here is still ringing in his ears that harsh monosyllable, "_no_." The
wild-wood songsters appear to echo it, as if mockingly; the blue jay,
and red cardinal, seem scolding him for intrusion on their domain!

Having recrossed the boundary between the two plantations, he reins up
and looks back. His brow is black with chagrin; his lips white with
rancorous rage. It is suppressed no longer. Curses come hissing
through his teeth, along with them the words,--

"In less than six weeks these woods will be mine, and hang me, if I
don't shoot every bird that has roost in them! Then, Miss Helen
Armstrong, you'll not feel in such conceit with yourself. It will be
different when you haven't a roof over your head". So good-bye,
sweetheart! Good-bye to you.

"Now, dad!" he continues, in fancy apostrophising his father, "you can
take your own way, as you've been long wanting. Yes, my respected
parent; you shall be free to foreclose your mortgage; put in execution;
sheriff's officers--anything you like."

Angrily grinding his teeth, he plunges the spur into his horse's ribs,
and rides on--the short, but bitter, speech still echoing in his ears.

CHAPTER THREE.

A FOREST POST-OFFICE.

From the harsh treatment of slaves sprang a result, little thought of by
the inhuman master; though greatly detrimental to his interests. It
caused them occasionally to abscond; so making it necessary to insert an
advertisement in the county newspaper, offering a reward for the
runaway. Thus cruelty proved expensive.

In planter Darke's case, however, the cost was partially recouped by the
cleverness of his son; who was a noted "nigger-catcher," and kept dogs
for the especial purpose. He had a natural _penchant_ for this kind of
chase; and, having little else to do, passed a good deal of his time
scouring the country in pursuit of his father's advertised runaways.
Having caught them, he would claim the "bounty," just as if they
belonged to a stranger. Darke, _pere_, paid it without grudge or
grumbling--perhaps the only disbursement he ever made in such mood. It
was like taking out of one pocket to put into the other. Besides, he
was rather proud of his son's acquitting himself so shrewdly.

Skirting the two plantations, with others in the same line of
settlements, was a cypress swamp. It extended along the edge of the
great river, covering an area of many square miles. Besides being a
swamp, it was a network of creeksy bayou