CHAPTER LII. "ALL OVER."

!" "Consider,"saidClayton,"thatyouhavenotthefamiliaritywiththeseswamps,northewonderfulphysicalpowerofthisman.Itwouldonlybethrowingawayyourlife." Thehoursofthatdaypassedgloomily.Sometimesthebrutalsoundofthehuntseemedtosweepnearthem,—thecrackofrifles,thebayingofdogs,thesoundofoaths,—andthenagainallwentoffintosilence,andnothingwasheardbuttheinnocentpatterofleafuponleaf,andthewarblingofthebirds,singingcheerily,ignorantoftheabyssofcrueltyandcrimeoverwhichtheysang. Towardssunsetarustlingwasheardinthebranchesoftheoak,andDreddroppeddownintotheinclosure,wet,andsoiled,andwearied.Allgatheredroundhim,inamoment. "WhereisJim?"askedHarry. "Slain!"saidDred."Thearcherspressedhimsoreandhehathfalleninthewilderness!" Therewasageneralexclamationofhorror.Dredmadeamovementtositdownontheearth.Helosthisbalance,andfellandtheyallsawnow,whatatfirsttheyhadnotnoticed,awoundinhisbreast,fromwhichthebloodwaswelling.Hiswifefellbyhisside,withwildmoansofsorrow.Heliftedhishand,andmotionedherfromhim. "Peace,"hesaid,"peace!Itisenough!Behold,Igountothewitnesseswhocrydayandnight!" Thecirclestoodaroundhiminmutehorrorandsurprise.Claytonwasthefirstwhohadpresenceofmindtokneelandstanchtheblood.Dredlookedathimhiscalm,largeeyesfilledwithsupernaturallight. "Allover!"hesaid. Heputhishandcalmlytohisside,andfeltthegushingblood.Hetooksomeinhishandandthrewitupward,cryingout,withwildenergy,inthewordsofanancientprophet,— "Oh,earth,earth,earth!Coverthounotmyblood!" Behindthedarkbarrierofthewoodsthesunwassettinggloriously.Pilesofloose,floatingclouds,whichalldaylonghadbeenmovingthroughtheskyinwhiteandsilverystillness,nowoneafteranothertookuptherosyflush,andbecameeachonealight-bearer,filledwithetherealradiance.Andthebirdssangonastheyeversing,unterrifiedbythegreatwailofhumansorrow. ItwasevidenttothelittlecirclethatHewhoismightierthanthekingsoftheearthwasthere,andthatthatsplendidframe,whichhadsolongrejoicedintheexuberanceofhealthandstrength,wasnowtoberesolvedagainintotheeternalelements. "Harry,"hesaid,"laymebeneaththeheapofwitness.LettheGodoftheirfathersjudgebetweenus!"