"I speaks gold chain!" echoed the woman tossing her grey head, "you po' white trash can't come it ober dis chile wid yer crick-cracks. Jes you go 'long. I'se got my bacon and greens, an' a good cotton coat. Yer can't fool dis chile wid yer fine talk!"
"Curse the old hag! Let's try the boy. You! Sirrah! Come here."
With ashen cheeks the boy followed them into an outhouse, while the Captain flourished a stout whip.
"Oh! mother," cried Netta, "don't let them whip him! He never was whipped in his life!"
Mrs. Lee advanced a few paces from the back gallery whence they had been watching the proceedings and called, "Charlie!"
The boy sprang towards his mistress, his captors not venturing to be too rash at the outset.
"I want this boy for a moment," explained the lady. In sullen silence they waited.
"Going to buy him up to secrecy," derided the Captain, "but I guess we'll work it out of him when he comes back. We've got him, sure, and can afford to wait."
But Charlie did not come back. Thrusting a bill into his hand his mistress said: "Fly for your life, to Columbus and tell Col. Scale that we must have protection. There is no train. Take the old country road and lose no time!"