“Lor bless you, marster, that it would,” said Dillah, rolling up her eyes till only the whites were visible. “Very well, you can go,” was Capt. Wilder’s reply. By this time old Cato and Jake had gathered near, and the “Lord bless you’s” which they poured in upon the captain sent him into the house, out of sight and hearing. But Dillah had no time to lose. Her goods and chattels must be picked up, and old Cato’s Sunday shirt must be wrung out of the rinsing water, Dillah declaring “she could kind o’ shake it out and dry it on the road!” While putting up her things, the old creature frequently lamented the unfortunate fact that the new gown given her last Christmas by “old Miss,” was not made, “for,” said she, “I shall want to look toppin’ and smart-like amongst the folks in Kentuck.” “Ain’t no folks thar,” said Jake; but as often as he repeated this assertion, Aunt Dillah answered, “Now and then one, I reckon, ’less why should marster tote the whole on us out thar?” “For the Injuns to eat, I s’pose,” answered Jake, and then he went through with a short rehearsal of what his mother would say, and how she would yell, when one of the natives got her in his grip. Little Ella wept passionately when she learned that Dillah, too, was going, but when Charlie, stealing up to her, said “she will take care of me,” her tears were dried, and her last words to Dillah were, “Be kind to Charlie till he dies.” Sweet Ella, it would seem that a foreshadowing of the future had fallen around her, for when at last Charlie’s farewell kiss was warm upon her cheek, her voice was cheerful as she said, “You will send for me and I shall surely come.” Could she have known how long and wearisome were the miles, how dark and lonely was the wood, and how full of danger was the road which lay between her and Charlie’s future home, she might not have been so sure that they would meet again. One after another the waggons belonging to Deacon Wilder passed down the narrow road, and were lost to view in the deep forest which stretched away to the west as far as the eye could reach. Here for a short time we will leave them, while we introduce to our readers another family, whose fortunes are closely interwoven with our first party. CHAPTER IV. THE GORTONS.