New-York tribune., 1884-12-07
CHAPTER NN\IX,

| soul dared he say that the nserablr pchg WIS "'
escaped convict IL was secret to be guarded II ht
| would help the man; and holp him he wonld-ohy
| he could not see the best way lie must first
arouse him from this heavy trance OF griei LooA-
ing around in every direction and assuring himself
no within sight or souIl'!, hc put HIS nan"
| on the negro's shoulder.
"Tom ONeal." he whispered in his ear. expecting
| to startlc him But the man did not stir, did not
remove his ewes from the baby's face Through
davs and nights of toll and starvation while hiding
| in caves creeping behind bushes, pursued followed
tracked from place to place he had been kept alive
made strong by the thought of the wlfc and chlld
waiting for him. He had endured u thousand times
the torture of death. And then at last to his fam
ishcl soul had come the rapturous sight of his own
child well and cnderly cared for. At sound of the
shot that killed the preacher ONcal dashed forward
TO reach Nanny and tn child. Other shots would
surely follow: but he would save them! Before
MIN. around him surgcd the multitude forcing him
back pressing him against a tree. Wildly he
fought and pushed: but those weakened sinew5.
that starving flesh were not equal 30 his Will.
"Let me pass, for Coils sake, let me pass" he
cried. and threw himself forward Oh tho crowd. But
frightened bowldcrcd as they We're they paid no
attention to his cry and no man turned TO help
him. All were gazing at that silent figure lying on
the platform
"Lct me pass" he shouted, STRIVING to release
himself from the tree where. pinned by the weight
Of hundreds pushing against hlm he endured mar
tyr's agonles without martyrs hope. He saw
Nanny. still holding the baby, climb on the Platform
and bend over the dead man. saw DinIhS cory hand
rouse to fury the terrified people. He fought Ike
lion but his struggles were useless. II was onl;
when the crowd following the woman rushed on the
whites that painting ana exhausted, he 4 lggorci
forward He was blind tO all else but the figure oi
the old woman knrcling on the platform and hod-
ing q baby to her breast. shot after shot was
heard moans and shr.chs were coming from the
black mob but he did not heed them. He had no
thought. no sight except for those two the plat
form He was almost within rcach-ihcy would ID"
saved! Nanny, lie down yo1r face he tried
to shout the words, But his dried throat gave ont
only a hoarso whisper. The old woman coull not
hear it above the tunut ami url o that living sea.
that WAS frcl-rc1chcd that faithful heart. On her
face fcll the fo.trr-mother with the child. and
ONcal climbing mp beside them. bent in agony over
lie lifted thcn ooEcd into thc calm face of TIN
old woman aud kissed the still smiling mouth oi
the Infant. ~" little one had gone without 70 lool
into lls fathers face, More terrible ~ hls drsnar
than Duul iu her fury the man -topd beside the
CORPS" of bis child Vengeance on Ais mnfd,ler!
Dee rri,l. Ant then there rose before hm NlrN's
face and ho heard hrr .oit voice: Endure io th"
end iic pressed his hands io his hcaI; hs hoIlnw
EYES lost vengeance n eiei ami !'itns his dead 10"
carried them in his arms to quiet sput hrnr4ih
trcr There hcsii" them hr ln"lt uumiudlul oi IN.
wind 0f ueht and oi the morning sun.
Somcho ~ spoke to hmm he looked MP and saw
two men. The, were uuthina 10 him. Sumrbndv
was linz him. what did n matter The uHur Of
ONrll rungrd unly tp the dead thi9 inilut this
snldcply - Nral l,oleA ~. Zee was eoins mad
Ne hld ipreutirn luIir. hi7 wife,
90 lu yun lnu0 when. he is ?" hr whispered to
this STRANGER hrnlna over him. aud hr irlt "a sur
ptisr when hr W1s Ausvrirtlt
In s.ttt la In T. I,,tt,
,irvrtnrt'a where sir went irr ei Nprn unrlri."
uM rtiitp mr hiuvn spil ~ himself ga u"
uitrirl tlua II lir. litrl hn fri duiahtud win
a. when lr saV ih't d ui'ri we in Mnhr iln nnn
,sr now iha rrith Nhr sen. hina lihu hnpu r,,no
ihln ihn sunr'in4 rtt1 ' lnnl hria fni lunNh
trini tn milnv ur tis hHrr' ih"d 4li "Nuuf vie
iniul annh ffiuni thn NrN dhN nl Nnui ifal Mr
phY has aulunilwl hri and inui hAhy rtr, an,n
toul house 10 All inad, dud HArl ut Air idy has
iett monrY ior Noh amt l0it family. NANNY gave
iu NY charge " Nuh'll e1 lu A0uI cabin II hung
II tDi yea after darn dud I'll dtFr Nrr Iu = hu nf.
where II viii he safe ter take the railroad ter the
North A. soon as Your Niin arrives she shall Join
lou. VIII yOu Gof' Brown asked " viii look
artor Nanny an the baby. They shall ilc Ia my
lot
O'Nca GId not spcak-hc pat out his hand as the
blind do to he lei, aul thea without a sound lell
scnscess in Browns arms.
" Lord. Lord, livn skeleton" Brown said as
partly liltns, partly Dragging the negro hc reached
a covered wagon that during the camp-moeting had
been used as a sort of lunch-.Oom
O\cIl had begun to revive and Brown Gudiup
some catablcs in Il basket made him drink a IittIc
cold tea and cat something. When hc was a llttc
stronger Brown helped hun INTO the wagon AMI told
mm TO rest until he could return with horses.
Ihcn,' said the kind-hcarcd fellow d" IN take YER
home fer my wife 10 nu~s TIL Yer gets we'll"
O'Neal did not answer he was too weak and III
to talk
As evening approached Brown returned with
horses and bottle of homemade wiLc. with the
negro slowed away IN the back of tie wagon Inc
drove toward lianah When tie wagon ncarin, the
place passed the Itilc path that unaer the tr,rs led
10 ONea's cabin, hc touched Browns arm.
Sir said the negro yOu have been very ponI
to me I'm stronger now and ahc h. think tor nv
self can't 20 to your home, sir and can't leave
Georgia without NV wife. I'll 20 T. nv calm and
wait there Julie. There are places in the ,yon'ls
around cOuld hide ln for week. know every
foot of grOund. No. sir, can 20 and bring trnublc
on a man whO has bciriondei me- he added r,.o-
Iutcy Brown began TO protest. Getting out Of
the back of the wagon he came 10 the side of 4
want to thank you. hc said. and that GENTLE
man who was good - Iny-my baby and Julie.
Thank" But though he opened and slut hts
mouth there came no other sound than a dry gasp.
Don't ycI. now dOnf yer, sald Brown blub6rr-
Ing himself like an overgrown hoy. Mr. Day don't
want no thanks As fer me I'm proud ter know vcr
rom - Neal. I'll he ter yor house tomorrow Won't
come before / II see how tor keep sort o. ,ly Eut
III be loOltn ont fer YER Tom. Iu if sees any one
a sppin' rom III offer ter guide en- ter give yer
time ter get away. An II sen message first Ter
thars one ken trust.
iie wrung the ncgro's hand and watched the tall
gannt fgnre as after q low" Thank you. / thank
you, ONca turned down the narrow path
Ilv col he's had a hard time Brown said and
he pulled out his handkerchief to wipe away the
tears OF honest sympathy.
Slowly the negro walked toward his cabin Even
in the dim light OF the evening he recognized every
familiar stone and tree How many times along
this worry path he had hurried light OF heart and
foot. to his Julio And now like dead man he was