nd white men alike; God wants all people of
every colour, nation, and tongue to come to Him and to be saved,"
answered my mother. "If Dio gives God his heart, God will protect him
and guide him through life until He calls him to that happy heaven He
has prepared for all those who love Him here on earth."

When Dio heard that the Bible contained God's loving message to man, he
became doubly anxious to learn to read it. It was wonderful the
progress he made in a short time, showing that the minds of the negro
race are as capable of imbibing knowledge as those of white men.

There was still a considerable risk that Dio might be recognised by some
of the friends of Mr Bracher who might pass that way, and my father had
determined to start with him in a few days on his projected journey
northwards.

My father and I had just returned from a distant part of the estate, and
were about to enter the house, when, looking along the road, I saw three
horsemen, two of whom bore a striking resemblance to the men who had
paid us a visit when in search of Dio.

"They may be mere travellers, or may be coming without any thought of
Dio, but it will be prudent, in case of accident, to be prepared for
them," observed my father; "we will go in and stow away the black."

We entered as we spoke. Kathleen had taken her usual place on a chair
with a book in her hand while several others lay scattered before her.
Dio was seated on the ground, his eyes level with the page from which
she read, he endeavouring to repeat the words after her. Biddy was
engaged at the other end of the room in making a cake, and did not
observe us enter. My father, afraid of alarming the little girl, did
not speak, but beckoned Dio who just then looked up, to come to him.
Biddy, seeing that something was amiss, hurried out of the room after
us.

"Not a moment to lose," he whispered, "run back to your room, jump into
bed, and draw the clothes over your head; take care that nothing
belonging to you is left in sight. Mike will carry away your shoes and
anything else you have. Some suspicious persons are coming this way."

"I should not be surprised, Biddy, if they are your old friends," I
observed; "you will treat them with due hospitality if they enter the
house."

"Sure the cap'n won't be lettin' thim in at all at all," she said, when
she observed the three men on horseback approaching, two of whom she
recognised as her former opponents.

"Biddy is right