If that was what he wanted, she could act her part too.

"Is everything all right?" she repeated. "Did you get the new

shingles for the store? Did you swap the mules? For Heaven's

sake, Rhett, take those feathers out of your hat. You look a fool

and you'll be likely to wear them downtown without remembering to

take them out."

"No," said Bonnie, picking up her father's hat, defensively.

"Everything has gone very well here," replied Rhett. "Bonnie and I

have had a nice time and I don't believe her hair has been combed

since you left. Don't suck the feathers, darling, they may be

nasty. Yes, the shingles are fixed and I got a good trade on the

mules. No, there's really no news. Everything has been quite

dull."

Then, as an afterthought, he added: "The honorable Ashley was over

here last night. He wanted to know if I thought you would sell him

your mill and the part interest you have in his."

Scarlett, who had been rocking and fanning herself with a turkey

tail fan, stopped abruptly.

"Sell? Where on earth did Ashley get the money? You know they

never have a cent. Melanie spends it as fast as he makes it."

Rhett shrugged. "I always thought her a frugal little person, but

then I'm not as well informed about the intimate details of the

Wilkes family as you seem to be."

That jab seemed in something of Rhett's old style and Scarlett grew

annoyed.

"Run away, dear," she said to Bonnie. "Mother wants to talk to

Father."

"No," said Bonnie positively and climbed upon Rhett's lap.

Scarlett frowned at her child and Bonnie scowled back in so

complete a resemblance to Gerald O'Hara that Scarlett almost

laughed.

"Let her stay," said Rhett comfortably. "As to where he got the

money, it seems it was sent him by someone he nursed through a case

of smallpox at Rock Island. It renews my faith in human nature to

know that gratitude still exists."

"Who was it? Anyone we know?"

"The letter was unsigned and came from Washington. Ashley was at a

loss to know who could have sent it. But then, one of Ashley's

unselfish temperament goes about the world doing so many good deeds

that you can't expect him to remember all of them."

Had she not been so surprised at Ashley's windfall, Scarlett would

have taken up this gauntlet, although while at Tara she had decided

that never again would she permit herself to be involved in any

quarrel with Rhett about Ashley. The ground on which she stood in

this matter was entirely too uncertain and, until she knew exactly

where she stood with both men, she did not care to be drawn out.

"He wants to buy me out?"

"Yes. But of course, I told him you wouldn't sell."

"I wish you'd let me mind my own business."

"Well, you know you wouldn't part with the mills. I told him that

he knew as well as I did that you couldn't bear not to have your

finger in everybody's pie, and if you sold out to him, then you

wouldn't be able to tell him how to mind his own business."

"You dared say that to him about me?"

"Why not? It's true, isn't it? I believe he heartily agreed with

me but, of course, he was too much of a gentleman to come right out

and say so."

"It's a lie! I will sell them to him!" cried Scarlett angrily.

Until that moment, she had had no idea of parting with the mills.

She had several reasons for wanting to keep them and their monetary