feel acutely what Reconstruction in an its implications meant； made to understand more completely what was in Will’s mind when he said “Our troubles have just begun；” to know that the bleak words of Ashley； spoken in the wind…swept orchard of Tara； were true： “This that’s facing all of us is worse than war—worse than prison—worse than death。”
The first time she had come face to face with Reconstruction was when she teamed that Jonas Wilkerson with the aid of the Yankees could evict her from Tara。 But Tony’s advent brought it all home to her in a far more terrifying manner。 Tony came in the dark and the lashing rain and in a few minutes he was gone back into the night forever； but in the brief interval between he raised the curtain on a scene of new horror； a curtain that she felt hopelessly would never be lowered again。
That stormy night when the knocker hammered on the door with such hurried urgency； she stood on the landing； clutching her wrapper to her and； looking down into the hall below； had one glimpse of Tony’s swarthy saturnine face before he leaned forward and blew out the candle in Frank’s hand。 She hurried down in the darkness to grasp his cold wet hand and hear him whisper： “They’re after me—going to Texas—my horse is about dead—and I’m about starved。 Ashley said you’d— Don’t light the candle！ Don’t wake the darkies。 。。。 I don’t want to get you folks in trouble if I can help it。”
With the kitchen blinds drawn and all the shades pulled down to the sills； he permitted a light and he talked to Frank in swift jerky sentences as Scarlett hurried about； trying to scrape together a meal for him。
He was without a greatcoat and soaked to the skin。 He was hatless and his black hair was plastered to his little skin。 But the merriment of the Fontaine boys； a chilling merriment that night； was in his little dancing eyes as he gulped down the whisky she brought him。 Scarlett thanked God that Aunt Pittypat was snoring undisturbed upstairs。 She would certainly swoon if she saw this apparition。
“One damned bast—Scalawag less；” said Tony； holding out his glass for another drink。 “I’ve ridden hard and it’ll cost me my skin if I don’t get out of here quick； but it was worth it By God； yes！ I’m going to try to get to Texas and lay low there。 Ashley was with me in Jonesboro and he told me to come to you all。 Got to have another horse； Frank； and some money。 My horse is nearly dead—all the way up here at a dead run—and like a fool I went out of the house today like a bat out of hell without a coat or hat or a cent of money。 Not that there’s much money in our house。”
He laughed and applied himself hungrily to the cold corn pone and cold turnip greens on which congealed grease was thick in white flakes。
“You can have my horse；” said Frank calmly。 “I’ve only ten dollars with me but if you can wait till morning—”
“Hell’s afire； I can’t wait！” said Tony； emphatically but jovially。 “They’re probably right behind me。 I didn’t get much of a start。 If it hadn’t been for Ashley dragging me out of there and making me get on my horse； I’d have stayed there like a fool and probably had my neck stretched by now。 Good fellow； Ashley。”
So Ashley was mixed up in this frightening puzzle。 Scarlett went cold； her hand at her throat。 Did the Yankees have Ashley now？ Why； why didn’t Frank ask what it was all about？ Why did he take it all so coolly； so much as a matter of course？ She struggled to get the question to her lips。
“What—” she began。 “Who—”
“Your father’s old overseer—that damned—Jonas Wilkerson。”
“Did you—is he dead？”
“My God； Scarlett O’Hara！” said Tony peevishly。 “When I start out to cut somebody up； you don’t think I’d be satisfied with scratching him with the blunt side of my knife； do you？ No； by God； I cut him to ribbons。”
“Good；” said Frank casually。 “I never liked the fellow。”
Scarlett looked at him。 This was not the meek Frank she knew； the nervous beard clawer who she had learned could be bullied with such ease。 There was an air about him that was crisp and cool and he was meeting the emergency with no unnecessary words。 He was a man and Tony was a man and this situation of violence was men’s business in which a woman had no part。
“But Ashley— Did he—”
“No。 He wanted to kill him but I told him it was my right； because Sally is my sister…in…law； and he saw reason finally。 He went into Jonesboro with me； in case Wilkerson got me first。 But I don’t think old Ash will get in any trouble about it。 I hope not。 Got any jam for this corn pone？ And can you wrap me up something to take with me？”
“I shall scream if you don’t tell me everything。”
