to felsomyfor.And she fuses around so much, tnying to do the right thing and make you felathome, that she always managesto say and do ust exactlythe wrongthin,.she qives methe fidets! And shethinks southemers are wld baranans, she even told Ma so.shes afaid of southemers. Whenever were theeshe wavs ooks scaedto deat she remnds me otaskiny hen perched ona hat heteles knd otbnohtan bankano sraec.a reaovtolapand soawkathe siontest moe ampowy makes
"Well, you can't blame her, You did shoot Cade in the leg.
AWel,l was lickered up orlwouldn't have doneit,’ said stuart. And Cade never had anyhard felings, Neither did cathlen or aiord orMr.Calvert.twas iust that Yanke stepmother who sgualled and said l was a wild barbarian and decent people weren't safe around uncivilized Southerners.'"Wel, you can't blame her. she's a Yankee and ain't got very good manners; and, after all, you did shoot him and he is her stepson."Wel, hel! That's no excuse for insulting me! You are Ma's own blod son, but did she take on that time Tony fontaine shotyouinthe leg? No,she justsentforold Doc fontaine to dres itand asked the doctor what ailed Tony's aim, Said she quessed licker was spoling his marksmanship, Remember how mad that made Tony? "Both boys yelled with laughter.'Ma's a card!' said Brent with loving approval."You can always count on her to do the right thing and not embarrass you in front of folks."Ves, butshe's mighty liable to takembarassing in fontof father and the gjils when we gethome to-night’said stuart gloomiy. "ook, Brent lgues thismeans we don'tgo to Europe. You know Mother said if we got expelled from another college we couldn't have our Grand Tour. 'AWel,he! We don'tcare, dowe? What isthere to seein Europe? lbet those foreigners can'tshowus a thing we havent ot ichthere inGeorgi. lbet theirhorses aren't as fast or their ils as pretty, and l know damn well they haven't got any rye whisky that can touch Father's.'Ashley Wilkes said they had an awful lot of scenery and music. Ashley liked Europe. He's always talking about it.Welyou know how the Wikes are. They are kind of queer about music and books and scenen. Mothersays it's because ther grandfather came fom Virgina.she savs Viroinians set auite a store by such things."girl to court and a bad girl to have fun with and anybody can have their Europe....hat do we care ab'They can have 'em. Give me a good horse to ride and some gooclckertocrnkanoa do0
out missing the Tour? Supposeenough.l'd heap rather go to a war than go to Europe.were in Europecoming on? Wecoulan't get home'So would l, any day...ook, Brent! l know where we can go for supper. Let's ridethe swamp to Able Wynder's place and tell him we're all four home again and ready for drill.That's an idea!!. cried Brent with enthusiasm. "And we can hear allthe news of the Troop and find out what colour they finally decided on for the uniforms.If it's Zouave, l'm damned if !llgo in the Troop. "'d feel like a sissy in those baggy red pants, They look like ladies'red flannel drawers to me.Is yallaimin' ter go ter ist Wymders?’ Cause ef you is, you ain gwine gitmuch super,’saidlems. "Dey cookdone died,an' dey ain' bought a new one. Dey gota felhan cookin,an deniggers tells me she is de wustest cook in de state..'Good God! Why don't they buy another cook?'Huccome po' w'ite trash buy any niggers? Dey ain' never owned mo'n fo' at de mostes'.There was frank contempt in Jeems voice. His own socal status was asured because the aretons owned a hundred negroes and, ike alslaves oflarge planters, he looked down on smalfamerswhose slaves were few.
