Pgs. 266-308 Summary

In the seventeenth chapter, fifteen whites and six blacks march on Harper's Ferry through a blinding rain. Only Brown and Kagi believe in victory. Flashy intends to survive for Elspeth's sake and to thwart the gods. They seize the Potomac bridge, cut telegraph wires, and capture the watchman; next come the Shenandoah bridge and armory gates. Flashy orders all captives gathered and care taken around the massed explosives. Brown gives an emancipation speech to a dozen frightened citizens and neglects to secure the rifle works and get out of town with the captured weapons before dawn.

Flashy in old age remains proud of his plan working, given what he had to work with. Brown seems detached at first and then indecisive and dreamy in victory. Flashy's only goal is to escape Joe. The first shot is fired by Taylor at a...