aw takes cognizance of this wild deed.
Where has he gone?"

Virgie appeared upon the lawn to say that Mrs. Custis wanted to know who
should drive her as far as Salisbury, where she could get a slave of her
son-in-law to continue on with her to Cambridge.

"I have been thinking all the morning where I can find a reliable man to
go and bring back papa," Vesta answered; "there are a few slaves at the
Furnace, but time is precious."

"Here is Samson," Virgie said, "and he has got a mule he rides all over
the county. Let him go."

"Go whar, my love?" asked Samson.

"To Dover, in Delaware," Vesta answered. "You can ride to Laurel by
dark, Samson, and get to Dover to-morrow afternoon."

"And I can ride with him as far as Salisbury," Jimmy Phoebus said,
"and get out to the Nanticoke some way; fur I see Ellenora will cry till
I go."

"You can do better than that, James," Vesta said, rapidly thinking.
"Samson can take you to Spring Hill Church or Barren Creek Springs, by a
little deviation, and at the Springs you will be only three miles from
the Nanticoke. Even mamma might go on with the carriage to-night as far
as the Springs, or to Vienna."

"If two of them are going," Virgie exclaimed, "one can drive Missy
Custis and the other ride the mule."

Samson shook his head.

"Dey say a free nigger man gits cotched up in dat ar Delawaw state.
Merrylin's good enough fur me. I likes de Merrylin light gals de best,"
looking at Virgie.

"Go now, Samson, to oblige Miss Vesty," Virgie said, "and I'll try to
love you a little, black and bad as you are."

"I'se afraid of Delawaw state," Samson repeated, laughing slowly. "Joe
Johnson, dat I put dat head on, will git me whar he lives if I go dar,
mebbe."

"No," Phoebus put in, "I'll be a lookin' after him on the banks of the
Nanticoke, Samson, while you keep right in the high-road from Laurel to
Georgetown, and on to Dover. Joe Johnson's been whipped at the post, and
banished from Delaware for life, and dussn't go thar no more."

"If you go, Samson," little Roxy put in, having reappeared, "Virgie'll
feel complimented. Anything that obliges Miss Vesty counts with Virgie."

"If you are a free man," Virgie herself exclaimed, her slight, nervous,
willowy figure expanding, "are you afraid to go into a freer state than
Maryland? If I was free I would want to go to the freest state of all.
Behave like a free man, Samson Hat, or what is freedom worth to you?"

"It's wuth so much, p