rlawn. My
father's place may even now be suffering an attack. I must get home
without an instant's delay!"

"Oh, I trust you are mistaken, Deck!" murmured Kate, her beautiful eyes
filling with tears. "What will your mother and your sisters do?"

"Heaven alone knows, Kate," he answered, his voice growing curiously
husky. "Artie and I were going home when we met Levi and six of the
slaves on the road. Four or five other slaves were to follow, so it is
safe to say that out of about fifteen men who can use firearms
two-thirds are now away from Riverlawn and awaiting me in the walnut
grove just below here. Good-by!" and he held out his hand.

"Good-by, and take care of yourself!" burst in Margie, and gave him a
warm brotherly kiss. Seeing this, Kate did not hold back, and Deck sped
from the mansion with the warm contact of her sweet lips still haunting
him.

But now was no time for sentiment, however delightful it might prove,
and the young major burst into the grove all out of breath with running.

"Quick, to Riverlawn!" he shouted, as he leaped again into the saddle.
"We have not a moment to lose! The note was a decoy, to get Levi and the
others to leave our house. Pray Heaven we may reach there before mother
and the others are subjected to insult, or before any damage is done!"

"A decoy!" gasped Levi Bedford. He could scarcely believe his ears.
"Then that negro was not dumb, I'll wager! Boys," he turned to the
slaves, "did any of you see that fellow who brought Mrs. Lyon the note
this morning?"

"'Deed I did, sah!" came from Clinker.

"So did I, sah," put in Woolly, another of the body.

"Did either of you hear him speak?"

Clinker shook his head. Woolly, however, smiled shrewdly. "I dun racken
I did, Mars'r Bedford, when he crossed de creek bridge. But I dunno wot
he said, fo' I was a right smart step off."

"It doesn't matter what he said," replied Levi. He turned to Deck. "You
are right. I have been badly fooled, and don't deserve to hold the
position with which your father entrusted me--that of taking care of his
family and his property."

"Don't blame yourself, Levi," Deck hastened to say, seeing how bad the
overseer felt. "You did what you thought was right, and what I should
have done under the circumstances. The best we can do is to get over the
ground just as lively as we can, and if you know of any short cuts to
take, so much the better."

They were already going ahead at full speed, Deck and Le