The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1890-07-11

turn II" II bc poun ter see what thar amt
no ground fur gr"dGe hrGiust ne, long
Of job an his tdiCat1d iuu-ntcr.
So Dan Furniy0I began to make in.
Quiries in all directions. but without sue
cess: the only information he received
that threw any glmmcr Of hight on Old
Gllport's flight was furnished by his SON
Jesse; but this seemed to Daniel of SO
vital Importance that he FASTENED forth
with to carry it to the colonel.
Unlike Roxanna White, Daniel pre-
ferred to approach Thorne Iiill by the
back entrance, anu at the stable he de
lnanded Of Dublin tc see the colonel.
There was not a negro on the place
who would willingly namc a Furuival in
the coloncls presence; but Dublin did
not rcfrye the crrand ne simply trans
fcrr"d it 10 Griffin Jim, who passed it on
to Tom Quash, who appealed to his
grandmother, GIory-Ann, who found IN
Missy a ready ambassador; for Missy.
connecting this visit with her brother
Nicholas. felt burning desire to know
what Dan Furniyal could have 10 say To
her father.
The colonel flushed darkly when he
heard Missy's announcement; like her,
lie thought this visit might refer to his
son, but he did not refuse to receive Fur
niyai. let him come i'll here. he said,
with a coIducss thai gave no hint of the
tirc al his heart: and Missy ran back
across the yard to conduct the visitor to
the office. When he entered she sat her
self down in the doorway.
"Mornin', colonel said Furnival,
with a would bc easy air flows yer
health%'
The colonel returned his salutation
with involuntary stiffness. and, as
matter of course, asked after Furniyars
family.
"Theyre middlin'. I'm 'bleedged ter
ye, Furnival replied ii tone that re-
tlected the memory Of Il stinted Christ
mas. II hearn tell, about IL week past.
colonel, what ole man Gilbert is mi,sin',
along q one d yo' mules Pledge my
word, | nuyer was mo TUX a-hack in my
life; an | amt credited hit none, ontei
las night my son Jesse up an tole me
what was KNOWN ter him; an thought
hit mough, throw sorter light on the mig
gers disappearance, an | come straight
ter give YOU the benefit. Fur, colonel, You
an me las been neighbors, an fricn'lY
neighbors," Daniel proceeded. waxing
etfusive, as ne perceived tine colong'a
growing interest IAN ] aint minded ter
let no recent happenins interfere bctwISt
lis. Ne an Samantha ain't taain Jobs
part
But an impatient gesture from the col
onel warned him that he was senturing
on dangerous ground, and he checked
himself.
.lIi;'s ole man Gilbert what | come
ter report on, hc said after clearing his
throat loudly. "As was a-sayin, col
onel, warnt nuver mo a'ptised in my
life; fur ole Gilbert nas ez nigh free ~
you or me, an fur hin ter up an run
away. What kin you look fur. NJ
seZ |. Ilowsomever, my boy jess, As
done tole me what he has come Oh ole
Gilbert's tracks time an agin, III the
woods, an Jesse discovered, a day OF So
ago, what the ole coon had i hole in the
gronn', all kisered With bresh heap an
ole pot was buried thar, What must Il
hilt power o money. So, putin If
this an that together, | do bnllieSc, col
onel. what tirat ole niger must Of planned
ter get away ter furrin parts, say Ala
bamy or Georgy, somewha, All SO on be-
yon' Mason an DiAon's Line, fur an1ht
we kin tell But he can't a-gatten fur ~
yit, not SO fur but he mought be tracked
Iurnival vas so full of the service he
meant to render that he misconstruel
the colonel's rising color aud burning
ssanee. He knew, indeed, that neither
the colonel nor the colonel. father be-
fore him had ever had Il runaway slave,
and he supposed that Indignation Was
the stronger against old Gilbert because
this trusted old negro had tarnisAed such
record
Hits shame colonel, ez | do de-
clar n cussed shame thet sich Il eleceitful
ole nigger should plot Al plan. an steal,
mon lakly, layin' up Of money jes' ter
rob his owners Of property; an So fur
ole sake's sake, an bein' neighbors an
all, an nuYer no gredge betwixt US, #
you'd mind ter commission me I'll uil-
dertake ter track that ole lypocritter
from here ter Jericho.
Missy, who had risen from the door
step. pale with anger at the first sug
gestion of hunting old Gilbert. now threw
herself flat on the floor, iuterruptins
Eurniyal with 4 scream Of rage. We
doa't have rnnawayo" she cried. And
! ain't goin' to let nobody track my old
Daddy Gilbert; lie shall go if he wants
to-
The angry flush in the coloners face
faded; softer light came into his eyes;
he went 70 Missy sobbng on the floor,
and put lis hand Oh ler head .'Get
up, Winifred.' lie said, with an un-
wontcd gcntlencss il touched him 10
find that lis little daughter felt as he
did in regard ,o old Gilberts disappear
ance.
Let him GO he thnndered to Furni-
val, with asWeep Of lis arm that seemed
to emancipaie old Gilhcrt and the mule
together.
Good Lawd, colonel. Property"
gasped Furniyal.
I'll have none of your interference,