Read The Clansman: An Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan Page 11

  CHAPTER III

  THE JOY OF LIVING

  Within two weeks after the departure of Mrs. Cameron and Margaret, thewounded soldier had left the hospital with Elsie's hand resting on his armand her keen eyes watching his faltering steps. She had promised Margaretto take her place until he was strong again. She was afraid to ask herselfthe meaning of the songs that were welling up from the depth of her ownsoul. She told herself again and again that she was fulfilling her idealof unselfish human service.

  Ben's recovery was rapid, and he soon began to give evidence of hisboundless joy in the mere fact of life.

  He utterly refused to believe his father in danger.

  "What, my dad a conspirator, an assassin!" he cried, with a laugh. "Why,he wouldn't kill a flea without apologising to it. And as for plots anddark secrets, he never had a secret in his life and couldn't keep one ifhe had it. My mother keeps all the family secrets. Crime couldn't stick tohim any more than dirty water to a duck's back!"

  "But we must secure his release on parole, that he may defend himself."

  "Of course. But we won't cross any bridges till we come to them. I neversaw things so bad they couldn't be worse. Just think what I've beenthrough. The war's over. Don't worry."

  He looked at her tenderly.

  "Get that banjo and play 'Get out of the Wilderness!'"

  His spirit was contagious and his good humour resistless. Elsie spent thedays of his convalescence in an unconscious glow of pleasure in hiscompanionship. His handsome boyish face, his bearing, his wholepersonality, invited frankness and intimacy. It was a divine gift, thismagnetism, the subtle meeting of quick intelligence, tact, and sympathy.His voice was tender and penetrating, with soft caresses in its tones. Hisvision of life was large and generous, with a splendid carelessness aboutlittle things that didn't count. Each day Elsie saw new and strikingtraits of his character which drew her.

  "What will we do if Stanton arrests you one of these fine days?" she askedhim one day.

  "Afraid they'll nab me for something?" he exclaimed. "Well, that is ajoke. Don't you worry. The Yankees know who to fool with. I licked 'em toomany times for them to bother me any more."

  "I was under the impression that you got licked," Elsie observed.

  "Don't you believe it. We wore ourselves out whipping the other fellows."

  Elsie smiled, took up the banjo, and asked him to sing while she played.

  She had no idea that he could sing, yet to her surprise he sang his campsongs boldly, tenderly, and with deep, expressive feeling.

  As the girl listened, the memory of the horrible hours of suspense she hadspent with his mother when his unconscious life hung on a thread cametrooping back into her heart and a tear dimmed her eyes.

  And he began to look at her with a new wonder and joy slowly growing inhis soul.