felt my fingers closing on the palm of my hand, and in a second more
they might have cut the darky's profile, had not Madam P---- cried out,
"Stand back, you impudent fellow: say another word, and I'll have you
whipped on the spot."

"De Cunnel am my massa, ma'am--_he_ say ole Moye am to be whipped, and
I'se gwine to do it--shore."

I have seen a storm at sea--I have seen the tempest tear up great
trees--I have seen the lightning strike in a dark night--but I never saw
any thing half so grand, half so terrible, as the glance and tone of
that woman as she cried out, "Jim, take this man--give him fifty lashes
this instant."

Quicker than thought, a dozen darkies were on him. His hands and feet
were tied and he was under the whipping-rack in a second. Turning then
to the other negroes, the brave woman said, "Some of you carry Moye to
the house, and you, Jim, see to this man--if fifty lashes don't make him
sorry, give him fifty more."

This summary change of programme was silently acquiesced in by the
assembled negroes, but many a cloudy face scowled sulkily on the
octoroon, as, leaning on my arm, she followed Junius and the other
negroes, who bore Moye to the mansion. It was plain that under those
dark faces a fire was burning that a breath would have fanned into a
flame.

We entered the house by its rear door, and placed Moye in a small room
on the ground floor. He was laid on a bed, and stimulants being given
him, his senses and reason shortly returned. His eyes opened, and his
real position seemed suddenly to flash upon him, for he turned to Madam
P----, and in a weak voice, half choked with emotion, faltered out: "May
God in heaven bless ye, ma'am; God _will_ bless ye for bein' so good to
a wicked man like me. I doesn't desarve it, but ye woant leave me--ye
woant leave me--they'll kill me ef ye do!"

"Don't fear," said the Madam; "you shall have a fair trial. No harm
shall come to you here."

"Thank ye, thank ye," gasped the overseer, raising himself on one arm,
and clutching at the lady's hand, which he tried to lift to his lips.

"Don't say any more now," said Madam P----, quietly; "you must rest and
be quiet, or you wont get well."

"Shan't I get well? Oh, I can't die--I can't die _now_!"

The lady made a soothing reply, and giving him an opiate, and arranging
the bedding so that he might rest more easily, she left the room with
me.

As we stepped into the hall, I saw through the front door, which was