"You have heard of President Lincoln, have you not?"
The girl's eyes lit up with a sudden fire. "Yes, Massa Linkun good; he want to free we 'uns. All de niggers talkin' 'bout dat."
"Mary, I am a friend of Lincoln. One of his great men sent me here. The men who meet in that room are his enemies. They want to kill him."
The girl's eyes opened wide with terror.
"I am here trying to find out their plans, so we can keep them from killing Mr. Lincoln. Mary, you must help me, or you will be blamed for what may happen, and you will never be free."
The girl began to cry. "Massa will whip me to death, if he foun' it out," she blubbered.
"Your master will never find it out, even if I am discovered, for I will never tell on you."
"Dat so, massa?"
"Yes; I will swear it on the Bible."
Like most of her race, the girl was very superstitious, and had great reverence for the Bible. She went and brought one, and with his hand on the book Fred took a most solemn oath never to betray her—no, not if he was torn to pieces with red-hot pincers.