"'mgoing to beat yourhide ofor that,’cred stuart fercel. "Dontyou cal Able Wymder "po white" .sure hes poor but he ain't trash;and im damned if lhave any ma. dakyorwhite.throwing off on him, There ain't a better man in this County, or why else did the Troop elect him lieutenant? "Ah ain never fiogered dat out, mahse, replied jeems,undisturbed by his master's scowl."Look ter me lak deyd "ec allde awficers frum ich gempmum, stead of swamp trash.He ain't trash! Do you mean to compare him with realwhite trashlike the slatergys? Able just ain't ich. Hes asmal armer not a big plante, and ifthe boys thought enough of him to elect him ieutenant, then it's not for any darky to talk impudent about him. The Troop knows what it's doing.The trop of avalnyhad ben oranized thre months before, the ver daythat Georia seceded fom the Union, and since then the recnuits had been whisting forwa. The outfit was as yet unamed. thouph notforwant ofsuggestions.fiewpne had hs ownidea onthatsubiect and was oathto relnguish it iustas evenone hadideas abouthe colourand cutofthe unifoms.clavton wilCats', fieEaters', "Noth Geprgia Husals', 2ouaves', Thelnand kines, (althouohthe loopwas to be almed wth pistols, sabres and bove knes andnotwith mes. The Cavton Grys', "The lood and Thunderers', "The Rough and Readys,a had theiradherents. Uintlmaters were setled,evenyone refemed to the organizationas the Troop and despitethe hioh-soundingrame finally adopted, they were known to the end of their usefulness simply as 'The Troop'
The ofircers were elected bwthe memhers forno one inthe Coutyhad had any mltary exerence exceot afew veierans ofthe Mexcan and seminole wars and, besides.the Troop woud have somed a veteran as a leaderiftheyhad not personalliked him and tnusted him.Evenoneliked thefour aneton bovs and the the fonaines,.butregretfuly efused to elect them. because the anetons gotlickered up to0 cuickly and ked to sklark, and the fontaines had such qurk, murderous tempers, Ashney ikeswas elected captain,because hewas the best niderinthe Couny and because his col head was counted on tokep some semblance of orndet. aiford Calvertwas made fistlieutenant, because evegbody liked Ra, and Able Wynde, son of a swamp traper,himself a smalfamer was elected second lieutenant.
Able was a shrewd, grave giant, iliterate, kind of heart, older than the other boys and with as good or better manners in the presence of ladies.There was little snobbery in the Troop. Too many of t: best shot in the Troop, a real sharpshooter who could pick out the eve of a sauirrel at sneir fathers and arandfathers had come un to wealth from the sma farmer class for that Mioreover AhleLUBC
eventy-ive yards,and.,too, he knew allabout lving outdoors,bulding fires in the rain, tracking animals and finding waite. The Troop bowed to real woth and moreovet, because they ked him,they made him an oficet He borethe honour gravely and with no untoward concet,asthough twere onlyhis due. Buthe planters ladies and the planters sanes could not ovedlokthe facthat hewas noiborn a gentleman, even if their men folks could.
Inthe beginmning;the Troop had been recruited exclusively from the sons of planters, a genteman's outt, each man suppying his own horse, ams, equipment, unfom and body-sernvant. ut richplanters were few in the young county of lavton, and,in order to muster a ful-strength troop, ithad been necesany to raise more recruits among the sons ofsmalfarmers, huntersinthe backwoodswamp trappers, Crackers and, in a very few cases, even poor whites, if they were above the average of their classThese latter young men were as anxious to fight the Yankees,, as were their richer neighbours; but the delicate question of money arose. Few small farmers owned horses. They calshould war come.ned on their farm operations with mules and they had no surplus ofthese,seldom more than fou.The mues could not be spared to go ofto war even iftheyhad ben aceptable forthe Troop, whihthey emphatical were not. As forthe poorwhtes,theyconsidered themsees well ffifthey owned onemule. The backwood folks and the swamp dweers owned neither horses normules. Thevwed entirely of the produce oftheirlands and the ame in the swame, conducting therbushes eneraly by the bartersvstem and seldom seing fve dolars in cash a vea.and horses and unifomwere out of their reach. But they were as fiercely proud in theiand they would accept nothing that smacked of charity from their rich neighbours, So, to saethe feeingsofaland to bingthe Troop up to fulstrength,scarets fathe, lohn Wikes,Buck Munroe, im Taeton,Hugh cawert in facteverylange planterinthe counywiththe