Rand looked at him half eagerly, half wistfully. "Do you really think
that?"

"I cannot think otherwise," Cary answered. "I saw it plainly in the
courtroom the other day." He smiled. "I deplore your political
principles, Mr. Rand, but I rejoice that my conqueror is no lesser man.
I must to work against the next time we encounter."

"You have been long out of the county," said Rand. "I had the start of
you, that is all. You were trained to the law. Will you practise it, or
will Greenwood take all your time?"

"I shall practise. A man's life is larger than a few acres, a house, and
slaves. But first I must put Greenwood in order, and I must--" He did
not finish the sentence, but sat looking about the blue room. "The old
moon clock! I used to listen to it in the night and dream of twenty
thousand things, and never once of what I dream of now! What a strange
young savage is a boy!" He gathered the written sheets together. "You
will want to look these over? I shall be very glad to see that they
reach Mr. Mocket safely, or to serve you in any way. Just now I am very
idle, and I will be your secretary every day with pleasure." He rose.
"And now you must rest, or we will have a rating from Dr. Gilmer. Is
there any message I may take for you?"

"My devotion and my thanks to the ladies of the house," replied
Rand--"to Mrs. Churchill and Miss Dandridge and to Miss Churchill. For
these"--he put his hand upon the papers--"I shall look them over, and
Joab will take them to Charlottesville to Mocket. I cannot sufficiently
thank you for your aid and for your kindness."