328 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. ^ 



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to know where he gets his sudden confidence from — for this 

 woman seems now almost as much of a witch to me as she 

 did at first to him ! She must be either a witch or a mad- 

 woman !" 



"Nonsense !" said I, "she is neither!" 



I reconciled our Planter, in some degree, to what, appa- 

 rently, there was no mode of escape from, and on re-entering 

 the house, he acted with considerable circumspection, not a 

 little to my amusement ! — I could not help perceiving that 

 this caution was not a little tempered with awe. 



The woman continued perfectly quiet — administered to her 

 husband in many sagacious though unusual ways, and he evi- 

 dently improved. 



Tom returned punctually the next day, bringing with him 

 a supply of creature comforts and leading my horse. I was 

 greatly surprised to see the animal back again, and turning 

 to my friend, stared him in the face, exclaiming — 



" Why, where did Tom get my horse ? This is the first time 

 I've thought of him since the fight — I supposed he must have 

 been carried ofi" by the Cherokees !" 



He laughed heartily, while Tom grinned his broadest grin. 



"Yah! yah! yah, massa ! Dat witch-er-woman witch he 

 back agin !" 



Tom had brought another companion, in whose pluck he 

 had more confidence, I suppose, and they both laughed with 

 great apparent enjoyment at this sally. My friend slapped 

 me on the shoulder pleasantly — 



" I'm afraid you would have gone off on a broom-stick sure 

 enough, but that your horse was wiser than yourself, and 

 knew his way home better ! We took his back trail, expecting 

 to find some of your bones, at least, and it brought us to this 

 place !" 



" Well, I shall learn to place my trust in horses more here- 

 after — that is all !" and we proceeded to arrange our stores. 

 •In finding places to deposite them around the single chamber, 



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