s, who had
collected in even larger numbers than before. The auctioneer brought
down his hammer:

'Attention, gentlemen! The sale has begun. I offer you again the girl,
Lucy Selma. You've h'ard the description, and (glancing at Joe, and
smiling) you know the _conditions_ of the sale. A thousand dollars is
bid for the girl, Lucy Selma; do I hear any more? Talk quick, gentlemen;
I shan't dwell on this lot; so speak up, if you've anything to say. One
thousand once--one thousand twice--one thousand third and last call. Do
I hear any more?' A pause of a moment. 'Last call, gentlemen.
Going--g-o-i-n-g--go--'

The word was unfinished; the hammer was descending, when a voice called
out:

'Two thousand!'

'Whose bid is that?' cried Joe, striding across the bench, the glare of
a hyena in his eyes.

'Mine, sir!' said the man, with a look of sudden surprise. His face was
shaded by a broad-brimmed Panama hat, and his hair and whiskers were
dyed, but there was no mistaking his large, eagle nose, his sharp,
pointed chin, and his rat-trap of a mouth. It was Hallet! Springing upon
a bench near by, I cried out:

'John Hallet, withdraw that bid, or your time has come! I warn you. You
cannot leave this place alive!'

He gave me a quick, startled look--the look of a thief caught in the
act--but said nothing.

'Who is he?' cried a dozen voices.

'A Yankee nigger-trader! A man that seduced and murdered the woman who
should have been his wife; that cast out and starved his own child, and
now would debauch this poor girl, who is to marry his only son!'

'Wall, he _ar_ a han'some critter.' ''Bout like th' Yankees gin'rally.'
'Clar him out!' cried several voices.

'If you allow him to bid here, you are as bad as he,' I continued,
unintentionally fanning the growing excitement.

'Wall, we woan't.' 'Pitch inter him!' 'Douse him in th' pond!' 'Ride him
on a rail!' 'Give him a coat uv tar!' and a hundred similar exclamations
rose from the crowd, which swayed toward the obnoxious man with a quick,
tumultuous motion.

'He'm in de darky trade; leff de darkies handle him!' cried Ally,
seizing Hallet by the collar, and dragging him toward the pond.

The face of the great merchant turned ghastly pale. Paralyzed with fear,
he made no resistance.

Pressing rapidly through the crowd, and tossing Ally aside as if he had
been a bundle of feathers, Larkin was at Hallet's side in an instant.
Planting himself before him, and drawing his revolv