Chapter 20 Summary

As August draws to a close, a quiet falls over the land that makes people more nervous than the shelling, as they do not know now where the fighting is really going on. Scarlett receives a letter from Gerald telling her that Ellen and both the girls have Typhoid Fever. Scarlett is told that under no circumstances is she to come home and expose herself and Wade to the disease.

On the first of September, Scarlett awakes with a start thinking something is wrong. It is silent outside, and then Scarlett hears what she thinks is rain, but it is cannon fire from the south. Scarlett worries that there are Yankees at Tara, but she must stay with Melanie.

Melanie calls Scarlett to her, and tells her that she is sorry that Scarlett has had to remain in Atlanta with her. Melanie knows...