Free Never Too Late by Michael Phillips Page B

out of the woods. There was the river. A hundred yards ahead the others were already climbing into the boat.
    â€œRun, Seffie . . . come on—you kin make it!” came a shout, followed by yells of frantic encouragement.
    But the terrain was badly uneven and the slope down to the river steep. Rocks and small boulders of varying size were scattered up and down the riverbank and the footing was treacherous.
    Cries from the river were now suddenly mingled with shouts and running footsteps from behind. Another shout sounded into the air.
    In panic Seffie tried to increase her speed. All at once her foot stumbled on a huge rock nearly knee height. She tumbled over it, twisted her ankle as she hit the ground, and rolled several feet down the embankment.
    She cried out in pain and struggled to stand. But she could not.
    Seconds later, two men ran past. One paused to glance down at her where she lay, then hurried on.
    â€œStop, the rest of you niggers!” he yelled, “or we’ll shoot the lot of you.”
    But Seffie’s comrades had seen her fall and knew they could do nothing for her now. Capture was a risk they all took, and the capture of five slaves and the discovery of the local railroad line was not worth trying to help a single individual against angry pursuers with guns.
    They understood. Seffie understood.
    The small boat glided out into the current. By the time their pursuers reached the water’s edge, it was just faintly visible going around a bend thirty yards away.
    Several curses and a volley of gunshots followed. But within seconds the boat with its passengers was out of sight.
    The two walked back the way they had come. They paused where Seffie lay groaning in pain.
    â€œWell, it’s not a complete loss,” said one of the men. “We got this one at least.”
    â€œDoesn’t look like much to me. What should we do with her?”
    â€œTake her back and see what the boss says.”
    Seffie felt rude hands grab her and yank her to her feet.
    Her ankle exploded in pain. She began to faint as she felt them pulling her along and yelling at her to walk. She felt her knees wobble, and they grabbed at her to keep her upright.
    Finally everything went black.

N EW S URROUNDINGS
    14

    S EFFIE AWOKE CONSCIOUS OF NOTHING BUT A terrific pain in her right ankle.
    It was still dark. She lay on her back on the ground and was nearly freezing to death.
    Coming to herself and remembering what had happened, she was filled with panic. She had to catch up with the others!
    She rolled over on her side and struggled to get up. Her whole body shouted out in pain from her fall. The moment she tried to stand she realized it was no use. Something was badly wrong. She knew she wouldn’t be able to walk a step.
    She lay back down and tried to think what to do. She didn’t even know where she was. She had either walked or been moved from where she had fallen. She could remember nothing. And where were the men who had been chasing them?
    She did not have time to think about it long.
    The sounds of a wagon clattering along the road intruded into her thoughts, then gradually grew louder. Sherealized she was lying on the side of the road they had crossed earlier. Frantically she tried to rise again. When she couldn’t, she tried to crawl into the undergrowth to the side of the road.
    But it was no use. The horses pulling the wagon galloped up and the driver pulled them to a stop almost beside her.
    â€œThere she is,” he called. Two men jumped down from behind.
    â€œWait for me,” said the driver, joining them. “It’ll take all three of us to lift her—she’s a big one.”
    Seffie struggled momentarily as she felt hands grabbing at her legs and shoulders and arms, but a slap in the face stopped her. They lifted her up and rolled her into the wagon bed as if she had been a sack of potatoes, then jumped back up themselves. Moments later the horses began to move,