The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-04-16

him, their long mustaches beaded at the
ends with fair water. Aunt Phemy
stood with eyes downcast. She had the
African instinct of secrecy and had in
stantly caught Robs cue.
"'Tain't nobody went erlong dis way
as / seed," she said; then, dropping a
sort Of courtesy: II hear Sis Liza an
Aun' Why Johnson say las night as
dee coined home frum pra'ar meetin
dee gut er skeer frum some sort er crit
ter. Dee lowed it wus er han't, dar on
de hill by Topmark's grabeyard. 1t wus
long an high, dee say, an groan SO dee
sho' thunk it wus ole man Topmark
done come back case er de way he son
Ben carryin OH sence he los he wife. I"
sob, no, no! Beg your pard'n, Miss
Rob- but that's jest too rich!" the dep
uty said, laughing explosively. He had
heard-who had not?-of Topmark's in
fatuation. If Rob became Mrs. Top
mark No. 2, her influence would be a
thing to covet, for Topmark certainly
carried the district in his pocket when
il came to local elections. The whites
divided always on lines of social or per-
sonal cleavage. 1t was the black votes
which really told for fellow or against
him, and the storekeeper swung the
black vote as he pleased.
Not in set words, but dimly and afar
off, all this rushed through the officials
mind. He had good reason for not
wanting Miss Rob McGregor to remem-
Der him as a rude and pestilent fellow.
Now, no doubt on her fathers account,
she was anxious to have the posse go in
some other direction. So much he read
shrewdly underneath her smiling cour-
tesy, and she should have her way. There
was certainly small likelihood that the
man they hunted lay hid at Roscoe, for
all it had so much tangled scrub. Any
way the chance was too remote to be
worth making her an enemy. Facing
about, he said to his followers, speak
ing low and rapidly: 81 think I've got
q clew. Well ride fer the big nicnGders
an not spare our stock. Good day, Miss
Rob! You be right easy erbout your
par. Eff we had ter chase the Teller past
your gate, they shouldn't nobody make
noise ernough ter let him know what
Was up NOW, - nuru, DOyS. TUT
wretch! I've nothin ag'in him, but it's
cur july ter ketch him eff only we kin. !"
As they clattered noisily away Rob
stepped inside the cabin. The convict
had flung off his woman's garb and sat
with burning eyes in face as white as
death. His jagged brow was beaded
with cold sweat. At sight of the girl he
put his hands upon his breast and said,
speaking as though the words came from
desert dryness:
''They' after me. I'm horse thief,
like they said. More, 1 helped steal
your Lightlady. Pm willin ter die fer
it eff only I L., see Betty one more
time"
"Hush!" Rob said imperatively.
'"Tell US nothing about yourself, except
where you want to go and what we can
do to help you"
"You didn't hear mayby. Oh, you
couldn't! I said helped ter STEAL" he
began monotonously.
Rob's hand went over his mouth.
'That has nothing to do with it,
nothing at all, '" she said. 81 asked you
what you wanted. Tell me at once"
"Gimme er day 8 start. I kin manage
the rest" the man answered, a slow,
painful red burning up through the pal
lor of his face. "Once femme have 80
miles tween me an them thar outside
they won't never fetch me. Oh, eff only
you will-God! Miss, you may kill me,
cut me in little pieces. You can't never
know what it'll mean ter me. "
Rob pondered minute, feeling his
eyes devour her face. Then she said,
low, but firmly:
''You shall have that. pledge my
word for it. Now, listen. You are to
stay here until almost midnight. Aunt
Phemy will stain your face and hands
till you would pass for one of her color
Then at 10 o'clock tonight you must be
at the bridge on the turnpike, two miles
from here. Some one will meet you
there. Never mind who. You can trust
him. He will answer tom when you
say Jerry He will take you where you
choose, as far as he can before morning.
Meantime get file and take that ring
off your ankle and borrow Aunt Phemy's
wallet to carry the food she will give
you''-
'Des do listen at her! She talks like
'longed her same as eber" Aunt Phe-
my said, with little, odd laugh. Rob
put out her hand and touched the black
woman's lightly as she said:
'No, Aunt Phemy. 1 know you are
free, but free only to do good"
n
When she had gone away, the man
seemed to reuse from daze He talked
long and earnestly with the old black
woman and evidently of matters very
near her heart. When at last he had
crept into her loft, and she heard the
loose boards creak as his length rested
upon them, she said, nodding to the en-
bers which smoldered the year round
upon her wide hearth:
"T'ings happen metty quar- in dis
worl an kentry. Oar Ben Topmark. He
rich an strong as he mean, I po' an ole.
Dis yere Teller 'feard er he own shadder
while he stay roun yere, but lay us
puts or spoke in dat big nt'emun's