CHAPTER XIII. TOM GORDON.

ywayofsayingsomethingtogivethemastart,ItoldthemIthoughttheycamenearertomakingheathenofusthanwetomakingChristiansofthem." "That'sverytrue,"saidClayton."There'snodoubtthatthekindofsocietywhichisbuiltupinthiswayconstantlytendstorunbacktowardsbarbarism.Itpreventsgeneraleducationofthewhites,andkeepsthepoorerclassesdowntothelowestpoint,whileitenrichesafew." "Well,whatdowehaveitfor?"saidNina."Whydon'tweblowitup,rightoff?" "That'saquestioneasieraskedthananswered.Thelawsagainstemancipationareverystringent.ButIthinkitiseveryowner'sbusinesstocontemplatethisasafutureresort,andtoeducatehisservantsinreferencetoit.ThatiswhatIamtryingtodoonmyplantation." "Indeed!"saidNina,lookingathimwithagooddealofinterest."Well,now,thatremindsmeofwhatIwasgoingtosaytoyou.Generallyspeaking,myconsciencedon'ttroublememuchaboutmyservants,becauseIthinktheyaredoingaboutaswellwithmeastheywouldbelikelytodoanywhereelse.But,now,there'sHarry!Heiswell-educated,andIknowthathecoulddoforhimself,anywhere,betterthanhedoeshere.IhavealwayshadakindofsenseofthisbutI'vethoughtofitmorelately,andI'mgoingtotrytohavehimsetfreeatthenextlegislature.AndIshallwantyoutohelpmeaboutallthewhat-do-you-call-'ems." "Ofcourse,Ishallbequiteatyourservice,"saidClayton. "Thereusedtobesomepeople,whenIwasupatthenorth,whotalkedasifallofuswerenobetterthanapackofrobbersandthieves.And,ofcourse,whenIwasthereIwasstrongforourinstitutions,andwouldnotgivethemaninchofground.Itsetmetothinking,thoughandtheresultofmythinkingis,thatwehavenorighttoholdthosetoworkforuswhoclearlycandobetter.Now,there'sAuntNesbit'sMilly—there'sHarryandLisette.Why,it'sclearenough,iftheycansupportthemselvesandustoo,theycertainlycansupportthemselvesalone.Lisettehaspaideightdollarsamonthtohermistress,andsupportedherselfbesides.I'msureit'swethatarethehelplessones!" "Well,doyouthinkyourAuntNesbitisgoingtofollowyourexample?" "No!catchheratit!AuntNesbitisdoublyfortifiedinherreligion.Sheissosatisfiedwithsomethingorotherabout'cursedbeCanaan,'thatshe'dletMillyearntendollarsamonthforher,alltheyearround,andnevertroubleherheadabouttakingeverybitofit.Somefolks,youknow,haveawayofcallingeverythingtheywanttodoadispensationofprovidence!Now,AuntNesbitisoneof'em.Shealwayscallsitadispensationthatthenegroeswerebroughtoverhere,andadispensationthatwearethemistresses.Ah!MillywillnotgetfreewhileAuntNesbitisalive!Anddoyouknow,thoughitdoesnotseemverygenerousinme,yetI'mresignedtoit,becauseMillyissuchagoodsoul,andsuchacomforttome?—doyouknowsheseemsagreatdealmorelikeamothertomethanAuntNesbit?Why,Ireallythink,ifMillyhadbeeneducatedasweare,shewouldhavemadeamostsplendidwoman—beenaperfectCandacequeenofEthiopia.There'savastdealthatiscuriousandinterestinginsomeoftheseoldAfricans.Ialwaysdidlovetobewiththemsomeofthemaresoshrewdandoriginal!ButIwonder,now,whatTomwillthinkofmycuttinghimoutsoneatly?'Twillmakehimangry,Isuppose." "Oh,perhaps,afterall,hehadnorealintentionofdoinganythingofthekind,"saidClayton."Hemayhavesaiditmerelyforbravado." "Ishouldhavethoughtso,ifIhadn'tknownthathealwayshadagrudgeagainstHarry." AtthismomentthegallopingofahorsewasheardinthewoodlandpathbeforethemandverysoonTomGordonappearedinsightaccompaniedbyanotherman,onhorseback,withwhomhewasinearnestconversation.Therewassomethingaboutthefaceofthismanwhich,atthefirstglance,Ninafelttobeveryrepulsive.Hewaslow,thickset,andyetleanhisfeatureswerethinandsharphishairandeyebrowsbushyandblack,andapairofglassy,pale-blueeyesformedapeculiarcontrasttotheirdarkness.TherewassomethingintheexpressionoftheeyewhichstruckNinaashardandcold.Thoughthemanwashabitedexternallyasagentleman,therewasstillabouthimanunder-bredappearance,whichcouldbedetectedatthefirstglance,asthecoarsenessofsomewoodswillrevealthemselvesthrougheveryvarnish. "Good-morrow,Nina,"saidherbrother,drawinghishorseuptomeethers,andsigningtohiscompaniontoarresthis,also."Allowmetopresenttoyoumyfriend,Mr.Jekyl.WearegoingouttovisittheBellevilleplantation." "Iwishyouapleasantride!"saidNina.And,touchingherhorse,shepassedtheminamoment.Lookingbackalmostfiercely,amoment,sheturnedandsaidtoClayton: "Ihatethatman!" "Whoisit?"saidClayton. "Idon'tknow!"saidNina."Ineversawhimbefore.ButIhatehim!Heisabadman!I'dassoonhaveaserpentcomenearmeasthatman!" "Well,thepoorfellow'sfaceisn'tprepossessing,"saidClayton."ButIshouldnotbepreparedforsuchananathema." "Tom'sbadness,"continuedNina,speakingasifshewerefollowingoutatrainofthought,withoutregardinghercompanion'sremark,"isgoodturnedtobad.It'swineturnedtovinegar.Butthismandon'tevenknowwhatgoodis!" "Howcanyoubesopositiveaboutapersonthatyou'veonlyseenonce!"saidClayton. "Oh,"saidNina,resumingherusualgaytones,"don'tyouknowthatgirlsanddogs,andotherinferiorcreatures,havethegiftofseeingwhat'sinpeople?Itdoesn'tbelongtohighly-cultivatedfolkslikeyou,buttouspoorcreatures,whohavetotrusttoourinstincts.So,beware!"And,asshespoke,sheturnedtohimwithafascinatingairofhalf-saucydefiance. "Well,"saidClayton,"haveyouseen,then,whatisinme?" "Yes,tobesure!"saidNina,withenergy"IknewwhatyouweretheveryfirsttimeIsawyou.Andthat'sthereasonwhy"— Claytonmadeaneagergesture,andhiseyemetherswithasuddenflashofearnestness.Shestopped,andblushed,andthenlaughed. "What,Nina?" "Oh,well,Ialwaysthoughtyouwereagrandfatherlybody,andthatyouwouldn'ttakeadvantageof'usgirls,'assomeofthemendo.AndsoI'vetreatedyouwithconfidence,asyouknow.Ihadjustthesamefeelingthatyoucouldbetrusted,asIhavethatthatotherfellowcannot!" "Well,"saidClayton,"thatdeductionsuitsmesowellthatIshouldbesorrytoundermineyourfaith.Nevertheless,Imustsaysuchawayofjudgingisn'talwayssafe.Instinctmaybeagreatermatterthanwethinkyetitisn'tinfallible,anymorethanoursenses.Wetrythetestimonyevenofoureyesightbyreason.Itwilldeceiveus,ifwedon't.Muchmoreweoughttotrythismoresubtlekindofsight." "Maybeso,"saidNina"yetIdon'tthinkIshalllikethatman,afterall.ButI'llgivehimachancetoaltermyfeeling,bytreatinghimcivillyifTombringshimbacktodinner.That'sthebestIcando."