one exception ofAngus Macintosh, had contributed money to completely outfit the Troop,The upshot of the matter was that every planter agreed to pay for euipping his own sons and a certain numbhorse ana man.er of the others, but the manner of handling thearrandementsw8Such thattheweathy members ot the outi coud accent horsesand uniforms without offence to their honourhe lroop met twrce a week in jonesboro to dinl and to pray torthe warto beo.Arangemens had not yet been completed forobtaining thefulauota ofhorses, but those who had horses peremed whathevimaoined to be cavalny manpeuyes inthe feld behind thecouthouse, idked up a great deal ofdust veled themseves hoare and waved the Rerolutonanrnar swonds that had bealtaken down from parlour walls. Those who, as yet, had no horses sat on the kerb in front of Bullard's store andwatched their mounted comrades, chewed tobacco and told yarns, Or else engaged in shand lives spent in hunting had made marksmen of them all.ooting matches, There was no need to teach any of the men to shoot, Most Southerners were born with quns in theii
From planters' homesand swamp cabins, a vared aray of firearms came to each muste.There were long souirel quns that had ben new when firsthe Alleghenieswere crossed, old muzle-loadersthat had clalmed many an ndan when Georgla was new, horse pstols thathad sen senice in 1812,in the Seminole wars and in Menco,siler-mounted duelina pistols, pocket deringers.doubebarrelled hunting piecesnew rifes of Fnalish make with shinna stocks of fine woocso many fights had broken out that the officers were hard put to ward off casualties until the Yankees could infict them, t was durrDrill always ended in the saloons of jonesboro, and by nightfalg one othese brawis that shuat aneton had shot Cade Cawert and TonyFontane had shot Brent. The twns had ben at home, freshy expeled from theUhwersity ofVrainia, at the time the Troopwas oroanized and theyhad oined enthusiasticalr; but afterthe shooting episode,two months ao,theirmother had packed them ofto the state unversity,with ardersto staythere.They had soelymaway, and they counted education well lost if only they could ride and yell and shoot off rifles in the company of their friends.issed the excitement of the drills while.Well,let's cut across country to Abie's,’suggested Brent. "We can go through Mr. 0'Hara's river bottom and the Fontaines pasture and get there in no timeWe ain' gwine git nothin' ter eat 'cept possum an' greens,' argued Jeems"You ain't going to get anything,’ grinned Stuart. 'Because you are going home and tell Ma that we won't be home for supper.'
'No, Ah ain'!cried Jeems in alarm.'No, Ah ain' ! Ah doan git no mo'fun outer havin' iss Beetriss; lay me out dan y'all does. fust place she'll ast me huccome Ah let y'all git expelled agin. Anexthing;huccome Ah dim bnng yal home temight so she coud ay you out. An den shellight onme laka duckon a lune bug,an fust thing Ah know Ahlbe ter blame ferita. f valdoan tekme ter Mist' Wwyder's, Ah!lay out in de woods al night an mavbe de pateroers git me, tause Ah heap ruther de paterollers git me dan Mis Betris when she in a state.'The twins looked at the determined black boy in perplexity and indignation.
"He'd be justfolenough to ethe paterolers get him and that would aive Ma something else to talk about forweeks. lswear. dakies are more trouble.sometimes lthinkthe Abotionists havgot the right idea.'Wel,it wouldin't be right to make lems face what we don't want to face, Wellhave to take him.But lok, you impudent black fool,if you put on any airs in front ofthe wnder darkies and hintthat we al the time have fried chicken and ham, while they don't have nothing butrabbit and posum, '!ltel Ma. And we won't letyou go to the war with us,either.’"Airs? Me put on airs fo' dem cheap niggers? Nawsuh, Ah got better manners. Ain' Miss Beetriss taught me manners same as she taught y'al? ''She didn't do a very good job on any of the three of us,’ said Stuart, 'Come on, let's get going.He backed his big red horse and then,puting spurs to his side, fted him easily over the split ra fenceinto the sof field of Gerald 0Haras plantation.Brents horse folowed and then lems, withJeems clinging to pommel and mane. Jeems did not like to jump fences, but he had jumped higher ones than this in order to keep up with his mastersAs they picked their way across the red furrows and down the hill to the river bottom in the deepening dusk, Brent yelled to his brother.'Look, Stu! Don't it seem like to you that Scarlett would have asked us to supper? 'I kept thinking she would,' yelled Stuart. "Why do you suppose...
