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nning　away；　and　his　wife　two　of　them　were　going　to　run　down　to　New　Orleans　to　sell；　on　their　own　acomount；　and　they　calculated　to　get　sixteen　or　eighteen　hundred　dollars　for　her；　and　the　child；　they　said；　was　going　to　a　trader；　who　had　bought　him；　and　then　there　was　the　boy；　Jim；　and　his　mother；　they　were　to　go　back　to　their　masters　in　Kentucky。　They　said　that　there　were　two　constables；　in　a　town　a　little　piece　ahead；　who　would　go　in　with　’em　to　get　’em　taken　up；　and　the　young　woman　was　to　be　taken　before　a　judge；　and　one　of　the　fellows；　who　is　small　and　smooth…spoken；　was　to　swear　to　her　for　his　property；　and　get　her　delivered　over　to　him　to　take　south。　They’ve　got　a　right　notion　of　the　track　we　are　going　tonight；　and　they’ll　be　down　after　us；　six　or　eight　strong。　So　now；　what’s　to　be　done？”
The　group　that　stood　in　various　attitudes；　after　this　communication；　were　worthy　of　a　painter。　Rachel　Halliday；　who　had　taken　her　hands　out　of　a　batch　of　biscuit；　to　hear　the　news；　stood　with　them　upraised　and　floury；　and　with　a　face　of　the　deepest　concern。　Simeon　looked　profoundly　thoughtful；　Eliza　had　thrown　her　arms　around　her　husband；　and　was　looking　up　to　him。　George　stood　with　clenched　hands　and　glowing　eyes；　and　looking　as　any　other　man　might　look；　whose　wife　was　to　be　sold　at　auction；　and　son　sent　to　a　trader；　all　under　the　shelter　of　a　Christian　nation’s　laws。
“What　shall　we　do；　George？”　said　Eliza　faintly。
“I　know　what　I　shall　do；”　said　George；　as　he　stepped　into　the　little　room；　and　began　examining　pistols。
“Ay；　ay；”　said　Phineas；　nodding　his　head　to　Simeon；　thou　seest；　Simeon；　how　it　will　work。”
“I　see；”　said　Simeon；　sighing；　“I　pray　it　come　not　to　that。”
“I　don’t　want　to　involve　any　one　with　or　for　me；”　said　George。　“If　you　will　lend　me　your　vehicle　and　direct　me；　I　will　drive　alone　to　the　next　stand。　Jim　is　a　giant　in　strength；　and　brave　as　death　and　despair；　and　so　am　I。”
“Ah；　well；　friend；”　said　Phineas；　“but　thee’ll　need　a　driver；　for　all　that。　Thee’s　quite　welcome　to　do　all　the　fighting；　thee　knows；　but　I　know　a　thing　or　two　about　the　road；　that　thee　doesn’t。”
“But　I　don’t　want　to　involve　you；”　said　George。
“Involve；”　said　Phineas；　with　a　curious　and　keen　expression　of　face；　“When　thee　does　involve　me；　please　to　let　me　know。”
“Phineas　is　a　wise　and　skilful　man；”　said　Simeon。　“Thee　does　well；　George；　to　abide　by　his　judgment；　and；”　he　added；　laying　his　hand　kindly　on　George’s　shoulder；　and　pointing　to　the　pistols；　“be　not　over　hasty　with　these；—young　blood　is　hot。”
“I　will　attack　no　man；”　said　George。　“All　I　ask　of　this　country　is　to　be　let　alone；　and　I　will　go　out　peaceably；　but；”—he　paused；　and　his　brow　darkened　and　his　face　worked；—“I’ve　had　a　sister　sold　in　that　New　Orleans　market。　I　know　what　they　are　sold　for；　and　am　I　going　to　stand　by　and　see　them　take　my　wife　and　sell　her；　when　God　has　given　me　a　pair　of　strong　arms　to　defend　her？　No；　God　help　me！　I’ll　fight　to　the　last　breath；　before　they　shall　take　my　wife　and　son。　Can　you　blame　me？”
“Mortal　man　cannot　blame　thee；　George。　Flesh　and　blood　could　not　do　otherwise；”　said　Simeon。　“Woe　unto　the　world　because　of　offences；　but　woe　unto　them　through　whom　the　offence　cometh。”
“Would　not　even　you；　sir；　do　the　same；　in　my　place？”
“I　pray　that　I　be　not　tried；”　said　Simeon；　“the　flesh　is　weak。”
“I　think　my　flesh　would　be　pretty　tolerable　strong；　in　such　a　case；”　said　Phineas；　stretching　out　a　pair　of　arms　like　the　sails　of　a　windmill。　“I　an’t　sure；　friend　George；　that　I　shouldn’t　hold　a　fellow　for　thee；　if　thee　had　any　acomounts　to　settle　with　him。”
“If　man　should　ever　resist　evil；”　said　Simeon；　“then　George　should　feel　free　to　do　it　now：　but　the　leaders　of　our　people　taught　a　more　excellent　way；　for　the　wrath　of　man　worketh　not　the　righteousness　of　God；　but　it　goes　sorely　against　the　corrupt　will　of　man；　and　none　can　receive　it　save　they　to　whom　it　is　given。　Let　us　pray　the　Lord　that　we　be　not　tempted。”
“And　so　I　do；”　said　Phineas；　“but　if　we　are　tempted　too　much—why；　let　them　look　out；　that’s　all。”
