Pausing on the
terrace beside them, he indulged in certain observations on the
state of the crops and the weather.
"You've lost a couple of niggers, I hear?" he added with an
oblique glance.
"Yes," said Norton.
"Got on the track of them yet?" Norton shook his head. "I
understand you've a new overseer?" continued Ware, with another
oblique glance.
"Then you understand wrong--Carrington's my guest," said Norton.
"He's talking of putting in a crop for himself next season, so
he's willing to help me make mine."
Betty turned quickly at the mention of Carrington's name. She
had known that he was still at Thicket Point, and having heard
him spoken of as Norton's new overseer, had meant to ask Charley
if he were really filling that position. An undefined sense of
relief came to her with Norton's reply to Tom's question.
"Going to turn farmer, is he?" asked Ware.
"So he says." Feeling that the only subjects in which he had
ever known Ware to take the slightest interest, namely, crops and
slaves, were exhausted, Norton was extremely disappointed when
the planter manifested a disposition to play the host and
returned to the house with them, where his mere presence,
forbidding and sullen, was such a hardship that Norton shortly
took his leave.
"Well, hang Tom!" he said, as he rode away from Belle Plain. "If
he thinks he can freeze me out there's a long siege ahead of
him!"
Issuing from the lane he turned his face in the direction of
home, but he did not urge his horse off a walk.
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