Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-05-31

DOndase anu liberty, the meet cIN su
the swift current and touched the far
ther bank. reluctantly moving back
ward, still backward-who knew? Per-
haps forever out Of reach Of the angel
Of liberty, whose reckoning hand they
had discerned as yet but dimly upon
the horizon Of their future.
Then had come the parting with the
governor When this day, that had just
gone down in lurid magnificence, had
been young and jocund. the governor
had given his parting injunc,ions to
Overseer Martin and taken leave Of
them all in his kindly, stately fashion.
You'll get these fellows out to Lake
lock, Martin, and as soon as you have
housed them pitch corn crop. Never
mind about cotton. The place is sd in
fernally far back from anywhere that
you couldn't get il to market IL you
made it. But go in for food crops. Keep
them at work feeding themselves until
this id nonsense has blown over
and we'll settle back on the old footing.
am glad Strong is going with you.
Don't shove the OK teams too hard "
Then the white haired old aristocrat
had ridden away from them as gayly as
troubadour going to do battle for the
guerdon of lady's love, shifting all
responsibility for the well being Of his
slaves upon Eben Martins well paid
shoulders.
How Strong had envied that old
man Of the privileged class riding
away TO enroll his name among the as
pirants for military renown!
1.-The old man seems real glad to go,
said Eben, looking after the slender,
stopping form rehectively, land yit I'm
sho' his heart worn't in this thing at
the fust Of it, s'pose he feels like he
mus 20 in fur his country. right or
wrong. / reckon it's somethin, like If
you or Seth was u git into "A quarrel
with an outsider and Charlie there was
To stan of till he inqr irsd inter the
merits Of the case think it'd be mo-
lax my boy Charlie to pitch in and fight
for his brothers fust and then talk about
it later on. Hey, Charlie?'
At which home thrust Strong had
WINGED The recollection of it brought
the hot blood Ia his cheeks. He had rot
cared to remind his father that "a better
simiie would have been Charlie's inter.
ference in an alteration between his
brother and himself, for he was going
into this fight himself as soon as he
should have helped locate the colony on
Lakelock, and he did not care 10 submit
his own motives to the chilling influ
ences Of discussion.
Tomorrow night my duties a.
slave driver Will end-and then l, too,
shall enter the lists "
With violent start he came back in
to the present Why did he not hear
some sound from the looked for cara
van:s Could that imbecile Sandy have
misdirected it? He was unwilling IN
tax his horse for the return ride He
would need its services indefinitely in
to the future. The suspense grew unen-
durable. He walked swiftly toward his
horse. His hand was upon the tether-
ing rope. He stood still in the darkness,
listening. II no sound from the advanc-
ing caravan was 20 be detected above
the clamor Of the frogs and the shrill
voices Of countless insect rovers OF the
night. he would turn the tired brute's
head toward the mystery and ride to its
solution.
He did detect another sound. Vague
and uncertain at first, then definitely
hurrying feet bearing down upon the
spot where he stood cloaked i'll darkness.
A painting sound. as Of an animal sore
pressed and terrified, then out OF the
blackness about him single figure
emerged. 1t was q woman's. He called
out in sharp surprise:
"Who is it and where are the rest?'
"It's me, Suzanne.
Her voice was husky with her speed
or with terror He could not readily de-
eide which. She came to sudden halt
so close to him that, i'll spite OF the un-
lifting darkness, he could see her tall
form swaying backward and forward to
the rhythm Of horrible chant
"Iknew it. knew it. You was fools.
All fools Nanny tried to warn you,
but You wouldn't be warned. Now
where is they? Ask God Almighty. And
where will you be if You don't mount
that horse and gallop for your life: Ask
de coed Lord that too. come here 70
give you a las chance for your life.
Nanny tol me, come what come, l
worn't never to forgit that she nussed
you and me in her arms at the We y
same time. She say worn't to let u
hair of your head come To harm. You was
fool TO come along with them that
was tryin to drive the folks back outer
reach of freedom. They amt po' quar-
ter folks no longer, they's men and won
en-, and you can't drive 'em in herds no
longer. They don't want to be driv back
to Lakelock, whar freedom can't find
'em. and they amt goin to be. Good
Lord, JUS look at him standin as still
as if he were turned to stone. Co.
Strong Maj iii! II lie is sweet to you,
60"
He laid his strong hands on her sway.
ing shoulders and forced her into SEM
blance of composure.
"Stop Your idiotic bowling and tell me
in plain English what you are shrek
ing at me, if you don't want me To
choke it out Of you. Where are the peo-
ple?"
Suzanne's voice dropped to its usual
slow monotone Her arms We're lmpIis-
oned in an iron grip. She nodded her
head in the direction from which she
had come.
Back yonder. Buryin 'em. "
"Buryin who?'
"Ole man Eben and Charlie Martin. "
His strong hands fell away from her
shoulders. She could hear him choke
with the sudden rush Of terrified emo.
ton. He reeled like drunken nan and
leaned against his saddle to keep from
falling ut her feet.
"Do You mean-dO you mean
The sentence n rtfused to be completed.
Suzanne did it for him.
1.-The people have killed 'em. They
tol ole Eben he mus let 'em turn back
aud 90 down the river 10 where the gun.
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