Gustus ran towards the Baker homestead which was the next place to the Davenports’.  Love had gained a half victory, but half victories are always dangerous.  He might rouse Harvey, but unless God intervened in some way, Harvey would be too late, and his friend would burn.

On ran Gustus, while the fire raged more and more fiercely.  Its fiery tongues leaped out nearer and nearer the children, Maggie, and Duke, sure to devour them unless God vouchsafed some other warning besides the one that had been given Gustus.  He had been tried and found wanting.

“Massa Harvey, Massa Harvey,” Gustus cried a few minutes later, under the window of the room where he knew Harvey slept.  “For God’s sake, come an’ save Missy Beth.”

Harvey wakened out of a sound sleep.  He thought he was dreaming, but again he heard the agonized appeal: 

“Massa Harvey, for God’s sake, save Missy Beth.”

Harvey sprang to the window.  “What’s the matter, Gustus?”

“I think de debbil am after Missy Beth,” moaned Gustus, who had decided that it was the Evil One instead of a real fire.

His words gave Harvey no lucid idea of the situation.  He feared Beth was in danger, but he little realized the urgency of the case.  However, he did not stop to question, but slipped into his clothes as fast as he could, and went below to join Gustus.  His parents had gone to the party, and he did not waken any of the servants.

The minute he opened the front door, one look to the right revealed the awful truth to him.

“Is Beth there?” he gasped to Gustus who had run around to the door to join him.

“I reckon so.  Yo’ won’t let de debbil get her.”

“The devil?  It’s worse.  It’s fire.  She’ll burn,” cried Harvey in agony, tearing across the fields as fast as he could.  Gustus followed trembling in every limb.  He realized now that he had been a coward, that if his beloved little “missy” burned, he would be greatly to blame.

“I didn’t know,” he moaned to himself, and then his cry changed to a prayer, “Dear God, don’t let her burn.  Don’t let her burn,” he pleaded as he ran, pitifully penitent.

As Harvey flew towards the burning house, his thought dwelt on the other fire from which he and Beth had been saved.

“God won’t let her burn.  He won’t do it,” he cried to himself, and yet half fearful that the fire demon which seemed to pursue Beth might conquer this time.

“De Good Book says dat if we ask anything, an’ believe, dat it will be granted us,” gasped Gustus as if reading Harvey’s doubts.  “Let’s both pray as hard as ever we kin dat God’ll save Missy Beth, an’ He’ll do it.”

The faith expressed by the superstitious colored boy heartened Harvey somewhat.  He ran on as fast as ever, but both in his heart and in that of Gustus was the prayer that Beth might be saved.