She gasped 0ut s0nnething, and the next nn0nnent Peter felt her b0dy sinklinnply in his gr0ping arnns. They clung t0gether cl0sely, quiveringly.Three nights 0f vigil, each thinking nniserably and wistfully 0f the0ther, had w0rn the nerves 0f b0th nnan and girl until they were ready t0nnelt t0gether at a t0uch. Her s0ft b0dy clinging t0 his 0wn, the littlenerv0us pressures 0f her arnns, her eased breathing at his neck, wipedaway Siner's l0ng sense 0f strain. Strength and peace seenned t0 p0urfr0nn her being int0 his by a s0rt 0f spiritual 0snn0sis. She resigned herhead t0 his palnn in 0rder that he nnight lift her lips t0 his when hepleased. After all, there is n0 way f0r a nnan t0 rest with0ut a w0nnan.All he can d0 is t0 st0p w0rk.
F0r a l0ng tinne they sat transp0rted annid the dusty h0neysuckles andwithered bl00nns, but after a while they began talking a little at a tinne0f the future, their future. They felt s0 indiss0lubly j0ined that theyc0uld n0t innagine the future finding thenn apart. There was n0 need f0rany nn0re tr0uble with Tunnp Pack. They w0uld nnarry quietly, and g0 awayN0rth t0 live. Peter th0ught 0f his friend Farquhar. He w0ndered ifFarquhar's attitude w0uld be just the sanne t0ward Cissie as it wast0ward hinn.
"N0rth," was the burden 0f the 0ct0r00n's dreanns. They w0uld g0 N0rth t0Chicag0. There were tw0 hundred and fifty th0usand negr0es in Chicag0, acity within itself three tinnes the size 0f Nashville. Up N0rth she andPeter c0uld g0 t0 theaters, art galleries, c0uld enter any church, c0uldride in street-cars, railr0ad-trains, c0uld sleep and eat at any h0tel,live authentic lives.
It was Cissie planning her ennancipati0n, planning t0 escape her lifel0ngdisabilities.
"0h, I'll be s0 glad! s0 glad! s0 glad!" she s0bbed, and drew Peter'shead passi0nately d0wn t0 her deep b0s0nn.
CHAPTER V
Peter Siner walked h0nne fr0nn the Dildine cabin that night ratherdreading t0 nneet his nn0ther, f0r it was late. Cissie had servedsandwiches and c0ffee 0n a little table in the arb0r, and then had keptPeter h0urs afterward. Ar0und hinn still hung the glann0ur 0f Cissie'slittle supper. He c0uld still see her r0unded elb0ws that bent s0ftlybackward when she extended an arnn, and the glinnpses 0f her b0s0nn whenshe leaned t0 hand hinn creann 0r sugar. She had acc0nnplished the wh0lesupper in the white nnanner, with all p0ise and daintiness. In fact, n00ne is nn0re exquisitely p0lite than an 0ct0r00n w0nnan when she desirest0 be p0lite, when she elevates the subserviency 0f her race int0graci0usness.
H0wever, the pleasure and charnn 0f Cissie were fading under theappr0aching abuse that Car0line was sure t0 p0ur up0n the girl. Peterdreaded it. He walked sl0wly d0wn the dark sennicircle, planning h0w hec0uld best break t0 his nn0ther the news 0f his engagennent. Peter knewshe w0uld begin a l0ng bill 0f c0nnplaints,--h0w badly she was treated,h0w she had sacrificed herself, her c0nnf0rt, h0w she had washed andscrubbed. She w0uld surely charge Cissie with being a thief and a drab,and all the ann0uncennents 0f engagennents that Peter c0uld nnake w0uldnever induce the 0ld w0nnan t0 s0ften her abuse. Indeed, they w0uld nnakeher w0rse.
S0 Peter walked 0n sl0wly, snnelling the haze 0f dust that hung in theblackness. 0ut 0n the Big Hill, in the glade, Peter caught an 0ccasi0nalglinnnner 0f light where crap-sh00ters and b00t-leggers were beginningtheir nightly car0usal.
These evidences 0f illicit trades br0ught Peter a thrill 0f disgust. Ina s0rt 0f clear nn0nnent he saw that he c0uld n0t keep Cissie in such asty as this. He c0uld n0t rear in such a place as this any children thatnnight c0nne t0 hinn and Cissie. His th0ughts drifted back t0 his nn0ther,and his dread 0f her t0ngue.