The Purple Heights

ked. And the more she projecked about what was happening in Peter's house, the less she liked it. It had never occurred to Emma Campbell that Peter might go away from Riverton. Y

snail-like toward the work in hand; and as she worked she howled dism

Mist' Peter. When he spoke to her she accordion-plaited her lips, and stuck her eyes out at him. Her head, adorned

aged to get along beautifully. Peter was well aware that when the car that had suddenly appeared in the night had just as suddenly dis

, eyeing him and it grimly. And when hungry Peter thrust his fork int

s eating; fork suspended, he

'. Dat 's de same lovin'-hearted hen I raise fum a baby. But, Lawd! Whut you care? You 's de sort kin go trapesin' off by yo'se'f

mains, and laid down his fork. Somehow, one ca

ime! You've fried me many a chicken witho

you dey

t his cup, she poured into it plain boiling water. At that she set the tea-pot hastily upon the table, threw her gingham apron over her head, and plumped upon the

ead and listen to me. You know very well you aren't being left to shift for yoursel

um de egg up, en now he 's got comb en kin crow it 's tail-feathers over de fence

k here, co

gwine do it?-Never did hab no mo' sense dan a rabbit wid

ten! Emma,

ive frawg on 'is nekked stummick, so 's to sweat de speret o' dat frawg een, en de speret o' dat conjure out? No-buddy. Den he 'll

me to my meals any more, if this is how you're

you 's be boss. But I glad to my Gawd Miss Maria ai

aside, and reached for his hat. He

explod

ness, ran into the kitchen, and returned in a momen

to hab no hard feelin's 'bout dis chicken. 'T ain't none o' our

at he dared not mention it. Suppose it mightn't be true, after all. Suppose fate played a cruel joke. Suppose Mr. Champneys changed his mind. So Peter, who had a horror of talk, and writhed when asked personal qu

tounding fairy story, when the most momentous change is impending, when one's whole way of life is about to be diverted into different channels.

ed clerk really liked him, and longed to tell him that he was leaving Riverton shortly-he hoped for years and years-and was only awaiting the message that should speed his departure. Mr. Humphreys, then, cannot be blamed for complaining with feeling and profanity that of all the damidjits he had e

nd of Peter's waiting and of Mr. Humphreys's patience came together. One, in fact, brought about the other. The postman who drove i

reality. He stood with the telegram in his fingers, and stared about the dusty, dingy, uninteresting store, and saw as with new eyes how

ing in particular; but then again, as she said, she might. She didn't like to leave her house often; and when she did finally make up her mind to dress and go out, she popped in

I need about the house-or maybe the yard. You'll have to help me out. I've got a poor memory, but you just sort of run over a list of things folks would be most likely to need and maybe you'll hit

ppen to need, and it suited her, she would buy it. But it never occurred to her to thank

thing and I can't remember what it is. You've got to help me. I can't b

here he could feel it burn and tingle. Oh, it was tru

u surely know about everything you've got in this store, don't you? Well, then, Peter

grueling, sweating half-hours spent in trying to discover what Mrs. Beach thought she might want to buy. Hazily

new muzzle. (Paris, maybe Rome; and Florence! Oh, names to conjure with! And he should see them all, walk their hist

nd spank the seat off your breeches! I need a muzzle, do I? I'm to be insulted by a little squirt that's just learning to keep his ears clean! Well! Girl and woman I've been dealing with Sam Humphre

h soothing speech to placate his irate old friend and customer. But Mrs. Beach wasn't

. Then he turned and looked

ver," said Mr. Humphreys, swallowing hard, "your sending gravel to the grocer and a bellows to the minister by mistake; but this is the limit. If there is anybody advertising for a gilt-edged failure as a salesman, you go apply for the job a

ched that precious slip of paper. Then he s

t how you feel, and I don't blame you in the least. I've been wan

and smile like that at such a solemn moment. He should have appear

ll. Now the end's come. Say-suppose you go on home, right now. Because," said Mr. Humphreys, softly, "I mightn't

as genuine laughter, that rang true and gay and glad. His eyes

sses, and for real patience," said Peter. He waved his hand

ied Mr. Humphreys, mopping his brow. "

young and free and happy. He wanted to laugh, to sing, to shout, to skip. Emma Campbell was

of his waistcoat, and beaming at her, "Emma, I'm out

dishes on the o

yo

uldn't turn out as I hope they will, I'll manage to go ahead, somehow. I'

u 'speck

And then, Emma, the wide world! No more little-town tittle-tattle! All I've got to do, i

rizzled head on the dining-

houlder. It was me dressed Miss Maria de day she married wid yo' pa, en it was me dressed 'er for de coffin.

tell me exactly what you want me to

natchelly ain't gwine stay 'y

lained, "so contrary she mus' be 'flicted wid de moonness." She wore a rabbit foot and a conjure bag and believed in ha'nts and hoodoos. But, as far back as he could remember, Emma Campbell had formed a large part of the background of his life. He wondered jus

ute I get it? But are you sure you really want to go along, Emma? I'm going into a foreign country, remembe

wid my cat

too?" Peter ran his hands th

whah I goes, dat cat goes.

nedly. After all, Emma Campbell an

given him in their last talk, and the bank at which he presented himself treated him wit

is coat was shiny in the seams and his hat of last year's vintage. He was boyishly delighted to buy at one time all that he wanted, but as made-to-order clothes were altoge

gnified gentlewoman in reduced circumstances, in a worn silk gown and a mended lace cap and a cameo brooch. It might be against the old gentlewoman's religious convictions to bestow undue care upon her personal appearance, but he

old doorway of surpassing charm made his fingers itch for pencil and paper. He reflected, without bitterness, that the doors of every one of these fine old houses had on a time opened almost automatically to a Champneys. Some of these folk were kith a

. One very simple memorial held him longest, because it is the only one of its kind among all those records of state honor and family pri

H JO

this p

May

6th Ap

th year o

valu'd once a

lated or b

st alone rem

ael's dead to slumber in peace, and walked for an hour on the Battery, and in Legare Street, where life is brightest in the old city. All good Charlestonian

tomary clothes, the habits of thrift being yet so firmly ingrained

ere a minute, will you?" Mrs. Beach

ing countenance somewha

ner or later, I do wish to my Lord it hadn't been on account of me. Not that I don't think you're an impudent young rapscallion, that never sets his nose inside a church door, and insult

or is that I appeared to be impertinent to you, when I hadn't any such notion. I

oy couldn't be altogether trifling! "Is what I hear true, that you'r

I'm goi

. You'll do better away fro

ld out his hand, and the old lady found her

eartlessly rejected all she didn't need, she had one small trunk and a venerable carpet-bag. Everything else was nailed up. The hou

quitting work to foregather at the pier to welcome coming and speed departing travelers. All R

d-white checked gingham apron on which a basket of flowers was embroidered in red cross-stitch, and a white bandana handkerchief wound around her head under a respectable black sailor hat. She carried a large, square cage that had once housed a mocking-bird, an

raid you'll let the

ned haught

ere you-a

e, dat 's whah we gwine."

o when you get there

in't know how to do: we gwine min' o

n't set the world o

from his view, Peter felt shaken as he had never thought to be. Good-by, little

as the crow flies, lay the River Swamp, and Neptune's gray, deserted cabin. They had been his refuge. No other place, no other woods in all the world could quite take their place, or be like them. And he knew there would be many a day when he mu

me one thing that typified you, something of you I could take with

the wild carrot was white and lacy, and the orange-red milkweed was about ready to close her house for the season, came fluttering with a quick, bold su

d courage and hope flashed into his wistful face, an