"All right, Hilary, I will be in Alexandria in four hours," said
Philip, running out.
"Bentley, I am going to take Lieutenant Seymour over to my plantation. Will you stay here and look after the house until I can notify Colonel Wilton's agent at Alexandria to come and take charge, or until we hear from the colonel what is to be done? You can come over in the morning, you know, and hear about our protégé. I am afraid the slaves would never stay here alone; they are so disorganized and terrorized now over these unfortunate occurrences as to be almost useless."
"Ay, ay, sir; if Lieutenant Seymour can spare me, I will stay."
"Yes, Bentley, do; I shall be in good hands at Fairview Hall."
"This is arranged, then," said Talbot. "It is nine o'clock. I think we would better start at once. I will go out and see that the arrangements about the carriage are made properly, myself," he said, stepping through the door.
Seymour's hand had closed tightly over something which had happened to fall near where it lay. "Bentley," he called, "what is this in my hand?"
"It is a handkerchief, Mr. John,—a woman's handkerchief too, sir, and covered with blood."
"Has it any marks on it?" said Seymour, eagerly.
"Yes, sir; here are the letters K. W. embroidered in this corner."
"I thought so," he smiled triumphantly. "Will you put it inside my waistcoat, there, over my heart? Yes," he added, as if in answer to the old man's anxious look, "it is true; I love her, and she has confessed that she loves me. Oh, who will protect her now?"