o find himself in
the presence of three of the colored men who had created the
disturbance in the store but a few nights before!

CHAPTER XXX.

A DASH FROM DANGER.

Had Matt known that he would meet three of the colored men in the
cottage in the hollow, it is more than likely that he would not have
gone near the place.

When he and Andy had had the trouble at the store, the two men who had
been compelled to pay for the broken glass had gone off in anything
but a happy frame of mind, and the young auctioneer had then remarked
to his partner that they might have trouble with the men should they
chance to meet them away from police protection.

Matt saw at once that the negroes recognized him, and that his
reception would be far from agreeable. Had he been less courageous he
would have turned and fled, but as it was, he stood his ground.

All three of the colored men had been seated around a kitchen table
playing cards, but at his entrance the two who had been the primary
cause of the former trouble sprang to their feet and came toward him.

"Huh! what brings yo' heah?" demanded the ringleader of the
mischief-makers wrathfully.

For the instant Matt hardly knew how to reply. He recognized his
mistake in coming to the cottage, and he was anxious now to make as
early a departure as possible.

"Do you live here?" he asked boldly.

"Yes we do," returned the colored man.

"Then I have made a mistake in coming here. I thought some one else
might live here."

And he took a step backward to the door.

"Hol' on!" exclaimed the colored man, coming still closer. "What brung
yo' heah?"

"I wanted to find out if we were on the right road, that was all. But
I can find out elsewhere."

"Whar's yo' wagon?"

"Over on the road," and Matt waved his hand in the direction.

"Gwine to leave Easton?" questioned the second colored man.

"Yes."

No sooner had Matt made the reply than the three colored men glanced
at each other, and the ringleader whispered to his companions.

"See yeah, yo' ain't gwine befo' we is squar' wid yo'!" he cried, as
he caught Matt by the arm.

"Let go of me!" exclaimed the young auctioneer. "I won't stand being
molested!"

"We'll see about dat!" cried the second colored man, and he also
caught hold of Matt.

"Close dat doah, Shelby!" went on the ringleader, to the man still at
the table. "Dis is just de chance we wanted at dis yeah boy!"

The man addressed at once arose, and rus