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But no one wanted to forget； no one； it seemed； except herself； so Scarlett was glad when she could truthfully tell Melanie that she was embarrassed at appearing； even in the darkness。 This explanation was readily understood by Melanie who was hypersensitive about all matters relating to childbirth。 Melanie wanted another baby badly； but both Dr。 Meade and Dr。 Fontaine had said another child would cost her her life。 So； only half resigned to her fate； she spent most of her time with Scarlett； vicariously enjoying a pregnancy not her own。 To Scarlett； scarcely wanting her coming child and irritated at its untimeliness； this attitude seemed the height of sentimental stupidity。 But she had a guilty sense of pleasure that the doctors’ edict had made impossible any real intimacy between Ashley and his wife。
Scarlett saw Ashley frequently now but she never saw him alone。 He came by the house every night on his way home from the mill to report on the day’s work； but Frank and Pitty were usually present or； worse still； Melanie and India。 She could only ask businesslike questions and make suggestions and then say： “It was nice of you to come by。 Good night。”
If only she wasn’t having a baby！ Here was a God…given opportunity to ride out to the mill with him every morning； through the lonely woods； far from prying eyes； where they could imagine themselves back In the County again in the unhurried days before the war。
No； she wouldn’t try to make him say one word of love！ She wouldn’t refer to love in any way。 She’d sworn an oath to herself that she would never do that again。 But； perhaps if she were alone with him once more； he might drop that mask of impersonal courtesy he had worn since coming to Atlanta。 Perhaps he might be his old self again； be the Ashley she had known before the barbecue； before any word of love had been spoken between them。 If they could not be lovers； they could be friends again and she could warm her cold and lonely heart in the glow of his friendship。
“If only I could get this baby over and done with；” she thought impatiently； “then I could ride with him every day and we could talk—”
It was not only the desire to be with him that made her writhe with helpless impatience at her confinement。 The mills needed her。 The mills had been losing money ever since she retired from active supervision； leaving Hugh and Ashley in charge。
Hugh was so incompetent； for all that he tried so hard。 He was a poor trader and a poorer boss of labor。 Anyone could Jew him down on prices。 If any slick contractor chose to say that the lumber was of an inferior grade and not worth the price asked； Hugh felt that all a gentleman could do was to apologize and take a lower price。 When she heard of the price he received for a thousand feet of flooring； she burst into angry tears。 The best grade of flooring the mill had ever turned out and he had practically given it away！ And he couldn’t manage his labor crews。 The negroes insisted on being paid every day and they frequently got drunk on their wages and did not turn up for work the next morning。 On these occasions Hugh was forced to hunt up new workmen and the mill was late in starting。 With these difficulties Hugh didn’t get into town to sell the lumber for days on end。
Seeing the profits slip from Hugh’s fingers； Scarlett became frenzied at her impotence and his stupidity。 Just as soon as the baby was born and she could go back to work； she would get rid of Hugh and hire some one else。 Anyone would do better。 And she would never fool with free niggers again。 How could anyone get any work done with free niggers quitting all the time？
“Frank；” she said； after a stormy interview with Hugh over his missing workmen； I’ve about made up my mind that I’ll lease convicts to work the mills。 A while back I was talking to Johnnie Gallegher； Tommy Wellburn’s foreman； about the trouble we were having getting any work out of the darkies and he asked me why I didn’t get convicts。 It sounds like a good idea to me。 He said I could sublease them for next to nothing and feed them dirt cheap。 And he said I could get work out of them in any way I liked； without having the Freedman’s Bureau swarming down on me like hornets； sticking their bills into things that aren’t any of their business。 And just as soon as Johnnie Gallegher’s contract with Tommy is up； I’m going to hire him to run Hugh’s mill。 Any man who can get work out of that bunch of wild Irish he bosses can certainly get plenty of work out of convicts。”
Convicts！ Frank was speechless。 Leasing convicts was the very worst of all the wild schemes Scarlett had ever suggested； worse even than her notion of building a saloon。
At least； it seemed worse to Frank and the conservative circles in which he moved。 This new system of leasing convicts had come into being because of the poverty of the state after the war。 Unable to support the convicts； the State was hiring them out to those needing large labor crews in the building of railroads； in turpentine forests and lumber camps。 While Frank and his quiet churchgoing friends realized the necessity of the system； they deplored it just the same。 Many of them had not even believed in slavery and they thought this was far worse than slavery had ever been。
And Scarlett wanted to lease convicts！ Frank knew that if she did he could never hold up his head again。 This was far worse than owning and operating the mills herself； or anything else she had done。 His past objections had always been coupled with the question： “What will people say？” But this—this went deeper than fear of public opinion。 He felt that it was a traffic in human bodies on a par with prostitution； a sin that would be on his soul if he permitted her to do it。
From this conviction of wrongness； Frank gathered courage to forbid Scarlett to do such a thing； and so strong were his remarks that she； startled； relapsed into silence。 Finally to quiet him； she said meekly she hadn’t really meant it She was just so outdone with Hugh and the free niggers she had lost her temper。 Secretly； she still thought about it and with some longing。 Convict labor would settle one of her hardest problems； but if Frank was going to take on so about it—
She sighed。 If even one of the mills were making money； she could stand it。 But Ashley was faring little better with his mill than Hugh。
At first Scarlett was shocked and disappointed that Ashley did not immediately take hold and make the mill pay double what it had paid under her management。 He was so smart and he had read so many books and there was no reason at all why he should not make a brilliant success and lots of money。 But he was no more successful than Hugh。 His inexperience； his errors； his utter lack of business judgment and his scruples about close dealing were the same as Hugh’s。
Scarlett’s love hastily found excuses for him and she did not consider the two men in the same light。 Hugh was just hopelessly stupid； while Ashley was merely new at the business。 Still； unbidden； came the thought that Ashley could never make a quick estimate in his head and give a price that was correct； as she could。 And she sometimes wondered if he’d ever learn to distinguish between planking and sills。 And because he was a gentleman and himself trustworthy； he trusted every scoundrel who came along and several times would have lost money for her if she had not tactfully intervened。 And if he liked a person—and he seemed to like so many people！—he sold them lumber on credit without ever thinking to find out if they had money in the bank or property。 He was as bad as Frank in that respect。
But surely he would learn！ And while he was learning she had a fond and maternal indulgence and patience for his errors。 Every evening when he called at her house； weary and discouraged； she was tireless in her tactful； helpful suggestions。 But for all her encouragement and cheer； there was a queer dead look in his eyes。 She could not understand it and it frightened her。 He was different； so different from the man he used to be。 If only she could see him alone； perhaps she could discover the reason。
The situation gave her many sleepless nights。 She worried about Ashle