Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-02-18

of Cy came back to him. He knew that
if Hank Boyer had taken refuge in the
negrO's cabin he would make a hot fight
before yielding and would probably re-
ceivo the assistance of Pete himself.
Should that occur the little party would
need re-enfOrcemCuts before reducing
the two to terms.
At daylight Pete, in accordance with
his promise, climbed the ladder in his
calm to rouse me, but when he observed
how calmly was sleeping decided to
leave me alone until breakfast was
ready. Accordingly he descended the
ladder with that purpose i'll view when
he was startled by a knock on the door.
Drawing it inward he saw Cy Walters,
Winchester in hand, standing before
him.
The veteran looked calmly in the face
of the agitated African and asked in
guarded undertone:
is he up stairs, Peter"
"WhO dat?"
"You know who mean-Hank Bey-
r."
AND St'it' ilO ''lii 1 up uNlC'
Ono use Of lying, Pete. 1 know he's
here
Il tell yo', Marse Cy, he amt dere.
If yo' doan' b'lieve what l says, go up
de ladder and see fur yo'sef."
This sounded fair, but the old soldier
knew too much of war to give an enemy
such an invitation to blow out his
h,,,i , ,,; Is 30
''Is he asleep"
"Yaas, he am sleepin," replied Pete,
fairly caught by the question. Cy looked
grimly at him for moment, and then,
lowering his voice to a whisper, said:
"Come with me. Bring your gun
along"
Without protest the negro stepped
back within the room, picked up his
rifle from where it was leaning in the
corner and followed the man across the
clearing over the path that led to the
creek where his dugout lay. Not word
was spoken until they had gone some
distance in the underground, the white
man leading. Then he wheeled about
and demanded:
"What did You mean by telling me
Hank Boyer amt in your cabin?'
Pete expected this and was prepared.
With look as steady as that of his
questioner he replied:
"Marse Cy, tole yo' de troof -
Walters was so angered that he part
ly raised his hand to strike the impu-
dent negro, who, recoiling a step, added:
"Dere's a man sleepin in my cabin.
He looks like Hank Boyer, but he ain t
him.
"What Internal nonsense is this? I've
heard it before. If he amt Hank Boyer,
who the --- is hep
"Dat I can't say, but he amt Hank;
dat's sartin suah."
"How do you know he ism 't?"
"How do l know, Marse Cy, dat yo'
amt him? l know it jes' de same as
know dat dat young man am somebody
else dan Hank"
but | seen him and so did a dozen
others early this night down at the tav-
ern, We all had fair sight at him,
and | reckon we know Hank Boyer we'll
'noUgh not to make any mistake about
him. Why, you fool, he owned up that
he was Hank just before the crowd
rushed in on him.. -
''De scand' lous VILLAIN! He lied about
it He amt Hank any more dan l am,
and I'm tollyble suah | amt him."
Cy Walters was puzzled. He knew
the negro well enough to understand
that, preposterous as were his words, he
himself believed them. Nevertheless
his own convictions were not shaken
In the hope Of reaching a solution he
conducted Pete farther down the bank
to where Gabe HOrner and Archie
Hunter were impatiently awaiting their
leader.
When the explanation was made to
them, they received it with scorn. If a
grain Of doubt had been injected into
the mind of Cy, it was removed by the
violent protests of his companions who
would not admit even that Pete believed
particle of his own declarations
"Hank is there asleep" said Archie.
Hell awake pretty soon, and it will
take hot fight to get him. We had
best hurry back while we have time
They set out to do so, but Cy COM
PEELED them to wait at some distance
while he made reconnaissance. If
their man gave evidence of being awake,
it would necessitatc a material change
in the plan of campaign. The three
might have little faith in Pete's truth
fulness and honesty, but they knew him
too well to fear any treachery on his
part. He would be at their mercy if
he tried anything of that nature. They
explained his course on the ground of
sympathy for the hunted fugitive.
Just before reaching the spot where
the dugout was moored Cy came to a
halt, and Il strange conversation began,
the murmur of which | heard from my
hiding place few PAGES away, though
unable to catch any of the words spoken.
1t was apparent from the questions of
Cy Walters that Pete had succeeded in
raising "A doubt again in his mind,
though it was an infinitesimal one.
"Pete, you still insist that the young
man i'll your house is not Hank Boyer,
do you:"
IL doan' obsist, Marse Cy I knows
it."
"Then you must have some reason
for saying SO which you haven't told
me. What is it!''
Pete had reason which he had not
named and which had he done so would
have removed the last uncertainty from
his questioner, but he lacked the cour-
age to explain its nature. Instead he
prevaricated: