Douglas and me; then that Lamborn had taken the fiddle down and had
begun to play it.

All the possibilities of Lamborn's attitude dawned on me instantly. How
dearly might I pay in some way for my father's desire to be rich! If
Douglas had taken his initial hurt in life from his uncle's failure to
educate him, I had begun the weaving of my destiny with these threads
which my father had bequeathed to me. What would my complications be if
Zoe eloped with a wild fellow like Lamborn, bringing his personality
into the texture of my affairs; the matter of this land, and Zoe's
interest in it? I could sense ahead an unending difficulty, an ever
deepening annoyance, or even tragedy. Had I gone too far in dividing the
estate with Zoe? For the first time the presence of the negro in the
state, the complications that it created, were forced upon me
concretely and with impressive effect. My heart registered a vague
apprehension. I warned Zoe against Lamborn, and decided that he should
not come about me again.

The work on my house was now progressing rapidly. I wished to move into
it on my birthday, June 18th. I watched its completion day by day, and
in addition I had much to do around the farm. I had made a start with a
few calves toward raising cattle. In every way I was forging ahead as
fast as I could. But my greatest delight was the house. I wanted to make
it as beautiful as possible, and I did not need to spare expense. I
decided to go to St. Louis for curtains and chairs, for beds and
lounges, chests and bureaus. When the last of May came I set out for the
city.