that won't refuse to sell you. I'll buy you and the boy;--God helping
me, I will!"

"O, dreadful! if you should be taken?"

"I won't be taken, Eliza; I'll _die_ first! I'll be free, or I'll die!"

"You won't kill yourself!"

"No need of that. They will kill me, fast enough; they never will get me
down the river alive!"

"O, George, for my sake, do be careful! Don't do anything wicked; don't
lay hands on yourself, or anybody else! You are tempted too much--too
much; but don't--go you must--but go carefully, prudently; pray God to
help you."

"Well, then, Eliza, hear my plan. Mas'r took it into his head to send
me right by here, with a note to Mr. Symmes, that lives a mile past. I
believe he expected I should come here to tell you what I have. It would
please him, if he thought it would aggravate 'Shelby's folks,' as he
calls 'em. I'm going home quite resigned, you understand, as if all was
over. I've got some preparations made,--and there are those that will
help me; and, in the course of a week or so, I shall be among the
missing, some day. Pray for me, Eliza; perhaps the good Lord will hear
_you_."

"O, pray yourself, George, and go trusting in him; then you won't do
anything wicked."