This he accomplished in safety, but arrived too early.
A congregation was gathering at a church near by, for the Sunday evening service; and as his lips were parched with thirst, he approached and procured a drink of water.
Several persons there knew Marmor, but as he had shaved his beard, and otherwise slightly disguised himself, they were not confident of his identity.
However, on his return to the carriage-road, he was at once confronted by six armed men.
The click of their gun-locks was his first intimation of their presence, and with the bound of a wild deer, he dashed into a black swamp hard by.
His pursuers were mounted, and therefore could not enter it; but the swamp, though over a mile long, was narrow; and they hunted him on either side.
It was a cane-break, and but for the extreme drought of the season, would have furnished but poor footing indeed.
The tall, stiff reeds reached far above his head, and some skill was needful to break them over with the font and thus secure a standing-place. His hat was soon knocked off by a shot, and his low-quartered shoes lost in the mire. At length a place was reached where a point of firm land extended into the swamp, and on this several of his pursuers took position, (for their number had been increased), to cut him off, should he attempt to pass.
They had lost sight of him, but as he approached he distinctly saw Robert Baker directly opposite and facing him, and not far distant. He noted the resolute bearing and determined visage of the old hunter; but felt himself still incompetent to fully sympathize with the hunted slave of the former times; whom no arm in the State or nation was strong enough to deliver from his master, or this hired hunter and his blood-hounds.
But, having little time for sentiment or reflection, he took a hasty survey of the positions of such of his pursuers as were in sight, deliberately approached the edge of the swamp, took aim at the old hunter, who he felt sure would not scruple to take his life, and firing, ran rapidly in a direction he thought they would not suspect; and thus escaped for the time.