e. They advised her to return home immediately, with her
two servants, and never let on that anything had happened.

For myself, I started for the house of my friend, carrying my
boots in my hand. It was now dark. As I got to the top of a high
fence and cast my eyes about me, I luckily saw a man with a
double-barreled shotgun in his hands, or what I supposed was
such. He was within ten steps of me, or nearer. I recognized Col.
Tucker.

Having heard of his threats, I was induced not to tempt him too
far. I placed my hands on the fence and leaped over it, alighting
on the other side, near a cross fence which separated the garden
from a field of corn. As quick as thought I got among the corn,
which was at full height. I was within twenty feet of Tucker and
could hear all that was said. I heard him rave, and demand with
oaths what my friends, who came up, were doing there. Had they
been baptizing his wife? I recognized the voice of the parson's
lady with whom I was stopping. She had the wet clothes of Mrs.
Tucker.

"Tell me," said Tucker, "if my wife has been baptized, or I will
blow your brains out." The reply was: "She has been baptized."

"Where is that infernal Mormon preacher?" demanded the Colonel;
"I will put a load of shot through him."

"He is in that cornfield," was the reply.

The Colonel raved the more. Finally some of his friends persuaded
him to return home, and not disgrace himself. He pretended to do
so, but it was only a feint to get me out.

After waiting until all was quiet I returned to the house of my
friend, and passing through the door went out on the porch. I sat
down and was slipping off my socks, to put on dry ones, when I
heard a rustling in the room behind me. The next moment Col.
Tucker had his gun leveled on me, but it flashed in the pan. He
then whirled up the butt of it to fell me to the earth.

Seeing my danger I sprang and caught him around the waist, with
one of his arms in my grasp, which left him only one arm loose.

"I have you now where I want you," he cried.

He was a strong, muscular man, and, no doubt, supposed I would be
no match for him. I ordered a young man who stood near to take
his gun. I then gripped him with an iron hug, and sent him back
into the room.

The old gentleman with whom I was stopping ordered him out of the
house unless he would behave himself. He said he had invited me
to his house, and felt it his duty to protect me. The Colonel
replied that he