They could see the
dark line of the guard-boat, but they were not molested and came into
the wharf safely. Grace held close to Mr. Fulton's hand as they hurried
toward home with the sad news of Sylvia's disappearance. Neither of them
spoke until they reached the walk leading to the door of Grace's home,
then Grace said:
"I know Sylvia will be found. Estralla will surely find her and bring
her home."
"Estralla! Why, I had entirely forgotten her," responded Mr. Fulton.
"She ran off as soon as Sylvia was missed," Grace continued earnestly,
"and she will find her. Probably she has found her before this."
"I believe you are right. Estralla is a clever little darky, and if she
started in search of Sylvia perhaps she has been able to find her. I had
not thought of it," and Mr. Fulton's voice had a new note of hope.
"Thank you, Grace. I will start back to the fort as soon as I have
talked with Sylvia's mother."
But on Mr. Fulton's return to the wharf he found a sentry on guard who
refused him permission to go to the fort. It was in vain that Mr. Fulton
explained that his little daughter was lost, that he must be permitted
to return to the fort.
The sentry wasted no words. "Orders, sir. Sorry," was the only response
he could get, and at midnight Mr. Fulton was in his own house looking
out over the harbor. Mingled with his anxious fear for the safety of his
little daughter was the thought of the sentries now guarding
Charleston's water-front, of the assembling of soldiers in the city, and
the evident plan of the southerners to seize the forts in the harbor and
force the Government into war.
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