De sojers is a huntin' fer yer,
Marse Edwin; dey's all eround us! Hush-sh-sh!' said she, as I attempted
to rise; 'lie still, honey, dey'll sartainly cotch yer if yer goes out
now! Dey's sentinils posted everywhar, and dey'll shoot you down like a
dog! My poor Marse Edwin,' she wailed, 'why did yer do it? Why did yer
do it? Why did yer kill him? He nebber done yer no harm. Why, Gawd bless
him, he done sot ole Mammy free! But dar ain't no use talkin' 'bout it
now!' She walked up and down the room several times, still muttering,
and then peered out of the window. Something in the street attracted
her.
"'Hush-sh-sh, chile, now's de time! Git up quick, deary, but fer de
Lawd's sake doan' make no noise! Follow de ole woman--dis way.' I got up
at once and obeyed her. It was a ghastly sort of thing, this Marse Edwin
business, but I saw a chance of escape at the bottom of it. We went to
the lower part of the house on tip-toe, and the negress, opening the
street door, pushed me out into the cool dawn, saying with a shaking
voice, 'Run, Marse Edwin, run fer yer life! Watch out for de sojers!
Good-bye, Gawd bress you, my lam'!' And I ran, you bet.
"Day was breaking when I found myself in the street, and as I emerged
from the slightly disreputable neighborhood where I had passed the night
I felt sure that a glance in the mirror would show me up a haggard,
white-haired wreck.
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