“Thar ain’t nuthin’ else fer me ter do—­hangin’ ain’t never bin no hobby o’ mine.  As I understand it, this Gaskins wus one o’ these yere militia men.  I reckon thet if these yere two bug’s wus ter swear thet I killed him—­as most likely they will—­them boys wud string me up furst, an’ find out fer sure afterwards.  Thar ain’t so damn much law up yere, an’ thet’s ’bout whut wud happen.  So the sooner I leave these yere parts, the more likely I am ter live a while yet.”

“Then let’s start,” decisively.  “Pick up one of those horses down on the bottom, and turn the other one loose.  I’ll lead on down the trail and you can meet us at the ford—­once across the creek we can decide which way to travel; there must be four hours of darkness yet.”

I picked up the trailing rein of my horse and slipped my arm through it.  Tim faded away in the gloom like a vanishing shadow.  The young woman next me, strapped securely to her saddle, made no movement, exhibited no sign of interest; her head and body drooped, yet her hands grasped the pommel as though she still retained some dim conception of her situation.  The face under her hood was bent forward and shaded and her eyes, although they seemed open, gave no heed to my presence.  I touched her hands—­thank God, they were moist and warm, but when I spoke her name it brought no response.  The other horse, ridden by the mulatto girl, was forced in between us.

“Who are ye?” she questioned, wonderingly.  “Ye just called her by name, an’ ye must know her.  Whut ye goin’ fer ter do with us, sah?”

I looked up toward her face, without distinguishing its outlines.  I felt this was no time to explain; that every moment lost was of value.

“Never mind now; I know who she is and that you are Elsie Clark.  We are your friends.”

“No he ain’t—­not thet other man; he ain’t no friend o’ mine.  Ah tell ye.  He’s de one whut locked me up on de boat.  Ah sure know’d his voice; he done locked me up, an’ Ah’s a free nigger.”

“Forget that, Elsie; he’s helping you now to get away.  You do just what I tell you to and above all keep still.  Miss Beaucaire was drugged, wasn’t she?”

“Ah don’t know, sah.  She sure does act mighty queer, but Ah nebber see her take nuthin’.  Ah nebber see nuthin’ ’tall till dey took me outer de shack an’ galivanted me up yere.  Whar I heerd yer voice afore?”

“I haven’t time to explain that; we are going now.”

I started forward on foot, leading my horse, the others trailing after through the darkness.  Knowing nothing of the way, I was thus better able to pick the path, yet I found this not difficult, as it was rather plainly outlined by the forest growth on either side.  It led downward at a gentle slope, although the grade was sufficiently steep so as to force Eloise’s body forward and compel me to support her as best I could with one arm.  She still appeared to be staring directly ahead, with unseeing eyes, although her hands clung as tightly as ever to the saddle pommel.  I clinched my teeth, half crazed at the sight of her condition, yet feeling utterly helpless to do more.  I spoke to her again, but received no answer, not the slightest evidence that she even heard my voice or recognized her name.