d, my terror fairly
mastering my courage, I fell upon my knees and began to pray to all the
saints.

"Lordy!" cried the negro, "here they come!" And his black head was
instantly withdrawn from the window.

"I never heard such nonsense in my life," exclaimed a voice.

"Why, so we all say, Sir George," replied the voice of Mr. Kentish. "But
put yourself in our place. The niggers were near two to one. And upon my
word, if you'll excuse me, sir, considering the notion they have taken
in their heads, I regard it as precious fortunate for all of us that
the mistake occurred."

"This is no question of fortune, sir," returned Sir George. "It is a
question of my orders, and you may take my word for it, Kentish, either
Harland, or yourself, or Parker--or, by George, all three of you!--shall
swing for this affair. These are my sentiments. Give me the key and be
off."

Immediately after, the key turned in the lock; and there appeared upon
the threshold a gentleman, between forty and fifty, with a very open
countenance and of a stout and personable figure.

"My dear young lady," said he, "who the devil may you be?"

I told him all my story in one rush of words. He heard me, from the
first, with an amazement you can scarcely picture, but when I came to
the death of the Senora Mendizabal in the tornado, he fairly leaped into
the air.

"My dear child," he cried, clasping me in his arms, "excuse a man who
might be your father! This is the best news I ever had since I was born;
for that hag of a mulatto was no less a person than my wife." He sat
down upon a tar-barrel, as if unmanned by joy. "Dear me," said he, "I
declare this tempts me to believe in Providence. And what," he added,
"can I do for you?"

"Sir George," said I, "I am already rich: all that I ask is your
protection."

"Understand one thing," he said, with great energy: "I will never
marry."

"I had not ventured to propose it," I exclaimed, unable to restrain my
mirth; "I only seek to be conveyed to England, the natural home of the
escaped slave."

"Well," returned Sir George, "frankly I owe you something for this
exhilarating news; besides, your father was of use to me. Now, I have
made a small competence in business--a jewel mine, a sort of naval
agency, et caetera, and I am on the point of breaking up my company, and
retiring to my place in Devonshire to pass a plain old age, unmarried.
One good turn deserves another: if you swear to hold your tongue about