Page:By Sanction of Law.pdf/198

 a day to work in that field—from sunrise to dark. My God! and you call them lazy."

"Well, who's going to do the work?—Who'll I get to work my farm?" The overseer exclaimed.

"And you drive them with a whip for that pay. I wonder they don't all leave you."

"If they did that I'd break their backs. Durn them," returned the overseer.

"Well, we must be going. Good day," was Dr. Tansey's parting. With disgust in their hearts the two men resumed their journey. They had passed Branchville and were on the Orangeburg road going through a long stretch of pine woods, talking of commonplace things, Bennet's mind still centered on Lida and their imminent meeting, when suddenly Dr. Tansey listened acutely, above the purr of the automobile. They had just passed a little copse at the rear of which sat a small house. Dr. Tansey listened again. Bennet, too, had heard.

"What was that?" he turned to Dr. Tansey.

"Stop, driver," the latter ordered.

As the car came to a stop, off to the right of them from the woods a little way from the road came the most awful screams and groans. Both men leaped from the car and started for the spot.

"Watch out for snakes," cautioned the chauffeur.

"They're bad about here."

Neither man paid heed to the warning, however, but rushed to where the groans and screams had sounded. In the midst of the thicket, lashed to a holly tree, with