So light to the saddle before her he sprung;
'She is won! we are gone--over bank, bush and scaur;
They'll have fleet steeds that follow,' quoth Young Lochinvar."

The next afternoon, Major Gilcrest, from the window of a back room, saw
his daughter coming in alone through the shrubbery, and strongly
suspected that she had been meeting Abner Logan again. Gilcrest,
however, said nothing to her, and she went upstairs. She remained in
her room, busy over some needlework, about an hour. Then, as it was
getting too dark to sew, she put aside her work to go downstairs; but
just then she heard the key turned in her door, and found it locked
from the outside. She was a prisoner in her bedchamber.

She remained there for two days, without seeing any one but the negro
girl Polly, who three times a day came to the room to replenish the
fire and to bring her meals. From Polly, Betsy learned that Mrs.
Gilcrest was ill and confined to her room, and that Major Gilcrest was
preparing for a journey, and purposed taking his daughter with him. He
sent by Polly a curt note which further enlightened Betty of his
intentions. She was directed to pack her clothes and be in readiness to
start with him for Massachusetts as soon as her mother's health would
allow him to leave home. He also informed Betsy that he meant to leave
her in Massachusetts at a boarding-school.

Instead of obeying her father's command, Betsy spent her solitary hours
in trying to hit upon some mode of escape from her prison, or at least
for some means of communicating with her lover.

On the third night of her imprisonment she retired early, feeling that
she would need all her strength for the morrow's struggle; for she was
fully resolved that no power on earth should be strong enough to compel
her to leave home with her father. She was exhausted, and soon fell
asleep. In the night she was awakened by some one shaking her and
calling her name softly. She opened her eyes, and found Aunt Dilsey
standing over her with a lighted candle in one hand.

"Sh--, sh--, honey, don't mek no noise!"

"How did you get here?" asked Betsy, sitting up in bed and now
thoroughly roused.

"I stole de key f'um de nail in de hall, an' den slipped up de sta'rs.
I allus walks jes lak a cat, you knows, so Marse Hi didn't heah me. But
nebbah min' dat now. Git up quick, an' do whut I tells you. I'se
gwineteh he'p you 'scape to Marse Abner, dis berry hour. He's waitin'
fur you on