Part 8 (1/2)
exclaimed one of the men. ”Come, give him up, I say, or it will be the worse for you!”
”I don't acknowledge having afforded shelter to a black, and I don't deny having done so. I have a perfect right to receive any strangers into my house who come to me in distress, and if they trust to me I'll defend them with my life,” said my father.
”Your life's not worth the snuff of a candle, then,” answered the leader of the party, one of Mr Bracher's princ.i.p.al overseers.
The men, retiring to a little distance, consulted together, but seeing the muzzles of our rifles protruding from the windows, evidently considered that it would not be prudent to attempt any act of violence.
After some time the overseer again rode forward. He must have felt sure that my father would not commence hostilities, or he would have kept at a distance.
”Captain, I give you warning that you are bringing down destruction on yourself and family,” he shouted; ”you have either helped a runaway slave to escape, or you have still got him in hiding. It would never do for us Kentuckians to let such an act pa.s.s unpunished; we should have half the slaves in the state bolting for the borders, and claiming the protection of emancipists like yourself and others.” The speaker bestowed an epithet on my father which I need not repeat. ”I ask you, once more, have you got the slave, and if you have, will you give him up?”
”I again answer that if I had the slave I would not give him up,”
replied my father in a firm tone; ”if you or your master attempt to injure my family or my property, I shall defend myself as I have a right to do, and should any of you be killed, your blood will be upon your own heads.”
”I call no man master, but if you mean Silas Bracher, he is not the person to change his intentions, so I shall give him your answer,”
replied the overseer, who, without more ado, turned his horse's head, and rejoined his companions, when the three rode away in the direction from whence they had come. Though pretty confident that the men had gone away, my father thought it prudent to keep a watch on their movements. Before they could have got to any great distance I hurried out to follow them. From a hill, a short distance to the south of the house a view could be obtained along the road they would probably take.
A grove of trees, with some thick brushwood, enabled me to watch them without the risk of being discovered should they turn their heads.
I soon made them out, and saw them riding on without stopping until out of sight. Convinced that they had really gone away, I was on the point of returning when I saw two of them, as I supposed, coming back, spurring their horses over the level road. It was a question whether I could reach the house before them. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me until I got to another point whence I could take a look at them without being seen. I then saw by their dress and the colour of their horses that they were not the men I fancied, but that one of them was Uncle Denis, while the other was a stranger. I therefore ran down the hill to meet them.
”What has happened up at the farm, Mike?” asked my uncle, after we had exchanged greetings; ”we met just now three of Bracher's men, who were swearing away at your father and all of you in a fas.h.i.+on which made me fear that they had either done some mischief, or intended doing it. I don't think they knew that we were coming here, or they would have picked a quarrel with us, for which they seemed very much disposed.”
I relieved my uncle's mind by telling him that the men had only used threatening language, but I thought it prudent not to say that the fugitive slave was actually in the house, not knowing the character of the stranger who was with him. My uncle now introduced him to me as Mr McDermont, a countryman, who said he had come over to settle in the States, and who, not yet having any experience as a backwoodsman, had determined on purchasing an improved farm. ”I offered him mine, but he does not wish to employ slave labour, and would prefer obtaining one in a free state. I therefore brought him here, feeling sure that your father would gladly a.s.sist him in finding the style of location he desires.”
Uncle Denis and his companion were, of course, heartily welcomed at Uphill.
”I am so thankful that you have come, Denis,” said my mother, who had been much alarmed at the late occurrence, ”do, pray, remain and a.s.sist my husband in defending our property, for I dread lest those men should carry their threats into execution!”
Uncle Denis did his best to rea.s.sure her, saying that he did not think Mr Bracher would venture on any act of violence, but promising to stay some time at Uphill, until Mr McDermont had settled in the neighbourhood.
CHAPTER FOUR.
DIO IN HIDING--THE AGENT OF THE SWAMPYVILLE LAND COMPANY--THE SURVEYING PARTY--MR. TIDEY AND THE SLAVE SET OFF NORTHWARD--LIVING IN A STATE OF SIEGE--UNEXPECTED RETURN OF MR. MCDERMONT AND PETER--AN IMAGINARY CITY-- AN OFFER TO PURCHASE UPHILL--OUR TUTOR'S SUDDEN RETURN--DIO NEARLY RECAPTURED--IN THE CAVE--AN EXPECTED ATTACK--DAN AND I START OFF TO RELIEVE THE SLAVE--BOXER DISCOVERS AN ENEMY--A BRAVE DOG--OUR RETREAT TO THE HOUSE--SLEEPY PETER--JUST IN TIME--PREPARE FOR ACTION.
The first thing now to be done was to send poor Dio away, as my father had previously intended. He was strong enough to bear the journey, but when he was told that it would be necessary for him to go, he looked so miserable that we all begged that he might be allowed to remain.
”I much regret having to send him off, but for his own sake as well as ours, go he must,” answered my father; ”he shall be escorted until he is delivered into the safe keeping of our friends, the Greys, though there is a risk of his being suspected, should he be seen in my company.”
”Let me take charge of him, then,” said Mr Tidey; ”we will make our way through the forest by unfrequented paths with rifles in our hands as if on a shooting expedition, and shall run little risk of falling in with anyone who will interfere with us.”
Our tutor's offer was accepted. My father wrote a letter to Mr Grey, introducing him, at the same time so carefully worded, that, should it fall into the hands of enemies, Dio might not be betrayed.
It was arranged that they should start the following morning. The poor negro was overcome with grief when he heard what was decided.
”Dis poor n.i.g.g.ar break him heart leave Missy Kathleen, him no more learn read!” he exclaimed, bursting into tears. So powerful was the effect produced that he was taken seriously ill, and the next morning was utterly unable to proceed. I am sure he was not shamming, for he tried to get up and prepare for his journey. He recovered somewhat during the day, and acknowledging that it was his duty to go for the sake of our family, declared that he should be ready to start whenever Mr Tidey wished.
That evening a report was brought to the house by one of the farm-labourers that two suspicious characters had been seen in the neighbourhood, and from the description of the men we had no doubt that they were the same who had before paid us a visit and had been driven off by Biddy's heroism.
On hearing this, Uncle Denis offered to go out to try and ascertain what they were about. I begged to accompany him. We hunted round in all directions, and were returning home when we caught sight of two persons skulking in a wood at a short distance from the house. On seeing us they beat a rapid retreat, and darkness coming on they managed to get away before we could overtake them, but Uncle Denis was of opinion that they were watching the house in the hopes of catching Dio.