only hope to touch through
marriage. The man dreamed of owning Beaucaire, of possessing all it
contained. He was willing to risk everything to carry out his
hell-born scheme, and to ruin everyone who interfered with him. I am
telling you all this, Eloise, because it is now time you should know.
Will you not tell me just how it all came to you?"

Her hands clung to me, as though she dare not let go; her eyes were
filled with a mingling of wonderment and pain.

"Why, of course. We thought it best not to go until after we could see
the lawyer. I could not believe my father had neglected to set those
two free--he--he loved them both. Delia and Rene had gone down to the
Landing that night to see if he had returned. We were both of us
afraid to leave Rene alone--she was so despondent, so unstrung. It was
dark and I was all alone in the house. Then these men came. They did
not know me and I did not know them, but I was sure what they came for.
I was terribly frightened, without an idea what to do--only I refused
to talk. All I could do was to pray that the others might be warned
and not return. They searched the house and then left this man Tim to
guard me. He told me he was a deputy sheriff from St. Louis, and--and
I encouraged him to explain all he knew about the case. Then I made up
my mind what to do--I would pretend to be Rene, and let them carry me
off instead of her."

"But did you not realize the danger to yourself?"

"No, I suppose I didn't; or rather I did not care. All I thought about
was how to save her. These were law officers; they would take me to
St. Louis before a court. Then I could make myself known and would be
set free. They couldn't do anything else, could they? There was no
law by which I could be held, but--but, don't you see? The delay might
give Rene time to escape. That was not wrong, was it?"

"Wrong! It was one of the bravest things I ever heard of. And I know
the rest--your encounter with Kirby in the library. I overheard all of
that through the open window, and how you learned from him that certain
legal papers would have to be served on Eloise Beaucaire before any of
the slaves could be touched, or removed from the estate. That
knowledge only brought you new courage to play out your part. But why
did you trust me enough to go with me? And, after trusting me so
fully, why did you refuse to tell me who you really were?"

Her eyes fell before mine, and her cheeks w