‚ÄúBack, is she? Too trifling to stick to a job, and full of Northern nonsense,‚Äù growled the Colonel. ‚ÄúEven got a Northern walk‚ÅÝ‚ÄîI thought for a moment she was a lady.‚Äù
Neither of the gentlemen ever dreamed how long, how hard, how heart-wringing was that walk from the gate up the winding way beneath their careless gaze.
It was not the coming of the thoughtless, careless girl of five years ago who had marched a dozen times unthinking before the faces of white men.
It was the approach of a woman who knew how the world treated women whom it respected; who knew that no such treatment would be thought of in her case: neither the bow, the lifted hat, nor even the conventional title of decency.
Yet she must go on naturally and easily, boldly but circumspectly, and play a daring game with two powerful men.
“Can I speak with you a moment, Colonel?” she asked.
The Colonel did not stir or remove his cigar; he even injected a little gruffness into his tone.
“Well, what is it?”
Of course, she was not asked to sit, but she stood with her hands clasped loosely before her and her eyes half veiled.
“Colonel, I’ve got a thousand dollars.” She did not mention the other nine.
The Colonel sat up.
“Where did you get it?” he asked.