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"What did he lie about Mandy?"

She tried to ain, but stopped to randfather is he?"

"He never had a son" She confirhteen years old So on an individual as well as being hard to admit to

"Has your father the Governor ever made mention of his plans to you before?"

"No, he hasn't"

"Is it coe that he's your father?" I asked

"No"

I held the keys up to her that the Governor had givenon instinct here, "I want you to hold onto these for me Mandy Don't use theo off Mandy?"

She nodded

"When you see soo off head for the west side of the island with all the other slaves, until you reach the beach"

Her eyes greide in alarh the forest where the Salria live!"

"I know It'll be unexpected of you and we need the unexpected if there's to be a chance in getting away"

"But what about the ships in the eastern harbor? Hoe make it without them?" Mandy asked puzzled

"The ships are a death trap They'll expect you to go for them and many of you would be killed I don't think your father is as mindful to the fate of the other slaves as he is for your livelihood"

She nodded affir my character read of her father

I bent down and pulled ain and I reached out to pull one of her hands open and place the s around old pistols This is a pistol too only h All you have to do is pull the trigger right here See this little lever here? You need to flip this back until the red dot is showing or it won't fire The gun will fire nine tie the safety and press the trigger Okay?"

She nodded even as tears ran down her face She slipped the small pistol into a pocket in her dress under her apron and then she surprised, until she stepped back from me and said as she wiped at her tears, "Thank you! Even if we don't succeed and we all die or so worse happens to us I thank you for the hope that you've given me!"