effectual, Louis after the search and
excitement had subsided resumed his journey Northward, meeting with
first one act of kindness and then another.

One day he had a narrow escape from the bloodhounds. He had trusted his
secret to a colored man who, faithful like the rest, was directing him
on his way when deep ominous sounds fell on their ears. The colored man
knew that sound too well; he knew something of the nature of
bloodhounds, and how to throw them off the track.

So hastily opening his pen-knife he cut his own feet so that the blood
from them might deepen the scent on one track, and throw them off from
Louis's path.

It was a brave deed, and nobly done, and Louis began to feel that he had
never known them, and then how vividly came into his mind the words of
Dr. Charming: "After all we may be trampling on one of the best branches
of the human race." Here were men and women too who had been trampled on
for ages ready to break to him their bread, aye share with him their
scanty store.

One had taken the shoes from his feet and almost forced him to take
them. What was it impelled these people? What was the Union to them,
and who were Lincoln's soldiers that they should be so ready to
gravitate to the Union army and bring the most reliable information to
the American General?

Was it not the hope of freedom which they were binding as amulets around
their hearts? They as a race had lived in a measure upon an idea; it was
the hope of a deliverance yet to come. Faith in God had underlain the
life of the race, and was it strange if when even some of our
politicians did not or could not read the signs of the times aright
these people with deeper intuitions understood the war better than they
did.

But at last Louis got beyond the borders of the confederacy, and stood
once more on free soil, appreciating that section as he had never done
before.

Chapter XV

[Text missing.]

Chapter XVI

"And I," said Minnie, "will help you pay it."

And so their young hearts had met at last, and with the approval and
hearty consent of Anna, Minnie and Louis were married.

It was decided that Minnie should spend the winter in Southern France,
and then in the spring they returned to America. On their arrival they
found the war still raging, and Louis was ready and anxious to benefit
that race to whom he felt he owed his life, and with whom he was
connected by lineage.

He had plenty of money, a liberal