nd sent him to the
prison in search of Clotelle.

"The girl went away from here at eight o'clock," was the jailer's
answer to the servant's inquiries.

The return of Sam without having found the girl saddened the heart of
the young mistress. "Sure, then," said she, "the poor heart-broken
thing has made way with herself."

Still, she waited till morning before breaking the news of Clotelle's
absence to her father.

The jailer discovered, the next morning, to his utter astonishment,
that his prisoner was white instead of black, and his first impression
was that the change of complexion had taken place during the night,
through fear of death. But this conjecture was soon dissipated; for the
dark, glowing eyes, the sable curls upon the lofty brow, and the mild,
sweet voice that answered his questions, informed him that the prisoner
before him was another being.

On learning, in the morning, that Clotelle was in jail dressed in male
attire, Miss Wilson immediately sent clothes to her to make a change in
her attire. News of the heroic and daring act of the slave-girl spread
through the city with electric speed.

"I will sell every nigger on the place," said the parson, at the
break-fast-table,--"I will sell them all, and get a new lot, and whip
them every day."

Poor Georgiana wept for the safety of Clotelle, while she felt glad
that Jerome had escaped. In vain did they try to extort from the girl
the whereabouts of the man whose escape she had effected. She was not
aware that he had fled on a steamer, and when questioned, she replied,--

"I don't know; and if I did I would not tell you. I care not what you
do with me, if Jerome but escapes."

The smile with which she uttered these words finely illustrated the
poet's meaning, when he says,--

"A fearful gift upon thy heart is laid, Woman--the power to suffer and
to love."

Her sweet simplicity seemed to dare them to lay their rough hands amid
her trembling curls.

Three days did the heroic young woman remain in prison, to be gazed at
by an unfeeling crowd, drawn there out of curiosity. The intelligence
came to her at last that the court had decided to spare her life, on
condition that she should be whipped, sold, and sent out of the State
within twenty-four hours.

This order of the court she would have cared but little for, had she
not been sincerely attached to her young mistress.

"Do try and sell her to some one who will use her well," said Georgiana
t