been limited to infrequent letters. His always smelled of
strong, stale tobacco, and the well-remembered whine in the man's
voice ran through his written sentences.

"You've spent much of your time up North?" suggested Murrell.

"Four years. I've been at school, you know. That's where I met
Judith."

"I hope you'll like West Tennessee. It's still a bit raw
compared with what you've been accustomed to in the North. You
haven't been back in all those four years?" Betty shook her head.
"Nor seen Tom--nor any one from out yonder?" For some reason a
little tinge of color had crept into Betty's cheeks. "Will you
let me renew our acquaintance at Belle Plain? I shall be in West
Tennessee before the summer is over; probably I shall leave here
within a week," he said, bending toward her. His glance dwelt on
her face and the pliant lines of her figure, and his sense swam.
Since their first meeting the girl's beauty had haunted and
allured him; with his passionate sense of life he was disposed to
these violent fancies, and he had a masterful way with women just
as he had a masterful way with men. Now, however, he was aware
that he was viewed with entire indifference. His vanity, which
was his whole inner self, was hurt, and from the black depths of
his nature his towering egotism flashed out lawless and perverted
impulses. "I must tell you that I am not of your sort, Miss
Malroy--" he continued hurriedly. "My people were plain folk out
of the mountains. For what I am I have no one to thank but
myself. You must be aware of the prejudices of the planter
class, for it is your class. Perhaps I haven't been quite frank