leepers,
but still they slept. The fire rushed on and on as if anxious to wipe
out the precious human lives before help arrived. Even Duke slept, and
the silly superstition of Gustus might prove the death of those he
loved.

"White folks ain't scared ob de debbil like us black people. Dey
nebber see tings de way we do. Maybe de debbil only 'pears to us kose
we's black like he am. If dar wuz only a white person wid me, dey
wouldn't be scared to go an' see if it were a fire or de debbil. I
ought to find out which it am. De fire might burn Missy Beth, and de
debbil might carry her off if he don't kotch me. De debbil nebber goes
'way empty-handed."

Gustus tarried, harrowed by his superstition, but with love trying to
master fear. Unless love conquered quickly, he would be too late to
save her whom he worshiped.

"Missy Beth's been powerful good to me," he moralized to himself. "She
wouldn't let me burn, nor she wouldn't let de debbil carry me off. She
always tells me dar's nuffin to fear only my own b'liefs, but if she
was black like me she'd know bettah. She's white like an angel, an'
angels only see glory. Yes, she's an angel, an' God will save her. He
won't let de debbil hab her nor de fire scorch her."

Trying to ease his conscience thus, he once more turned away from the
fire as if the struggle were ended, but real love is never conquered.
It still tugged at the heart strings of Gustus.

"God's far, far away. It's night, an' maybe He sometimes snoozes like
de rest ob us. Den Missy Beth's in danger, an' unless I help her. God
won't know anything 'bout it. I have it. I'll go an' wake Massa
Harvey. He'll know what to do."

Gustus ran towards the Baker homestead which was the next place to the
Davenports'. Love had gained a half victory, but half victories are
always dangerous. He might rouse Harvey, but unless God intervened in
some way, Harvey would be too late, and his friend would burn.

On ran Gustus, while the fire raged more and more fiercely. Its fiery
tongues leaped out nearer and nearer the children, Maggie, and Duke,
sure to devour them unless God vouchsafed some other warning besides
the one that had been given Gustus. He had been tried and found
wanting.

"Massa Harvey, Massa Harvey," Gustus cried a few minutes later, under
the window of the room where he knew Harvey slept. "For God's sake,
come an' save Missy Beth."

Harvey wakened out of a sound sleep. He thought he was