“So aunt’s new maid got her orders, and while aunt was asleep in her room the maid brought up Josiah.  It was as good as a play.  He was very civil and quiet.  You know how he loved to talk.  He singed my hair, and it was horrid—­like the smell of singeing a plucked chicken.  After that he sent the maid to his shop for some hair-wash.  As soon as she was gone, he said, ’I’m done for, Miss Leila.  I met Mr. George Grey on the beach this morning.  He knew me and I knew him.  He said, “What! you here, you rascally runaway horse-thief!” I said, “I wasn’t a thief or a rascal.”  Then he said something I didn’t hear, for I just left him and—­I can’t stay here—­he’ll do something, and I can’t run no risks—­oh, Lord!’”—­

“I thought,” said the Squire, “we were done with that tiresome fool, George Grey.  Whether he will write again to Woodburn about Josiah or not, no one can say.  Woodburn did tell me that if at any time he could easily get hold of his slave, he would feel it to be a duty to make use of the Fugitive-Slave Law.  I do not think he will be very eager, but after all it is uncertain, and if I were Josiah, I would run away.”

As he talked, the horses walked on through the forest wood-roads.  For a moment he said nothing, and then, “It is hard to put yourself in another man’s place; that means to be for the time of decision that man with his inheritances, all his memories, all his hopes and all his fears.”

This was felt by the lad to be somehow unlike his uncle, who added, “I heard Mark Rivers say that about Peter, but it applies here.  I would run.  But go on with your letter.  What else does Leila say?”

John read on: 

“Josiah was so scared that I could not even get him to listen to me.  He gathered up his barber things in haste, and kept on saying over and over, ‘I have got to go, missy.’  Now he has gone and his shop is shut up.  I was so sorry for him, I must have cried, for aunt’s maid asked me what was the matter.  This is all.  It is late.  I shall mail this to-morrow.  Aunt Ann has been expecting Mr. George Grey, my far-away cousin.  I wish he was further away! “—­

“Good gracious!  Leila.  Well, John, any more?”

“Yes, sir.”

“He came in this morning, I mean Mr. Grey, and began to talk and was so pleased to see his dear cousin.  Aunt Ann went on knitting and saying something pleasant now and then.  At last he asked if she knew that runaway horse-thief we called Josiah was the barber here.  He said that he must really write to that rascal’s owner, and went over and over the same thing.  Aunt Ann looked at me when he mentioned the barber.  Then she sat up and said, ‘If you have done talking, I desire to say a word.’  Of course, he was at her service.  You know, John, how he talks.  Aunt Ann said, ’You made quite enough trouble, George, about this man at Westways.  I told you then that he had done us a service I could never forget.  I won’t have him disturbed