The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-11-30

u uHhS swan III Wralthl1ko cOlOuuaueS
holding high above the oozy earth
vaulted intricacy Of leaves. Big rough
parked vines writhed and chung about
the great bolls. Now and again va
grant arm of them made dangerous
loop across the blind path that led in
from the firmer land.
1t was the barest ghost of footway.
more slnuous than serpent S trail. The
placks alone knew it's windings. OF
ther- Oily few could follow it to its
ena-the runaway's refuge, deep in the
swamp heart. 1t crept, writhed, twist
ed, from root to tussock, from tussock to
fallen stem. He who strayed from it
took his life in his hand, for on either
side lay mlre and quicksand yawning to
swallow him and leave no trace.
Swiftly yet cautiously Yellow Jim
ran along it, half bent, staff in his
hand, with which he tried each farther
foothold. His master at his back walked
upright and confident, as though he trod
a dancing floor. Yet he knew to the full
his peril-the deadly ooze, the deadlier
things that lurked and crawled therein.
The passion of atonement had fallen
away from him. To his heart he began
to say that his bullet was sent well
home. What if the dead man had not
quite despoiled his home? He deserved
death for the treacherous thought Of it.
No-he would escape! Jim would
keep him safe tonight. Tomorrow he
would-but why plan before the event !?
They had been walking two hours now
as they came to little open glade he
stopped short, saying hushedly, though
none could possibly hear:
''Wait, Jim. l must talk to you lit
tle-as soon as I can catch breath. -
No, no, Marse Carroll-we muslin It /!
It's dangerous Jim painted over his
shoulder. "We can talk as we go-but.
oh, me! All I can say is-if-if this
had to be done, why not have let me do
it?"
We will not speak of that Austin
said. "What bothers me now is my
will. I made it the year after I brought
my-brought Lisette home. If I die
childless, everything but my bank stock
goes to my fathers nephew, Austin
Reid Even you will belong to him. /
cannot bear to think Of that
81 like Marse AUSTIN Jim said
soothingly. "Don't you worry about
that. He's as much Austin as w-you
are. Besides, you will get safe out of
this. Once we are come to the creek I
can block the trail SO the sharpest nosed
hound in the county can't follow it,
"What They would dare to set them
on my track p' Carroll said hotly.
Jim nodded, saying sorrowfully, under
his breath:
ST know they will. That is why we
dare not stop. F"
"Lead on, thenl'' Carroll cried, max
ing great forward stride that landed
him knee deep in the morass. Jim
caught his arm and drew him to firmer
footing, then ran forward, staff in hand,
bending lower than before to scan and
search their pathway.
ooh, if only you had let me do itp'
he murmured again, half under his
breath, prodding what seemed coiling
root III front Of him. AT the touch it
sprang to ife-there was swift lance
like spring, deadly uncoiling, slip
ping into the murk of something as elu-
sive as the Pickering moonbeams. Jim
fell as though shot, moaning out:
s'The cotton mouth The cotton
mouth 1t struck me here-on the big
vein-in the neck. I am as good as dead
now. o God up in heaven, let me live
long enough to save N.Y.
"Jim! jim! You cannot die! You
must not say you shall noti'' Carroll
cried, dropping down on the earth be-
side him and raising his head. 81 say
you shall not'' he repeated. ''Here, let
me suck the wound, then I will run
back for help. Never mind what it
means to me. You shall not die in this
fearful place!''
"Don't, if you love me-don tip Jim
moaned, writing where he lay. "You
cannot save me-nothing can. There is
fire in my head now. 1t will soon be in
my heart Don It, don't leave-not till
the end p
"Oh, Jim, my dear old Jim % Carroll
said, catching both his hands. "My
Jim, will net leave you, but how can
I let you go this way? There must be
some help. At least let me try?''
s'There is none. You onght to know
that as well as 1" Jim said, gripping
his masters hands hard between his
writings.
His speech began to come thick, his
teeth to set. He half raised himself
upon his elbow and said in the others
ear:
"CarroH, I'm dying fast. Call me-
brother once-just once-before the
end %
"Brother-my brother! The best, the
most faithful in all the world!' Carroll
sa1d, With dry lips, raising the poor
head to his breast. "We are going away
together he said, after breath. 81
am glad of it. ] had rather take you
with me even thus than to die knowing
that my thoughtlessness had left you
another mans property"
A minute Jim lay still. Then he
dropped dellrlously to earth, laid his