CHAPTER XLIII. THE SLAVE'S ARGUMENT.

taskonefavorofyou,whichIthinkyouwillgrantforthesakeofthatangelwhoisgone.Ihaveasister,who,aswellasmyself,isthechildofTomGordon'sfather.Shewasbeautifulandgood,andherowner,whohadalargeestateinMississippi,tookhertoOhio,emancipatedandmarriedher.Shehastwochildrenbyhim,asonandadaughter.Hedied,andlefthisestatetoherandherchildren.TomGordonistheheir-at-law.Hehassuedfortheproperty,andobtainedit.Theactofemancipationhasbeendeclarednullandvoid,andmysisterandherchildrenareinthehandsofthatman,withallthatabsolutepowerandtheyhavenoappealfromhimforanyevilwhatever.Shehasescapedhishands,soshewrotemeoncebutIhaveheardareportthathehastakenheragain.ThepiousMr.Jekylwillknowallaboutit.Now,mayIaskyoutogotohim,andmakeinquiries,andletmeknow?AlettersenttoMr.JamesTwitchel,atthepost-officenearCanema,whereourlettersusedtobetaken,willgettome.Bydoingthisfavor,youwillsecuremyeternalgratitude. "HarryGordon." Claytonreadthisletterwithsomesurprise,andagooddealofattention.Itwaswrittenonverycoarsepaper,suchasiscommonlysoldatthelowshops.WhereHarrywas,andhowconcealed,wastohimonlyamatterofconjecture.Butthecalltorenderhimanyassistancewasasacredone,andhedeterminedonahorsebackexcursiontoE.,thetownwhereMr.Jekylresided. HefoundthatgentlemanverybusyinlookingoverandarrangingpapersinrelationtothatlargepropertywhichhadjustcomeintoTomGordon'shands.HebeganbystatingthattheformerowneroftheservantsatCanemahadrequestedhim,onherdeath-bed,totakeaninterestinherservants.HehadthereforecalledtoascertainifanythinghadbeenheardfromHarry. "Notyet,"saidMr.Jekyl,pullinguphisshirt-collar."Ourplantationsinthisvicinityareveryunfortunateintheirproximitytotheswamp.It'sagreatexpenseoftimeandmoney.Why,sir,it'sinconceivabletheamountofpropertythat'slostinthatswamp!Ihavehearditestimatedatsomethinglikethreemillionsofdollars!Wefollowthemupwithlaws,yousee.Theyareoutlawedregularly,afteracertaintime,andthenthehuntersgoinandchasethemdownsometimeskilltwoorthreeaday,orsomethinglikethat.Butonthewhole,theydon'teffectmuch." "Well,"saidClayton,whofeltnodispositiontoenterintoanydiscussionwithMr.Jekyl,"soyouthinkheisthere?" "Yes,Ihavenodoubtofit.Thefactis,there'safellowthat'sbeenseenlurkingaboutthisswamp,offandon,foryearsandyears.Sometimesheisn'ttobeseenformonthsandthenagainheisseenorheardof,butneversothatanybodycangetholdofhim.Ihavenodoubttheniggersontheplantationknowhimbut,then,youcannevergetanythingoutofthem.Oh,theyaredeep!Theyareadreadfullycorruptset!" "Mr.Gordonhas,Ithink,asisterofHarry's,whocameinwiththisnewestate,"saidMr.Clayton. "Yes,yes,"saidMr.Jekyl."Shehasgivenusagooddealoftrouble,too.Shegotaway,andwentofftoCincinnati,andIhadtogoupandhuntherout.Itwasreallyagreatdealoftroubleandexpense.IfIhadn'tbeenassistedbythepolitenessandkindnessofthemarshalandbrotherofficers,itwouldhavebeenverybad.Thereisagooddealofreligioussociety,too,inCincinnatiandso,whileIwaswaiting,Iattendedanniversarymeetings." "Thenyoudidsucceed,"saidClayton."IcametoseewhetherMr.Gordonwouldlistentoapropositionforsellingher." "Oh,hehassoldher!"saidMr.Jekyl."SheisatAlexandria,now,inBeaton&Burns'establishment." "Andherchildren,too?" "Yes,thelot.Iclaimsomelittlemeritforthat,myself.Tomisafellowofratherstrongpassions,andhewasterriblyangryforthetroubleshehadmade.Idon'tknowwhathewouldhavedonetoher,ifIhadn'ttalkedtohim.ButIshowedhimsomedebtsthatcouldn'tbeputoffanylongerwithouttoomuchofasacrificeand,onthewhole,Ipersuadedhimtoletherbesold.Ihavetriedtoexertagoodinfluenceoverhim,inaquietway,"saidMr.Jekyl."Now,ifyouwanttogetthewoman,likeenoughshemaynotbesold,asyet." Clayton,havingthusascertainedthepointswhichhe