I'll die first. I shall have my girlhood, and then, as woman, marry
or not marry, as I choose. Aunty, I appeal to you, as a woman and a
lady, to stop this wretched folly if you can."
"Louise," said her aunt, kindly, "as long as I have a home it shall
be a refuge to you. I hope the morrow will bring wiser counsels and
better moods to us all."
The mansion soon became quiet, and all slept in the weariness of
reaction. No sound came from the darkened dwelling except an
occasional groan from one of the wounded men on the piazza.
Scoville, wrapped in a blanket, lay down by the fire with his men
and was asleep almost instantly. The still shadows on the dewy grass
slowly turned toward the east as the moon sank low. To the last, its
beams glinted on the weapons of vigilant sentinels and vedettes, and
the only warlike sounds occurred at the relief of guards. All rested
who could rest except one--the overseer. Restless, vindictive, he
watched and listened till morning.
CHAPTER XVIII
A WELL-AIMED SLIPPER
It would be hard to imagine a morning more lovely, a more perfect
type of peace and good-will, than the one which dawned over The Oaks
plantation the following day.
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