When Memphis was reached their friendly intercourse would come to
an end. There would be her brother, of whom she had occasionally
spoken--he would be pretty certain to have the ideas of his
class.
As for Betty, she liked this tall fellow who helped her through
the fatigue of those long days, when there was only the unbroken
sweep of the forest on either hand, with here and there a
clearing where some outrageous soul was making a home for
himself. The shores became duller, wilder, more uninteresting as
they advanced, and then at last they entered the Mississippi, and
she was almost home.
Betty was not unexcited by the prospect. She would be the
mistress of the most splendid place in West Tennessee. She
secretly aspired to be a brilliant hostess. She could remember
when the doors of Belle Plain were open to whoever had the least
claim to distinction--statesmen and speculators in land; men who
were promoting those great schemes of improvement, canals and
railroads; hard-featured heroes of the two wars with England--a
diminishing group; the men of the modern army, the pathfinders,
and Indian fighters, and sometimes a titled foreigner. She
wondered if Tom had maintained the traditions of the place. She
found that Carrington had heard of Belle Plain. He spoke of it
with respect, but with a noticeable lack of enthusiasm, for how
could he feel enthusiasm when he must begin his chase after
fortune with bare hands?--he suffered acutely whenever it was
mentioned.
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