CHAPTER XIX. THE CONSPIRATORS.

ciblebytheincomparableforceanddeliberatevalorwhichitbreathesintomen.But,whenthisorientalseed,anexoticamongus,isplantedbackinthefierysoilofatropicalheart,itburstsforthwithanincalculableardorofgrowth. Astrangercannotfailtoremarkthefactthat,thoughtheslavesofthesouthareunabletoreadtheBibleforthemselves,yetmostcompletelyhaveitslanguageandsentimentpenetratedamongthem,givingaHebraisticcoloringtotheirhabitualmodeofexpression.Howmuchgreater,then,musthavebeentheforceofthesolitaryperusalofthisvolumeonsoimpassionedanature!—anature,too,kindledbymemoriesoftheself-sacrificingardorwithwhichafatherandhisassociateshadmetdeathatthecalloffreedomfor,noneofusmaydenythat,wildandhopelessasthisschemewas,itwasstillthesameinkindwiththemoresuccessfulonewhichpurchasedforourfathersanationalexistence. Amindofthemostpassionateenergyandvehemence,thusawakened,foryearsmadethewildsolitudesoftheswampitshome.Thatbook,sofullofstartlingsymbolsandvagueimages,hadforhimnointerpreterbutthesilentcoursesofnature.Hislifepassedinakindofdream.Sometimes,traversingforweeksthesedesolateregions,hewouldcomparehimselftoElijahtraversingforfortydaysandnightsthesolitudesofHorebortoJohntheBaptistinthewilderness,girdinghimselfwithcamel'shair,andeatinglocustsandwildhoney.Sometimeshewouldfastandprayfordaysandthenvoiceswouldseemtospeaktohim,andstrangehieroglyphicswouldbewrittenupontheleaves.Inlesselevatedmoodsofmind,hewouldpursue,withgreatjudgmentandvigor,thoseenterprisesnecessarytopreserveexistence.Thenegroeslyingoutintheswampsarenotsowhollycutofffromsocietyasmightatfirstbeimagined.Theslavesofalltheadjoiningplantations,whatevertheymaypretend,tosecurethegood-willoftheirowners,areatheartsecretlydisposed,frommotivesbothofcompassionandpolicy,tofavorthefugitives.Theyveryreadilyperceivethat,intheeventofanydifficultyoccurringtothemselves,itmightbequitenecessarytohaveafriendandprotectorintheswampandthereforetheydonothesitatetosupplythesefugitives,sofarastheyareable,withanythingwhichtheymaydesire.Thepoorwhites,also,whokeepsmallshopsintheneighborhoodofplantations,areneverparticularlyscrupulous,providedtheycanturnapennytotheirownadvantageandwillinglysupplynecessarywaresinexchangeforgame,withwhichtheswampabounds. Dred,therefore,cameinpossessionofanexcellentrifle,andneverwantedforammunition,whichsuppliedhimwithanabundanceoffood.Besidesthis,therearehereandthereelevatedspotsintheswampyland,which,byjudiciousculture,arecapableofgreatproductiveness.AndmanysuchspotsDredhadbroughtundercultivation,eitherwithhisownhands,orfromthoseofotherfugitives,whomhehadreceivedandprotected.Fromtherestlessnessofhisnature,hehadnotconfinedhimselftoanyparticularregion,buthadtraversedthewholeswampybeltofboththeCarolinas,aswellasthatofSouthernVirginiaresidingafewmonthsinoneplace,andafewmonthsinanother.Whereverhestopped,heformedasortofretreat,wherehereceivedandharboredfugitives.Ononeoccasion,herescuedatremblingandbleedingmulattowomanfromthedogsofthehunters,whohadpursuedherintotheswamp.Thiswomanhemadehiswife,andappearedtoentertainaverydeepaffectionforher.Hemadearetreatforher,withmorethancommoningenuity,intheswampadjoiningtheGordonplantationand,afterthat,hewasmoreespeciallyknowninthatlocality.HehadfixedhiseyeuponHarry,asapersonwhoseability,address,andstrengthofcharacter,mightmakehimatsomedayaleaderinaconspiracyagainstthewhites.Harry,incommonwithmanyoftheslavesontheGordonplantation,knewperfectlywellofthepresenceofDredintheneighborhood,andhadoftenseenandconversedwithhim.Butneitherhenoranyoftherestofthemeverbetrayedbeforeanywhitepersontheslightestknowledgeofthefact. Thisabilityofprofoundsecrecyisoneoftheinvariableattendantsofalifeofslavery.Harrywasacuteenoughtoknowthathispositionwasbynomeanssosecurethathecouldaffordtodispensewithanythingwhichmightproveanassistanceinsomefutureemergency.ThelowwhitetradersintheneighborhoodalsoknewDredwellbut,aslongastheycoulddriveanadvantageoustradewithhim,hewassecurefromtheirintervention.Sosecurehadhebeen,thathehadbeenevenknowntomingleinthemotleythrongofacamp-meetingunmolested.Thusmuchwithregardtoonewhoistoappearoftenonthestagebeforeourhistoryisdone.