“Wait till I’ve gone and then scream if you’ve got to。 I’ll tell you about it while Frank saddles the horse。 That damned—Wilkerson has caused enough trouble already； know how he did you about your taxes。 That’s just one of his meannesses。 But the worst thing was the way he kept the darkies stirred up。 If anybody had told me I’d ever live to see the day when I’d hate darkies！ Damn their black souls； they believe anything those scoundrels tell them and forget every living thing we’ve done for them。 Now the Yankees are talking about letting the darkies vote。 And they won’t let us vote。 Why； there’s hardly a handful of Democrats in the whole County who aren’t barred from voting； now that they’ve ruled out every man who fought in the Confederate Army。 And if they give the negroes the vote； it’s the end of us。 Damn it； it’s our state！ It doesn’t belong to the Yankees！ By God； Scarlett； it isn’t to be borne！ And it won’t be borne！ We’ll do something about it if it means another war。 Soon we’ll be having nigger judges； nigger legislators—black apes out of the jungle—”
“Please—hurry； tell me！ What did you do？”
“Give me another mite of that pone before you wrap it up。 Well； the word got around that Wilkerson had gone a bit too far with his nigger…equality business。 Oh； yes； he talks it to those black fools by the hour。 He had the gall—the—” Tony spluttered helplessly； “to say niggers had a right to—to—white women。”
“Oh； Tony； no！”
“By God； yes！ I don’t wonder you look sick。 But hell’s afire； Scarlett； it can’t be news to you。 They’ve been telling it to them here in Atlanta。”
“I—I didn’t know。”
“Well； Frank would have kept it from you。 Anyway； after that； we all sort of thought we’d call on Mr。 Wilkerson privately by night and tend to him； but before we could— You remember that black buck； Eustis； who used to be our foreman？”
“Yes。”
“Came to the kitchen door today while Sally was fixing dinner and—I don’t know what he said to her。 I guess I’ll never know now。 But he said something and I heard her scream and I ran into the kitchen and there he was； drunk as a fiddler’s bitch—I beg your pardon； Scarlett； it just slipped out。”
“Go on。”
“I shot him and when Mother ran in to take care of Sally； I got my horse and started to Jonesboro for Wilkerson。 He was the one to blame。 The damned black fool would never have thought of it but for him。 And on the way past Tara； I met Ashley and； of course； he went with me。 He said to let him do it because of the way Wilkerson acted about Tara and I said No； it was my place because Sally was my own dead brother’s wife； and he went with me arguing the whole way。 And when we got to town； by God； Scarlett； do you know I hadn’t even brought my pistol； I’d left it in the stable。 So mad I forgot—”
He paused and gnawed the tough pone and Scarlett shivered。 The murderous rages of the Fontaines had made County history long before this chapter had opened。
“So I had to take my knife to him。 I found him in the barroom。 I got him in a corner with Ashley holding back the others and I told him why before I lit into him。 Why； it was over before I knew it；” said Tony reflecting。 “First thing I knew； Ashley had me on my horse and told me to come to you folks。 Ashley’s a good man in a pinch。 He keeps his head。”
Frank came in； his greatcoat over his arm； and handed it to Tony。 It was his only heavy coat but Scarlett made no protest。 She seemed so much on the outside of this affair； this purely masculine affair。
“But Tony—they need you at home。 Surely； if you went back and explained—”
“Frank； you’ve married a fool；” said Tony with a grin； struggling into the coat。 “She thinks the Yankees will reward a man for keeping niggers off his women folks。 So they will； with a drumhead court and a rope。 Give me a kiss； Scarlett。 Frank won’t mind and I may never see you again。 Texas is a long way off。 I won’t dare write； so let the home folks know I got this far in safety。”
She let him kiss her and the two men went out into the driving rain and stood for a moment； talking on the back porch。 Then she heard a sudden splashing of hooves and Tony was gone。 She opened the door a crack and saw Frank leading a heaving； stumbling horse into the carriage house。 She shut the door again and sat down； her knees trembling。
Now she knew what Reconstruction meant； knew as well as if the house were ringed about by naked savages； squatting in breech clouts。 Now there came rushing to her mind many things to which she had given little thought recently； conversations she had heard but to which she had not listened； masculine talk which had been checked half finished when she came into rooms； small incidents in which she had seen no significance at the time； Frank’s futile warnings to her against driving out to the mill with only the feeble Uncle Peter to protect her。 Now they fitted themselves together into one horrifying picture。
The negroes were on top and behind them were the Yankee bayonets。 She could be killed； she could be raped and； very probably； nothing would ever be done about it。 And anyone who avenged her would be hanged by the Yankees； hanged without benefit of trial by judge and jury。 Yankee officers who knew nothing of law and cared less for the circumstances of the crime could go through the motions of holding a trial and put a rope around a Southerner’s neck。
“What can we do？” she thought； wringing her hands in an agony of helpless fear。 “What can we do