"Lucy Ann!" exclaimed her mistress; but she was too much amazed at the girl's conduct to say more.
"I know whar dey is!" Lucy Ann continued, taking no notice of her mistress. They heard her say, as she was shutting the door, "Y' all come with me; I 'feared they gone; ef they ain't, I know whar they is!"
"Open every room," said the officer.
"Oh, yes, sir; I gwine ketch 'em for you," she said, eagerly opening first one door, and then the other, "that is, ef they ain' gone. I mighty 'feared they gone. I seen 'em goin' out the back way about a little while befo' you all come,—but I thought they might 'a' come back. Mister, ken y' all teck me 'long with you when you go?" she asked the officer, in a low voice. "I want to be free."
"I don't know; we can some other time, if not now. We are going to set you all free."
"Oh, glory! Come 'long, Mister; let's ketch 'em. They ain't heah, but I know whar dey is."
The soldiers closely examined every place where it was possible a man could be concealed, until they had been over all the lower part of the house.
Lucy Ann stopped. "Dey's gone!" she said positively.
The officer motioned to her to go up stairs.
"Yes, sir, I wuz jes' goin' tell you we jes' well look up-stairs, too," she said, leading the way, talking all the time, and shading the flickering candle with her hand.