s story, but Peter Taylor, who stood smoking a small
pipe, with looks of austere indifference to all human interests, had
another theory to account for the leave-taking of Moses.

"I've no hidea 'e ran away to Ohio. That lazy nigger 'ated work too
much to run away to Ohio. I suspicion that the rascal drifted away on
a flatboat."

"What makes you think so, Peter?"

"I can't say that I altogether think anything sure about the nigger.
It isn't my business to think about other people's business. I only
say I suspicion. If I knew what was hid in the future, I would have
told. But it's my firm suspicion that a boatman by the name of
Sheldrake lured Honest Moses away on a flatboat."

"No; Mars Taylor," reiterated Scipio, "Moses done tole Ransom he was
gwine to run off, up Muskingum."

"When did he tell you?"

"Las' Crismus."

"For de Lawd sake!" cried out Juno, the kitchen maid, whose rolling
eyes were the first to see the master approaching. "I never 'spected
Honest Moses of sneaking fum his good home and kind Mars and Missus
like a brack thief in de night. Whar's Daniel? I hy'ard him prayin'
for Moses yesterday."

"No prayin' is gwine to keep Honest Moses fum de debil. Dat nigger's
not got no religion to his name--not a speck. Didn't I tell Missus
when she thought she cotched me and Ransom sellin' watermillions and
sweet 'tatoes to de boys from Marietta, dat it was Moses done it?"

Exasperated, perplexed, not knowing how to act, Blennerhassett sought
his wife, with whom he held a closet conference, lamenting his
troubles and soliciting counsel. The lady advised him to summon Peter
Taylor, and suggested that the two should go across the river to
Belpre, there consult the squire, and set in motion every available
agency to insure the recapture of the fugitive. The much-worried
philosopher begged Burr to excuse him for a couple of hours, and
hurriedly started on his vexatious quest, accompanied by the
phlegmatic gardener. Complying good-naturedly with a proposal of
Dominick and little Harman, and convoyed by those devoted children,
Burr explored orchards, fields and stockyard, and won the extravagant
praises of the black people by visiting their quarters and greeting
every one, from Scipio to the youngest pickaninny, with a cheerful
word and a smile. Every slave on the plantation was in voluntary bonds
to "Mars Burr, de fine gen'leman wi' de coal brack eyes."

XIII. THE ENCHANTED GROUND.

While Blennerhas