Adeline drove directly to her old lodgings in the country, where she was most gladly received; and the colonel went to deliver his commission to the mulatto.
He found her in strong hysterics; the tawny boy crying over her, and the woman of the house holding her down on the bed by force, while the little Editha had been conveyed to a neighbour's house, that she might not hear the screams which had surprised and terrified her.
Colonel Mordaunt had opened the door, and was witnessing this distressing scene, before any one was conscious of his presence; but the tawny boy soon discovered him, and crying out—
'Oh! sir, do you bring us news of our friend?' sprang to him, and hung almost breathless on his arm.
Savanna, who was conscious enough to know what passed, though too much weakened from her own sufferings and anxieties to be able to struggle with this new affliction, started up on hearing these words, and screamed out 'Does she live? Blessed man! but say so, dat's all,' in a tone so affecting, and with an expression of agonized curiosity so overwhelming to the feelings, that Colonel Mordaunt, whose spirits were not very high, was so choked that he could not immediately answer her; and when at last he faltered out, 'She lives, and is quite well,' the frantic joy of the mulatto overcame him still more. She jumped about his neck, she hugged the tawny boy; and her delight was as extravagant as her grief had been; till exhausted and silent she sunk upon the bed, and was unable for some minutes to listen quietly to the story which Colonel Mordaunt came to relate.
When she was composed enough to listen to it, she did not long remain so; for as soon as she heard that Colonel Mordaunt had met Adeline in her phrensy, and conveyed her to a place of safety, she fell at his feet, embraced his knees, and, making the tawny boy kneel down by her, invoked the blessing of God on him so fervently and so eloquently that Colonel Mordaunt wept like a child, and, exclaiming, 'Upon my soul, my good woman, I cannot bear this,' was forced to run out of the house to recover his emotion.
When he returned, Savanna said 'Well—now, blessed sir, take me to my dear lady.'
'Indeed,' replied he, 'I must not; you are forbidden to see her.'
'Forbidden!' replied she, her eyes flashing fire; 'and who dare to keep Savanna from her own mistress?—I will see her.'
'Not if she forbids it, Savanna; and if her child's life should be endangered by it?'