Leave the country within ten days, or your carcass fills this."

He read it deliberately through, carefully weighing each word, not a
muscle of his face moving, not a tremor agitating his nerves.

Turning to his overseer, who at that moment appeared before him, "Bring
me a hatchet," he said in stern, calm tones, "and be quick, Park; I
would not have your mistress see this on any account."

Stepping upon the lid as he spoke, he broke it in with a crash,
finishing his work when the hatchet came, by quickly chopping and
splitting the coffin up into kindling-wood.

"There!" he said, bidding the man gather up the fragments and carry them
to the kitchen, "they'll not put me into that, at all events. What
mischief have they been at in the quarter, I wonder?" he added,
springing into the saddle.

"Dreffle bad work, sah; mos' killed two ob de boys; scared de rest to
deff," said Park, hastily obeying the order to gather up the bits of
wood, "jes' gwine tell ye, sah, when you tole me go for de hatchet."

"Indeed! hellish work! Follow me, Park, as quickly as you can. And mind,
not a word of this," pointing to the demolished coffin, "to any one,"
and putting spurs to his horse, he galloped off in the direction of the
quarter.

But presently catching sight of the still smoking embers of the Ion
school-house, he drew rein for an instant with a sudden exclamation of
surprise and regret. "The wretches, what will they do next? burn our