CHAPTER LIV. THE ESCAPE.

Claytonhadnotbeenanunsympathizingorinattentivewitnessofthesescenes. ItistruethatheknewnotthewholedepthoftheaffairbutHarry'sletterandhisownobservationshadledhim,withoutexplanation,tofeelthattherewasaperilousdegreeofexcitementinsomeoftheactorsinthescenebeforehim,which,unlesssomeescape-valvewereopened,mightleadtomostfatalresults. Thedayafterthefuneral,hetalkedwithHarry,wiselyandkindly,assumingnothingtohimselfonthegroundeitherofbirthorpositionshowingtohimtheundesirablenessandhopelessness,underpresentcircumstances,ofanyattempttorightbyforcethewrongsunderwhichhisclassweresuffering,andopeningtohimandhisassociatesaprospectofasaferwaybyflighttotheFreeStates. OnecanscarcelyappreciatethemoralresolutionandforceofcharacterwhichcouldmakeapersoninClayton'spositioninsociety—himselfsustaining,intheeyeofthelaw,thelegalrelationofaslave-holder—giveadviceofthiskind.Nocrimeisvisitedwithmoreunsparingrigorbytherégimeofsouthernsocietythantheaidingorabettingtheescapeofaslave.Hewhodoesitistriedasanegro-stealerandinsomestatesdeath,inothersalonganddisgracefulimprisonmentinthepenitentiary,istheaward. Forgrantingtheslightestassistanceandsuccor,incaseslikethese,—forharboringthefugitiveforevenanight,—forgivinghimthemeanestshelterandfood,—personshavebeenstrippedoftheirwholeproperty,andturnedoutdestituteupontheworld.Othersfornoothercrime,havelanguishedyearsinunhealthydungeons,andcomingoutatlastwithbrokenhealthandwastedenergiesnorhasthemostsaintlypatienceandpurityofcharacterinthevictimbeenabletolessenormitigatethepenalty. Itwasthereforeonlybythediscerningpowerofamindsufficientlyclearandstrongtoseeitswaythroughthemistsofeducationalassociation,thatClaytoncouldfeelhimselftobedoingrightinthusviolatingthelawsandcustomsofthesocialstateunderwhichhewasborn.But,inadditiontohisbeliefintheinalienablerightofeverymantoliberty,hehadatthistimeafirmconvictionthatnothingbuttheremovalofsomeofthesemindsfromtheoppressionswhichweregoadingthemcouldpreventadevelopmentofbloodyinsurrection. Itisprobablethatnothinghasawakenedmorebitterlytheanimosityoftheslave-holdingcommunitythantheexistenceintheNorthernStatesofanindefiniteyetveryenergeticinstitution,knownastheundergroundrailroadandyet,wouldtheybutreflectwiselyonthethingsthatbelongtotheirpeace,theywouldknowthatthishasremovedmanyadangerfromtheirdwellings.Onehasonlytobecomewellacquaintedwithsomeofthosefearlessandenergeticmenwhohavefoundtheirwaytofreedombyitsmeans,tofeelcertainthatsuchmindsandheartswouldhaveproved,intime,anincendiarymagazineunderthescorchingreignofslavery.Butbymeansofthis,menofthatclasswhocannotbekeptinslaveryhavefoundaroadtolibertywhichendangeredthesheddingofnobloodbuttheirownandtherecordofthestrangeandperilousmeansbywhichtheseescapeshavebeenaccomplishedsufficientlyshowstheresolutenatureofthemenbywhomtheywereundertaken. Itwassoonagreedthatalargepartyoffugitivesshouldinconcerteffecttheirescape.Harry,beingsowhiteaseasilytoescapedetectionoutoftheimmediatevicinitywherehewasknown,assumedthetaskofmakingarrangements,forwhichhewasamplysuppliedwithmoneybyClayton. It