Interest and he--"

"And I told her I had already made arrangements for us to go North

and she--"

"Oh," cried Scarlett, beginning to sob again, "I told him and told

him how much I needed him--how I couldn't get anybody to manage the

mill--how I was going to have this baby--and he refused to come!

And now--now, I'll have to sell the mill and I know I can't get

anything like a good price for it and I'll lose money and I guess

maybe we'll starve, but he won't care. He's so mean!"

She burrowed her head back into Melanie's thin shoulder and some of

the real anguish went from her as a flicker of hope woke in her.

She could sense that in Melanie's devoted heart she had an ally,

feel Melanie's indignation that anyone, even her beloved husband,

should make Scarlett cry. Melanie flew at Ashley like a small

determined dove and pecked him for the first time in her life.

"Ashley, how could you refuse her? And after all she's done for

us! How ungrateful you make us appear! And she so helpless now

with the bab-- How unchivalrous of you! She helped us when we

needed help and now you deny her when she needs you!"

Scarlett peeped slyly at Ashley and saw surprise and uncertainty

plain in his face as he looked into Melanie's dark indignant eyes.

Scarlett was surprised, too, at the vigor of Melanie's attack, for

she knew Melanie considered her husband beyond wifely reproaches

and thought his decisions second only to God's.

"Melanie . . ." he began and then threw out his hands helplessly.

"Ashley, how can you hesitate? Think what she's done for us--for

me! I'd have died in Atlanta when Beau came if it hadn't been for

her! And she--yes, she killed a Yankee, defending us. Did you

know that? She killed a man for us. And she worked and slaved

before you and Will came home, just to keep food in our mouths.

And when I think of her plowing and picking cotton, I could just--

Oh, my darling!" And she swooped her head and kissed Scarlett's

tumbled hair in fierce loyalty. "And now the first time she asks

us to do something for her--"

"You don't need to tell me what she has done for us."

"And Ashley, just think! Besides helping her, just think what

It'll mean for us to live in Atlanta among our own people and not

have to live with Yankees! There'll be Auntie and Uncle Henry and

all our friends, and Beau can have lots of playmates and go to

school. If we went North, we couldn't let him go to school and

associate with Yankee children and have pickaninnies in his class!

We'd have to have a governess and I don't see how we'd afford--"

"Melanie," said Ashley and his voice was deadly quiet, "do you

really want to go to Atlanta so badly? You never said so when we

talked about going to New York. You never intimated--"

"Oh, but when we talked about going to New York, I thought there

was nothing for you in Atlanta and, besides, it wasn't my place to

say anything. It's a wife's duty to go where her husband goes.

But now that Scarlett needs us so and has a position that only you

can fill we can go home! Home!" Her voice was rapturous as she

squeezed Scarlett. "And I'll see Five Points again and Peachtree

road and--and-- Oh, how I've missed them all! And maybe we could

have a little home of our own! I wouldn't care how little and

tacky it was but--a home of our own!"

Her eyes blazed with enthusiasm and happiness and the two stared at

her, Ashley with a queer stunned look, Scarlett with surprise

mingled with shame. It had never occurred to her that Melanie

missed Atlanta so much and longed to be back, longed for a home of

her own. She had seemed so contented at Tara it came to Scarlett

as a shock that she was homesick.

"Oh Scarlett, how good of you to plan all this for us! You knew

how I longed for home!"

As usual when confronted by Melanie's habit of attributing worthy

motives where no worth existed, Scarlett was ashamed and irritated,

and suddenly she could not meet either Ashley's or Melanie's eyes.

"We could get a little house of our own. Do you realize that we've

been married five years and never had a home?"

"You can stay with us at Aunt Pitty's. That's your home," mumbled

Scarlett, toying with a pillow and keeping her eyes down to hide

dawning triumph in them as she felt the tide turning her way.

"No, but thank you just the same, darling. That would crowd us so.

We'll get a house-- Oh, Ashley, do say Yes!"

"Scarlett," said Ashley and his voice was toneless, "look at me."

Startled, she looked up and met gray eyes that were bitter and full

of tired futility.

"Scarlett, I will come to Atlanta. . . . I cannot fight you both."

He turned and walked out of the room. Some of the triumph in her

heart was dulled by a nagging fear. The look in his eyes when he

spoke had been the same as when he said he would be lost forever if

he came to Atlanta.

After Suellen and Will married and Carreen went off to Charleston

to the convent, Ashley, Melanie and Beau came to Atlanta, bringing

Dilcey with them to cook and nurse. Prissy and Pork were left at

Tara until such a time as Will could get other darkies to help him