Page:The White Slave, or Memoirs of a Fugitive.djvu/81

 more miserable. It was this idea which sustained me, and enabled me to regard the future with a sort of careless and stupid indifference, at which, when I reflect upon it, I am myself surprised.

In the morning, Mr Stubbs came for me. He was on horseback, whip in hand, as usual. He undid my fetters, but allowed me to retain my handcuffs. He tied a piece of rope about my neck, and fastened the. other end of it to his own waist. Thus guarded against escapes, he mounted his horse, and bade me walk beside him. I was still rather weak, and sometimes my pace flagged a little; — but a stroke from Mr Stubbs's whip soon quickened me into vigor. I inquired where we were going. "You'll know when you get there," was the answer.

That night we lodged at a sort of tavern. We both occupied one room, — he the bed, and I the floor. He took the cord from my neck and bound my legs with it. It was drawn so tight, and caused me so much pain, that I could not sleep. "Several times I complained to Mr Stubbs; but he ordered me to go to sleep quietly, and not be troubling him with foolish complaints. The next morning when he came to untie me, he found my ankles a good deal swollen. He seemed sorry that he had paid no more attention to my appeals, but excused himself by saying, that we were all such a devilish pack of liars, there was no telling when to believe us; and he did not want to be at the trouble of getting up for nothing.

The next day we continued our journey; — but-I was so broken down by the fatigues of the day previous, and by the want of sleep, that nothing but the frequent application of Mr Stubbs's whip could stimulate me into the necessary exertion. My spirits and that stubbornness of soul, which hitherto had sustained me, seemed to fail at the same time with my strength, and I wept like a child. At last, we -reached our journey's end. Late that evening, we entered the city of Richmond. I am not able to describe the town; for I was hurried off to jail, and there locked up for safe keeping.

I was now told why we had come. Colonel Moore, according to Mr Stubbs's account, was sick of such an