In something--I know not what--he offended this Mr.Austin Gore, and, in accordance with the custom of the latter, he under took to flog him.

He gave Denby but few stripes; the latter broke away from him and plunged into the creek, and, standing there to the depth of his neck in water, he refused to come out at the order of the overseer; whereupon, for this refusal, _Gore shot him dead!_ It is said that Gore gave Denby three calls, telling him that{96} if he did not obey the last call, he would shoot him.

When the third call was given, Denby stood his ground firmly; and this raised the question, in the minds of the by-standing slaves--"Will he dare to shoot ?" Mr.Gore, without further parley, and without making any further effort to induce Denby to come out of the water, raised his gun deliberately to his face, took deadly aim at his standing victim, and, in an instant, poor Denby was numbered with the dead.

His mangled body sank out of sight, and only his warm, red blood marked the place where he had stood.
This devilish outrage, this fiendish murder, produced, as it was well calculated to do, a tremendous sensation.

A thrill of horror flashed through every soul on the plantation, if I may except the guilty wretch who had committed the hell-black deed.