girl." The news soon reached me, and with six or seven others, I
followed them. We proceeded with all speed to a place called the
Gap-Hill, where we overtook them, and took the girl away. Then we beat
the kidnappers, and let them go. We learned afterwards that they were
all wounded badly, and that two of them died in Lancaster, and the other
did not get home for some time. Only one of our men was hurt, and he had
only a slight injury in the hand.

Dr. Duffield and Squire Henderson, two respectable citizens of the town,
were looking on during this entire engagement; and after we had stopped
firing, they went up to the slaveholders, and the following conversation
took place:--

_Squire Henderson._ What's the matter?

_Slaveholder._ You may ask, what's the matter! Is this the way you allow
your niggers to do?

_Squire._ Why did you not shoot them?

_Slaveholder._ We did shoot at them, but it did not take effect.

_Squire._ There's no use shooting at our niggers, for their heads are
like iron pots; the balls will glance off. What were you doing?

_Slaveholder._ Taking our property, when the niggers jumped on us and
nearly killed some of the men.

_Squire._ Men coming after such property ought to be killed.

_Slaveholder._ Do you know where we can find a doctor?

_Squire._ Yes; there are plenty of doctors South.

Being much disabled, and becoming enraged, they abruptly left, and
journeyed on until they reached McKenzie's tavern, where their wounds
were dressed and their wants attended to. So strongly was McKenzie in
sympathy with these demons, that he declared he would never employ
another nigger, and actually discharged a faithful colored woman who had
lived a long time in his employ. Dr. Lemmon, a physician on the road to
Lancaster, refused to attend the slaveholders; so that by the time they
got to the city, from being so long without surgical aid, their limbs
were past setting, and two of them died, as before stated, while the
other survived but a short time after reaching Maryland.

A large reward was offered by the Maryland authorities for the
perpetrators of the flogging, but without effect.

McKenzie, the tavern-keeper referred to, boasted after this that he
would entertain all slaveholders who came along, and help them recapture
their slaves. We were equally determined he should not, if we could
prevent it.

The following affliction was eventually the means, under Providence, by
which he was led to