The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-02

not KNOW II. she asked, testify.
III.
That night, when we went to the pasture
for the COWS, Hal told me that he had de-
cided to hide jim in the old well hole in
the garden that night, as it was too swell
tering hot for him to stay in the oven any
longer. Hell die if he doesn't have air,
and the men won't search for him any
more on this place. for they are getting
about sick of it. You hide a basket Of food
in my room so that 1 can get it, and / will
get him out there about midnight. The men
are going away Monday, and he will be
safe until then"
Father had planted his cranberry or
scipio beans in the garden near the house
where the old well hole had been, and the
poles had been set so closely together that
the vines in growing had intertwined with
one another in such a manner that it was
almost impossible to force ones way
through the patch. In the center of the
garden was the old well hole, almost nlled
up with stones and rubbish, and II Jim was
once there ! knew that ne WOuld De com
paratively safe.
Hal succeeded in secreting Jim there, and
Saturday ana Sunday he lay in the well
hole, visited secretly at night by Hal with
water and food. His b~listered feet were
well and we were planning to get him off
the place Just as soon as the men were
gone. We three had emptied our banks
and foufd that we had $25 in all; this we
were to give him to enable him TO escape
secured the country each day while the
other remained at our place., as they be
lieved that he was somewhere around. Hal
had gained permission OF rather 10 take q
load of harvest apples to w. on Monday,
intending to Secrete Jim in the load and
thus get him off the place, and as the men
were going to leave on that day he saw
no obstacle in his way; but Sunday after
noon one of the men, the meanest one, told
I'll 49, - xvn- nAfro IN XN with him
while the other man would give the place
a final search, as they would leave on Tues
day for the South, as they mad lost an
trace of the fugitive. They sWore rOundly
about their dogs, declaring that they had
never acted SO strangely or stupid before,
never suspected that Hal had kept their
noses rubbed with whisky.
Dena and L were greatly alarmed at the
prospect of Halls having company the FOL
lowing day, but we waited patiently, be-
lieving that he would lind q way out of this
difficulty, too: Late Late in MT the a re noon ne
see if the grapes were ripe, and as soon
as we were away from the house he told US
what he intended to do.
THAT man isn't going with me to-mor-
row as sure as my name is Hal Marshall
he began. Il am going to get both of them
is how | am going to do it: You know that
it has been awfully windy to-day, and to-
night | am going down to the pasture and
push the old dead tree which stands near
the bars over on them, so they will break
and let the horses out, and when morning
comes they won't find their span.'
But are you sure that you can do it,
and won't you let fathers horses out, too?'
L objected.
team out that l shall use, and that will
get him off the farm, too. l know that l
can push the tree over, as the roots are al
ready out of the ground and father says
that he expects the tree will blow down
'?But they will be suah to find him some
WaV. dew will cOtch him on the road as
dey all have 'scriptions of him. said Dena
@He must be disguised in some way" re-
piled Hal slowly. He is about as large
as | am (Hal was large for a boy of his
age). and l thought of lending him a suit
of my clothes, but | don't know as that
will help him any, as he might be recOg-
nized and given up by any one eager to get
a cent
we were all silent for a short time think
ing it over. At last Dena said: w could
dress, him up as a woman, couldn't we?
They'S plenty of old cloeS in the house, and
as he's most white, | thinks we could fotch
The very thing. There are lots of old
clothes here that would fit him.. L know, as
he isn't any bigger than most of the
women are, and as soon as he. gets out of
the State he could put on my clothes" as
scented Hal. Get your clothes ready and
I'll fix him up tonight and get him started
on the road by daylight. And say, Nellie,
as soon as you hear the horses are out you
tease mother to let you go with me to w.
Have the toothache or something. can't
your
After we returned to the house I selected
the garments for the new woman" and
managed to hide the valise in Halls bed
room u~nbeknown to any one, but | was 50
nervous that mother thought that must
be sick and sent me to bed as soon as it
was dark. When Dena came upstairs l
got up, too uneasy to sleep, and we two
sat for hours by the east window in the
dark, listening for any sound from Hal.
About 10 we heard the slight noise he
made in opening the door under our win
dow, but it was too dark for US to see him
leave the house. 1t was after midnight be-
fore he returned, and by d prearranged
signal we drew up to our window the fol-
owing note which he tied to the string we
left dangling for that purpose:
"~EVerything is O. X. Found Jim asleep
but woke him up in a hurry, and as soon
as we were out of the beans we cut for the
old shanty at the forks of the road, a mile
up toward w. Then 1 dressed him up.
You'd die if you could see him. He looks
just like any old woman and can talk like
one, too. He'll sneak 'em all right this
"P. s.-The horses are out. We pushed
the tree over and started them off.
IN. B-Ask mother to let you go to ".
Father went down to the lot the next
morning just before breakfast to bring up
the horses; the two owned by the men and
our span of colts. The other four he did
not turn out, as they were jumpers. He
soon came back in CONSERVATION with the
news that the bars were broken and the
horses gone. OF course the men were
greatly vexed. The colts had been pur-
CildStu dDOut lllISeh IullGS lOElD. anu from
the tracks father decided that they had re-
turned to their former home. taking the
other horses with them. AS there was
nothing to be done but go after them,
father took one of the remaining spans and
started in pursuit, accompanied by the men.
Mother was willing to let me go with
Hal and at 9 O'Clock we were nicely on our
way. We had gone about five miles when
we saw a plainly dressed woman walking
ahead of US in the road. CARRYING a small
well-worn valise. So complete was the dis
guiSe that L did not recognize in her the
hunted refugee. In the most natural man.
ner possible Hal stopped and asked her if
she would like to ride with us; then helped
loe. who was driving behind us.
We met many who knew us on the road.
but no one mistrusted that the woman in
our wagon, dressed in brown alpaca, with
a close bonnet and Drown veil, was the run
away slave for whom the country had been
searched during the last few days.
We exchanged no conversation with her
during the ride. and just before we reached
the town she left us, and hobbled off alone.
We had planned that | should be at the de-
pot at train time to know if she got aboard
the north-bound express in safety. while
Hal attended to his business, not daring to
be there himself, for fear of attracting at
tention to our passenger.
We had been in town nearly an hour and
l was just going to the depot when we saw
one of the slaVe-driVers coming down the
street toward us. apparently in a great
hurry. / felt faint, fearing that all was
calmly waited for him. He said hurried
ly as he came up: I'VE got track of
the horses. so Hyde went on with your
father, and / came here on the stage. I saw
Bedloe just now. and he said that you had
it," 'i' 'ii WIN '0"' VINO was
"Oh, some one or other who wanted a lift
on the road. Didn't ask her name" an