Cruel As The Grave

"I will tell him all," said Lyon Berners to himself; and then he spoke

up: "First, good friend, let me assure you that you have not wandered a

hair's breadth from the point at issue between us."

"Oh yes, I have; for I have been raving about Mrs. Berners; but I

couldn't help it."

"Mrs. Berners is the lady who is with me," said Mr. Berners.

Farmer Nye jumped three feet from the ground and came down again like a

man that was shot, and then stood with open mouth and eyes staring at

the speaker.

"I am her husband, and the men who are guarding us are the officers who

have her in custody."

"WHAT? Say that again!" uttered the farmer, panting for breath.

Mr. Berners repeated all that he had said, adding: "I had got her away from this neighborhood, and on shipboard. And she

was rejoicing in her supposed safety and freedom, for the ship was

within a half hour of sailing, when these officers came on board with a

warrant and arrested her."

"THEY DID! Wait till I get my niggers together. The boys will want no

better fun than to tar and feather them devils, and set them afire and

turn 'em loose. And blame me if I don't give the best feather-bed in my

house to the service. Come along," exclaimed the farmer, starting off to

commence the work.

"Stop!" said Lyon Berners, laying his hand soothingly upon the shoulder

of the excited man. "Above all, you wish to serve my unhappy wife, do you

not!"

"Yes! with my 'life, and fortune, and sacred honor' as the Declaration

of Independence says."

"Then you can not serve her by any violence done to the officers, who

are only doing their duty."

"Doing their duty! Duty! That's a matter of opinion! I consider I should

be doing of my duty if I was to order my niggers to take 'em out and

tar and feather 'em. Yes, and set 'em afire afterwards--burn 'em!"

"Yes; but that would be doing a great injustice to them, and also a

great injury to Mrs. Berners. If you really wish to serve my dear wife,

you can do so by helping her to escape."

"I'll help her to escape, with all my heart and soul! And with all my

heart and soul I'll shoot down anybody that dares to start from here in

pursuit of her!" emphatically declared the farmer.

"That is not necessary. You can cover our retreat by more peaceable

means. And now I must advise you that both these officers have used us

with the greatest kindness and consideration, concealing our identity

and shielding us from the curiosity and intrusion of strangers, whenever

they could do so, as is proved by your own experience, for you had no

suspicion as to who we might be."