The Quest of the Silver Fleece by Du Bois
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THE QUEST OF THE SILVER FLEECE
_A Novel_
W.E.B. DU BOIS
1911
A.C. McClurg & Co.
_Contents_
THE QUEST OF THE SILVER FLEECE
_Note from the Author_ 3
_One_: DREAMS 5
_Two_: THE SCHOOL 12
_Three_: MISS MARY TAYLOR 16
_Four_: TOWN 23
_Five_: ZORA 33
_Six_: COTTON 42
_Seven_: THE PLACE OF DREAMS 53
_Eight_: MR. HARRY CRESSWELL 66
_Nine_: THE PLANTING 74
_Ten_: MR. TAYLOR CALLS 84
_Eleven_: THE FLOWERING OF THE FLEECE 99
_Twelve_: THE PROMISE 108
_Thirteen_: MRS. GREY GIVES A DINNER 122
_Fourteen_: LOVE 128
_Fifteen_: REVELATION 134
_Sixteen_: THE GREAT REFUSAL 146
_Seventeen_: THE RAPE OF THE FLEECE 154
_Eighteen_: THE COTTON CORNER 162
_Nineteen_: THE DYING OF ELSPETH 171
_Twenty_: THE WEAVING OF THE SILVER FLEECE 182
_Twenty-one_: THE MARRIAGE MORNING 191
_Twenty-two_: MISS CAROLINE WYNN 199
_Twenty-three_: THE TRAINING OF ZORA 210
_Twenty-four_: THE EDUCATION OF ALWYN 218
_Twenty-five_: THE CAMPAIGN 230
_Twenty-six_: CONGRESSMAN CRESSWELL 244
_Twenty-seven_: THE VISION OF ZORA 254
_Twenty-eight_: THE ANNUNCIATION 263
_Twenty-nine_: A MASTER OF FATE 271
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: The Quest of the Silver Fleece by Du Bois
- 2: In The Quest of the Silver Fleece there is little
- 3: But above it flew the first sweet music
- 4: Announced abruptly I'se hungry
- 5: 'cept when devils make 'em black
- 6: Harsh tones came booming through the forest Zo ra
- 7: Statistics show Drat statistics
- 8: She eyed him critically black
- 9: Give 'em your Greek and study Cotton
- 10: Goobers don't grow on the tops of vines
- 11: And she murmured The Golden Fleece it's the Silver Fleece
- 12: And Bles switched him unavailingly
- 13: The Cresswells are thieves now
- 14: Dey is good to de're old mammy
- 15: Caldwell himself hurried forward
- 16: He greeted Bles with a comprehensive wave of the hand
- 17: I thought But Bles was already turning
- 18: And it takes a lot to make mammy afeared
- 19: Out from some fastness of the wood crept Zora
- 20: Yet Zora would take no money from Bles
- 21: He carried it to Zora in the wood
- 22: And upon the threshold stood Zora
- 23: In the rich Wall Street offices of Grey and Easterly
- 24: Congressman Smith of New Jersey
- 25: Vanderpool knew enough to even things
- 26: Easterly was glad of his partner's definite withdrawal
- 27: A Colonel Cresswell is its head
- 28: Vanderpool knows the Cresswells
- 29: Treat poor Zora a little more lovingly
- 30: She looked at Zora disapprovingly
- 31: But Miss Taylor refused to have the matter made personal
- 32: For she was sure Zora was not listening
- 33: Zora was not sure that it had been wise to tell their secret
- 34: But Zora eagerly surveyed the prospect
- 35: HARRY CRESSWELL The Cresswells
- 36: Elspeth is sending her girl there
- 37: Cresswell searched for the letter
- 38: We've got to send that Zora right away
- 39: Nine THE PLANTING Zora looked down upon Bles
- 40: But Zora you're not used to such work
- 41: Then Bles sat down beside Zora
- 42: Bles shuddered and stepped back
- 43: But I'm sorry she's white Bles
- 44: Bles slipped his arm protectingly around Zora
- 45: Exchanged some remarks with a passing servant
- 46: Cresswell did not take the trouble to reply
- 47: But Cresswell touched the horse
- 48: Cresswell strode carelessly on
- 49: He wrote the Cresswells tentatively
- 50: Harry Cresswell only smiled dimly and looked interested
- 51: Colonel Cresswell started indignantly from his seat
