OCR Text |
Show 178 ROEBUCK. to the "Co1net." Already his brain began to flame \vith the composition of mnn.zing paragraphs, ancl dnz~ ling ro,~s of capitals cln.1:ceJ b efore his n1ind's eye, hke rusLlmg banners of tnumph. J\Ir. Paltuer sought an early opportunity t {) sio-nlfy to blind Pete, \Vith cautious circtunlocution, th~t he dc."'irecl to learn \vhether any of the slaves were an1bitious to becon1e free, and \vhat exertions they \verc inclined to n1ake, or 'vhnt risks they \vere preparcel to run for that object. lie \vished to leave th:tt blind rogue in doubt 'vhether the inquiry 'vas intended in the interest of the North or of the South-of slaveholders or of abolitionists. But Pete ,vas astute enough to resolve that doubt by layin.,. torrcther . • b b vanous C1rcnn1stances which had come to his know-ledge. lie insinuated his conviction of the truth and declared that the service in ,vhich ~Ir. Paln1cr ' pro-posed to entploy him \Vould be attended ,vith extreme danger to hi1nsel£ By insistinrr upon his r eal or afi'ccted fear, he extorteJ. a large1~ bribe than he had ever before ven turecl to dmnand. As J\Ir. Pahner was also c~1led upon to supply the necessities of 1\{r. Campbell, Jus I urse 1vas no'v subject to a double drain in consequence of his loyalty. J\Iorcover he was kept in an agony of apprehension. Ile had little confidence in the negroes, and less in Pete. lie drea<lccl every mon1en.t that his perilous plot 1uight explode to his own nun . . ~Ie had sold all his slaves except two men ancl the 'vlfe and children of one of the1n. This one was n. dull, stnp.id fe1lo,v, .named Gabe, \vho ,vas rctaiued bccau e l11s 1naster \\ras obliged to keep at lea t one !nan-servant, and thought this doltish creature ·would not run away. The other 1nan, 1vhose name was ROEBUCK . 179 ~like, "'nS :t shrowcl, r c\' t1e. H, nn1nnnn.gcnhle negro. He had been " in the bnRh" for sever:tl 1nonthR. During his ab ~en cc hiB f:uni1y had Leon sol(t and , enL South ward. Ile r osen t () l this tranR:tction, ns -well n. · the sharp discipline to 1vhich he had ubnlitted l> rorc he took to the ·wooc1s. lie oxpcct ell, if he sllonl < l l>c caught, to be · solcl also and cn t to the Cotton SL:tt es. To avoid this f:tte, ~Iike conceived a plan of . enp in ~ into the Federal lines 'vith such of the neigh boring negroes as he could induce to j oin hin1. \\ i.th th eir aid he desired, before leaving the country, to procnre money, and, perhaps, to gr[ttiry his r c erit n1cnt. lie was hatching this project while hi n1astcr ' vas meddling with a n1ore atrocious plot. l\Iike 'vas tmnpering with blind Pete to fnrLher l1io own scheme, while Pete \vas tampering \vith hin1 in pursu:tn~e of his en rraO'eJncnt with J\{r. P a.hncr. J\Iike sou !!ht an b b L' interview with Cmnpbcll, and uil:'ecting to aaopt ll iS views, obtained such infonnation anc1 a . i Lance as he thought necc sary to his own plan. lie ·was quite too shrewd to believe in the succe s of a servile in.-urrcction. lie and two or three other negroes ·who \Verc conspiring 'viLh hin1 or 'vith P ete or 1vith Campbellthey scarcely kne\v 1vith ,vhotu or for \vhat- obtainccl some fire-arn1s throuo·h Pete's illicit trufllc. They v had an old mu., ket two f'hot-o·tu1s, with brok en lockA, ' b nncl a pi tol. J\Iikc supposed that these ,yeapons might be useful in pcrpctrnting a robbery or in taki11 .~ Yengeance on an obnoxious n1aster, or in dcfen<liug the fugitives on t.heir route of ooc:tpe. The black chief::.; of the con:-;piracy held a council. 'l'hey sat in an old tobacco-barn, ne:1r t.bc edge of a wood, rc1note from any habitat ion. · The time ·was midnight, ancl the 1noon had jnst risen. 1'he barn |