“You must not think of marriage now, my dear, when the bread we eat may fail us. Jinny, we are not as rich as we used to be. Our trade was in the South and West, and now the South and West cannot pay. I had a conference with Mr. Hopper yesterday, and he tells me that we must be prepared.”
She laid her hand upon his.
“And did you think I would care, dear?” she asked gently. “I can bear with poverty and rags, to win this war.”
“His own eyes were dim, but pride shone in them. Jackson came in on tiptoe, and hesitated. At the Colonel's motion he took away the china and the silver, and removed the white cloth, and turned low the lights in the chandelier. He went out softly, and closed the door.
“Pa,” said Virginia, presently, “do you trust Mr. Hopper?”
The Colonel gave a start.
“Why, yes, Jinny. He improved the business greatly before this trouble came. And even now we are not in such straits as some other houses.”
“Captain Lige doesn't like him.”
“Lige has prejudices.”
“So have I,” said Virginia. “Eliphalet Hopper will serve you so long as he serves himself. No longer.”