Deborah's voice was raised in shrill reproach, and the drunken minister
answered her with oaths. The small house rang with their quarrel, but
Audrey listened with indifference; not trembling and stopping her ears, as
once she would have done. It was over at last, and the place sunk in
silence; but still the girl waited and listened, standing close to the
door. At last, as it was drawing toward midnight, she put her hand upon
the latch, and, raising it very softly, slipped outside. Heavy breathing
came from the room where slept her guardians; it went evenly on while she
crept downstairs and unbarred the outer door. Sure and silent and light of
touch, she passed like a spirit from the house that had given her shelter,
nor once looked back upon it.

The boat, hidden in the reeds, was her destination; she loosed it, and
taking the oars rowed down the creek. When she came to the garden wall,
she bent her head and shut her eyes; but when she had left the creek for
the great dim river, she looked at Fair View house as she rowed past it on
her way to the mountains. No light to-night; the hour was late, and he was
asleep, and that was well.

It was cold upon the river, and sere leaves, loosening their hold upon
that which had given them life, drifted down upon her as she rowed beneath
arching trees. When she left the dark bank for the unshadowed stream, the
wind struck her brow and the glittering stars perplexed her. There were so
many of them. When one shot, she knew that a soul had left the earth.
Another fell, and another,--it must be a good night for dying. She ceased
to row, and, leaning over, dipped her hand and arm into the black water.
The movement brought the gunwale of the boat even with the flood.... Say
that one leaned over a little farther ... there would fall another star.
God gathered the stars in his hand, but he would surely be angry with one
that came before it was called, and the star would sink past him into a
night forever dreadful.... The water was cold and deep and black. Great
fish throve in it, and below was a bed of ooze and mud....

The girl awoke from her dream of self-murder with a cry of terror. Not the
river, good Lord, not the river! Not death, but life! With a second
shuddering cry she lifted hand and arm from the water, and with frantic
haste dried them upon the skirt of her dress. There had been none to hear
her. Upon the midnight river, between the dim forests that ever spoke, but
never list