CHAPTER XXII. THE WORSHIPPERS.

ppedfromaportionofherraiment. "Oh,puttheseon,quick—do!" "It'snouse,"saidDred"heisgoing!" "Oh,do!—don't,don'tlethimgo!Can'tyousavehim?"saidthewoman,intonesofagony. Thewoundedman'seyesopened,andfirstfixedthemselves,withavacantstare,ontheblueskyabovethen,turningonthewoman,heseemedtotrytospeak.Hehadhadastrongarmhetriestoraiseit,butthebloodwellsupwiththeeffort,theeyeglazes,thelargeframeshiversforafewmoments,andthenallisstill.Thebloodstopsflowingnow,forthehearthasstoppedbeating,andanimmortalsoulhasgonebacktoHimwhogaveit. Themanwasafugitivefromaneighboringplantation—asimple-hearted,honestfellow,whohadfled,withhiswifeandchildren,tosaveherfromthelicentiouspersecutionoftheoverseer.Dredhadreceivedandshelteredhimhadbuilthimacabin,andprotectedhimformonths. AprovisionoftheRevisedStatutesofNorthCarolinaenactsthatslavesthussecretedintheswamps,notreturningwithinagiventime,shallbeconsideredoutlawedandthat"itshallbelawfulforanypersonorpersonswhatsoevertokillanddestroysuchslaves,bysuchwaysandmeansastheyshallthinkfit,withoutanyaccusationorimpeachmentofcrimeforthesame."Italsoprovidesthat,whenanyslaveshallbekilledinconsequenceofsuchoutlawry,thevalueofsuchslaveshallbeascertainedbyajury,andtheownerentitledtoreceivetwothirdsofthevaluationfromthesheriffofthecountywhereintheslavewaskilled. Inoldentimes,thestatuteprovidedthattheproclamationofoutlawryshouldbepublishedonaSabbathday,atthedoorofanychurchorchapel,orplacewheredivineserviceshouldbeperformed,immediatelyafterdivineservice,bytheparishclerkorreader. Inthespiritofthispermission,apartyofnegro-hunters,withdogsandguns,hadchasedthisman,who,onthisday,hadunfortunatelyventuredoutofhisconcealment. Hesucceededinoutrunningallbutonedog,whichsprangup,and,fasteninghisfangsinhisthroat,laidhimprostratewithinafewpacesofhisretreat.Dredcameupintimetokillthedog,butthewound,asappeared,hadprovedamortalone. Assoonasthewifeperceivedthatherhusbandwasreallydead,shebrokeintoaloudwail. "Oh,dear,he'sgone!and'twasallformehedidit!Oh,hewassogood,suchagoodman!Oh,dotellme,ishedead,ishe?" Dredliftedtheyetwarmhandinhisamoment,andthendroppeditheavily. "Dead!"hesaid,inadeepundertoneofsuppressedemotion.Suddenlykneelingdownbesidehim,heliftedhishands,andbrokeforthwithwildvehemence:— "OLordGod,towhomvengeancebelongeth,showthyself!Liftupthyself,thouJudgeoftheearth,renderarewardtotheproud!DoubtlessthouartourFather,thoughAbrahambeignorantofus,andIsraelacknowledgeusnot.Thou,OLord,artourFather,ourRedeemerthywaysareeverlasting—whereisthyzealandthystrength,andthesoundingofthybowelstowardsus?Aretheyrestrained?"Then,tossinghishandstoheaven,withayetwildergesture,healmostscreamed:"OLord!OLord!howlong?Oh,thatthouwouldstrendtheheavensandcomedown!Oh,letthesighingsoftheprisonercomebeforethee!Ourbonesarescatteredatthegrave'smouth,aswhenonecuttethandcleavethwood!Wearegivenassheeptotheslaughter!Wearekilledallthedaylong!OLord,avengeusofouradversaries!" Thesewordswerespokenwithavehementearnestnessofgestureandvoice,thathushedthelamentationofthemourners.Risingupfromhisknees,hestoodamomentlookingdownatthelifelessformbeforehim."Seehere,"hesaid,"whatharmhadthismandone?Washenotpeaceable?Didhenotlivehereinquietness,tillingthegroundinthesweatofhisbrow?Whyhavetheysentthehuntersuponhim?Becausehewantedtoraisehiscornforhimself,andnotforanother.Becausehewantedhiswifeforhimself,andnotforanother.Wasnottheworldwideenough?Isn'tthereroomenoughunderthesky?Becausethismanwishedtoeatthefruitofhisownlabor,thedecreewentforthagainsthim,eventhecurseofCain,sothatwhosoeverfindethhimshallkillhim.WillnottheLordbeavengedonsuchapeopleasthis?To-nighttheywillholdtheirsolemnassembly,andblowthetrumpetintheirnewmoon,andtheprophetswillprophesyfalsely,andthepriestswillspeakwickedlyconcerningoppression.ThewordoftheLordsaithuntome,'Gountothispeople,andbreakbeforethemthestaffbeautyandthestaffbands,andbeasignuntothispeopleoftheterroroftheLord.Behold,saiththeLord,thereforehaveIraisedtheeupandledtheethroughthewilderness,throughthedesolateplacesofthelandnotsown.'" AsDredspoke,hisgreatblackeyeseemedtoenlargeitselfandrollwithaglassyfulness,likethatofasleep-walkerinasomnambulicdream.Hiswife,seeinghimpreparetodepart,threwherselfuponhim. "Oh,don't,don'tleaveus!You'llbekilled,someofthesetimes,justastheykilledhim!" "Woman!theburdenoftheLordisuponme.ThewordoftheLordisasafireshutupinmybones.TheLordsaithuntome,'Goshowuntothispeopletheiriniquity,andbeasignuntothisevilnation!'" Breakingawayfromhiswife,heprecipitatedhimselfthroughanopeningintothethicket,andwasgone.