company told him he'd better," soliloquized Beardsley, when he saw the
lights shining from the windows of the upper rooms. "Julius, come here.
I want to ask you something."

The black boy had by this time recovered his breath and strength enough
to sit up. He had all his wits about him, and was as much interested in
what was going on in the house as Captain Beardsley himself. He saw the
lights ascend from the lower rooms to those in the second story, and
finally he saw them in the garret and in the observatory on the roof;
and when no shout of triumph, or any sound to indicate that there was a
disturbance in the house, came to his ears to tell him that his master
had been traced to his hiding-place and captured, the wild hope seized
upon him that Marcy, in some mysterious manner, had succeeded in eluding
the Home Guards. If that was the case he would of course make the best
of his way to the boat; and if he got there before Julius did he would
shove off alone, and Julius would be left behind to labor under the lash
of the overseer. He thought he would rather die than do that, but how
could he escape from Beardsley and reach the creek in time to meet Marcy
there? When he heard the captain calling to him he got upon his feet and
approached the carriage-way, just as Beardsley bent his head almost to
the ground, to watch a light that was shining from one of the cellar
windows. He held that position for a moment, and then a roar like that
of a thousand Niagaras rang in his ears and all was blank to him. He
sank limp and motionless to the ground, while Julius took to his heels
and disappeared through the gate. Half an hour later, when the Home
Guards came out of the house without finding Marcy Gray or anything that
could be used as evidence against him, they were astounded and greatly
alarmed to find Captain Beardsley lying unconscious in the carriageway.

And where was Marcy all this time! When the black boy's first note of
warning fell upon his ear he was imprinting a farewell kiss upon his
mother's lips and giving her a last embrace; but they fell apart
instantly when they heard that wild cry, for they knew what it meant.

"There they are!" gasped Mrs. Gray. "Marcy, I am afraid I have detained
you too long."

"You have not kept me a moment," said Marcy quickly, "for I was no more
anxious to go than you were to have me. Keep them in the house as long
as you can, and I will go into the cellar and try to slip through one o