him down
in de ole cabin, and gave him 'most nuffin' to eat. De Cunnel war gwine
to take Sam to Charles'on and sell him, but somehow he got a file and
sawed fru de chain and got 'way in de night to de 'still.' Den when de
oberseer come dar in de mornin', Sam jump on him and 'most kill him.
He'd hab sent him whar dar aint no niggas, ef Junius hadn't a holed him.
_I'd_ a let de ole debble gwo."

"Junius, then, is a friend of the overseer."

"No, sar; _he_ haint no friends, 'cep de debble; but June am a good
nigga, and he said 'twarn't right to kill ole Moye so sudden, for den
dar'd be no chance for de Lord to forgib him."

"Then Sam got away again?"

"Oh yas; nary one but darkies war round, and dey wouldn't hole him. Ef
dey'd cotched him den, dey'd hung him, shore."

"Why hung him?"

"'Cause he'd struck a wite man; it'm shore death to do dat."

"Do you think Scip will bring him back?"

"Yas; 'cause he'm gwine to tell massa de hull story. De Cunnel will
b'lieve Scipio ef he _am_ brack. Sam'll know dat, so he'll come back. De
Cunnel'll make de State too hot to hole ole Moye, when he fine him out."

"Does Sam's wife 'smile' on the overseer now?"

"No; she see de trubble she bring on Sam, and she bery sorry. She wont
look at a wite man now."

During the foregoing conversation, we had ridden for several miles over
the western half of the plantation, and were again near the house. My
limbs being decidedly stiff and sore from the effect of the previous
day's journey, I decided to alight and rest until the hour for dinner.

I mentioned my jaded condition to Jim, who said:

"Dat's right, massa; come in de house. I'll cure de rumatics; I knows
how to fix dem."

Fastening the horses at the door, Jim accompanied me to my
sleeping-room, where he lighted a fire of pine knots, which in a moment
blazed up on the hearth and sent a cheerful glow through the apartment;
then, saying he would return after stabling the horses, the darky left
me.

I took off my boots, drew the sofa near the fire, and stretched myself
at full length upon it. If ever mortal was tired, "I reckon" I was. It
seemed as though every joint and bone in my body had lost the power of
motion, and sharp, acute pains danced along my nerves, as I have seen
the lightning play along the telegraph wires. My entire system had the
toothache.

Jim soon returned, bearing in one hand a decanter of "Otard," and in the
other a mug of hot water and a crash towel.