The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-25

the island--nothing could persuade them.
Even Moussa, who is a faithful boy
enough, would, as you have seen, leave
his master I'm fever rather than remain
for the night. If we are 10 continue 10
run this place we must reassure our mig
gers, and don't know any better way OF
doing it than by putting in night there
myself This is the third night, you see,
so / suppose the thing is due, whatever
it may be-"
Have you no clue?" 1 asked. WAS
there no mark OF violence, no blood stain,
no foot prints, nothing to give a hint as
to what kind of danger you may have TO
meet
Absolutely nothing. The man was gone
and that was all. Last time 1t was old
All who had been wharf-tender here since
the place was started. He was always as
steady as a rock and nothing but foul
play would take him from his work.
We'll" said I, 81 really don't think
that this is a one-man job. You friend
is full of laudanum, and come what might
he can be of no assistance to you. I GU
must let me stay and put in night with
you at the cooperage."
well, now, that's very good OF you,
Meldrum," !. said he heartily, shaking my
hand across the table. ITS not thing
that I should have ventured to propose,
for It Is asking good deal of a casual
visitor, but if you really mean it"
Certainly I mean it. If you will excuse
me moment I, will hail the Gamecock
and let them know that they need not ex-
pect me-
AS we came back from the other end of
the little jetty we were both struck by the
appearance of the night. huge blue
black pile of clouds had built itself up up
on the landward side, and the wind came
from IL in little hot pants, which beat
upon our faces like the draught from a
"a TTs,yl.. 3nktx tIa fstxr
was swirling and kissing. tossing little
white spurts of spray over the planking.
"Confound itr' said DIR. Several I'VE
are likely to have a flood on the top of
all our troubles That rise in the river
means heavy rains.in the up-country, and
when 1t once begins you never know how
far 1t viii go. We've had the island near
ly covered before now. Well, We'll just
go and see If Walker Is comfortable, and
then if you like well settle down in our
quarters"
The sick man was sunk in a profound
slumber, and we left him with some
crushed lines in a glass beside him in case
he should awake with the thirst of fever
upon him. Then we made our way
through the unnatural gloom thrown by
that menacing cloud. The river had risen
so high that the little bay which 1 have
described at the end of the island had be-
! come almost obliterated through the SUBJ
merging of its ffanking peninsula. The
great raft of driftwoed, with the huge
| black treee in the middle, was swaying up
and down In the swollen current.
That's one good thing flood will do for
us, said the doctor. at carries away all
| the vegetable stuff which is brought down
| onto the east end of the island. 1t came
| down with the freshet the other day, and
here 1t will stay until a flood sweeps It
out into the main stream. Well here's
nd
here is my tobacco pouch, and we must
try and put in the night as best we may"
BY the light of our single lantern the
| great lonely room looked very gaunt
and dreary. Save for the piles of slaves
and heaps OF hoops there was absolutely
| nothing in it, with the exception of the
mattress for the doctor, which had been
laid in the corner. We made a couple
of seats and a table out of the slaves
| and settled down together for long vigil
! Several had brought a revolver for me-
and was himself armed with a double-bar-
| relied shot gun. We loaded our weapons
| and laid them cooked within reach of our
| hands. The little circle of light and the
black shadows arching over us were SO
| melancholy that he went off to the house
| and returned with two candles. One side
| of the cooperage was pierced, however
! by several open windows, and il was only
| by screening our lights behind slaves that
we could prevent them from being extin-
| guished.
| The doctor who appeared to be a man
| of iron nerves, had settled down to a
book, but I observed that every now and
then he laid Il upon has knee, and took
an earnest look all around him. For my
| part although tried once or twice to read
I found 1t impossible to concentrate my
thoughts upon the book. They would al
ways wander back to this great empty
silent room and to the sinister mystery
whlch overshadowed it. / racked nv
brains for some possible theory which
would explain the disappearance of these
two men. There was the black fact that
they were gone, and not the least title
of evidence as to why or whittier And
here we were waiting in the same place
waiting without an Idea as to what we
were waiting for. I was right in saying
that II was not a one-man job 1t was
trying enough as IL was, but no force
upon earth would have kept me there
without "a comrade.
What an endless, tedious night 1t was!
Outside heard the tapping and CUR
Cling of the great river, and the soughing
of the rising wind. Within save for our
breathing, the turning of the Doctors
pages, and the high. shrill ping of an oc-
casional mosquito there was a heavy ST.
lence. Once my heart sprang into my
mouth as Severalps book suddenly fell to
the ground and he sprang to his feet with
his eyes on one of the windows.
Did you see anything, Medrum?'
mo Did your"
"Well, had a vague sense OF movement
outside that winC9w." He caught up his
gun and approached 1t. mo. there's
nothing TO be seen. and yet I could have
sworn that something passed slowly
across it,"
"A palm leaf, perhaps" said l, for the