noise at the door, broke upon their ears though the pelting
fury of the storm, like one in agonizing distress.

"Heavens! what is that!" said the captain of the guard, suddenly
starting from his seat, and running for the door, followed by the
whole posse. The groans grew louder and more death-like in their
sound, accompanied by strange voices, giving utterance to horrible
imprecations, and a dragging upon the floor. The large door opened, and
what a sight presented itself! Three huge monsters, with side-arms on,
dragged in the poor negro who proffered to show Tommy into Broad street.
His clothes were nearly torn from his back, besmeared with mud, from
head to foot, and his face cut and mangled in the most shocking manner.
His head, neck, and shoulders, were covered with a gore of blood, and
still it kept oozing from his mouth and the cuts on his head. They
dragged him in as if he was a dying dog that had been beaten with a
club, and threw him into a corner, upon the floor, with just about as
much unconcern.

"Oh! massa! massa! kill me, massa, den 'em stop sufferin'!" said the
poor fellow, in a painful murmur, raising his shackled hands to his
head, and grasping the heavy chain that secured his neck, in the agony
of pain.

"What has he done?" inquired the officer.

"Resisted the guard, and ran when we told him to stop!" responded a trio
of voices. "Yes, and attempted to get into a house. Ah! you vagabond
you; that's the way we serve niggers like you!--Attempt to run again,
will you? I'll knock your infernal daylights out, you nigger you," said
one of the party.

"It does seem tome that you might have taken him, and brought him up
with less severity," said the officer.

"What else could we do, sure? Didn't we catch him prowling about with
a white fellow, and he runn'd till we couldn't get him. Indeed it was
nothing good they were after, and it's the like o' them that bees doing
all the mischief beyant the city."

"An' 'imself, too, struck Muldown two pokes, 'efore he lave de hancuffs
be pat upon him, at all!" said another of the guardmen; and then turning
around, caught a glimpse of poor little Tommy, who had been standing up
near a desk, during the scene, nearly "frightened out of his wits."

"By the pipers,--what! and is't here ye are? The same that was with
himself beyant! Come here, you spalpeen you. Wasn't ye the same what
runn'd whin we bees spaken to that nigger?" said the same guardman,
taking hold of T