Oxford Democrat., 1899-03-21
CHAPTER XIII.

stepson to know that they had moved
down stream. Therefore shaped my
course in the opposite direction.
1t Was perhaps 100 yards or more
from where had crossed ON the curv-
ing tree trunk that had paused once
more To listen for sounds If my pur-
suers. Instead Of hearing anything Of
that nature, heard splash In the wa
ter to my left. Curious To learn what
it meant. took single step forward
and looked up and down stream.
A couple Of rods of / saw dugout,
with an aged negro sitting in it care
fully padding with single oar. There
was u bundle Of something in the front
Of the primitive boat, but could not
identify IL in the gloom. The black
mans back was toward me. so that be
was ascending the sluggish current in
the opposite direction from that taken
by my pursuers. The negro wore q
dilapidated straw hat, through which ]
caught glimpse OF his grizzly wool.
Despite this sign Of age, his shoulders
were erect, and evidently he was man
Of great muscular power.
he was padding with such care and
moving 81 slowly that formed the cor
rect conclusion regarding him. He lived
somewhere in the depths Of Black Mans
swamp and had been out on foraging
expedition aud was now returning TO
his home with the proceeds thereof.
Aware that he was suspected Of such
doings and knowing he would be pun.
isbed IL detected, he was stealing his
way back with all the care he could
command
Having been guided mainly by the
impulse Of the moment thus far, acted
upon the thought that came to me.
Hold ON there. uncleI"
The negro turned like q flash. Even
in the obscurity could understand the
expression Of mortal fear on the ebon
countenanoe as he held the paddle sus-
pended as IL unable to stir or speak.
Stepping out from the shadows 10
that he might see me. added:
Come inshore. don't mean To
hurt you.
My assurance partly removed his
panic, and, dipping his paddle into the
water, he sheered the dugout up to
where was standing. I perceived that
he was wearing large horn spectacles
and took him to be fully threescore
and ten years old.
Whats your manner" / asked. try
ing "a throw note Of kindness in my
voice.
Pete" was the reply in the accent
Of his race. l noted that he was atten-
lively studying my oounteDance. as il
trying To solve my identity. l expected
each moment to hear him address Ine
as Hank Boyer and was surprised that
he did not do SO. Finally he asked in
quaking voice:
"Who am yo'i''
"Dou't you know me, Pete:" asked,
shifting my pose so as to permit the
star CLEAN to fall on my features. The
spectaclcs moved first on one side and
then ON another as he peered into my
countenance. Curious to learn his rea-
son. / asked:
"Don't you know Hank Boyer, Pete!"
IL hab knowed him eber since be- was
q pickaninny. Yo' look good deal like
him, but yo' amt him; da,'s sartin."
was astonished Under the glare Of
the lamps and when the sun was shin
ing every white man whom / encoun.
tered was unshakably convinced that l
was Hank Boyer, the criminal. And
now in the dim obscurity Of Missis-
sippi swamp an old negro wearing horn
spectacles read the truth. With my vir-
tual declaration that was Boyer he de.
clared such not to be the fact.
"Well, Pete. You are right, said.
81 am not Hank Boyer. l am from the
north and Until short time ago had
never set foot in Mississippi. Every one
whom have met with the exception OF
you believes am Hank Boyer"
Cause dey am u set oh blasted
fools" was his contemptuous reply.
"Yo'r voice don't sound like his. Dat
is not much, dough it's little, and
and-somehow or oder yo' don't seem
like Hank, and yo' amt him."
That was probably the best way OF
expressing it.
1t looked as il Pete might be made
the valuable ally Of which stood In
need.
"l have been taken for Hank Boyer"
I added, "as told you, by every one
but you. Hank stole horse and then
slipped away. and the mob made me a
prisoner. They would have hanged me
if hadn't escaped last night, but they
are hunting through the swamp for me. "
"War dat yo' gun dat ! heerd go of
awhile ago?"
1T was my pistol. shot the blood
hound that sprang at me. Tomorrow
there will be 90 men hunting through
this swamp for me with lots of dogs
Pete, were you ever slaye?"
Reckon war;" he chuckled.
"Runned away befo' do wah and hid
in dis very swamp. and helped oders
to hide. I staid heah for more dan a
yeah, and den wouldn't hab come out if
hadn't wanted to-"
"You are the man am looking for.
Will you give me hiding place till
am able to get outof this Internal neigh.
borhood?"
expected an instant compliance with
my request, but the African, holding
the PROV Of his dugout against the
bank, remained silent. I didn't under
stand it.
81 will pay you good sum Of money,
more than you ever made in years
work"
"It amt dat, boss. doan' want no
money. but yo' see l may rs well tole
de truf-wheneber anything goes wrong
In desc parts dey lays It to ole Pete. De
fust ting dem folks will do tomorrer
will be to come to me and AZ wbeder ]
hab seen yo'. OBJ course it will glib me
great pleasure, boss, to lie like de deb
bill, but I'm afeard it won't help yo'."
II have no wish to involve you IN
trouble, but you can give me directions
or tell me where / can hide until there
ID show for getting out Of the swamp
After that III take my chances.
II guess dat kin be done. but it's
scand'lu de way eberyt'ing am laid
ON to ole Pete. Why. II some folks seen
dat bag a-layin dsre IN de- dugout with
de end tied up, dey would b mean
'nough to 'sinooats dat Pate bad been
wisitin some oh Do henroosts oh do
white folks 6het upi''