compassion for the frightened child, trotting by Prissy's side.

dragging at her hand and sniffing--only a weariness that she

had borne him. only a fired wonder that she had ever married Charles Hariton "Miss Scarlett." whispered Prissy. Clutching
her mistress' arm. "Doan le's go ter Tara Dey's not dar Dey's all done gone Maybe ey did--Maw an all" The echo of her own
thoughts infuriated her and Scarlett shook off the pinching fingers "Then gue me Wade's hand you can cut right down here
and stay" "No'm! No" "Then HUSH" Howslowly the horse moved! The moisture from his slobbering mouth dripped down
upon her hand Through her mind ran a few words of the song she had once sung with Rhett--she could not recall the rest Just
a few more days for to tote the weary load--" "Just a few more steps." hummed her brath over and over "just a fewmore steps
for to tote the weary load "Then they topped the rise and before them lay the oaks of Tara a towering dark mass against the
darkening sky Scarlett looked hastily to see if there was a light anywhereThere was none "They are Gone", said her heart.
like cold lead in her breast "Gone" she turned the horse's head into the driveway, and the cedars. meeting over their heads
cast them into midnight blackness Peering up the long tunnel of darkness. straining her eyes she saw ahead--or did she see?
Were her tired eyes playing her tricks?-- the white pricks of Tara blurred and indistinct Home Homel The dear white walls,
the windows with the fluttering curtains the wide verandas--were they all there ahead of her in the gloom? Or dia the
darkness mercifully conceal such a horror as the Macintosh house? The avenue seemed miles long and the horse pulling
stubbornly at her hand, plopped slower and slower Eagerly her eyes searched the darkness. The roof seemed to be intact
Could it be--could it be--? No. it wasn't possible War stopped for nothing, not even Tara. built to last five hundred years It
could not have passed over Tora Then the shadowy outline did take form she pulled the horse forward faster the white walls
dich show there through the darkness And untarnished by smoke Tara had escaped Homel she dropped the bride and ran the
last few steps. leaped forward with an urge to clutch the walls themselves in her arms Then she saw a form shadowy in the
aimless. Emerging from the blackness of the front veranda and standing at the top of the steps Tara has not deserted someone
was home Acry of joy rose to her throat and died there The house was so dark and still and the figure did not move or call to
her What was wrong? What was wrong? Tara stood intact. yet shrouded with the same eerie quiet that hung over the whole
stricken countryside Then the figure moved Stuffly and slowly. It came down the steps "Pa?" she whispered huskily.
doubting almost that it was the "t's me--Katie Scarlett I've come home" Gerald moved toward her. silent as a sleepwalker. his
stiff leg dragging He came close to her. looking at her in a dazed way as if he believed she was part of a dream Putting out
his hand, he laid it on her shoulder Scarlett felt it tremble, tremble as if he had been awakened from a nightmare into a half-
sense of reality "Daughter." he said with an effort "Daughter "Then he was silent Why--he's an old man thought Scarlett
Gerald's shoulders sagged in the face which she could only see dimly, there was none of the virility. The restless Vitality of
Gerald, and the eyes that looked into hers had almost the same fear-stunned look that lay in little Wade's eyes He was only a
little old man and broken And now. fear of unknown things seized her leaped swiftly out of the darkness at her and she could
only stand and stare at him all the flood of questioning dammed up at her lips From the Wagon the faint Walling sounded
again and Gerald seemed to rouse himself with an effort It's Melanie and her baby." whispered Scarlett rapidly "she's very II-
brought her home" Gerald dropped his hand from her arm and straightened his shoulders As he moved slowly to the side of
the wagon. there was a ghostly semblance of the old host of Tara welcoming guests, as if Gerald spoke words from out of
shadowy memory "Cousin Melanie" Melanie's voice murmured indistinctly "Cousin Melanie. this is your home Twelve Oaks
is burned You must stay with us Thoughts of Melanie's prolonged suffering spurred Scarlett to action. The present was with
her again. the necessity of laying Melanie and her child on a soft bed and doing those small things for her that could be done
"she must be carried she can't walk" There was a scuffle of feet and a dark figure emerged from the Cave of the front hall
Pork can down the steps "Miss Scarlett! Miss Scarlett, he cried Scarlett caught him by the arms Pork part and parcel of Tara
as dear as the bricks and the cool corridors! She felt his tears stream down on her hands as he patted her clumsily crying
"Sho is glad you back! Sho is--"Prissy burst into tears and incoherent mumblings "Poker Poker. honey and little Wade,
encouraged by the weakness of his elders. Began sniffling "Wade thirsty" Scarlett caught them all in hand "Miss Melanie is
in the wagon and her baby too Pork. you must carry her upstairs very carefully and put her in the back company room Prissy,
take the baby and Wade inside and give Wade a drink of water is Mommy here. Pork? Tell her I Want her" Galvanized by the
authority in her voice. Pork approached the Wagon and fumbled at the backboard A moon was wrenched from Melanie as he
half-feta, half-dragged her from the feather fick on which she had lain so many hours, and then she was in Pork's strong
arms. her head drooping like a child's across his shoulder Prissy holding the baby and dragging Wade by the hand, followed
them up the wide steps and disappeared into the blackness of the hall Scarlett's bleeding fingers sought her father's hand
urgently "Did they get well. Pa?" "The girls are recovering" Silence fell and in the silence, an idea toa monstrous for words
took form she could not. could not force it to her lips. She swallowed and swallowed put a sudden dryness that seemed to
have stuck the sides of her throat together was this the answer to the frightening riddle of Tara's silence? As if answering the
question in her mind Gerald spoke "Your mother--" he said and stopped "Ana--Mother?" "Your mother died yesterday" Her
father's arm held tightly in her own. Scarlett felt her way down the wide dark hall which even in its blackness. Was as
familiar as her own mina she avoided the high-backed chairs, the empty gun rack the old sideboard with its protruding claw
feet and she felt herself drawn by instinct to the tiny office at the back of the house where Ellen always sat, keeping her
endless accounts. Surely, when she entered that room. Mother would again