t horse? You, Selim, I's gwine lam' you, I's gwine teach you er
lesson--dancin' roun' on yo' two foots 'cause you sees er scrap of
paper! R'arin' an' pitchin' an' flingin' white folks on er heap of
stones! I'll larn you! Yo' marster was a-dreamin', or you'd never
th'owed him! You jes wait twel I git you home! Marse Fairfax Cary, dis
debbil done th'owed my marster, an' he lyin' by de roadside, an' I don'
know whether he live or daid!"

"I know you now," exclaimed the younger Cary. "You're Mr. Lewis Rand's
servant. Hadn't you better stay here, Miss Dandridge, until I see what
really is the matter? Here, boy, stop chattering your teeth! Your
master's not killed. Was it at the top of the hill?"

"Halfway down, Marse Fairfax, whar de footpath goes down through de
papaw bushes. Joab'll show you."

"I'm coming too," said Miss Dandridge. "I'll lead Selim."

Without more ado the four rounded the bend of the road and began to
climb the hill. Halfway up, as Joab had stated, they found their man. He
lay beside the papaw bushes, among the loose stones, and he lay very
still. One arm was doubled under him. His head was thrown back, and his
brown hair was matted with blood.

"Oh!" cried Unity pitifully, and went down upon her knees beside the
unfortunate.

Cary examined the cut in the head. "Well, he's not dead, but he's had a
pretty fall! What's to be done? Joab--"

"Joab," commanded Miss Dandridge, "ride straight to Fontenoy and tell
Colonel Dick to send Big Jim and a couple of men with the old
litter!--and then ride to Charlottesville and bring Dr. Gilmer--"

"Are you going to take him to Fontenoy?" asked the younger Cary.

"Why not?" flashed Miss Dandridge. "Would you leave him to bleed to
death by the roadside? 'My enemy's dog--' and so forth. Hurry, Joab!"

The negro mounted his horse that had been grazing by the papaw bushes,
and was off at a gallop, leaving Unity and Cary with the luckless rider.
Cary brought water from the brook that brawled at the foot of the steep
hillside, and Unity wet the brow and lips of the unconscious man, but he
had given no sign of life when the relief party arrived from Fontenoy.
This consisted of four stout negroes bearing the litter, and of Colonel
Dick Churchill and Mr. Ned Hunter.

"Tut, tut!" cried Colonel Dick. "What's this? what's this? Damn this
place! My mare Nelly threw me here thirty years ago!--I was coming home
from a wedding. Senseless and cut across the head!--and I don't