“Jes’ so, jes’ so! But see what we’ve done for the Africans, given them the advantages of Christian training, and a chance to mingle, although but servants, in the best circles of the country. The niggers have decidedly the best of it. The masters suffer from their ignorance and incompetency.” “How do you think the excitement over the Kansas-Nebraska matter will end?” questioned Maxwell, avoiding a statement of his own opinions. “There are warm times ahead. The Yankees have got to be forced to leave the States. We’ll make ourselves a living terror to them. The trouble is bein’ stirred up by a lot of psalm singing abolitionists and an old lunatic named Brown. Yankees won’t fight; they’ll scatter like chaff before my Rangers. Now, there’s fighting blood for you; every man owns a nigger and loves the South and her institutions, an’ they ain’t goin’ to be beat out o’ Kansas for an extension to the institution.” “Well, gentlemen, my opinion is that you are wrong. A government cannot prosper founded on crushed and helpless humanity,” replied Maxwell firmly. “Well, well,” interrupted the Colonel, “There are two sides to every question. Some day--soon, perhaps, you will realize that we are a chivalrous, gallant people, worthy of the admiration of the world.” “While the Free Staters think themselves in the right, you also feel that your side is right.” “Precisely. They have inherited their ideas as we have ours. We do not agree. It is our duty to convince them of their error, and with God’s help we will do it.” “But surely, you do not defend the atrocities committed against helpless women and children that are perpetrated by your side in Kansas every day?” “Defend them? No! But I sympathize with the feelings of the perpetrators. You condemn them wholly without comprehending them or their motives, thus injuring them and doing mischief to yourself. Each group of men in this country has its own standard of right and wrong, and we won’t give our ideas up for no d----d greasy, Northern mechanic.” “That’s the right sort, Colonel,” nodded Thomson, in sympathetic approval. The announcement that dinner was served cut short further discussion, much to Warren’s relief. The Colonel’s words impressed the young man greatly. But ever in opposition to specious argument arose thoughts of Winona and Judah and the terrible work done at the sacking of Osawatamie. The remainder of the day was spent in riding over the plantation, and studying the beauties of the ‘institution’ as propounded by the philosophical Colonel. Once only, Warren’s anxious gaze descried Winona wheeling the chair of her crippled mistress up and down the lawn, but when the men returned to the house both were invisible.