s that poor
fellow who was knocked down by the chandelier very badly injured?"
inquired Mrs. Gray.

"Pore fellow!" repeated the coachman. "No, he wasn't bad hurt. They jest
chuck him in the hoss trough and he come back to his right mind mighty
quick."

"I hope they did not abuse him?"

"No, missus; dey didn't 'buse him at all. They jest say 'Come along
here! We fix you.' And that's all they done."

"And you did not see what became of him and the others?"

Morris replied that he watched the rescuers and their prisoners from the
stable door until they disappeared in the darkness, and that was all he
knew about them. And we may add that that was all any one in that house
ever knew about them. Although Marcy Gray afterward became acquainted
with all the men who had taken an active part in this night's work, and
daily mingled with them, he never learned what they did with their
captives. Indeed he never inquired, for he was afraid that he might hear
something unpleasant if he did.

"If you have told all you have on your mind you can go back to bed,"
said Marcy, after a little pause.

"That's all," answered Morris. "I wish you a very good evening, sar--you
and the missus." And he passed into the hall, closing the door behind
him. Marcy waited until he heard the outer door shut, and then he walked
over and took a look at the fallen chandelier.

"Wouldn't Beardsley be hopping if he knew that one of his own negroes
had upset his plans?" said he. "I really believe he would be the death
of that girl Nancy. Julius is wide awake, but I do wish he would not
keep so much to himself, and that I could place more dependence on what
he says."

"But you do not mean to put him to work?" said his mother.

"Oh, no; and the rascal knows it. He would not stay in the field two
minutes without some one to watch him, and he is of use about the house.
Now, go and get some sleep, mother, and I will see that things are
secure."

Once more Marcy made the rounds of the building, and this time he did
not find things just as they ought to be. He found how the robbers had
effected an entrance. They had cut a hole through the side door so that
they could reach in and turn the key in the lock and draw back the bolt.
Probably Morris was hiding in the stable when they did it, too badly
frightened to give the alarm; but the robbers would not have done their
work entirely undisturbed if Bose had not been dead on his mat around
the corner.

"If