It remained unbroken, and her heart sank into
more hopeless despondency daily. Aun' Jinkey and Zany were charged
so sternly to say nothing to disturb the mind of their young
mistress that they obeyed. She was merely given the impression that
Perkins had gone away of his own will, and this was a relief. She
supposed Chunk had returned to his Union friends, and this also
became the generally accepted view of all except Aun' Jinkey.
Mrs. Whately came to spend part of the time at The Oaks and part on
her own plantation, where her presence was needed. Her devotion
would have won Miss Lou's whole heart but for the girl's ever-
present consciousness of Mad Whately in the background. The mother
now had the tact to say nothing about him except in a natural and
general way, occasionally trying the experiment of reading extracts
from his brief letters, made up, as they were, chiefly of ardent
messages to his cousin. These Miss Lou received in silence and
unfeigned apathy.
The respite and quiet could not last very long in these culminating
months of the war.
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