WHEN the hvins et scaetstanding on the porch of ara andthe lastsound of fng hooves had died away,.she went back to her chairlke aslepwaker Her face fet sil asfrom pain and her mouthactualyhurt from hawng stretched it unwllnghy in smies to preventhe twins from leaming hersecret.she sat down weanly,tucking one foot unoer he, and her heart sweled up with miserny untlitfelt too large for her bosom.it beat withod tle jerks; her handswere cold,and afeling of disaster oppresed het Therewere pain and bewildementin her face,the bewidement ofapampered child who has always had her own way for the asking and who now for the first time, was in contact with the unnleasantnes of ife
Ashley to marry Melanie Hamilton!Oh,it couldin't be true! The twins were mistaken.They were playing one oftheir jokes on her.Ashey couldn't,coudn't beinlove wither. Nobody could,notwitha mousy ite person ike MelanieScanet recaled wth contempt Meanies thin childish foure, herserous heat:shaped fae thatwas pain almosto homelines,And Ashey oudnt have sen herin months, He hadnt benin Atantmore than twice since the house panty he gave last year at Twele 0ak. No, Ashley couldn't be in lowve wth Melanie, because-oh,she couldintbe mistakenl-because he was in love wth het!she scareit, was the one he loved-she knew it!
Scarlett heard Mammy's lumbering tread shaking the floor of the haDacCdo for Mammy to suspec2CO1 OreAOUer
t that anything was wrong,Mammy fethat she owed the 0Haras,body and sou, thather secrets were her secrets; and even a hint of a mysteny was enoughto sether upon the tralas relentlesyas a bloodhound.caret knew from expenience that ifMamy's cunostywere not immediately satsied,she would take up the materwith Elen,and then Scaret would be forced to reveal eventhing to her mother, or think up some plausible lie.
Mammy emerged from the hal,ahuge old woman with the smal, hrewd eyes of an elephant. shewas shining black, pure Afican,devoted to her last drop of blood to the 0Haras, Elen's mainsty.the despair ot her three daughters,the teror of the other housesenants.Mammywas black, buther code of conductand hersense of pride were as high as orhigher than those of herowners. shehad been raised in the bedrom of solange Roblard,Elen 0"Haras mothe, a dainty cold, high-nosed frenchwoman, who spared netherher chidren nor her senantstheir just punishment for any infingement ofdecorum.she had been len$s mammy and had come with herfrom Savannah to the up-country whenshe maried.Wwhom Mammyloved,she chastened. And as herlove for scanet andher pride in her were enormous, the chastening process was practically continuous."is de gempmum gone? Huccome you din' ast dem ter stay fer supper, Mis Scarlett? Ah done tole poke ter lay two extry plates fer dem. Whar's yo manners?Oh, was so tired of hearing them talk about the war thatl couldn't have endured it through supper, especially with Pa joining in and shouting about Mr lincoln.You ai gotno mo mamners dan a felnan, an aferMis Elen an'me done laboured wid you. An hyah youis widoutyo' shaw!:An' de night air fxin tersetin! Ah done tole you an' tole you"bout gittin' fever frum settin' in de night air wid nuthin' on yo shoulders. Come on in de house, Miss scarlett.Scaret tured away from Mammy with studied nonchalance,thankful that her face had been unnoticed in Mammy's preoccupation with the mater of the shawl.'No, l want to sit here and watch the sunset.lit's so pretty. You run get my shawl. Please, Mammy, and !'l sit here til Pa comes home."Yo' voice soun' lak you catchin'a cole,'said Mammy suspiciously."Well, l'm not,, said Scarlett impatiently. "You fetch me my shawl.Mammy waddled back into the hall and Scarlett heard her call softly up the stairwell to the upstairs maid.You, Rosa! rap me Mis scarlet's shaw.’ Then, more loudy: Wuthless nigger! she ain' never whar she des nobody no good. Now, Ah got ter cimb up an' ait it mahsef.Scanet heard the stairs groan and she got softy to herfeet. When Mammy retumed she would resume her lecture on Scanets breach of hospitaity and caetfelthat she could not endure prating about such a tialmater when her heart was breaking; As she stood,hesitant,wondering where she could hide untilthe ache in her breast subsided alie,a thought cameto her bringing a smaI rav othoe, Her father had riaden overto Twewe Oaxs, the Wikes pantaton, that itemon to oerto buy Dicey,the brad we ot his valet Pork. Dicey was head woman and midwte at lwewe 0ks, and, since the maliage sikmonths ago,Pork had dewled his master night and day to buy ilcey so the two couldlive on the same plantaton.That aftemoon, Gerald, his resistance wom thin,hadset out to make an offer for Dilcey.
