“It was life or death, and we at last did escape, but we have lost our horses, and are too footsore and bruised and scared to go farther.” “Ole Hagar fix yuh up. I has ’intment, yuh knows I has; an’ I has yarbs; but, fo’ de Lawd, I’ll cunjur dem Britishers, ef dey is a way to do it, dat I will. Dere now, honey, let me wrop up dem po’ litty footies. Hm! Hm! dey is stone bruise, an’ dey is scratch, an’ dey is strain an’ sprain, an’ what ain’ dey? But dis cyo’ ’em. Now lemme see what young marster a-needin’. Hm! Hm! he slash an’ slit; swo’d cut on he shoulder. Huccome he fight an’ swim an’ row, I dunno, wif all dese yer slashes, an’ t’ars, an’ all dat. Yuh bofe has sholy been froo de mill. I say yuh has.” And talking all the time, the old woman managed to make her visitors really comfortable, as she ministered to them with deft, experienced fingers. “Now, Aunt Hagar,” said Mr. Baldwin, when she had put on her last bandage, “I will leave Miss Lettice in your care, and I will go to her home and report that she is safe. They will be very anxious.” “Oh, but you are not fit to go any farther,” Lettice protested. “Oh, yes, I am. You do not know what a charm Aunt Hagar has put into these ointments. Your family will be in great distress of mind, and I think it would be best that I should go and reassure them.” “Yes, honey, he better go,” said Aunt Hagar, from the corner where she was busying herself with some mysterious mixture. “Mars Bald’in, drink dis, honey, hit give yuh stren’th, an’ mek yuh git over de groun’ lak a rabbit. Jess follow de paf to de spring, den strike off to de lef’, an’ whenst yuh come to de hayricks by de right side de road, yuh is jes back o’ Mars William’s barn. Hit a roun’erbout way, but hit’s better dan crossin’ de water. I’ll look out fo’ Miss Letty. Yuh tell ’em Aunt Hagar got her, an’ dey satify she all right. An’ tell ’em,” she went to the door and spoke in a whisper, “tell ’em not to raise a cry all roun’ de neighborhood dat she out dis-a-way. Dey is folks dat love to talk, an’ I don’ want de chile’s name to be made free wif, an’ have ’em say she traipsin roun’ de country wif young men all hours of de night. Yuh hyar me?” “I agree with you, certainly, Aunt Hagar, and I shall do my part in keeping the matter quiet. A young lady’s name is too delicate a thing to be bandied about by those who are merely curious. I will see you again soon, Aunt Hagar. I haven’t thanked you half as I should for your kindness.”