rejoined Murrell coolly. "No one will ever think you had a hand
in it."

"It wasn't right! You placed me in the meanest kind of a
situation," objected Ware sullenly, mopping his face.

"Did you think I was going to let the marriage take place? You
knew he had been warned to keep away from her," said Murrell.
There was a movement overhead in the loft, the loose clapboards
with which it was floored creaked under a heavy tread.

"Who's that? Hicks?" asked Ware.

"It isn't Hicks--never mind who it is, Tom," answered Murrell
quietly.

"I thought you'd sent him out of the county?" muttered Ware, his
face livid.

"Look here, Tom, I don't ask your help, but I won't stand your
interference. I'm going to have the girl."

"John, you'll ruin yourself with your damned crazy infatuation!"
It was Fentress, no longer able to control himself, who spoke.

"No, I won't, Colonel, but I'm not going to discuss that. All I
want is for Tom to go to Memphis and stay there for a couple of
days. When he comes back Belle Plain and its niggers will be as
good as his. I am going to take the girl away from there
to-night. I don't ask your help and you needn't ask what comes