And still no word of Charles and Lewis.

Douglass did not tell Anna about a letter he had written to Abraham Lincoln. But when the reply came, he showed her the enclosed note, which read:

To whom it may concern:

The bearer of this, Frederick Douglass, is known to us as a loyal, free man, and is hence entitled to travel unmolested.

We trust he will be recognized everywhere as a free man and a gentleman.

Respectfully,

A. Lincoln, President
I. K. Usha, Secretary

August 10, 1863

Anna lifted her eyes in a question.

“I’m going to South Carolina.”