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Show ) 202 R 0 E B U 0 IC . hind J:in1 'vhile he hesit~te<l did not itnn1e<li~tc1y follo\ v hun. As l1e approached the hc:1<1 of the f)tnir. alone, Belle, ·who . tood ~bove hirn, strnck ~blow with the c~ne, " 'hicl: sent hin1 swnying and , tnggrring bnck to the landtng. lie soon reeovcred his bahnC'e ancl enrngecl by the stroke, he ca1lct1 upon the cthn1: 1nen to follo,v, and 'vas about to ascend again. But liannibn1, now fully ~1wake, :tncl hearing th~ noise of conflict, cried fron1 below-" yon shan't hurt n1issn '. Yon promised you ·wouldn't hurt missus." The 'vorthless fellow, 'villing to rob his 1nistress if he ~1ight share the spoil, hncl too n1nch grntituc1c for the Indulgence \Vhich had rniucd hi1n, or \V:lS too faithful to perrnit any personal injury to be inflicted upon hc_r.. l-Ie ran up the stairs with long strides, anu S~1z;1ng one of the n1en by the throat, began to drag h1m down. Just then another per on unexpecteclly en~ered th_e scene. A ·white 111nn ran up the steps, and hurrying p::tst the others cnno·ht l\Iike \vhen he ]1 acl al m ost reached the floor ' ::tbovt:>e , and hu' rled him back headlong to the landing. Snatchino- the sworcl fro1n l\Ir s. 1~1·I tz I1 ngh, he faced about an<~I descended towards the negroes. They did not ·wait for hin1, but leaped, rolled or ttnnblecl do,vn the stn.irs pell-mell, and escaped, "l\Iy dear Ilngh! l\Iy brave son! Th:tnk God!" exclaimedl\Irs. Fitzhu o·h. There , vas no t ti· me after this affva ir for n1any ex:- J~lanat~ons between her and her son, ·when Eliza nlrrrh n. nrn ved on the errand she hacl undertaken ior J\Iiss F~Il'hlX. vVhon her story had been briefly to1c1, nirs. FJtzhuc'=r' h •m ._ d'-·-f'-\' d l1c r· son 1' f }1 e 'vas too JntH..:h f·:: 1t·1 gnec1 to go to the relief of Julia. lie ,vas eno-er to net upon the suggestion, and since his mother \V~S willing, and he thought there 'vas no danger of a renewal of ROEBUCK. 203 the nttaek :tt \Vil1owb:1nk <lnring h1R n,b~cnce, he startecl oil~ nncl though his hors \Yft.' jnclc\\l J1c roclc rapidly. lie clirectc(l a Rcrvant to fo1Jo'v him to ::\f:lrlin's c:1l>in witlt a hor~e for Julia. At the ea1Jin he heard whnt the rcaclcr knows of her c1cpartnrc, an ll hastened to overtake her. ' Vhen l\like's attmnpt at rol>bery " rn,s dcfcatot1, he ran to the grove in \vhich he hacllofL blincl PcLc, aut1 mounted a horse \vhich one of the ncgroc. h[ld Btolen and brought there. lie rode :tway, leaving hiH accomplices \ViLhout any explanation of his purpo e or any instruction for their own conduct. Frio-htenccl b and furious, he thought only of perpetrating an act of vengeance and then flying fron1 the country. lie went to the house of JUr. Pahncr, 'vith no definite plan, but \Vith a general pnrpo. c of revenge. To his surprise, he found a front "·inclow open nn<.l light strenn1ing through it. Peeping in, he saw Colonel Fairfax, seated \Vith JUr. Pahner, ancl he then st:ttioned hi1n elf by a pilbr, to " ·nit for the colonel's departure and for his O\Vn opportunity. lie had been there Lnt a short time \vhcn the opportunity oiferecl itself~ and he attmnpted to take the life of his mn-stcr. Failing in that attmnpt, he concluded that nothing remained for hi1n but speedy flight. Bnt the Fe<1ernl lines were distant, ancl he di --tru tccl his o'vn ability to mnke his \vay to th01n. lie ha<l before thought or 1ndncing Cnn1pbell to act as a pilot for the fugitive ]l:trty-he now resolved to apply to h1nL Gojng to the village, he sought the _car of the Swan taver11, rmJ by a JUethocl \Vhich he hacl already U eel for a clandestine intervie\v ,viLh C::unpbell, obtained adtuittauce into his chamber. Rousing him from sleep, he told that ambitious plotter of insurrection that Cap- |