Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-03-28

forcing the dugout from under the bank
drove il down stream with might and
main, not ceasing my efforts until / had
gone several hundred yards and was
shut out by bend In the stream from
sight of the spot abandoned. II was
taking startling chances Of detection by
some of the providers along the bank,
but undoubtedly 1t was the best thing
to do. and there was no means Of know
ing il had succeeded in my purpose.
At the first sight Of favoring spot !
again ran the boat ashore and stepped
out Then with my foot l kicked IL
adrift. The sluggish current would not
carry il far before it was observed. but
the finder would have to hunt q long
while to learn its starting point, and
the floating body Of the dead hound
could give little or no help in the search.
This experience had forced me TO ac-
ton which, whatever might be its re-
suit. was preferable to remaining idle
under the bank. Using the sun as best
could for guide, / plunged into the
swamp, walking with vigorous stride
and the purpose Of getting out OF IL as
soon as possible.
My success was more than l antici.
pated. As it proved, I was close to the
edge Of Black Mans swamp, the creek
debouching from it and flowing across
the open country ut point within q
quarter of mile from where emerged.
As yet nothing was seen or heard of
the party that was hunting so indus
triously for me. and surveyed the
landscape with an interest that perhaps
may be imagined. It seemed to me
could not be far from the place where /
entered the swamp on the previous
night. but il was impossible to identify
q single landmark. was in one Of the
most unproductive sections Of the Mis-
sissippi. To my right was cotton
field, few bolls, like fiecks OF snow,
showing what remained Of the first
picking, and in the distance was a sim
liar prospect. To my left the fields,
reaching rs far as the vision extended,
gave no signs Of having been cultivated
for years. On the edge Of the horizon
appeared house, or, rather, grove OF
trees, from which q column Of smoke,
lazily ascending, disclosed that dwell
ing was nesting within their embrace.
Ii was evident that had come out OF
the swamp ut some point quite distant
from where | entered it, for everything
appeared new.
It was to be supposed that the single
dwelling in sight was near some high
way, toward which decided to press,
debating ON the way whether to stop at
the residence Of the planter, applying
for food and appealing to that chivalry
which is one Of the most marked char
acteristics of southerners. Surely l
could convince some one 10 dissociate
me from the miscreant that had brought
all this trouble. When an ignorant
negro like Pete noted the fact with only
the starlight to aid him, there ought to
be more than one white man with pene-
trating vision.
This, say, ought to be the fact, but
my experience on the previous evening
warned me that it was unsafe to count
upon it. had stood for part Of an hour
face to face with mob In the glare OF
q light that showed my face and figure
clearly, and yet every one of them be-
lieved me to be Hank Boyer, and that,
too, when Boyer himself was in the
room and one Of my accusers.
1t must be confessed that my torment
ing hunger was the deciding factor in
the problem. l determined to take the
risk and make my way to the home Of
the planter, announcing myself As the
victim Of a strange combination OF cir.
cumstances and begging that il was to
be lynched l might have the privilege
Of perishing without the additional
pang Of starvation.
From where l stood the ground was
open until q distance Of several hundred
feet was reached, when q zigzag fence
led in the direction Of the house upon
which had fixed my hopes. Here and
there trees were growing, and in some
places the grass and weeds attained un.
usual height. These would afford par.
tial concealment should it be necessary
to appeal to anything Of that nature.
The ground around me remained wet
and spongy, but the rising slope proved
that dry soil would soon be reached.
These reflections occupied much less
time than has been taken in the telling.
Turning my back on the swamp that
had been the scene Of 50 many stirring
experiences, strobe in the direction OF
the plantation, little dreaming OF the
still more extraordinary adventures that
awaited ME.
The most puzzling features OF the
situation just then were the silence and
apparent inactivity Of the vigilantes that
had pursued me into Black Mans
swamp. There must have been large
number of men there, all armed and ac-
companied by q pack Of hounds SEEM
ingly with the ability to. trail an eagle
through the air, but when l looked
around not living man or animal was
visible, nor did any sound issue from
the dismal recesses to show they were
within the swamp.
The curious situation was inexplain-
able, yet it had the best OF causes, OF
whose nature I never dreamed.
With the zigzag fence on my left l
had not walked far when something in
the appearance Of the rails in advance
that were serving me as guide arrested
my attention. Il was as il one Of the
crosspisces that supported the hori.
sontal rails had suddenly become en-
dowed with life. Il moved and wabbled
unaocountably and suggested that per-
sou or animal had something to do with
Il. Stopping short and studying It for Q
minute OF two, the explanation ap-
peared-a man was leaning with one
arm on the top Of the fence and waving
his hat with the other. Noreovef, lie
was q negro. and since his face was