Surely. thouoht scaet.Pa wlknow whether this awu story is te. venithe hasnt aclaly heard amtinathis atamoo,peans hes notced somethina, sased some exitementinthe Wiks family. lf l can just see him privately before supper, perhaps l'l find out the truth-that it's just one of the twins' nasty practical jokes.Itwastime for Gerald' retum and,if she expected to se him alone,therewas nothing for herto do except meet him where the diveway entered the road. shewent quietydown the front steps,ooking carefly overher shoulder to make sure Mammy was not obsening her fom the upstairs windows. seeing no broad black face,turbaned insnowy white, peening disapprovinoly from betveen
fluttering curtains, she boldlwould carry heh6a nonOrThe dark cedars on etherside ofthe qtraveed dive metin an arch ovehead,tuming the long avenueinto adim tunel.As soonas she was beneath the qnared ams ofthe cedars,she knew shewasafe from observation fom the house and she slowed her swift pace,.she was panting,forher stays were laced too tightyto pemit much nuning, butshe waked on as rapidly as she could. soorshe was atthe end ofthe driveway and out on the main road,but she did not stop untlshe had rounded a curnve that put a large clump oftrees between her and the house.Flushed and breathing hard, shesat down on astump to wat for her fatherlt waspastime for him to come home,butshe was glad thathe waslat.The delay would giwe her ime to guiether breathngy and calm her face so that his suspicons would not be aroused. Every moment she expected to hearthe pounding of his horse's hoowes and se him come charging up the hilat his usual breakneck speed. But the minutes slipped by and Gerald did not come. She looked down the road for him,the pain in her heart swelling up again"Why doesn't he come?.'Oh, it can't be true! she thought.Her eves folowed the winding road, blood-red now after the morming rain.in her thouohtshe traceditscourse asit ran down the hiltothe suggish fint ier,through the tangled swampy botoms and up the nexthil to Twelve aks where Ashleylived. That was althe road meant now-arad to Ashley and the beautiful white-columned house that crowned th hilike a Grek temple.'Oh, Ashley! Ashley!' she thought, and her heart beat faster.Some ofthe cold sense of bewilderment and disasterthat had weiohted her down since the aneton boystold her their osip was pushed into the backoround ot her mind, and in its place crept ihe fever that had possessed her for two years.It seemed strange now that when she was growing up Ashley had never seemed so very atracive to her in childhod days,she had sen him come and go and never given him a thought.But since that day two year ago when Ashley,newly home from his three vears'Grand Tour in Europe, had caled to pay his respects, she had loved him.lt was as simple as that.She had been onthe tront porch and he had mdden up the ong avenue ,dresed inarey bradcoth wth a wde black ravat seting of his fied shrt to perection. ven now.she coud recaleacdetal of his dres,how bightlyhisboots shone,the head of a Medusa in cameo on his cravat pin, thewide Panama hat thatwasinstantiyin hishand when he saw her. He had aighted and tosed his bnidle reins to a picaniny and stood lokng up at her hisdronsy grey eyes wide with a smie and the sun so bnight on hisblond hairthat itseemed like a cap ofshining siver Andhe said, so you'vegrownup,scanet.’ And, coming lightlyup the steps, he had kised herhand. And hisvoice! he would never forget theleap ofher heart ashe heardit as iforthe firstime ,drawing, resonant, mu
sical.She had wanted him. in that first instant. wanted him as simply and unreasoninaly as she wanted food to eat horses to nide and a soft bed on which to lav herseltFor two yearshe had sauired her about the Couny, to bals fish fies pinics and court davs. never so often as the adeton twinsorCade Calett neverso imoorunate as the younger fontaine bo
ys, but, still, never the week went by that Ashley did not come calling at Tara.Tue, he never madeloveto her not did the dear grey eves ever qlow with that hot ight scanet kmnew so welin other men. And yetand yetshe knewhe loved he. she could not be mistaken abaut it. lnstinct stronger than reason and knowedge born of experience told her that he loved her, Too often she had surprised him when his eves were:neither drowsy nor remote, when he looked at herwth a yearning and asadnes which puzled her. he knew he loved her Whydid he not te herso?Thatshe could notunderstand. Buthere were so manythinos about him thatshe did notundersiand.
