might upon the
side of the hut, calling out, "For God's sake, open the door!" A latch
rattled close to my ears, and a door flew open. 'Twas Old Suke. I had,
many a time, when a boy, called out to her, "Black clouds arising!"--for
we always would torment the colored folks, when they came down with
their brooms.

I pushed past her into the hut,--into the midst of rushes, brooms, and
baskets,--into a shelter. I never knew before what the word meant.

The fireplace was full of blazing pine-knots, which made the room as
light as day. Old Suke showed herself a Christian. She told me where to
find a shed for my horse; and while I was gone, she took the wet things
off Margaret, and rubbed her hands and feet with snow. She took red
peppers from a string over the fireplace, boiled them in milk, and made
us drink it. I thought of "heaping coals of fire." She dipped up hulled
corn from a pot on the hearth, and made us eat. I felt like singing the
song of Mungo Park.

Margaret kept pretty still. I knew the reason. The warm blood was
rushing back to her fingers and toes, and they ached like the toothache.
Mine did. 'Twas a long while before Old Suke would let us come nearer
the fire. Her old mother was squatting upon the hearth. She looked to be
a hundred and fifty. Her face was like a baked apple,--for she was part
Indian, not very black. She had a check-handkerchief tied round her
head, and an old pea-jacket over her shoulders, with the sleeves
hanging. She hardly noticed us, but sat smoking her pipe, looking at the
coals. 'Twas curious to see Margaret's face by hers in the firelight.

A little after midnight the storm abated, and by four o'clock the stars
were out. I asked Margaret if she would be afraid to stay there, while I
went home to tell the folks what had become of us.

"Oh, no," she said. "'Twas just what she'd been thinking about. She
would be making baskets."--Some girls would never have dared stay in
such a place.

I promised to be back as soon as possible, and left her there by the old
woman.

'Twas just about daylight when I came in sight of father's. Mr.
Nathaniel was walking about the yard, looking up the road at every turn.
He hurried towards me.

"All safe!" I called out.

"Thank God!" he cried. "It has been a dreadful night."

Jamie was in the house. They two had been sitting up. They wouldn't hear
of my going back, but put me into bed, almost by main strength. Then
they started with fresh horses. T