322 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 



Massa, here's Scip's, too ! He fool !" and the second darkie 

 glided furtively from the door, looking over his shoulder. 



The Planter in the meantime was stooping over the silent 

 forms of the couple, and administering the cooling water to 

 them, while Tom stood by and looked on with a sort of half 

 grin of heroical indiflference, not a little heightened in its eflTect 

 by the conscious expression of superiority and trepidation 

 which still lingered upon his face, since he looked after the 

 hasty retreat of his sable comrades in arms. 



" She recovers !" said the good-hearted Planter, eagerly, 

 lifting his head. The woman opened her eyes and sprang 

 half erect, uttering at the same time a sudden shriek, so shrill 

 that I involuntarily placed my hands upon my ears. The 

 Planter stepped backwards, and Tom, in spite of his heroism, 

 vanished in a twinkle out of the door. 



"What does this mean?" said C , glancing quickly 



around at me. "Is she crazy?" and he sprang towards her, 

 instinctively, forcing her down upon the bed, while he turned 

 his head slightly to listen for my answer. 



" Yes, she is, — hold her ! — hold her firmly ! — she is not 

 sane now, and may do more mischief!" 



" I understand scalping, — but this infernal den is too much 

 for me !" exclaimed he, as he pressed her down to the bed 

 again, while her shrieks redoubled, and her struggles became 

 more furious. He was a very strong man, and yet all his 

 strength was required to keep her down, and he turned to me 

 with an expression of exhaustion and flurried distress, as he 

 exclaimed, — " Why didn't you warn me of this ?" 



"I had no time!" 



" One word would have sufficed !" 



"And what good would that have done?" 



"I might have understood something !" 



" No ! — you could not have known more after an explana- 

 tion than you can see !" 



