“Be yo’ gwine with him?” asked the Arkansas man, pointing to Olive.
“Yes,” said Olive shortly.
“Wish we’d hanged the damned cuss ’fore she come in,” said the Arkansas man regretfully to his companion, who had also been present at the trial. “She’s gwine ter ’lope with him, an’ ole man Weston he on’y jes’ married her las’ spring.”
“Reckon she don’t like ’Fection City idees. Gals mos’ allers likes a fightin’ man best, an’ this hyar one is reg’lar downright handsome too.”
“If we’d on’y hed a-hanged him she couldn’t hev run off with the coon,” repeated the Arkansas man with conviction, shaking his head sorrowfully as he watched the two disappearing among the trees on the South Fork.
CHAPTER XIX.
OLIVE MISSING.
There was dire dismay at Perfection City when the flight of Olive became known. Napoleon Pompey informed Madame of it the same evening, but, for reasons best known to herself, she did not announce the fact until the next morning, when the brethren and sisters flocked to her house to talk over this surprising event in all its bearings. The members accounted for it in different ways and explained it according to their preconceived notions. Madame at once said that she had evidently left her husband whom she had never really loved at all.
“I think we must all have noticed how utterly unsuited she was to him and how uncongenial. She was no fit companion for a man of Ezra’s mind,” said Madame.
“Wal, now,” observed Uncle David, “I think such a purty little gal with sweet little kitten-ways was a most congenial companion.”
“Uncle, you don’t understand men. Men with minds and high aspirations want a companion capable of sharing their ideas and aims, they don’t want a kitten or a plaything.”