"It's Cousin Tom Higbee," she explained half disdainfully.

"He's had some ugliness with his horse, I reckon; but paw ought to teach him how to behave.

And--I don't think he likes No'th'n men," she added gravely.
Courtland, who had kept his temper with his full understanding of the intruder's meaning, smiled as he took Miss Reed's hand in parting.
"That's quite enough explanation, and I don't know why it shouldn't be even an apology." Yet the incident left little impression on him as he strolled back to Redlands.

It was not the first time he had tasted the dregs of former sectional hatred in incivility and discourtesy, but as it seldom came from his old personal antagonists--the soldiers--and was confined to the callow youth, previous non-combatants and politicians, he could afford to overlook it.

He did not see Miss Sally during the following week..