Chapter 26 Summary

Two weeks after returning to Tara, Scarlett is saddled with an infected toe. Scarlett is frustrated with how it is slowing her down, and wonders how she will make ends meet. A Yankee soldier rides up and Scarlett knows he is coming to loot the house. With first an instinct to hide, she remembers the food and things she needs to feed her family. So instead, she grabs the pistol. The soldier approaches her and Scarlett shoots him. Melanie comes running down the hall with Charles' sword, her eyes glowing with grim pride at Scarlett, and she finds an admiration for Melanie sharing her feelings. Before Scarlett drags him out of the house, they discover money in his wallet and a realization that they now have his horse.

With a real horse, Scarlett finds herself able to see what happened to her neighbors...