IN THE SHADOW
sidered affected in so young a man. His poise seemed too perfect; yet Manning knew his world.
Virginia watched the game, interested less in the play than in the players. Her brother she saw but one month in the year; Giles, for two; also at odd weeks during the winter. It was generally accepted that Giles and Virginia would marry; Manning expected it, Virginia also; and Giles had long since quietly determined that this should some day come to pass.
The set was finished; Virginia did not know who won.
"You and Giles play this time, Sis," said Manning.
"Why not join?" asked Virginia. "Tired?"
"No! I want to smoke … and think."
"Philosopher!"
"No … man of affairs. I got a letter from my manager last night; there is a chance of getting a big tract of good rice land for a song; perhaps I may have to clip my vacation"
"You shall do nothing of the sort," said Virginia.
"Should hate to. I'd buy the land from here if I were sure of being able to get the hands to clear it this season. They are old rice lands, no doubt laid out in the days of the buccaneers. One marvels how they did it; cleared acres and acres of the most hopeless tangle of swampy forest, built dikes that look like old fortifications, and all they had to do it with were slave labor and a black-snake whip!"
"Poor devils!" said Giles.
"I fancy they had a bad time. The work was tremendous, considering the conditions. There is no record of it beyond the old dikes and the patches of
6