He was courteous alays, but alor,remote.No one could ever telwhat he was thinking about, Scanetleast ot al.in a neiohbourhood where evenone saind exactly what he thouoht asoon ashethouohtit Ashley's quatyofresene was exasperating,.He was as proicient as any of the other young meninthe usual Countydiversions, hunting, gambling,dancing and potics, and was the best ier ofthema; buthe dilfered fromalthe est in thathesepleasantactivtieswere nothe end and aim of fe to him.And he stood ailoneinhis interestin books and musc and hisfondnes forwritingpoetry.
i borina with his talk about Europe and books and music and poetry and things that interested her not at all-and yet soOh, why was he so handsomely blond, so courteously aloof, so maddeninglydesirable? Night after night, when Scanet went to bed after siting on the foant porchinthe semi-darknes with him, she tosed restesly for hours and comforted herself onywiththe thoughthat the ven next time he saw her he certalny woud propose, But the nextime came and went and the resut wasnothing-notin excent that the fewer nosesina her rose himher and hotteShe loved him and she wanted him and she did not understand him.she was as fothright and simple as the winds thatblew over ara and the yelow riverthat wound about it and to the end of her days she would never be able to understand a complexity. And now, for the first time in her life, she was facing a complex nature.For Ashley was bom ofaline of men who used their leisure for thinking, not doing, forspinming brightly coloured dreams that had in them no touch of reaty. He moved in an imer wod thatwasmore beautulthan eoril and came backtorealty with reluctance. Helooked on people,an he neitherliked nor disiked them.Helooked on life and wasneither heartened nor sadened. He accpted the universe and his place in it for what they were and, shrugging, turned to his music and books and his better world.Why he should have captivated carettwhen his mind was a strangerto hershe did not kmow. The veny mygstenyof him excted her cuniosity like a dor that had neather lock nor key.The things about him which she could not understand onlymade her ove him more,and his od, restrained courtship onlyserved to increase her determination to hawve him for her own. That he would propose some dayshe had never doubted, for she was too young and to spoied ever to have known defeat And now lke a thundercao, had comethis horible news Ashlevto may Melanie!it oudn't betr
Why, onlylast week,when they were riding home at twlight from faithil,he had said: 'caret, have something so important to tellyou that t hardly know how to say it.She had cast down her eves demurel, her heart beatina wth wd pleasure,thinkno the happy moment had come. Then hehad sain: Notnow!. Were neary home and there isnt time. 0h, scanett, what a coward l am!’ And putting spurs to his horse, he had raced her up the hill to Tara.Scarlet, iting onthe stump,thought ofthose wornds which had made her so happy and sudenly they took on another meaning,a hideous meaning. supose itwas the news of his engagementhe had intended to tell her!
Oh, if Pa would only come home! she could not endure the suspense another moment. She looked impatiently down the road again, and again she was disappointedThe sun was now below the horzon and the red glow at the im of the word faded into pink.Thesky above tured slowly from azure to the detcate blue green of a robin's egg, and the unearthlystilhes ofrural twiiohtcame stealthily down about her.shadowy dimnescreptover the countnyside.The red fumrows and the gashed red road lost theirmagical blod colour and became plain browrearh. Acrs the road,inthe pasture,the horses,mues and cows stood quietly with head overthe split ralfence,waiting to be diven to the stables and supper. They did notlike the dark shade ofthe thickets hedging the pasture creek, and they twitched their ears at Scarlett as if appreciative of human companionship.
In the strange halflight, the tallpines ofthe riverswamp,so wammygreen in the sunshine,were black againsthe pastelshky, an impenetrable row of black giants hiding the slow yelow water at their feet. On the hill across the river, the tall white chimneys of the Wilkes homefaded aradually into the darkness of the thick oaks surrounding them, and only far-off pin-points of supper lamps showe
d that a house was here.sweetly with the moist smells of new-ploughedearth and all the fresh green things pushing up to the alSonneehcomoassunset and spnng and new-ileged reeneny were no mrace to Scanet. /her beauyshe acepited as casual asthe arshe breatned and the water she drank,jorshe had never consciousyserbeautyin anything butwomen' faces, horses,sik dreses and like tanilble things, Vet the serene halflioht over Tarads wel-kept acres broughta measre ofaueto her disturbed mind.she loved thisand so much, without even knowing she loved it, loved it as she loved her mother's face under the lamp at prayer time.Stlthere was no sign ofGerald on the quiet winding road.lfshe had to wat much longer,Mammy would certainiycome in search of her and buy herinto the house. But even ashe steained heeyes down the darkening road, sheheard a pounding of howves athe botom of the pasture hil and saw the horses and cows scaterin frioht.Gerald 0"Hara was coming home acros county and atiop speed.
