The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-02-17

drowned her. Gods curses upon you I
"Maline are. you crazy? What di'
you meanP Where did you find that ?
"Down at the Bayou, where yol
drowned my darling, by the double asl
tree and the old mill-wheel. I saw you
tracks there"
II fshed there two days ago, ant
waited for the alligator to rise. Nv,
never been there since, 7 swear, and I'v'
never get eyes on the child since, I say
her standing at your side yesterday.
told you what said about her was moth
ing but idle breath. I didn't mean {
word of it. I was mad because you re
fused to go with me and said your duty
was to the children; but God knows
wouldn't have hurt q hair of the littlt
ones head for my own life. Tell me
how came you to 60 to the big ash JUS
now 2"
"Black Kountz, the conjurer. master
told me to 60 there, and that I shoule
find signs"
Th@Texan gave low whistle.
''I'll speak to that old rascal myself
he said, and then I'll ride back to where
I left the searching party, and bring
them to drag the bayou where the bon.
net was found"
Maline shuddered and walked on with
out speaking.
,Karlse rode to the hut Of the conjurer
and, dismounting, 'thundered upon the
closed door with his heavy whip. The
feet of the African were slow tc
answer the summons, and when he
opened the door his wrinkled features
exhibited some: sign of perturbation
which the bold, fierce look of the drovel
and the sight Of the pistol and bowie
knife in his belt might have we'll ex.
cused.'
: There was nothing suspicious in the
answer he gave to the keen cross.ques.
tioning of the Texan. He said, in bis
broken gutteral, that he had seen in bis
dream the bonnet lying by the ash tree
the Great Man showed him things in his
dreams.
Karlse left him, after a keen survey ol
his wretched hut, with his black. smoked,
cob.webbed walla, hung with the skins
and teeth of vermin and reptiles, its rag
pallet and greasy old chest and table.
The bayou was dragged, but without
result.
"The alligator" was the thought tina
was in the minds of all, though nobody
spoke it, ont of compassion for the broth
er aud sister. Night set in with gather.
ing clouds, lightning and the promise OF
a storm, and the weary party retraced
their steps.
Karlse alone fingered. Maline had
not told the others her suspicion that he
was Rosie's murderer, but he knew by
the look she gave him when she turned
away that she harbored it still. He
stood by his horses head in deep thought
q moment, then he mounted and rode
back towards the conjurer's cabin. Be-
fore it was in sight he stopped in the
midst of dense thicket, got down from
his horae and fastened him securely, and
then waited while the twilight deepened
fast into dark night, the clouds obscuring
the sky, the lightning flashing at inter.
vals, and the rain coming in fitful gusts.
"Now for spying the camp" be said.
lawful cautious I shall have to be.
That conjuring rascal is 81 gray old coon.
shall have to slip up on him like sneak
in up on an old buck ut day-break; and
first thing to be done, off must come these
boots" Suiting the action to the word.
he pulled of his boots and deposited
them by the tree where his horse was
fastened.
Then he set out for Kolntz's hut, steer.
ing his course trough the darkness with
the judgment of a trained backswoodman
that almost amounts to instinct. No
CLEAN OF light came from the hut to
guide him. When he had crept eau.
tiously close 10 it, and gone stealthily
around it, he saw that there vas no crack
through which could be seen the light of
the fire that was sure to be burning in
side. Winter or summer the fire was
never suffered to die out on the Africans
hearth but except the smoke from the
low chimney, no sign of it was to be
seen outside the windowless hut, whose
smallest crack and Granny the African
FASTENED to stop with rags or cotton and
plaster over with mud. Hid behind the
moss. hung limbs of the oak, Karlse saw
the negro come to the door, look out.
and mutter to himself.
"Black night; good jolly night-rlin
torn, maybe; jolly mig hit"
With sinister chuckle, he closed the
door and fastened it, rattling the heavy
chain in which the paddock was hooked
Karlse crept around to the rear of the
cabin, and taking out his knife, knel'
down and began to cut into the clay that
was chinked between the logs of the wal
and was now somewhat softened by the
rNcent rain. Noiselessly, cautiously he
worked until he had cut through sec
ton of the clay several inches square
This plug he gradually drew out, using
the utmost care to prevent attracting the
attention ofthe black doctor. In this hs
was abetted by the noise of the wind tha
blew 6ercely at intervals, and made the
limbs of the live.oak crack and sway
against the roof of the cabin. The plus
was removed, and still kneeling, Karlst
applied his eye to the aperture and sav
the wizard smoking his pipe and mutter
ing to himself before the fire. Presently
he rose, walked to the door, bent dowr
and listened attentively.
"Wind blowin' hard-mighty dark
torch can't live minit-white fools gone
home, gone to bed-good, jolly night fo
good supper-ugh!'
He chuckled and smacked his lips
then, walking up to the screech- owl, h
touched its muff1ed head, when, futter
ing its feathers with shivering motion
the creature uttered its wierd, ghostly or.
whereat the black wizard nodded ant
laughed hideously, showing his doubl
row of teeth. Then, turning round tt
the greasy old chest, he proceeded tt
draw it from its place, and from the par
ofthe dirt floor where it had stood, Il
turn up square board that seemed to b
a trap-door for the conjarer let himsel
down into the hole it had covered, ant
when he again emerged, scrambling VI
with difficulty what seemed steep, ladder
like stems. he had something thrown owe