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CHAPTER XXIII

INTO THE LIGHT

HE is still asleep," said Giles, after he had greeted Virginia the following morning. "Leyden was up at six, after four hours of rest. Marvelous chap, Leyden; he'd had no sleep since he went into the swamp; said that Dessalines was in a fearful way when he found him, poor chap! Thought that he was back in Hayti at some sort of a heathen orgy. What a beastly place Hayti must be—what?"

"They have gone to Charleston?" asked Virginia.

"Yes, to see what can be done toward shipping poor old Aristide out."

"And you are sure that they were not discovered in coming here?"

"As sure as one can be of anything in a country like this. I say, Ginny, I beg your pardon, but really don't you think it's a devilish place?"

"I think that I prefer England," said Virginia smiling faintly.

"They came out under the very noses of those jackals around the fire by the main trunk," continued Giles. "Leyden said that the fire prevented them from seeing very far into the darkness, and that there are so many strange sounds about a swamp like that at night, that nobody noticed the splashing they made. When he was telling us about it I said: 'lucky,' and Leyden answered

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