Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-09-30

the garden. The renee was high ana
close. and she could not see what was
beyond 1t; but she believed the fields
to be there. and the road not far OF.
At length she discovered, Lot a back,
but Il side gate. To her Joy. it vas un-
fastened. She opened 1t. passed
through, and - found herself in the
poultry yard, where Venus stood with
a basket of grain in her hand, from
which she was feeding a flock of chick
ems that were fiuttering around her.
AT sight Of the young lady. down
went the basket of corn, scattering its
contents lavishly among the delighted
fowls, who FASTENED TO gobble it up,
while Venus ran to the side of Astrea,
exclainiine, breathlessly:
Honey, was you disturbe' las night!
Is you safe dis mornin'y'
Thank heaven. | am safe. But, oh,
Venus, my safety is mOmentarily en-
daI eered. / have not now a moment
to stop to talk with you. | must es-
cape; So"
"'Scaper!' exclaimed the young wo-
man. with her mouth and eyes wide
open with astonishment. 'Scape where,
chile!"
'.ro the cypress swamp, to death. to
anything but the fate from which l
flyg"
Twill be deaf. cen. How you get
out'n dc house widout bein' stoppedT'
Astrea rapidly and breathlessly told,
adding:
'"They think that / have locked my
self in my room. That will give me
sorce little tine to reach the cypress
swamp, and once there, | can lose my
self in its innermOst recesses. Now,
tell me, and, oh, quickly. how ] can
best reach that swamp. For you know
the country, | suppose, having lived
here all your lifeT'
.'Yes, honey; but don't you go"
pleaded the woman, in whose thought
exposure to almost certain death was
the very greatest evil n could en-
counter, except death itself.
Venus, understand me. l must and
will escape from this house, from this
danger that threatens me, no matter
what else | meet in life or death!
Listen farther. IL | escape to the cy-
press swamp there is a chance of life
for me. | may be found by some n
who will believe my story and take
my part. If remain here my death is
certain. For, look here, Venus. be-
fore he, who is even now waiting impa-
tiently for me to go to him, shall so
much as lay his hand on mel will do
thls!" and, suddenly flashing out her
poniard, she placed the glittering
point against her throat.
..Ar-r-r-r-v' screeched Venus, shut
ting her eyes, and opening her mouth
to its widest extent.
Hush! you will alarm the planta-
tom said Astrea, in a low, pereInp-
tory tone, as she sheathed the poniard.
And row, IL You wish to save my life
as well as my honor, show me the
shortest way to reach the cypress
swamp
"Oh dear. Oh, dear. oh, Lor'! /
nebef could 'bide cole steel an deadly
weapons-neber. An de sight o. blood
would finish me in two minutes. Neb-
Der glib me sich anoder scare as long
as eber You lib, chile, less you want to
see me drap down dead afore YOU"
sobbed Venus, all in a tremble.
SHOW me the way, then-or else"
said Astrea, raising the poniard, sig
~nificantly.
Yes, yes, yes. i gwine tor gasped
Venus, in an accession of terror. seiz-
ing the hand of Astrea, and h%urrying
her ON to q gate letting out from the
poultry yard.
The gate opened upon a worn-out
and abandoned field, now grown
sparsely no with high weeds and har-
dy shrubs, such as could find nourish-
ment in it's exhausted soil. A narrow,
disused, grass-grown path ran through
this field.
"Dere. you see dis path? Follow IL
trough dis tier till you come to de wild
fig trees: Cen trough dat till You come
TO de plains-den dere isn't no path,
but you can see de Cypress Swamp
straight afore you. right agin' de sky,
an not more'n half q mile off"
THANK you, Venus: and now n re-
quest more. Pray do not mention that
You have seen me unless you are ques-
toned"
'Who-mc? Not IL / knows 1t! Who
you think wants dcre head bit off for
iettin' Of you go! rot Venus, l tell
you, honey. is tween two fires wild
you an ole marse, You ~t'reaten to kill
yourself IL l don't let you go; an he
lie sure to kill me If he fine out l let
you go. No. chile; amt gwine TO say
muffin tall. l gwine keep a still
tongue in my head. In dis yere ticklish
business. An now eff you will go,
you'd better go 'long! gwihe lock dis
here gate arter you, an t'row away de
key" said Venus.
Thank you, again. and good-by!'
said Astrea. as she disappeared
through the gate.
Venus locked Ii after her, and threw
the key over the fence into the high
Weeds, where it must have been hope
lessly lost.
'Dere. now. Uncle Satan get de
blame o. losin' dat key. cause it's his
business To keep dat gate locked an
dat key safe. which, IL he'd done his
duty. dis gal nebber could o. bullica
me into lettin' o. her trough. cause
why? why. cause l couldn't a. done il
wideuten lie key! Oh, but amt she IL
lamb. ncider? When she t'reaten me
wild dat little p'inard, her eyes flash
sparks o. fire! Who'd n thought Ii o.
her, TO see her so gentle, most times?
But. iors, SO is n wildcat-de softes',
gentles', purrin'est creetur' dat ebber
was till you makes Ii mad. zen take
care o. yousc'f. will You. All o. sud
dint its nuffi. n bat fangs and claws an
tail. all in a blaze o'spittin' fire. He
better take Il she-tigress for a sweet
haorf afapn chAf Che TOO, cna,n ,N,;no.l