CHAPTER XLVII. TOM GORDON'S PLANS.

TomGordon,inthemeanwhile,hadcommencedrulinghispaternalplantationinamannerverydifferentfromtheformerindulgentsystem.Hishabitsofrecklessandboundlessextravagance,andutterheedlessness,causedhiscravingsformoneytobeabsolutelyinsatiableand,withinlegallimits,hehadaslittlecarehowitwascomebyasahighwayrobber.ItistoberemarkedthatTomGordonwasaworseslave-holderandmasterfromtheveryfactsofcertaindesirablequalitiesinhismentalconstitutionfor,asgoodwinemakesthestrongestvinegar,sofinenaturespervertedmaketheworsevice.Tomhadnaturallyaperfectlyclear,perceptivemind,andanenergetic,prompttemperament.Itwasimpossibleforhim,asmanydo,tosophisticateanddeludehimselfwithfalseviews.Hemarcheduptoevilboldly,andwithhiseyesopen.Hehadverylittleregardforpublicopinion,particularlytheopinionofconscientiousandscrupulouspeople.Sohecarriedhispurposes,itwasverylittlemattertohimwhatanyonethoughtofthemorhimtheymightcomplaintilltheyweretired. AfterClaytonhadlefttheplace,heoftenponderedthedyingwordsofNina,"thatheshouldcareforherpeoplethatheshouldtellTomtobekindtothem."Therewassuchanimpassablegulfbetweenthetwocharacters,thatitseemedimpossiblethatanypeaceablecommunicationshouldpassbetweenthem.ClaytonthoughtwithinhimselfthatitwasutterlyhopelesstoexpectanygoodarisingfromthesendingofNina'slastmessage.Butthesubjecthauntedhim.Hadheanyrighttowithholdit?Wasitnothisdutytotryeverymeasure,howeverapparentlyhopeless? Undertheimpulseofthisfeeling,heonedaysatdownandwrotetoTomGordonanaccount,wordedwiththeutmostsimplicity,ofthelasthoursofhissister'slife,hopingthathemightreadit,andthus,ifnothingmore,hisownconsciencebeabsolved. Deathandthegrave,itistrue,havesacredprerogatives,anditisoftenintheirpowertoawakenal