“It’s　quite　plain　thee　wasn’t　born　a　Friend；”　said　Simeon；　smiling。　“The　old　nature　hath　its　way　in　thee　pretty　strong　as　yet。”
To　tell　the　truth；　Phineas　had　been　a　hearty；　two…fisted　backwoodsman；　a　vigorous　hunter；　and　a　dead　shot　at　a　buck；　but；　having　wooed　a　pretty　Quakeress；　had　been　moved　by　the　power　of　her　charms　to　join　the　society　in　his　neighborhood；　and　though　he　was　an　honest；　sober；　and　efficient　member；　and　nothing　particular　could　be　alleged　against　him；　yet　the　more　spiritual　among　them　could　not　but　discern　an　exceeding　lack　of　savor　in　his　developments。
“Friend　Phineas　will　ever　have　ways　of　his　own；”　said　Rachel　Halliday；　smiling；　“but　we　all　think　that　his　heart　is　in　the　right　place；　after　all。”
“Well；”　said　George；　“isn’t　it　best　that　we　hasten　our　flight？”
“I　got　up　at　four　o’clock；　and　came　on　with　all　speed；　full　two　or　three　hours　ahead　of　them；　if　they　start　at　the　time　they　planned。　It　isn’t　safe　to　start　till　dark；　at　any　rate；　for　there　are　some　evil　persons　in　the　villages　ahead；　that　might　be　disposed　to　meddle　with　us；　if　they　saw　our　wagon；　and　that　would　delay　us　more　than　the　waiting；　but　in　two　hours　I　think　we　may　venture。　I　will　go　over　to　Michael　Cross；　and　engage　him　to　come　behind　on　his　swift　nag；　and　keep　a　bright　lookout　on　the　road；　and　warn　us　if　any　company　of　men　come　on。　Michael　keeps　a　horse　that　can　soon　get　ahead　of　most　other　horses；　and　he　could　shoot　ahead　and　let　us　know；　if　there　were　any　danger。　I　am　going　out　now　to　warn　Jim　and　the　old　woman　to　be　in　readiness；　and　to　see　about　the　horse。　We　have　a　pretty　fair　start；　and　stand　a　good　chance　to　get　to　the　stand　before　they　can　come　up　with　us。　So；　have　good　courage；　friend　George；　this　isn’t　the　first　ugly　scrape　that　I’ve　been　in　with　thy　people；”　said　Phineas；　as　he　closed　the　door。
“Phineas　is　pretty　shrewd；”　said　Simeon。　“He　will　do　the　best　that　can　be　done　for　thee；　George。”
“All　I　am　sorry　for；”　said　George；　“is　the　risk　to　you。”
“Thee’ll　much　oblige　us；　friend　George；　to　say　no　more　about　that。　What　we　do　we　are　conscience　bound　to　do；　we　can　do　no　other　way。　And　now；　mother；”　said　he；　turning　to　Rachel；　“hurry　thy　preparations　for　these　friends；　for　we　must　not　send　them　away　fasting。”
And　while　Rachel　and　her　children　were　busy　making　corn…cake；　and　cooking　ham　and　chicken；　and　hurrying　on　the　et　ceteras　of　the　evening　meal；　George　and　his　wife　sat　in　their　little　room；　with　their　arms　folded　about　each　other；　in　such　talk　as　husband　and　wife　have　when　they　know　that　a　few　hours　may　part　them　forever。
“Eliza；”　said　George；　“people　that　have　friends；　and　houses；　and　lands；　and　money；　and　all　those　things　can’t　love　as　we　do；　who　have　nothing　but　each　other。　Till　I　knew　you；　Eliza；　no　creature　had　loved　me；　but　my　poor；　heart…broken　mother　and　sister。　I　saw　poor　Emily　that　morning　the　trader　carried　her　off。　She　came　to　the　corner　where　I　was　lying　asleep；　and　said；　‘Poor　George；　your　last　friend　is　going。　What　will　become　of　you；　poor　boy？’　And　I　got　up　and　threw　my　arms　round　her；　and　cried　and　sobbed；　and　she　cried　too；　and　those　were　the　last　kind　words　I　got　for　ten　long　years；　and　my　heart　all　withered　up；　and　felt　as　dry　as　ashes；　till　I　met　you。　And　your　loving　me；—why；　it　was　almost　like　raising　one　from　the　dead！　I’ve　been　a　new　man　ever　since！　And　now；　Eliza；　I’ll　give　my　last　drop　of　blood；　but　they　shall　not　take　you　from　me。　Whoever　gets　you　must　walk　over　my　dead　body。”
“O；　Lord；　have　mercy！”　said　Eliza；　sobbing。　“If　he　will　only　let　us　get　out　of　this　country　together；　that　is　all　we　ask。”
“Is　God　on　their　side？”　said　George；　speaking　less　to　his　wife　than　pouring　out　his　own　bitter　thoughts。　“Does　he　see　all　they　do？　Why　does　he　let　such　things　happen？　And　they　tell　us　that　the　Bible　is　on　their　side；　certainly　all　the　power　is。　They　are　rich；　and　healthy；　and　happy；　they　are　members　of　churches；　expecting　to　go　to　heaven；　and　they　get　along　so　easy　in　the　world；　and　have　it　all　their　own　way；　and　poor；　honest；　faithful　Christians；—Christians　as　good　or　better　than　they；—are　lying　in　the　ve