, 1859-11-25

woods common among an classes, al see you're
nigh about clean drowned out aren't your"
"Yes, but where did you come fFomf"
any name is Robinson, and I've eot biz rafl
Of timber up the river, which want to float out,
80 you see was going down to the Bluff in my
dug-out to get men; when passing by your place
! saw what fix you were in, and came up "a
know If there was any one here In distressD q
The mild tone Of his voice and the nature Of
his remark drove the last lingering suspicion
from Lester's mind, and be answered: ~
"This confOunded high water, which win pro
badly make your fortune, my friend, has made Z
clean sweep Of my place, Is you say. have los
about two thousand dollars, and am only waiting
for Q boat down to leave the place. One passed
by an hour ago, but she would not land"
Have you much plunder to take ~ asked the
man in backwoods language, meaning baggage.
"No, take nothing but q little portmanteau.
"Wel, stranger, reckon as how you'd bet
ter come down along with me to the Bluff.
Thar's plenty Of room for you and your traps in
my dug-out and it's powerful Lonesome travel
ing alone. In this current wen be down to the
Bluff in seven or eight hours Wen get thar
aiore dark anyhow"
"AgTeed. I don't want 10 stay here, another
day Il can helpit will follow you down to
Pack % nv things, that Is an"
"Aii right stranger" ''7'o'9 '. al'as
The swamper went down TO his dug-out and
Lester, re-entering his log-house took the specie
bag out Of his hominy and placed II again in
his pOFtmanteau, which he locked, and then pock-
eted the key. Going down to the bank, he found
the swamper already seated In the stern Of the
dug-out, with paddle in hand, and getting care
fully in himself with the baggage, the frail boat
was soon swimming down In the turbulent cur
rent The conversation turned principally on
river matters and the chances Of large rats be-
ing hoated of on the high water, when the
swamper casually observed that be had hoated
down the largest rAft on the Yazco river. Sim
pie - this remark may appear, L had . start
ling effect upon Lester, though be controlled any
visible emotion on bis countenance. ,t.;.
In what year was thatl" inquired Lester.
"In 1887" -
Il must be so Theman who at opposite him
in that little dug.out upOn the wild waters Of the
Jack" Lester bad many time heard from the
the largest raft ever known in 1887, and now be
noticed what had before escaped his observation,
that this fellow had acknowledged his name as
Jack Robinson, and that he was swamper, and
Lester remembered that be had heard Il ! scar
across the ruflans nose, relic Of one Of his
most desperate fights
Il was situation which would have unnerved
almost anv man. ana Lestcris heart throbbed
wildly within his breast though by q strong e.
FORT cf his mind he continued the conVersstion
In the same offhand manner. What could be
dof Whist efforts could he make 70 s1ve him
self from the murdsrer's aimf The only weab-
ona ~ had fhe two Fife.harrsIIed niuinis. ,rera
packed away n his poFtmanteau. and the ieast
sttempt Il 4 strugele would Certainly overtuTn
the Iifht canoe. and 70 swim 70 shore through
such current would have been impossible.
Anxioua. however. to discover his ,eompanion's
intentions. be thought Of . plan which he i'm
mediateiv nut into execution FeiQnine dFowsi-
mesa he said he was going to take nap, and
nlaeinp the portmantesu IN the how Of the due.
ant stSsscSs5 himself ont and 1900 his heaS u1l
an h IA then adiuated his broId. .brimmed
hat over IA fIce IN cuch : manner a q rive
hin ! viel of M companion aa hiah A IA
waist OHiy. 90 that while " Bloody JsckA could
sse the IoweSt norton of his lSca' ~ couid not
- - his G eves '' - -,--',-'-'a'-''r
Care6iilv initiating a man fhIIlne into a deem
sleep Lestsr at length commenced % snOrs, blt
lover Il, @ usrt ~ of ~ oppC1ept Who Wa psddlins
with Tie slow. steady motion Of man long ac.
customed 70 1 dug out l57Gla - W
MSt,.Dr..IW rDoka tha aw,mn., h,t T....,
.on.;rrsj ~ .nore Istr'nrsr u h s~s;n
csiisd INT recsived mo resno1se. ast,anyerI
~ St,snc.riS SnorSs vere hia onlv snSSSer
sna st;Ii r. continual n.ddlinc- Prsasntlv ~
dronosd 81 Ne r;oht ann hnt h;s IN lent nm the
s,sIdr r,ot;oe !. hsIor" Thsn sSier snro.he.
;r,s-s,, i. ~ ,;.ht hSnd s,owlv IN hehinS IA
lie "a A. es,sh ~ immsS.e hnnt;nr.Inifs
0ns si;Sht & trs..or shook the sDpsrentlv sleaninc
Sorm ~ Testsr and then every thouC6t al fsar'
sverv ~ - y emotion Of terror. Wss banished from his
heay2 His laee was eoid A ice. and beada Of
s~sat ..ood nron M tSrehasd. but M hsSTt bssi
Dot ths ccnrsee m desner1tion nd nrrved his
fame IA ~ the elesmine knile placed undef
a Rloodv Jack'ss T;e6t Iee. Teadv Ior inStant SER