I tried to save you from all ‘noyance.  I know dis man,’ pointin’ to a soger dat stood near, ‘an’ I’ll put him in dis hall on guard.  His orders are—­you hear dem—­not to let any one come in de hall, an’ not to let any one leabe dis room.  As long as yer all stay in dis room, you are safe, eben from a word.’  Missy S’wanee rush for’ard an’ take his han’, an’ say, ‘Eben ef you is my en’my you’se a gallant soger an’ a gemlin, an’ I tanks you.’  De cap’n smile an’ bow, an’ say, ‘In overcomin’ your prej’dice I’se ‘chieved my bes’ vict’ry.’  An’ he gib her back all de jewels an’ watches, an’ drew de doah to, an’ lef us to ourselves.  Den we hear ‘im go to a wes’ room back ob de house wid anoder soger, an’ soon he come back alone, an’ den de house all still ’cept de eben tread ob de man outside.  Missy Roberta clasp her han’s an’ look wild.  Den she whisper to Missy S’wanee, an’ dey seem in great trouble.  Den she go an’ open de doah an’ say to de soger dat she want ter go ter her room.  ‘You cannot, lady,’ said de soger.  ‘You heared my orders.’—­’I’ll only stay a minute,’ she say.  ‘You cannot pass dat doah,’ said de soger.  ‘But I mus’ an’ will,’ cried Missy Roberta, an’ she make a rush ter get out.  De soger held her still.  ‘Unhan’ me!’ she almost screamed.  He turn her ‘roun’ an’ push her back in de room, an’ den says:  ’Lady, does you tink a soger can disobey orders?  Dere ain’t no use ob your takin’ on ’bout dat light.  We’se watch it all night as well as your fren’s, an’ de cap’n has lef’ a soger guardin’ it, to keep it burnin’.  Ef I should let yer go, yer couldn’t put it out, an’ ef it had been put out any time, we’d a’ lighted it agin.  So dere’s nuffin’ fer yer to do but ‘bey orders an’ shut de doah.  Den no one will say a word to yer, as de cap’n said.’  Den he pulled de doah to hisself.

“Missy Roberta ‘gan to wring her han’s an’ walk up an’ down like a caged tiger, an’ Missy S’wanee larf and cry togedder as she say, ‘Cap’n Lane too bright fer us.’—­’No,’ cries Missy Roberta, ’somebody’s ‘trayed me, an’ I could strike a knife inter dere heart fer doin’ it.  O S’wanee, S’wanee, our fren’s is walkin’ right inter a trap.’  Den she run to de winder an’ open it ter see ef she couldn’t git down, an’ dere in de garden was a soger, a-walkin’ up an’ down a-watchin’.  ‘We jes’ can’t do nuffin’,’ she said, an’ she ‘gan to sob an’ go ’sterical-like.  Missy S’wanee tole de missus, an’ she wrung her han’s an’ cry, too; an’ Missy S’wanee, she was a-larfin’ an’ a-cryin’, an’ a-prayin’ all ter once.  Suddenly dere was a shot off toward de creek-road, an’ den we was bery still.  Now.  Zeb, you know de res’!”

CHAPTER XXIX.

Marian contrasts Lane and Merwyn.

“Oh, come, this won’t do at all,” said Mr. Vosburgh, as Zeb was about to continue the story.  “It’s nearly midnight now.  Marian, dear, your cheeks and eyes look as if you had a fever.  Let us wait and hear the rest of the story in the morning, or you’ll be ill, your mother will have a headache, and I shall be unfit for my work to-morrow.”