ters,' thought I, trying to smile.
'That's real funny, ain't it? Oh, if he were only here now, wouldn't he
get me out of this?' And in my fancy I could see my husky friend
grappling with the gang outside, pitching them down the stairs, and
carrying me off in triumph--the way they do it in the best sellers. My
captors then went below, their voices trailing away into silence. They
left me with some nasty thoughts.

"'What would the faculty of Jay think of their Seymour, could they but
gaze upon him now? What would my pupils say? The World, the great World
at large, the Press, the Pulpit?' (My brother is an Atlanta clergyman.)
'What would these great social forces say?' Confused ideas of my
identity and importance arose like fumes to further befuddle me. I sat
on the side, and in the middle of the bed, in despair--longing for
something to smoke!

"The hours dragged slowly by, and yet Lola, Lola the mysterious, upon
whose decision so much depended, came not.

"'Something must be done, and quickly,' thought I, and I started to get
up. But hark! I heard some one in the hall softly slip a key in the lock
of my door, and turn it with a creaking sound. The next moment a very
odd figure came into the room. 'Twas a little old woman, and as she
glided toward me I sank back on the couch quivering with terror! On, on,
she came, and lightly touched my forehead.

"My first impulse was to shriek with affright; the impulse was all
right, but I just couldn't do it. I must have been paralyzed. I blew
first hot and then cold, and then stopped blowing altogether.

"So there I lay, stark with fear. But my visitor seemed to be very
harmless. She drew up a chair by the side of the bed and took her seat,
muttering something I couldn't catch. Then she bent over me and I felt
her warm breath on my cheek!...

"The situation had changed but slightly when I came to a little later.
She was talking.

"'Marse Edwin, Marse Edwin, don't yer know yer ole black mammy?
Hush-sh-sh, chile, doan' answer me, 'cept in a whisper! I'se done come
fer to save yer! I nussed yer when yer was a little baby, and I promised
ole Missus always to look arter yer. De sojers is a huntin' fer yer,
Marse Edwin; dey's all eround us! Hush-sh-sh!' said she, as I attempted
to rise; 'lie still, honey, dey'll sartainly cotch yer if yer goes out
now! Dey's sentinils posted everywhar, and dey'll shoot you down like a
dog! My poor Marse Edwin,' she wailed, 'why did yer do it? Why