CHAPTER XXX. TIFF'S GARDEN.

ver!Yes,whatdoesthejudgesay,inthisletter?'Hecannomoreownanythingthanthemulebeforehisplough!'That'stobethefateofeverychildofmine!Andyetpeoplesay,'Youhaveallyouwantwhyareyounothappy?'Iwishtheycouldtryit!Dotheythinkbroadclothcoatsandgoldwatchescancomfortamanforallthis?" Harryrodealong,withhishandsclenchedupontheletter,thereinsdroopingfromthehorse'sneck,inthesameunfrequentedpathwherehehadtwicebeforemetDred.Lookingup,hesawhimthethirdtime,standingsilently,asifhehadrisenfromtheground. "Wheredidyoucomefrom?"saidhe."Seemstomeyouarealwaysathandwhenanythingisgoingagainstme!" "Wentnotmyspiritwiththee?"saidDred."HaveInotseenitall?Itisbecausewewillbearthis,thatwehaveittobear,Harry." "But,"saidHarry,"whatcanwedo?" "Do?Whatdoesthewildhorsedo?Launchoutourhoofs!rearup,andcomedownonthem!Whatdoestherattlesnakedo?Lieintheirpath,andbite!Whydidtheymakeslavesofus?TheytriedthewildIndiansfirst.Whydidn'ttheykeeptothem?Theywouldn'tbeslaves,andwewill!Theythatwillbeartheyoke,maybearit!" "But,"saidHarry,"Dred,thisisallutterlyhopeless.Withoutanymeans,orcombination,orleaders,weshouldonlyrushontoourowndestruction." "Letusdie,then!"saidDred."Whatifwedodie?Whatgreatmatteristhat?Iftheybruiseourhead,wecanstingtheirheels?NatTurner—theykilledhimbutthefearofhimalmostdrovethemtosetfreetheirslaves!Yes,itwasarguedamongthem.Theycamewithintwoorthreevotesofitintheirassembly.Alittlemorefear,andtheywouldhavedoneit.Ifmyfatherhadsucceeded,theslavesinCarolinawouldbefreeto-day.Die?—Whynotdie?Christwascrucified!Haseverythingdroppedoutofyou,thatyoucan'tdie—thatyou'llcrawllikeworms,forthesakeofliving?" "I'mnotafraidofdeathmyself,"saidHarry."GodknowsIwouldn'tcareifIdiddiebut"— "Yes,Iknow,"saidDred."Shethatlettethwilllet,tillshebetakenoutoftheway.Itellyou,Harry,there'sasealbeenloosed—there'savialpouredoutontheairandthedestroyingangelstandethoverJerusalem,withhissworddrawn!" "Whatdoyoumeanbythat?"saidHarry. Dredstoodsilentforamomenthisframeassumedtherigidtensionofacatalepticstate,andhisvoicesoundedlikethatofapersonspeakingfromadistance,yettherewasastrangedistinctnessinit. "Thewordsoftheprophet,andthevisionthathehathfromtheLord,whenhesawthevision,fallingintoatrance,andhavinghiseyesopen,andbeholdhesawarollflyingthroughtheheavens,anditwaswritten,withinandwithout,withmourningandlamentationandwoe!Behold,itcometh!Behold,theslainoftheLordshallbemany!Theyshallfallinthehouseandbytheway!Thebrideshallfallinherchamber,andthechildshalldieinitscradle!ThereshallbeacryinthelandofEgypt,forthereshallnotbeahousewherethereisnotonedead!" "Dred!Dred!Dred!"saidHarry,pushinghimbytheshoulder"comeoutofthis—comeout!It'sfrightful!" Dredstoodlookingbeforehim,withhisheadinclinedforward,hishandupraised,andhiseyesstrained,withtheairofonewhoistryingtomakeoutsomethingthroughathickfog. "Iseeher!"hesaid."Whoisthatbyher?Hisbackisturned.Ah!Isee—itishe!Andthere'sHarryandMilly!Tryhard—try!Youwon'tdoit.No,nousesendingforthedoctor.There'snotonetobehad.Theyarealltoobusy.Rubherhands!Yes.But—it'snogood.'WhomtheLordloveth,hetakethawayfromtheeviltocome.'Layherdown.Yes,itisDeath!Death!Death!" HarryhadoftenseenthestrangemoodsofDred,andheshudderednow,becausehepartooksomewhatinthecommonsuperstitions,whichprevailedamongtheslaves,ofhispropheticpower.Heshookandcalledhimbutheturnedslowlyaway,and,witheyesthatseemedtoseenothing,yetguidinghimselfwithhisusualdextrousagility,heplungedagainintothethicknessoftheswamp,andwassoonlosttoview. AfterhisreturnhomeitwaswiththesensationofchillathisheartthatheheardAuntNesbitreadingtoNinaportionsofaletter,describingthemarchthroughsomenortherncitiesofthecholera,whichwasthenmakingfearfulhavoconourAmericanshore. "Nobodyseemstoknowhowtomanageit,"thelettersaid"physiciansareallataloss.Itseemstospurnalllaws.Itburstsuponcitieslikeathunderbolt,scattersdesolationanddeath,andisgonewithequalrapidity.Peopleriseinthemorningwell,andareburiedbeforeevening.Inonedayhousesaresweptofawholefamily." "Ah,"saidHarry,tohimself,"Iseethemeaningnow,butwhatdoesitportendtous?" HowthestrangeforeshadowinghadrisentothemindofDred,weshallnotsay.Whethertherebemysteriouselectricsympathieswhich,floatingthroughtheair,beardimpresentimentsontheirwings,orwhethersomestraypieceofintelligencehaddroppedonhisear,andbeeninterpretedbytheburningfervorofhissoul,weknownot.Thenews,however,leftverylittleimmediateimpressiononthedailycircleatCanema.Itwasadreadrealityinthefardistance.Harryonlypondereditwithanxiousfear.