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Updated: June 24, 2025
He did not speak of the things that were corroding his heart, but he sat by and heard himself chatter his diabolic creed as a drunkard watches his own folly. "Lige," he said, "I'm sick of that infernal charities bureau we've got. I'm going to abolish it. These philanthropic millionaires make me sick at the stomach, Lige. What do they care for the people?
I bought it of that drunken 'Lige Curtis for a song and out of charity." Yes, that was the only real trouble, and that came from his own goodness, his own extravagant sense of justice and right, his own cursed good-nature. Yet, on second thoughts, he didn't know why he was obliged to tell the surveyor. Time enough when the company wanted to buy the land.
Shortly after noon the party was on its way again, Lige being anxious to reach their destination before dark. Yet the trail was so rugged and precipitous that rapid progress was impossible. To add to this, late in the afternoon they overtook the pack train, which they found halted in the trail. One of the burros had gone lame, nor did Jose know what the trouble was.
Virginia rose in agitation, yet trying to be calm, and to remember that the safety of the household depended upon her alone. That was her thought, bred into her by generations, the safety of the household, of the humblest slave whose happiness and welfare depended upon her father's bounty. How she longed in that instant for her father or Captain Lige, for some man's strength, to depend upon.
Louis, Captain Lige had done his best to cheer her, and he did not intend to desist now. "This beats all," he cried. "So this is Washington, Why, it don't compare to St. Louis, except we haven't got the White House and the Capitol. Jinny, it would take a scow to get across the street, and we don't have ramshackly stores and nigger cabins bang up against fine Houses like that. This is ragged.
To-morrow's Jinny Carvel's birthday, and I've just got to be there. I reckon the time's come when I've got to say Miss Jinny," he added ruefully. The Colonel rose, laughing, and hit the Captain on the back. "Drat you, Lige, why don't you kiss the girl? Can't you see she's waiting?" The honest Captain stole one glance at Virginia, and turned red copper color.
I know the business, and keep watch. And now that Jinny's coming home from Monticello, I feel that I can pay more attention to her kind of take her mother's place," said the Colonel, putting on his felt hat and tipping his chair. "Lige, I want that girl to have every advantage. She ought to go to Europe and see the world. That trip East last summer did her a heap of good.
Captain Grant did not reply to that, nor did Captain Lige expect him to, as it was the custom of this strange and silent man to speak ill of no one. He turned rather to put the stakes back into his wagon. "Where are you off to, Lige?" he asked. "Lord bless my soul," said Captain Lige, "to think that I could forget!" He tucked a bundle tighter under his arm.
"By gum!" he cried, when she had finished, "the boy has it in him, after all! They can't hold him a day can they, Lige?" Come on, Lige." The Captain got up excitedly, his face purple. "I reckon you'll have to excuse me, Colonel," he said. "There's a cargo on my boat which has got to come off." And without more ado he left the room. In consternation they heard the front door close behind him.
In proportion as that material, practical, rustic self which nobody but 'Lige Curtis had ever seen came back to her, so in proportion the irresolute, wavering, weak and emotional vagabond of Sidon came out to meet it. He looked at her with a vague smile; his five years of childish resentment, albeit carried on the shoulders of a man mentally and morally her superior, melted away.
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