know--I jis does--how dem white niggers o' Co'bu'ns 'ill set de house o'
fire, an' heave we-dem two poor old innocen's into de flames out'n pure
debblish wanton!"

Edith passed her slender fingers through her curls, stringing them out
as was her way when absent in thought. She was turning the whole matter
over in her mind. She might possibly save the mansion, though these two
old people were not likely to be able to do so--on the contrary, their
ludicrous terrors would tend to stimulate the wanton cruelty of the
marauders to destroy them with the house. Edith suddenly took her
resolution, and turned her horse's head, directing her attendants to
follow.

"But where are you going to go, Miss Edith?" asked her groom, Oliver,
now speaking for the first time.

"Back to Luckenough."

"What for, Miss Edith, for goodness sake?"

"Back to Luckenough to guard the dear old house, and take care of you
two."

"But oh, Miss Edy! Miss Edy! for Marster in heaven's sake what'll come
o' you?"

"What the Master in heaven wills!"

"Lord, Lord, Miss Edy! ole marse 'ill kill we-dem. What 'ill old marse
say? What 'ill everybody say to a young gal a-doin' of anything like dat