- 52: All this was new to Helen Cresswell
- 53: And quite forgetting Miss Cresswell
- 54: Zora caught her breath sharply
- 55: And Zora labored steadily and eagerly
- 56: But more striking was the change in Zora
- 57: He fancied Zora cared less for his company
- 58: Bles leaned on his hoe and considered
- 59: Helped by Northern philanthropy
- 60: And out of the eastward spur of the Cresswell barony
- 61: Ol' man Tolliver was powerful mad
- 62: Cresswell has offered me forty acres of good land
- 63: She had not dreamed the Tolliver place was for sale
- 64: But Miss Smith plunged into her subject Colonel Cresswell
- 65: Bles kept looking at the skies
- 66: Worth at least ten thousand dollars
- 67: Harry Cresswell and his sister
- 68: The Vanderpools were sure of this and the Englishman
- 69: Peering through the misty windows toward the swamp rain
- 70: The mud splashed and sunlight glistened
- 71: Bles did not know yet that she was down
- 72: Cresswell finally thrust his food away
- 73: And Southerners like Cresswell
- 74: Together with the silent Miss Boldish
- 75: Vanderpool was lolling luxuriously
- 76: He thought of Zora telling how she stayed out nights
- 77: Bles no all girls do not know
- 78: She pointed toward the Cresswell Oaks
- 79: Bocombe was engrossed in a novel
- 80: Bocombe got out his note book and wrote furiously therein
- 81: Cresswell expects friends to dinner
- 82: Boldish looked indignant and Mr
- 83: One wakens to the misty sense of eternal loss
- 84: Zora turned away with a gesture of impatience
- 85: Colonel Cresswell stood by the door
- 86: Harry Cresswell entered the dimly lighted room
- 87: They had stolen the Silver Fleece
- 88: Colonel Cresswell was hesitant
- 89: Tolliver looked at his house and barns
- 90: Harry Cresswell went to Montgomery
- 91: Taylor Cresswell half arose
- 92: Today the Cresswells were almost millionaires
- 93: Harry Cresswell would soon be coming downstairs
- 94: Zora gave no sign of having seen her
- 95: Zora looked coldly down upon the child
- 96: So for Harry Cresswell the day burst
- 97: Zora shrank back into the shadows and listened
- 98: Lay in the cotton warehouse of the Cresswells
- 99: Sitting shadowed on the farther bale
- 100: This beautiful baled fibre was hers
- 101: Vanderpool arriving from New Orleans
- 102: Vanderpool was a little puzzled at herself
- 103: At the edge of the orgy stood Zora
- 104: Next morning Zora came easily into Mrs
- 105: Vanderpool watched her curiously
- 106: But Zora was striding up and down the halls
- 107: Of a sudden she leaned down and whispered to Zora Zora
- 108: He would get rid of Todd meantime
- 109: Bles was glad to hear her say us
- 110: Bles looked surprised and incredulous
- 111: She laughed and glanced toward Alwyn
- 112: And Bles was left miserably alone
- 113: Teerswell was handsome and indolent
- 114: When they came to Atlanta Zora stared and wrinkled her brows
- 115: The woman's cynicism was lost upon Zora
- 116: Vanderpool was not particularly desirous of his company
- 117: Vanderpool watched her a while
- 118: Teerswell was furious and began to plot vengeance
- 119: Gave Bles some points on dressing
- 120: Bles stood thoughtful and abashed
- 121: Thinking of sending Jessie to Bryn Mawr
- 122: And Miss Wynn will be sure to be there
- 123: When Alwyn accompanied her home that night
- 124: And Bles felt his heart sinking
- 125: Vanderpool smiled and called her maid as Mr
- 126: Bles Alwyn hurried up to Senator Smith's office
- 127: And more and more Alwyn was pushed to the front
