New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-11-09
s!sssrs and tina mornings gray made moro dismal

.isters and ths mornings gray made moro dismal
| the emoulderng ruins
.IIes NOT dead" said Stern to himself. and then
believing that s,ms hours must pass beforp the
ruins could be- disturbed. no walked rapidly to-
little tavern at which he generally slapped Hero he
n leave OF absence and limiting that he had found
some trace Of the convict and II possible would re
hastily swallowing CUP Of coffee he returned to his
post being Of the order Of creature that once catch
ing scent kno rs not fatigue until the game IL run
10 eartn. Men had been stationed in the gronn to
| prevent trespassing Of any kind. DR.: Cotton had
given orders that no one was to DO admitted even
the men no bad employed to search for the negro's
oouy mo search was to be begun ut the hrsf
| practicable moment.
| " NO matter how he lived he shall have the burial
ora nteman and monument that will show to
,ns Worlh That SontheIncr and cx-slayeholder
KNOWS Wn, now to appreciate Negroes bravery
| yats what tc ole gemman said" one of the
darkes "n guard told Stern after repeating in his
own language DR.. COItons words. "Dats what he
gwine ter do dead lggeI. When he's dead he's
ieaai an dere am de end don't see no good in de
fer Massa Cotton is ter 9Th de money to de colored
gcmman ms IS alive an kickln."
Stern had been lettering outside The iron railing
| amusing himself by tossing up and down some small
longlngy.
"Are yon one of the colored cntlcmen who would
like little money n IStern asked, looking at the
| dnrkcy with a smile.
Dat be- Yah! yah! Psc got him 1" he chuckled.
| catching one two Of the co MS which Stern threw
TO him. Highly lightcl he transferred them to
ms pocket as Stern nodded to his Keeps, massa ~
alIrr little more playing and the conveyance of
| lew more CONS stern succeeded in gaining an en-
| trance 10 the grounds With promise never to
let ont on pore ole mig" he was permitted to in
thcm
| "Desc young gemmcns has cnrns ways" the
| darkcy soioqpIcd lilo waiting outside for Stern
and watching him he IA ssed through the stone
arch OF the doorway and looked mp the broad stairs
| of which remnant yet remained. II was built of
substantial wood. iIe examined carefully. going
| mp rs far rs the steps would hear Ills weight and
looking closely at baustrade and wall for any mark
that would strengthen his belief as to the convicts
escape.
Then he hurried down again holding pleasantly
to the da,key who with hands in poSknts stood Just
outside tho door as he rasfet. " Well, massa, am
SIN a moment BE qret and III give yon
"Yah yahv the man laughed delighted at the
| thought of the money easily earned. AMI Stern
entered the large pariurs .hcre the furniture was
mass of charrcd wood; the frames OF the great
| mirrors were blackcncd and cracked aud the glass
lay IN fragments on the floor.
| Stern CAREFUL; examined the walls floors and
The door lay biz of white paper. He picked il up.
II only part o.! letter. a rail nothing that
had escaped the power which destroyed stone and
masonry. Again he looked in every direction but
found not sgn of what he had hopel TO find Was
ho mistakcnf Was the negro dead He walked back
to the hail. hurried little by the whispers OF the
somebody n-comin'." With natural obstinacy and
diskng to surrender n fixed idea. Stern. stopped
the heaps of stone which lay The left side of the
great od-fashioncd double house. Did the convict
lie under that pile of rubbish He stopped, leaned
over and picked mp one of the smaller stones. II
was very hot and burned his fingers. SuppresS'ng
an oath rs he dropped it he ahont to rise. when
something caught his eyes 1t was only backcncd
spot fragment Of the stair carpet which, some
how. had escaped the hrc. 1t might havo been
caused bya falling stone, but then the velye,
lo"ed as if"Etern camg his brrathas If pressed
by u foot that had ;iolden charrei wood.
"ilurry. sab! hurry The waiting negro was
| ain moment" Sterns voice was trifc harslicr
Filled with excitement he fitted his own foot to
The mark and then looked around at the backened
| marks he had overlooked
A little way on, where the SCOT was not so heavy
he saw what aided by imagination. might he taken
for the impress of mans hand. and at the side
darker shade Of what might be blood
1t was blood, for witt breath and light tonch the
SCOT was removed and that dark mark remained. 1t
"ne must have been near falling and had thrown
ont his hand to steady himself stern declied us
| initiating such n motion. he threw out his own
| hand Allowing Tor difference OF size. he feit as
sured that his conjecture had been correct. ,
| How had lac managed To eScapef That was tho
aDamn him. I'll have him yet"
Stern threw to the waiting negro the promise
| quarter ana walked away.
There was no ono to question except the ncn who
|
we're sleepy and red. about being relieved and
| knew. nothin' nor hadn't seed nolody.' replying
rather lnaI@redly to ems polite .I Inquiries t
ton Stern mpat,cntly asked himself as he traversei
street after street III every direction encirelng the
Cotton place 1t was still early; only an occasional
pcdcsi rian shared with hun the quiet OF the morn
ing--now woman hurryins to her work now
laboTcr: and now some market wagons lumn .e:i
along with their smell o fresh voIeaDIeS ahsl
darkey drivers contentedly DOING.
II was while waiting for of these TO pass, that
for a few moments Stern stood side by side with an
old man. whose hair hung partly over LIS face. ny
bent with age be rested on stick. Feeling no
| interest III him yet he looked at HIM as now he
looked nj everyone, and he noticed that inc manu-
| grasping the cane was cOpper-colOrcd. The wagon
| PASSED he crossed tho street, walked q few PAGES,
and thon stopped short. That hand holding the
stick looked strong one. unsuitcd to the Dent
Conld IT have been the hand Of the man he
| wanted7 No-that ncgro's skin was black as coal
| To assure himself. tn leave no chance untrled ne
turned xpectng to see the old negro slowly coming
toward him. But he was not IN eight stern
turned hot aud then cold as hurrying to the corner
Inc had lett he looked up and down i'll all four direc-
tons. But no old negro was IN sight. Ana thei ts
if seen in dream there flashed naf on Inn mn" rs
breadth OF shoulder, the muscles OF mana ana wr'so
Those were not the possessions OF age Annior me
| shaking and color, " All that might havd been put
on What a fool was! i've missed chance"
Cursing under his breath and hiding his ralo WIN
q SMILE Stern walked up and down p'ernnS mo
| doorways and looking mp every aiIeF' bu' HIS
| hasty search met with no reward =,
| " He is the devil" shid tho guard cnraged WIN
himself as he thoughtof1 The lostcbance OF the morn!
ing He now firmly believed that the old negro
was ONeal disguised, and nothing bnt the Sight Oh
him would weaken that convection WIN sunic
| quiet management he worked MP sympathy
in those he chanced to meet. as describing the
| figure he had seen. he mourned him "a an on aug
| hs5hlv nrizosI servant who becoming mbeclle had
| wandered from his home. Several good naiuIed
| men volunteered to assist IN the search, ana ny
promised rewards other helpers wore gaihtd-Du'
| all without result.
Stimulated by hs difficulties stern took horse
| and riding ont snort distances tnrongn 'Io Sua
| rounding country inquired at different houses,
| describing. mplpring. warning OF threatening a'
| it.tn al