This speech, spoken by the old woman for the purpose of allaying, had the effect of increasing the excitement of the poor, bewildered girl.
“See here, missus. I bring a bit of breakfast for de lady, and if we talk so, the coffee git cold. Come, take suthin’.”
Feeling the necessity of husbanding her strength as much as possible, to enable her to act bravely her part in that which was sure to come, the young girl was about partaking of the food, when a sudden thought struck her, “Was not this refreshment drugged?” She did not think it possible, after a few seconds of reflection, but could not refrain from turning and fixing her eye upon the old negress at the same time, with a searching glance, saying, “How am I to know that this food is not drugged? How dare I eat it?”
“Law bless ye! I fix um wid dese ere hands, an’ nebber put nothin’ in to hurt any thin’. Dis chile fur fair play, an’ wouldn’t do no such a thing for nothin’. If you want’s, I eat half of ebry thing I brings up.”
“No! there is no necessity for that. I am satisfied.”
Leaving Catherine to partake of the breakfast, let us return to the despoiled home of her widowed mother.
Though Catherine’s voice was not heard at the usual hour, the next morning, Mrs. Vale did not feel alarmed. Thinking that her daughter had merely overslept herself, the good woman was loth to awaken her, and it was not until, to her, a late hour, that she tapped at the door of the bedroom. No answer. Mrs. Vale again rapped. Again, no answer. She opened the door. A glance at the bed showed it to be empty!
That open window—the disordered state of the room—the mark of men’s feet all around in the soft grass, told to the quick and trained eye of the mother that a great sorrow had come upon her now. She flew out—traced the tracks to the road, discovered the imprints of the horses’ feet—marked their number and the direction they had taken. Then retracing her steps she entered her home—now a prison to her—for its light was fled.
As we have already hinted, the Vales, if not rich, were at least well off, and owned a couple of servants. One of these, a negro man, was called. He hastened to answer the unusual summons, but a clattering of hoofs caused her to look out upon the road. With an exclamation of joy she beheld her son coming rapidly toward the house.