All I have to say is that I
fought it out, threshed it all over, and then somehow, I don't know
how,--well, faith _came_ to me,--that is all. I waked up one
night, and I--well, I just knew. That is all. Then I knew I had
been wrong."
"And it cost you everything."
"Just about everything in the world, I reckon, so far as worldly
goods go. I suppose you know what you and your little colonization
scheme have done to me?"
"But you--what do you mean?"
"Why, didn't you know that? Weren't Carlisle and Kammerer your
agents; and didn't Lily, our late disappearing slave and also late
lecturing fugitive yonder, represent them? Don't you really know
about that?"
"No, I had nothing to do with their operations."
"Do you mean to tell me that it was--Oh, I am glad you do not know
about it," he said soberly, "although I don't understand that part
of it."
"Won't you explain?" she besought him.
"Now, the truth is--and that is the main reason of all this popular
feeling against me here--that Lily, or these men, or people like
them, took away every solitary negro from my plantation, as well as
from two or three others neighboring me! They didn't stop to _buy_
my property--they just _took_ it! You see, Madam,"--he smiled
rather grimly,--"these northern abolitionists remain in the belief
that they have all the virtue and all the fair dealing in the
world.
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