Tilghman, who
opened a gate, and, going up some steps, knocked at a vine-environed
door. A window opened and there was a parley, and the door soon
afterwards unclosed softly and admitted them.
"Oh, may God let you know some night the pure bed and sleep you have
brought me to!" Virgie whispered. "God bless you for the kiss you gave
me, my dear white playmate, that you are not ashamed of! Oh, my heart
is bursting: what can I say?"
"The people here will hide you, or slip you forward to-morrow night,"
the young minister said. "Here is money, Virgie, to pay your way. You
can write, and write to your young mistress wherever you go."
"Tell her," said the runaway girl, "that I loved her dearly. Oh, dear
old Teackle Hall! shall I ever see you again? William, I shall get my
freedom, or die on the road to it."
"That is the spirit," the minister said; "we will buy it for you if we
can, but get it for yourself if you can do it."
He kissed her again, with the instinct of a father to a child, and
hastened to his horses and the hotel.
As Tilghman and Rhoda, at the earliest dawn, started for Princess Anne,
the young girl suddenly turned and kissed her minister.
"Thar!" she said, "I think you just looked magnificens last night,
sittin' behine them critters, like Death on the plale horse, an' lovin'
Aunt Vesty, though she's gone away an' quit you, enough to fight for her
pore, bright-skinned gal.
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