CHAPTER XVIII. DRED.

eadyexcitedmindofthebondmanmaybebetterconceivedthandescribed.Hegroundhisteeth,andclenchedhishands. "Stop!"hecried"Dred,Iwill—Iwill—I'lldoasyoutellme—Iwillnotbeaslave!" Ascornfullaughwastheonlyreply,andthesoundofcracklingfootstepsretreatedrapidly.Hewhoretreatedstruckup,inaclear,loudvoice,oneofthosepeculiarmelodiesinwhichvigorandspiritareblendedwithawildinexpressiblemournfulness.Thevoicewasoneofasingularandindescribablequalityoftoneitwasheavyasthesub-bassofanorgan,andofavelvetysoftness,andyetitseemedtopiercetheairwithakeendividingforcewhichisgenerallycharacteristicofvoicesofmuchlessvolume.Thewordswerethecommencementofawildcamp-meetinghymn,muchinvogueinthoseparts:— "Brethren,don'tyouhearthesound? Themartialtrumpetnowisblowing Meninorderlistinground, Andsoldierstothestandardflowing." Therewasawild,exultantfulnessoflibertythatrolledinthenoteand,toHarry'sexcitedear,thereseemedinitafiercechallengeofcontempttohisimbecility,andhissoulatthatmomentseemedtoberentasunderwithapangsuchasonlythosecanknowwhohavefeltwhatitistobeaslave.Therewasanuprisingwithinhim,vague,tumultuous,overpoweringdiminstincts,heroicaspirationsthewilltodo,thesoultodareandthen,inamoment,therefollowedthepictureofallsocietyleaguedagainsthim,thehopelessimpossibilityofanyoutlettowhatwasburningwithinhim.Thewatersofanaturenaturallyrallynoble,pentup,andwithoutoutlet,rolledbackuponhisheartwithasuffocatingforce:and,inhishastyanguish,hecursedthedayofhisbirth.ThespasmofhisemotionwasinterruptedbythesuddenappearanceofMillycomingalongthepath. "Why,blessyou,Milly,"saidHarryinsuddensurprise,"whereareyougoing?" "Oh,blessyou,honey,chile.I'sgwineontotakedestage.Deywantedtogetupdewagonformebut,blessyou,saysI,whatyous'posedeLordginuslegsfor?Ineverwantsnocritturstotugmeround,whenIcanwalkmyself.And,den,honey,it'ssopleasantlike,tobeawalkingalongindebushhere,indemorning'pearslikedevoiceofdeLordiswalkingamongdetrees.But,blessyou,chile,honey,what'sdemattero'yerface?" "It'sTomGordon,d—nhim!"saidHarry. 'Don'ttalkdatarway,chile!'saidMillyusingthefreedomwithHarrywhichheryearsandweightofcharacterhadgraduallysecuredforheramongthemembersoftheplantation. "Iwilltalkthatway!Whyshouldn'tI?Iamnotgoingtobegoodanylonger." "Why,'twon'thelpdemattertobebad,willit,Harry?'CauseyouhateTomGordon,doesyouwanttoactjustlikehim?" "No!"saidHarry,"Iwon'tbelikehim,butI'llhavemyrevenge!OldDredhasbeentalkingtomeagain,thismorning.HealwaysdidstirmeupsothatIcouldhardlyliveandIwon'tstanditanylonger!" "Chile,"saidMilly,"youtakecare!Keepclearonhim!He'sindewildernessofSinaiheiswith