Page:Southern Life in Southern Literature.djvu/126

108 the men. She descended to the court below, where they made a show of deliberation, and, in her own manner, with a just knowledge of human nature, proceeded to give her aid in their general progress. Knowing that any direct suggestion from a woman, and under circumstances of strife and trial, would necessarily offend the amour propre of the nobler animal and provoke his derision, she pursued a sort of management which an experienced woman is usually found to employ as a kind of familiar—a wily little demon, that goes unseen at her bidding and does her business, like another Ariel, the world all the while knowing nothing about it. Calling out from the crowd one of those whom she knew to be not only the most collected, but the one least annoyed by any unnecessary self-esteem, she was in a moment joined by Wat Grayson, and leading him aside, she proceeded to suggest various measures of preparation and defense, certainly the most prudent that had yet been made. This she did with so much unobtrusive modesty that the worthy woodman took it for granted all the while that the ideas were properly his own. She concluded with insisting upon his taking the command.

"But Nichols will have it all to himself. That's one of our difficulties now."

"What of that? You may easily manage him, Master Grayson."

"How?" he asked.

"The greater number of the men here are of the 'Green Jackets'?"

"Yes—"

"And you are their lieutenant—next in command to Captain Harrison, and their first officer in his absence?"

"That's true."

"Command them as your troop exclusively and don't mind the rest."