At this time an
old female negro entered, now for the first time alarmed by the outcry,
who assisted in removing such traces of the fire as still remained about
the room. She seemed to occupy a neighboring outhouse; to which, having
done what seemed absolutely necessary, she immediately retired.
Colleton, with a sentiment of the deepest commiseration, proceeded to
reinstate things as they might have been before the conflagration, and
having done so, and having soothed, as far as he well might, the excited
apprehensions of the young girl, who made her acknowledgments in a not
unbecoming style, he ventured to ask a few questions as to the condition
of the old lady and of herself; but, finding from the answers that the
subject was not an agreeable one, and having no pretence for further
delay, he prepared to depart. He inquired, however, his proper route to
the Chestatee river, and thus obtained a solution of the difficulty
which beset him in the choice of roads at the fork.
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