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Show 260 UNCLE TOM'S CABIN: Oll, hand on his, and leading him to the foot of the stairs : "do you know what t!tat is? Hark ! " A wild shriek came pealing down the stairway. It came from the garret. Legree's knees knocked together; his face grew white with fear. "Had n't you better get your pistols 7" said Gassy, with a sneer that froze Legree's blood. "It's time this thing was looked into, you know. I'd like to have you go up now; t!tey 're at it." "I won't go! '' said Legree, with an oath. 11 "'hy not? ~rhcre an't any such thing as ghosts, you know ! Come ! " and Gassy flitted up the winding stairway, laughing, and looking back after him. " Come on.11 " I believe you are the devil ! " said Legree. "Come back, you hag,-come back, Cass! You shan't go!" But Gassy laughed wildly, and fled on. He heard her open the entry doors that led to the garret. A wild gust of wind swept down, extinguishing tho candle he held in his hand, and with it the fearful, unearthly screams; they seemed to be shrieked in his very ear. Legree fled fr::mtically into the parlor, whither, in a few moments, he was followed by Gassy, pale, calm, cold ns an avenging spirit, and with that same fearful light in her eye. " I hope you are satisfied," said she. " Blast you, Cass ! " said Legree. "What for?" said Gassy. "I only went up and shut the doors. What's t!te nwttcr wit!t that garret, Simon, do you supposd" said she. "None of your business!" said Legree. 1' 0, it an't? 'Yell," said Cassy, "at any rate, I'm glad I don't sleep under it." Anticipating the rising of the wind, that very evening, LIFN AMONG TilE LOWLY. 261 Gassy had been up and opened the garret window. Of course, the moment the doors were opened, tho wind had drafted down, and extinguished the light. '~f.lhis may serve as a specimen of the ga.me that Cassy played with Legree, until he would sooner have put his head into a lion's mouth than to have explored that garret. Meanwhile, in the night, when everybody else was asleep, Cassy slowly and carefully accumulated there a stock of provisions sufficient to afford subsistence for some time i she transferred, article by article, a greater part of her own and Emmeline's wardrope. All things being arranged, they only waited a fitting opportunity to put their plan in execution. By cajoling Legree, and taking advantage of a goodnatured interval, Gassy had got him to take her with him to the neighboring town, which was situated directly on the Red river. With a memory sharpened to almost preternatural clearness, she remarked every turn in the road, and formed a ment..'tl estimate of the time to be occupied in traversing it. At the time when all was matured for action, our readers may, perhaps, like to look behind the scenes, and sec the final coup d'etat. It was now ncar evening. Legree had been absent, on a ride to a neighboring farm. For many days Gassy had been unusu:11ly gracious and accommodating in her humors; and Legree and she had been, apparently, on the best of terms. At present, we may behold her and Emmeline in the room of the latter, busy in sorting and arranging two small bundles. "There, these will be large enough," said Cassy. "Now put on your bonnet, and let's start : it's just about the right time.'' "Why, they can see us yet," said Emmeline. , "l mean they shall," said Gassy, coolly. "Don't you |