"JUST LIKE PA!"

 "Miss Scarlett's feelin' a heap bettah today, Mist' Rhett," said Mammy as Rhett entered the terrace.

When Rhett came to Scarlett's side, he said, "I've come to ask your forgiveness. In the hope that we can give our life together another chance."

Scarlett's reply was biting. "Our life together? When did we ever have a life together?"

Rhett lowered his eyes, for he was determined to take blame for everything. "Yes, you're right. But I'm sure if we could only try again-we could be happy."

"What's there to make us happy now?" asked Scarlett.

"Well, there's-there's Bonnie...and....I love you, Scarlett," he said quitely.

"When did you discover that?" she jeered.

"I've always loved you, but you've never given me a chance to show it..." he said.

"Well-just what do you want me to do?" she asked, moved a shade by his speech.

Rhett said that she should give up the mill, but Scarlett protested that "it was making more money than it ever has."

"Yes, but we don't need it. Give it to Ashley. Melanie's been such a friend to both of us..." he said.

"Melanie! Always Melanie! If you'd only think a little more about me-" she interrupted.

"I am thinking of you. And I'm think that-well-maybe it's the mil that's taking you away from me-and from Bonnie," he said.

"I know what you're thinking," blew up Scarlett. "And don't try to bring Bonnie into this. You're the one that's taking her away from me. You've done everything possible to make her love you and not me. Why, she's so spoiled mnow that-"

"Mommy!Daddy! Watch me!" came Bonnie's voice from on her horse

Bonnie talking

Bonnie insisted that she was going to jump and turned her heel and rode toward hte bar. With all the strength that her condition would allow her, Scarlett stood up and said, "Rhett, stop her!"

"Bonnie! Bonnie!" Rhett cried out insistently. Scarlett shrank back in her chair and said, "Just like Pa!" Suddenly terror enveloped her face, for she knew exactly what was going to happen instictively.

Rhett's terrified voice called in vain, "Bonnie! Bonnie!"

As her pony ran up to the hurdle, he stopped short, and Bonnie was thrown from her horse to the ground. The pony turned and galloped away from the splintered fence.

Rhett picked up her body and cried, "Bonnie!Bonnie!"

A weary Mammy opened the door for Melanie several days later. She explained the predicament to Melanie.
"Ah ain' never seed no man, black or white, se sech a store by any chile. When Doctah Meade say her neck broke...Mist' Rhett grab ihs gun and run out dere an' shoot dat po' pony-an fer a minit Ah think he gwine shoot hisself. An' Miss Scarlett, she call him a murderer fer teachin' dat chile to jump. She say, 'You give me mah baby whut you kilt.' An' den he say Miss Scarlett ain't never keered nuttin' 'bout Miss Bonnie....It lak ter turn mah blood cold de things de say ter one 'nother. An' dat night, Mist' Rhett, he lock hisseff in de nuss'ry wid Miss Bonnie an' he wouldn' even open de do when Miss Scarlett beat on it an' hollered ter him. An' dat's de way it's been fer two whole days. An' den dis evenin' Miss Scarlett, she shout through de do' an' she say dat de fune'l set fer termorrer mawnin' an' he say, 'You try dat an' Ah kills you termorrer. Do you think Ah's gwine put mah chile in de dahk when she's so skeered of?"

They reached the top of the stairs and Melanie knocked softly at the door and Rhett let her in. Several hours later, she emerged very tired and said, "Mammy, I want you to go and make a good deal of strong coffee and bring it up to Captain Butler. I'll go and see Miss Scarlett."

"But-?" asked Mammy.

"Captain Butler is quite willing for the funeral...to take place...tomorrow morning..."

After these words, Melanie collapsed to the floor with a worried Mammy shaking her and saying, "Miss Melly! Miss Melly!"

Onward...