Lyddie

Lyddie eases in through the window, prepared to ask the man what he is doing in her cabin. She announces that she is the owner of the house, surprised when he addresses her by name. He introduces himself as Ezekial Abernathy, and explains that Brother Stevens, Luke’s father, hid him in her house when Stevens realized his home was being watched. When Lyddie observes that Ezekial speaks in the manner of a preacher, he explains that it was through studying the Bible that the idea of freedom was inspired in him. When Lyddie shares that she was forced to leave her home, Ezekial draws a parallel between his experience and hers—“So many slaves”—and Lyddie resents the comparison (41). Lyddie learns that Ezekial has been waiting for his health to improve so that he can proceed to Canada, where he will arrange for his wife and son to join him. She thinks of her own father, wherever he might be, and softens to Ezekial.

When she leaves in the morning, Lyddie earnestly hopes that Ezekial will reach Canada. Instinctively, she produces the money she earned from the calf many months ago and presents it to Ezekial. He is struck by the enormity of the gift, and Lyddie minimizes the gesture, conceding that the calf was as much Brother Stevens’s calf as hers, since he lent the use of his bull.