The Penn's Grove record., 1894-07-13
FAITHFUL PETER.

from the river.
One was undoubtedly Il mar Of
wealth, and, by his dress, a planter
Of the neighborhOod. He wore a suit
Of spotless linen; boots, the tops OF
which reached above his knees, while
his head was covered with a broad
trimmed Spanish sombrcro. He was
rather c~orpulent in build, and his en-
tire carriage %betokened that he had
never wanted for the comforts and
luXuries Of this world
His companion presented a strik.
ing contrast. He vas shabbily, nay,
even sloven Y and scantily attired,
and the coarse garments hung upon
an attenuated frame which seemed
scarcely able TO hold itself together.
The face was drawn and pinchcd,
and stamped with an idiotic and
somewhat sinister expression. He,
too, wore a broad trimmed hat, but it
was made OF rushes loosely plated
Into shape. His feet were uncovered
save for a goodly coating of alluyial
soil through which their owner had
recently passed.
The two men had been walking
one behind the other, for the path
was narrow. but as they emerged into
q small opening they paused and the
planter began:-
ut is u ticklish piece Of work !
ask you to perform, Ephraim, but l
know that you possess the courage to
carry it through, and as it requires
no great physical exertion, thoSa
a%gue-shaken limbs of yours will provo
equal TO the occasion"
Il don't keer much what it be,
Squire, so as you pay well an I don't
run no risk. | amt skeered conSid-
r'abic of gators an snakes an sech
things as crawls about in the 3wampsr
nor much about niggerS, but the
Sheriff, Squire, Tor, when l thinks OF
him, my bones shake an rattle to.
gether like coffee beans in a dry pod
when the winds a-blowin'."
"You need have nc fear OF the
Sheriff." replied the planter, ''for |
shall give you money enough to take
you out of the county, and for that
matter, out Of the State when your
work Is done. Now, listen, Clayton
Carroll, my half-brother, is Il rich.
MANN fact, he is enjoying prop;
erJy which by rights is as much mine.
as it is his, for we were born by the
same mother. but his father happened
to be Weather than mine. All that
/ possess is a portion of what was my
mothers estate
"But / heerd''-broke In the
Cracker-"that you an the Colonel
was good friends, and that you would
git a pile o. money when he died"
THAT may be" returned the other,
grimly, ''but while n is waiting for
a dead mans shoes his feet may be-
come sorely blistered. I'll tell you,
Ephraim"-went on the sleek villain,
assuming a confidential manner that
greatly flattered his ignorant and
low-born companion. II have lost
heavily of late, in fact shall be ruined
unless my prospects brighten immedi-
ately and confidence is restored in
my financial standing"
"Wby don't you ask the Colonel to
let you have a little money!"
~ have asked him for too much al
ready, and know that l should be re-
fused"
swell, what do you want me to
dor"
"Kill him." Kissed the villain.
"Eh? Kill him?"
aRpLnN T., ,,l1t I rnI1 C,r', sos,
are not afraid to do such a piece OF
work, for l well know it would not
be the first job OF the kind in which
you were concerned"
The Cracker WINGED noticeably at
this allusion, but fastened to reply:
'There's a heap of difference,
Squire, between bangin' a niger on
the head an chuckln' him into the
creek for gator feed. an q man like
the Colonel, yes, a heap O. differ
ence."
Sand as much difference in the re-
ward, was the cool rejoinder. "For
the one you received nothing, aud
were obliged to remain concealed in
the swamps, . hunted thing, until I
came to your assistance and straight
encd you out in the eyes of the law,
while for The other I will give YOU
gold enough to make you rich"
That's al right, Squire-but the
black man an l had had trouble to-
gcthcr-then again, we fout it out
manifestation, an twas only by luck l
got the best O him. But as TO the
Colonel, l got nothin' agin him."
"Nothing against him? Why,
wasn't he the INT who was most
active in the search for you, Offering
a reward for your c~apture?"
"That's afore he knowed the whole
story"
''But he never would have known
the whole story until too late to save
your neck, if it had not been for me-"
Then as though tired of working upoa
his companions gratitude, the planter
changed his tactics, and in an ag-
grcsivc manner said:
"Now, what shall it be, Ephtaim?
VIII you agree to do this work, or
would o rather stretch "a piece Of
hemp with n end secured to tho
limb Of a tree, and the other kEOtted
about that miserable neck Of yours?"
'I'm Altered it'll come to that,
any way," replied the Cracker, in.
voluntarily raising u hand to tho
soilcd cellar of his shirt
"But what'll it be, SQuircP Co Oh,
I'm listcnin'."
"A hundred dollars now, and
thousand when the work is complete "
'Hcap o. money. How is it 10 bc
Gonc?"
"11l tell YOU The Colone has had
trouble with a steamboat captain
whose craft passes uD the river about
shutdown. He will stop, as is his
custom, at the landing Just above
here, until morning. Now then, II
that worthy brother Of mine is found
dead at daylight, who will tho PEG.
Pie suppose committed the deed2
Why, his known enemy or course, the
captain. l will enhance the belief
o. plausible and conclusive argu-I
giving you en- opportunity to-
u ape. Sce?" !
~, - ,oI.nrol