derstand?"

"Ya-as, Miss Fanny, I specs we does," answered Cato, the oldest and
most intelligent of the three.

"Caesar, you lead him into the strong room. Say I will meet him there in
a moment. He won't suspect anything, I reckon. The rest of you stay in
the passage, and as soon as he enters lock the door upon him. Don't
neglect that! He'll try to get out. He may break the door down. But you
must keep him there, even if he attempts to kill you--unless I say for
you to release him."

The three slaves were devoted to their young mistress and, accepting
her orders without a question, they at once began their preparations to
carry them out. As they were talking together a light step sounded on
the porch. There was a ring at the door. The men hurried to their
places of concealment. Miss Fanny Glen hid in the dark drawing-room, as
Caesar shuffled along the hall to the front door.

"Your mistress has sent for me," said Sempland. And from where she
stood in the drawing-room, Fanny Glen's heart leaped at the tones of
his voice.

"Yas, suh," returned the darky, obsequiously ushering him through the
hall. "Step right dis way, suh, Mass' Sempland. Miss Fanny done axes
you to go in dis room at de end ob de passage, suh. An' she tol' me she
gwine be wid you in a minute, suh."

The room was one which Sempland had never entered before. It was small,
furnished like a library or office, with several large closets and an
old iron safe, and had two grated windows and one heavy mahogany door.
It had formerly been used as an office and as a treasure room. Seeing
the visitor safe within, Caesar calmly withdrew, and as he adroitly
coughed violently in the passage Sempland did not hear the ponderous
key turning in the old-fashioned lock. He waited a few minutes, and
then, as time was precious, he looked around for a bell. Seeing none he
walked to the door, laid his hand upon the knob, and tried to open it.
It did not give.

"Locked!" he muttered in surprise.

Raising his hand he struck a light blow on the panels, but there was no
reply. Then he called out and received no answer. He struck and called
again and again, his voice rising to a shout while his hands were
bleeding from the blows he had rained on the hard surface. Finally a
voice came to him faintly through the door.

"Wat's de matta, suh?"

"Open this door instantly, you black dog! Where is Miss Glen?"

"She's a-comin', suh."

"I wish to see her immediately!" he cried