Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-01-18
CHAPTER NX
A CLEAN OF HOPE.

lie EcNrc never releuStu MS hoiu oh
my collar till we were out of sight OF
the house, among the cane. think
that held back little.
Come along" he said brusquely.
I'm as much stirred up as you are
about Il; but I've got my senses, and
you've lost yours You want to do
something desperate and foolish"
Let me gol" cried. I'm kill him"
Come along, say, you young IDIOT
What good would It do to kill him3
That would only make things worse
for you and the girl. You want to help
her, don't you?"
"l'n die before ! leave her here in
that mans powerl would"
Eyes, know how you feel. I've got
some feeling myself on the subject.
| I've got plan, too; but ! tell you
natly, Dorr Jewett, II you don't come
along with me and quit your crazy mo-
| ton of taking the girl out of the house
| by force, with those roughs standing
between, I'll go my own way, and leave
you to your destruction"
His words Gained me; ceased to
resist, and followed him as be sirodo
through the cane. His hopeful words,
his strong confidence in himself put
new life into me; leaned on him rs
| upou human providence.
lie never stopped till he reached the
edge of the great swamp, more than a
quarter of mile back of the house.
| II was ovcrgrown with scrub oak and
| cypress; festoons of Spanish moss,
ivy, and other parasites ran from tree
to tree; where the heat had dried the
edges Of the swamp for many rods, n
thick growth Of palm bushes had
sprung up. A serpent wriggled in at
our approach, and cloud Of ravonous
mosquitoes gave us warm greeting.
I'VE shan't be overheard here" said
my companion I'm make a smoke To
save us from being devoured alive"
lie lit a cigar and consumed II with
short, emphatic puffs. ! watched his
face anxiously, and saw that his square
under-jaw was set, and that he was
thinking hard Suddenly no put the
question TO me:
what do you think of me, anyway
norr Jewett2"
A little disconnected by the abrupt
ness of the question, ! presently al
swered, and told him the exact truth
"When first came here, ! though
you were rough and cruel to tn
negroes, Afterward found out tina
you were more rough than cruel; an
still later, | have known you for
good friend"
Yes; that's pretty near the truth
| nafnra I tan Vn,, r,,x, nlan I Wanf WI
10 know enough about me to under
stand that ! am not coming TO you
help blindfolded. ! know the risk, an
I'll face II; and you must know 1t.
told you was born In Pennsylvania
Ten years and more, I've been Il
Louisiana. came down here with
head full of the horrors of slavery, as
had been pictured to me. | suppos
!. the real thing strikes different peopl
from the north in different ways
some might have seen all that Nv
seen, and be confirmed in their notion
of the institution. | haven't beer
Contact with the negro In this stat,
where there are as many Of him a
there is of the white man, has made m
! believe that condition of slavery is
good thing, the only thing los him"
But Coralie-"
Hold on: I'm coming TO her Sue
has been my opinion. n single da
> / am brought face to face with the NJ
Hest aspect of the whole problem. ~
heard Of such things as this. nev'
knew any such personally ! hay
supposed that the facts must be III
torted and exaggerated. Now, there
no mistake. We kRoe what has haI
: pened on this plantation. won
sicken you by reminding you OF viii
! may happen. You'd say, would sa
! almost every planter in the La Fourci
: would agree, that the tEeRtment while
: that beautiful white girl tell you
just as II isis likely to receive at u
hands of her own kin, her half-brot
2 90, Just rs YOU heard him threaten II
= is more than brutal. Sir, 1t is damn
u blel"
!. He stamped his foot in his excit
!, ment.
y And the law would permit it9"
= "rhe law would ask just one que
" ton; Was her mother slaVe2
know what the answer would be
a this case. Nothing else would be !
- garded."
"Must we submit TO such . mo
IA strous condition Of lawP" | cried.
\ He looked fixedly at me.
~ w tn>TlNuFn'
=. DIR. price's Creau Raleiuv po,..d..