- 128: Vanderpool because she had been speaking with Mr
- 129: For a long time Alwyn sat motionless
- 130: And Alwyn grew hot with pleasure
- 131: Miss Wynn thought him delightfully bashful
- 132: Cresswell did not share his work
- 133: She did not want to be a prude
- 134: Cresswell was more unsatisfied than usual
- 135: Seating himself close to Teerswell
- 136: And Teerswell fairly hugged him
- 137: Vanderpool did not readily give up her plea for Alwyn
- 138: That taketh away the sin of the world
- 139: Vanderpool uttered impatiently
- 140: Vanderpool threw back her head
- 141: Vanderpool to indicate what it was
- 142: Vanderpool was further surprised
- 143: Cresswell had little inclination for slumming
- 144: The strong influence is named Vanderpool
- 145: Cresswell interrupted before he was half through
- 146: Cresswell stared in blank amazement
- 147: If Alwyn should act unwisely and offend the South
- 148: Whereupon Miss Wynn composed herself
- 149: ' Bles mused and she watched him covertly
- 150: He stretched his arms and his lips breathed Zora
- 151: Vanderpool revealed a mild interest
- 152: Teerswell nodded and said Well
- 153: But he's such an exceptional rascal
- 154: That I wrote him You wrote him
- 155: Vanderpool kissed her and went
- 156: Vanderpool was it simply because Mrs
- 157: There was no passenger except Zora
- 158: Tolliver done put Sam in the field
- 159: Mary Cresswell had heard these words
- 160: She was to revivify the manhood in Harry Cresswell
- 161: Mary Cresswell worked with redoubled energy
- 162: Cresswell was convinced of this
- 163: Vanderpool was both ashamed and grateful
- 164: Cresswell felt herself getting angry
- 165: Cresswell saw light as she turned to go down the steps
- 166: And Mary Cresswell walked in another world
- 167: She would let bygones be bygones
- 168: And here Zora began to sit and listen
- 169: And the overseer plunged with a grunt into the black furrow
- 170: But perhaps Zora was the chosen one
- 171: Zora sat stroking the lined hands
- 172: And the women Zora paused and her eyes grew hard
- 173: Colonel Cresswell saw to both matters
- 174: Zora shook her head doubtfully
- 175: Centre and source of inspiration and hither Zora hurried
- 176: And Zora forgot time and occasion
- 177: While the great hand of Elspeth twisted and tore her soul
- 178: Beware of dem dat calls ebil good
- 179: And saw Bles Alwyn standing there
- 180: Yes not directly but Zora used to speak of it
- 181: Alwyn turned to Mary Cresswell
- 182: Which was worse a Cresswell or an Alwyn
- 183: She and Colonel Cresswell lunched rather silently
- 184: The infatuation of Alwyn for Zora
- 185: Colonel Cresswell stared at them
- 186: But I don't want poor white trash
- 187: And we'll put niggers in the mills
- 188: Colonel Cresswell paid his fine
- 189: But Colonel Cresswell shook his head
- 190: Zora sensed fully the situation
- 191: Alwyn looked at his watch and at Zora
- 192: Alwyn then undertook to explain the land scheme
- 193: Said Colonel Cresswell cheerily
- 194: Zora and Alwyn gathered their tenants' crops
- 195: Then he said Colonel Cresswell
- 196: Swear that Cresswell didn't mean to sign this
- 197: Did you see Colonel Cresswell sign this paper
- 198: Colton rose and shook his head
- 199: Zora was not meant for marrying
- 200: Zora realized how human they were
- 201: Then as bonfire after bonfire met their gaze
- 202: She brought news that Colonel Cresswell
- 203: A Cresswell and a gen He swayed
- 204: She said happily to Zora Well
- 205: Who had given it to Bles her Bles