He came up the hilatagalop on his thick bareled,long egged huner,apeang in the distance ke a boy on atoo large horse. His long white hair standing outbehind him, he urged the horseforward with crop and loud cries.Filled with her own anxieties, she nevertheless watched him with affectionate pride, for Gerald was an excellent horseman." wonder whyhe always wants to jump fences when hes had afew dink,’she thought. And after that a he had moht here last vear when he broke his knee. Youd think he'd leam. soecialwhen he promised Mother on oath he'd never jump again.Scalet ad noawe other aer ano tethim more her cnemoaythan hersisiers orwmgtences and kepnaita secet tom mswie nawe nm apouso nne and out pe that maichd her own pleasure in outwitting Mammy, She rose from her seat to watch him.The bio horse reached the fence, athered himsef and soared over as efortessy as a bird, his iderveling enthusastical. his cop beatno the ait hiswhite curs erking out behind him. Gerald dd not see his daughter in the shadow of the trees, and he drew rein in the road, patting his horse's neck with apnrobationThere's none in the County can touch you,nor in the state,’ he informed his mount,withpride,the brogue of County Meath stilheawy on hi tonoue in spte of thirty-nine years in Amenica. Then he hasily setabout smothing his har and seting his rufed shirt and his cravat which had sliped awny behind one ear. canet knew these humied prenings were being made withan eye towardmeting his wife with the apearance ofa gentleman who had nidden sedateyhome from a cal on a neighbour.She knew ako that he was presening her with just the opportunityshe wanted foropening the conversation without revealing her true purpose.Shelaughed loud. As she had intended,Gerald was started bythe sound;then herecognized her and alok both shepish and defantcame over his flond face. He dismounted with dificuy, because his knee was stiff, and, slipping the reins over his arm, stumped toward her.'Well, Missy,' he said, pinching her cheek,'so, you've been spying on me and, like your sister Suellen last week, you'l be telling your mother on me?There was inadignation in his hoarse bas voice butalko a wheding note, and scanet teasingly cicked hertongue aoainst herteth as she reached outopu his cravat into place. His breath in hereace was trona wth Bouhon whiskhy muled with afintfaaane ofmut Accompang him ako wee the smelk of chewpatohac weloled eatherand hores:a combiaton of adous thatshe always associated with her father and instinctively liked in other men.
'No, Pa, l'm no tattletale like Suellen,'she assured him, standing off to view his rearranged attire with a judicious ai
Gerald was a smal man, itle more than five feet ta, but so heavy of bareland thick of neck that his appearance, when seated,led strangers to think him a larger man. His thiksetorso was suported by short sturdy legs,alays encased in the inest leather bots procurable and aays planted wide apart ike a swagening smal boy'.Most smal people whotake themsees eriousy are a itle ridiculous; but the bantam cock is respected in the baryard, and soitwas with Gerald.No one would ever have the temerityto think of Gerald 0"Hara as a nidiculous ite foureHe was sixty years old and his crisp curly hair was silver-white, but his shrewd face was unlined and his hard ittle blue eveswere young with the unworried youthfulness of one who has never taxedhis brain with problems more abstrathan how many carnds to drawin a poker game, His wasas lish a ace as could be foundinthe lenoth and breadth ofthe homeland he had leftso long ago-round, high-coloured, short-nosed, wide-mouthed and belligerent.
Beneath his cholenc exterior Gerald 0Hara had the tenderes ofhearts. He could not bearto see a slav pouting under a repnmand,mo mater how wel desened, or hear a kiten mewing or a chid cying; but he had a honor of having this weaknes discovered. hat evenyone who met him did discover his kindy heartwithin five minutes was unkmown to him; and his vanty would have suferedtemendouslyi he had found it out, for he liked to think that when he bawed orders atthe top of his voice evenone tembled and obeved. thad never occured to himnthat only one voice was obevd on the plantation-the soft voice of his wife Elen,AAWOO AAUeearn, for everyone from Ellen down to the stupidest field hand was in a tacit and kindly conspiracy to keep him believng that his word was law.
