state."

"But not for several years?"

"No; I think I have heard how many, but have forgotten."

She drew a deep breath and stepped toward me, gazing straight into my
face.

"I believe in you," she said firmly. "And I trust you. You look like
a real man. You tell me you serve in the army--an officer?"

"A lieutenant of infantry."

She held out her hand and my own closed over it, the firm, warm clasp
of her fingers sending a strange thrill through my whole body. An
instant she looked directly into my eyes, down into the very soul of
me, and what I read in the depths of her brown orbs could never find
expression in words. I have thought of it often since--that great,
dimly-lighted room, with the guard at the outer door; the inert, almost
lifeless body huddled on the floor beside us, and Rene Beaucaire, her
hand clasped in mine.

"Lieutenant Knox," she said softly, yet with a note of confidence in
the low voice, "no woman was ever called upon to make a more important
choice than this. Although I am a slave, now I am free to choose. I
am going to trust you absolutely; there are reasons why I so decide
which I cannot explain at this time. I have not known you long enough
to venture that far. You must accept me just as I am--a runaway slave
and a negress, but also a woman. Can you pledge such as I your word of
honor--the word of a soldier and a gentleman?"

"I pledge it to you, Rene Beaucaire," I answered soberly.

"And I accept the pledge in all faith. From now on, whatever you say I
will do."

I had but one immediate purpose in my mind--to escape from the house as
quickly as possible, to attain Pete's cart at the edge of the woods and
be several miles up the river, hidden away in some covert before
daylight, leaving no trail behind. The first part of this hasty
program would have to be carried out instantly, for any moment a
suspicion might cause Carver to throw open the door leading into the
hallway and expose our position. Kirby was already showing
unmistakable symptoms of recovery, while those other men idling on the
front porch might begin to wonder what was going on so long inside and
proceed to investigate. By this time they must be nervously anxious to
get away. Besides, it would prove decidedly to our advantage if I was
not seen or recognized. The very mystery, the bewilderment as to who
had so viciously attacked the gambler and then spirited away the girl,
would serve to facilitate our