e. He had a
brother-in-law living some ten miles distant--he was a friend to the
slave; he often came unexpectedly and spent a few hours--sometimes a day
and a night. I had not, however, ever known him to come at night. One
night about nine o'clock, after I had gone to bed, (my lodging being just
over the room in which W.W. and his wife were sitting,) I heard the door
open and a voice ask, "Where is the boy?" The voice sounded to me like the
voice of my master; I was sure it must be his. I sprang and listened for a
moment--it seemed to be silent; I heard nothing, and then it seemed to me
there was a confusion. There was a window at the head of my bed, which I
could reach without getting upon the floor: it was a single sash and
opened upon hinges. I quickly opened this window and waited in a perfect
tremour of dread for further development. There was a door at the foot of
the stairs; as I heard that door open, I sprang for the window, and my
head was just out, when the gentle voice of my friend W.W. said,
"James?"[A] "Here," said I, "---- has come, and he would like to have thee
put up his horse." I drew a breath of relief, but my strength and presence
of mind did not return for some hours, I slept none that night; for a
moment I could doze away, but the voice would sound in my ears, "Where is
that boy?" and it would seem to me it must be the tyrant in quest of his
weary prey, and would find myself starting again.

[Footnote A: If W.W. had ascended the stairs without calling, I should
certainly have jumped out of the window.]

From that time the agitation of my mind became so great that I could not
feel myself safe. Every day seemed to increase my fear, till I was unfit
for work, study or rest. My friend endeavoured, but in vain, to get me to
stay a week longer.

The events of the spring proved that I had not left too soon. As soon as
the season for travelling fairly opened, active search was made, and my
master was seen in a town, twenty miles in advance of where I had spent my
six months.

The following curious fact also came out. That same brother-in-law who
frightened me, was putting up one evening at a hotel some miles off, and
while sitting quietly by himself in one part of the room, he overheard a
conversation between a travelling pedler and several gossippers of the
neighbourhood, who were lounging away the evening at the hotel.

PEDLER.--"Do you know one W.W. somewhere about here?"

GOSSIPER.--"Yes, he liv