Lettice ran desperately fast to gain her horse, but for a moment it seemed that all were lost, for the sound of oars had ceased, and instead, shouts were heard; an approaching party of men answered their comrades, who, worsted by a girl’s stratagem, would stand at nothing. It took but a few minutes for Lettice’s captive to free himself, and his first movement was toward the girl. He was in a fury. One sweep of his sword, one shot from his pistol, and their chances were gone. Ellicott Baldwin, between his set teeth, hissed, “I will kill her and myself, too, before she shall fall into their vile hands.” Suddenly, as if to favor them, the moon disappeared behind a dense cloud, and when it struggled forth again, the man and the maid had vanished. Where? It seemed as if the earth had swallowed them up. The horses stood there, but not a sign of their riders. On each side of the road lay level stretches overgrown with weeds and bordered by straggling blackberry bushes. Farther away, where a shallow creek made up into the land, were trees growing to the water’s edge. “Beat the bushes! Search everywhere!” cried Lettice’s late captive. “I’ll have that girl if she’s above ground. The little jade, to play me such a trick!” But not a sign of the fugitives could be found, and after more than an hour’s fruitless search, the men returned to their boats and to their station on Kent Island. Meantime, Lettice and her companion had made their escape through the girl’s knowledge of the country. She had whispered, “Over the fence! Quick!” and herself had led the way by springing into the bramble bushes on one side the road. The thorns played havoc with her light gown, but she tore herself free from them, ran along a few steps, and leaped into a hollow filled with rubbish. Here an old house had stood; now it was burnt to the ground, and among and around its blackened foundations grew tall weeds which completely hid it from view. Lettice led the way, and her companion followed blindly. At the rear the ground sloped gradually down to the creek, so that by stooping low, as they made a pathway through mullein, wild carrot, and ragweed, they could not be seen by those nearer the road. Fortunately, their followers did not strike upon the tumble-down house, or it would not have been an easy matter to reach the creek without being seen. Neither spoke till the silver gleam of the little creek showed in the moonlight, now struggling through the clouds. “I am almost spent!” gasped Lettice; “but if they have left the boat this side, we are safe. Over yonder in the woods lives an old negro woman. She is considered a real hoodoo by the darkeys, but she is devoted to all our family, for she belonged to my grandfather, who set her free, and gave her this bit of land in those woods of his.” She gave the information in detached sentences, as she limped along the shores of the creek. “You can scarcely walk,” said Mr. Baldwin. “You have lamed yourself.”