Scanet wasimpresed les than anvone else byhistempers and his roanngs. shewas his oldest child and,now that Gerald knew there would be no more sonsto folow the thre who lav in the famy buring ground, he had dhifted into a habit of treaing herin a man-to-man maner whichshe found most pleasant. he was morelke her father than her younger isters,for ameen,who had ben born Caroline lrene, was delicate and dreamy, and Suellen, christened Susan Elinor, prided herself on her elegance and ladylike deportmentMoreover, Scarlett and her father were bound together by a mutual suppressioagreement. lf Gerald caught her climbing a fence instead of walking half a mile to a gate, or sitting too late on the frontstepswith a beau, he castigated her personaly and with vehemence,but he did not mention the fact to len arto Mammy. Andwhen Scanet iscovered him jumping fences after his solemn promseto his wle.or eared the exact amount oths oses atpoke.ashe awals aid fom Couny oos.she relalned fom menipnnthe fant the sipoertabeinthe att atles mamer suelsn had. canelt and her fathereach asured the other solemnlythat to bing such maters to the ears of len would ony hurt her and nothina would indce them to wound her entenes.Scaretlooked at her father in the fading light, and, without knowing why she found it camforting to be in hispresence. There was something vitaland earthy and coarse abouthim thatapealedssed in some dearee these same aualities, despite sixteen vears of effort on the part of Ellen and Mlammy toto her, Being the least analytic of people, she did not realize that this was because sheobliterate them.
"You look very presentable now,' she said,'and l don't think anyone will suspect you've been up to your tricks unless you brag about them. But it does seem to me that after you broke your knee last year, jumping that same fence--
"We, maylbe damned ifl have me own daughter teling me what lshaljumpand notjump,’ he shouted, ghving her chekanother pinch. "ts meownneck, so it is.And besides, Misy what are you doing out here without your shawl? "
Seing that he was employing familar manoeuwres o exticate himsef from unpleasant conversation, shesiped her ammthrough his and said: " was waing for you. didn't know you would beso late. l just wondered if you had bought Dilcey.'Bought her l did, and the price has ruined me. Bought her and her little wench, Prissy. John Wilkeswas for almost giving themawav but never will haveeit said that Gerald O'Hara used friendshi
p in a trade. l made him take three thousand for the two of them.
'In the name of Heaven, Pa, three thousand! And you didn't need to buy Prissy!"Has the time come when me own daughters sit in judgment on me?’ shouted Gerald rhetorically. 'prissy is a ikely litle wench and so--" know her. she's a sl, stupid creature,’ scaret rejoined calmy,unimpresed by hisuproa. And the only reason you bought herwas because bicey asked you to buy her.Gerald looked crestfallen and embarrassed, as always when caught in a kind deed, and Scarlett laughed outright at his transparency.Wel, whatifldid? Was there any use buying Dicey ifshewas going to mope abouthe child? we, neveragain wlleta darky on thisplace mary ofit its too expensve. wel, come on, Puslet's go in to supper. "
he shacows wete alino thcker now.the ast orenishtingehad ethe sky and asiontchlwas aisplaggthe balmines ofsptna utscadetloitered wonerna howto hana uothe subiect fAshley without pemiting Gerald to suspect her motive.This was diliclt,for scaret had not a subtle boneinherbody; and Gerald was so much ke herhe never aed to penetrate her weak subterfuges, even as she penetrated his. And he was seldom tactful in doing it.
'How are they all over at Twelve Oaks?
"About as usual.Cade Caletwas there and,after seled about bilcey, we al set on the galery and had several todies. Cade hasjust come from Atanta, and it'salupset they are there and taking war and--'
Scarlett sighed. lf Gerald once got on the subiect of war and secession, it would be hours before he relinguished it, she broke in with another line
'Did they say anything about the barbecue to-morrow?
"Nowthat ! think of ithey did.Mis -whats-hername the swet itle thing who was here last year,you know, Ashleys cousin-oh,yes, Mis Melanie Hamiton, that'sthe nameshe and her brotherCharles have already come from Atlanta and--'
'Oh, so she did come?""She did, and a swet quiet thing she is, with never a word to say for hersef,like a woman should be, Come now, daughter,don't lag, Your mother wil be hunting for us.Scanet's heart sank athe news. she had hoped against hopethat something would kep Melanie Hamton in Atanta where she belonged, and the kmowedge that even her father aproved of her sweet quiet nature, so different from her own, forced her into the open
"Was Ashley there, too?
"He was.’ Gerald let go ot his daughters am and tumed, perng sharplyinto her face. "Andif that's why you came out here to waitfor me, why didn'tyou sayso without beating around the b
ush?"
