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He followed, and passed me without speaking, and joined Dr. Sturtevant and Dr. Tenny, where, after a short consultation, they passed down stairs, while I still sat upon the floor.

The fall had so stunned me, that for a few moments I hardly knew whether I could rise or not, but when I saw the three men who ought to be my protectors, and helpers, under such circumstances forsake me, I began to try my powers of self-dependence, and found I could not only raise myself, but could also stand alone too, without a man to lean upon!

Strong in my own self-reliant strength, I hastened to meet my appointment with our chaplain in the reception-room below, but found no one there.

Nothing daunted by this failure on Dr. Sturtevant's part, I walked into the office and met the whole trio there.

But for some unknown cause, Dr. McFarland seemed unwilling to face me, but, coward like, shall I say? fled out of my presence.

The other two gentlemen did not run away, but looked me full in the face, while I entered my protest in the following lan-guage:

"I have a right to my liberty! No law in the United States holds me legally imprisoned! I assert this right -- I shall never return a voluntary prisoner to my cell!"

Turning to Dr. McFarland, who now stood in the door-way I said:

"You, Dr. McFarland, have might to put me there, but no right. I assert my rights from principle. I believe God requires me to take this stand. I am immovable in my purpose. You can carry me to the ward with the help of two of your men, and I have no one to defend me against this power. I shall offer no resistance to physical force. Use it if you dare! You do so at your peril."

Then handing him a letter, I said:

"I request you to stamp and mail this business letter, unread to my son. This step is preparatory to a legal defence of my rights at the bar of my country.

Then turning to Dr. Sturtevant, I said:

"Will you, Sir, stand my witness that I now assert my rights, and therefore, am henceforth an involuntary prisoner here?"

He replied, "I am your witness."

"Now, Sir, my business with you is done, unless you wish to witness my forced return to my ward."

The carriage had been some time waiting for him at the door, therefore after asking me to excuse him, he left.

Dr. McFarland then said, "Are you going to compel us to put you back into the ward?"

"I shall never return a voluntary prisoner to my cell."

"Then I must get a porter to take you back."

And he went for his porter, and soon returned with a strong burly Irishman, Mr. Bonner, to whom he said:

"I want you to take this lady up to the Eighth ward, she don't seem disposed to walk back."

He then took me up in his arms, but finding my weight too much for him, I suggested that they take me on a chair, and Dr. Tenny take hold with him.

This plan worked well, and I was therefore transported up two flights of stairs in this manner, preceded by the Doctor, who unlocked the prison door to receive the prisoner -- and no one could ever after say that I was a voluntary prisoner in Jacksonville Insane Asylum; for from that time I never re-turned a voluntary prisoner to my ward.

I never regretted taking this step, as now I had done all I could do to get my liberty, and having entered my protest, I was thus exonerated from all responsibility, as in any way a willing accomplice in the conspiracy.

There is one point in connection with this transaction, worthy of note -- that is, that my falling down stairs as I did, is, in Dr. McFarland's estimation, evidence of insanity in me; and he also maintains that this is the only insane act he detected in me, during all my three years' imprisonment!

Now, I think there was more evidence of insanity in Dr. McFarland's conduct in this transaction, than there was in mine. He ought not to have left one of his patients in my condition, until he had so much as inquired whether I could raise myself or not. He did not know but my bones were so broken that I could not get up.

I think the Doctor's conduct was ungentlemanly to say the least, to treat a sane lady like myself, in this manner, and even if I had been insane, it would have been no excuse for this un-manly conduct towards one whom he claimed as his patient.

The final change I experienced, was in being removed from the old Seventh to the old Eighth again, after having enjoyed the privileges of civilized society for a few weeks. This, my second consignment to the maniac's ward, was in the following manner, as I find it recorded in my journal.

CHAPTER XXXV.
My Battle With Despotism -- No Surrender.

The Doctor has to-day assigned me again to the Eighth ward, against my wishes. Since entering my protest against prison life, no rule of the house is binding upon my conscience.

Still, hitherto I have thought it best to break none in open defiance of "the powers that be," only by getting paper and pencils, when and where I could, and in sending letters by my "Underground Express."

But this unreasonable sentence or mandate I felt conscience-bound to resist, and I have done so from settled principle.