Part 55 (1/2)

”The raiders took you by force?” Lee asked.

”Ya.s.sah! Dey pulls me outen bed, make me put on my close, gimme dis here han' spike, an' tells me I kin kill my ole marster an' missis when I feels like it--”

”Did you try to kill them?” Lee asked seriously.

”Who? Me?”

”Yes.”

”Man! I drawed dat han' spike on dem Abolis.h.i.+oners an' I says: 'You low doun stinkin' po' white trash. Des try ter lay de weight er yo' han' on my marster er missis,--an' I'll lan' yo' in de middle of er spell er sickness'--”

”And they took you prisoner.”

”Ya.s.sah.”

”I see.”

”Dey starts ter shoot me fust! But den dey say I wuzn't wuf de powder an' lead hit'ud take ter kill me.”

”And you escaped?”

”Na sah, not den. Dey make me go wid 'em, wher er no. But I git loose byme bye an' crawl inter dat patch er trees doun dar by de ribber--”

”We found him there,” Green nodded.

”Ya.s.sah, I mak' up my min' dat dey's have ter burn de woods an' sif de ashes for' dey ebber see me ergin.”

Stuart's boyish laughter rang without restraint.

”All right, uncle,” Lee responded cordially. ”You can leave that pike with me.”

”Ya.s.sah, you kin sho have it. G.o.d knows I ain't got no use fur it.”

He threw the pike down and brushed his hands as if to get rid of the contagion of its touch.

”You're safe,” Lee added. ”The United States Marines are in command of Harper's Ferry now.”

”Ya.s.sah. De Lawd knows I doan wanter 'sociate wid no slu-footed, knock-kneed po' whites. I'se er ristercrat, I is. Ya.s.sah, dat's me!”

”I'm glad to help you, uncle.”

”Thankee, sah.”

”Hurry back to your home now and help your people in their troubles.”

”Ya.s.sah, right away, sah--right away!”

The old man hurried home, bowing right and left to his white friends and muttering curses on the heads of the Abolitionists, who had dragged him from his bed and caused him to lose four square meals.

Lee examined the pike carefully. He measured its long stiletto-like blade, projecting nine inches from its fastenings in the hickory handle.