planned. He also promised to go with me next day to assist me if
necessary, and, said he:

"If everything is all right, do you carry off the girl and I'll walk
up to Belvidere; but don't bring Sarah this way-head toward Water
Gap. When you're married fast and sure, you can come back here as
leisurely as you're a mind to, and nobody can lay a hand upon you or
her."

We arranged some other minor details of our expedition and I went to
bed.

The next afternoon at four o'clock I was at the appointed place, and
Boston Yankee was with me. I did not look for Sarah before five
o'clock, so we tied our horse and kept a good watch upon the road.
An hour went by and no Sarah appeared. I told Boston Yankee I did
not believe she would come.

"Don't be impatient; wait a little longer," said my friend.

In twenty minutes we saw emerge, not from Scheimer's house, but from
his eldest son's house, which was still nearer to the place where we
were waiting, three women, two of whom I recognized as Sarah and
Mary, and the third I did not know, nor could I imagine why she was
with the other two; but as I saw them, leaving Boston Yankee in the
woods, I drove the horse down into the road. As Sarah drew near she
kissed her hand to me and came up to the wagon. "Are you ready to go
with me?" I asked. "I am, indeed," was her reply, and I put out my
hand to help her into the buggy. But the third woman caught hold of
her dress, tried to prevent her from getting in, and began to scream