At length, however, near the last of September, a rumor got afloat that Valentine, the murderer of Mr. Waring, was concealed somewhere in the neighborhood of his late master's residence. How this report first got in circulation no one seemed to be able to tell; though how the secret, known to twenty people, had been guarded so long may be more of a subject for conjecture to many minds. Be that as it may, the peace of the unhappy little family was gone forever. Phædra's lonely cabin in the pine barrens and Fannie's humble home in the city were subject to sudden invasions and searchings by day and by night. Their weekly prayer-meetings were surprised and broken up. But no trace of Valentine could be discovered; as unexpectedly as he had appeared, so suddenly had he again disappeared. The earth seemed to have swallowed him.
But this could not last forever; and upon the third of October Valentine was arrested under the following suspicious circumstances:
A police officer, stationed in concealment behind a hedge of Spanish daggers that bordered a lane crossing the highway at right angles, and running midway between the pine ridge and cypress swamp, saw what seemed a young negro woman coming down the lane. She was poorly and plainly clothed, and wore a long sunbonnet. There was nothing whatever in her manner or appearance to attract attention. Yet this police officer watched her closely. Presently, coming up the lane from an opposite direction, appeared the figure of an old negro. The policeman favored him also with a share of notice. Meeting the seeming woman, the old man laughed, held out his hand, and exclaimed, in a clear voice:
"Ha! Brudder Walley! Good-morning! Walking out to take a little air, eh?"
"Hush! for Heaven's sake, don't speak so loud or call me by name. Yes, I have stolen forth for a breath of fresh air."
"Glad to hear it. Which way is you walking, Brudder Walley?" inquired the other, raising his voice.
"For the Lord's sake, I beg you will not call me by my name, or speak so loud!"
"No danger at all, Brudder Walley; no one in sight!" exclaimed the old man, louder than ever. "Which way did you say you wer' goin', Brudder Walley?"
"I am going home."
"Well, Brudder Walley, let me go long wid you dis time. I'd like to see Sister Phædra," pleaded the old negro.