t out my hand.

"The wench soothingly says:

"'Don' be 'fraid of Sarah Angeline; she won't hurt yo', honey!'

"I motioned the old woman to be seated.

"With much show of sympathy old Sarah sat down by the cot.

"I now asked where we were and how I came there.

"She looked troubled, and replied:

"''Deed, chile, I'se 'fraid to tell yo'! Dey mought hurt yo', honey, an'
beat po' ole Sarah Angeline moughty considerable!'

"The sound of coarse voices is heard coming around the cabin.

"Much excited, old Sarah raises her hand, whispering:

"'Shut yo' eyes an' don' say nuffin'!'

"There are four in the party now entering. From their voices I detect
that two are men and the others women. They pass into the other room. I
hear their talk, but cannot catch its drift.

"I was too weak for strong purpose, and with presentiment of harm, had
no strength for resistance. I must have dozed. Old Sarah is now
arranging some things upon a small table at head of the cot. To my look
she soothingly says:

"'Yo' needn't be 'larmed; dey's all gone 'way. Yo' bettah pahtuk of some
refreshments now. Dis tea an' toast moughty good for de s'port of yo'
'feebled system.'

"After partaking of the food, I felt tired and dizzy, and closing my
eyes, appeared to sleep. The old negress moved around the room,
muttering to herself. She gently placed her hand upon my brow, then
said:

"'Po' sick chile! Yo' white face 'minds me of my own Mandy Car'line just
'fo' she died!'

"Softly stroking back my hair over this bruised temple, old Sarah says:

"'Suah some one struck yo' powerful hard! P'raps dis yere purty chile
'fused his offah an' he fro' her in the ribbah.'

[Illustration: "PO' SICK CHILE! YO' WHITE FACE 'MINDS ME OF MY OWN MANDY
CAR'LINE JUST 'FO' SHE DIED!"]

"In semi-conscious stupor and with faint sense of the meaning of this
talk, I dozed on.

"'Dey would fo'sake yo', honey, and leave po' old Sarah Angeline, 'less
I leaves yo' heah to die all 'lone by yo'self in the dark.'

"I looked up into the black face bending over my cot.

"'Good Lawd, chile, doan' yo' look that way at po' old Sarah Angeline!
Bress yo' heart, chile, I'se nevah gwine to fo'sake dis yere white baby
in her powerful trials and deep 'flictions--'deed I won' now, honey!'

"Then, fully conscious, I again asked where we were and how it all
happened. My recollections of that terrible night on the Thames seemed
shrouded with a bewildering haze.

"The old blac