sters, if not to the travelers to demand of them an account of
themselves. In other words, the assailants positively commanded the
fugitives to "show what right" they possessed, to be found in a
condition apparently so unwarranted.

The _spokesman_ amongst the fugitives, affecting no ordinary amount of
dignity, told their assailants plainly, that "no gentleman would
interfere with persons riding along civilly"--not allowing it to be
supposed that they were slaves, of course. These "gentlemen," however,
were not willing to accept this account of the travelers, as their very
decided steps indicated. Having the law on their side, they were for
compelling the fugitives to surrender without further parley.

At this juncture, the fugitives verily believing that the time had
arrived for the practical use of their pistols and dirks, pulled them
out of their concealment--the young women as well as the young men--and
declared they would not be "taken!" One of the white men raised his gun,
pointing the muzzle directly towards one of the young women, with the
threat that he would "shoot," etc. "Shoot! shoot!! shoot!!!" she
exclaimed, with a double barrelled pistol in one hand and a long dirk
knife in the other, utterly unterrified and fully ready for a death
struggle. The male _leader_ of the fugitives by this time had "pulled
back the hammers" of his "pistols," and was about to fire! Their
adversaries seeing the weapons, and the unflinching determination on the
part of the _runaways_ to stand their ground, "spill blood, kill, or
die," rather than be "taken," very prudently "sidled over to the other
side of the road," leaving at least four of the victors to travel on
their way.

At this moment the four in the carriage lost sight of the two on
horseback. Soon after the separation they heard firing, but what the
result was, they knew not. They were fearful, however, that their
companions had been captured.

The following paragraph, which was shortly afterwards taken from a
Southern paper, leaves no room to doubt, as to the fate of the two.

Six fugitive slaves from Virginia were arrested at the Maryland
line, near Hood's Mill, on Christmas day, but, after a severe
fight, four of them escaped and have not since been heard of.
They came from Loudoun and Fauquier counties.

[Illustration: ]

Though the four who were successful, saw no "severe fight," it is not
unreasonable to suppose, that there was a fig