Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-03-14
CHAPTER TX.

CHAPTER TX.
II will be remembered that the night
was clear and starlit. There would be
no moon until near morning, and il was
so new that the additional light was
not likely TO be appreciable. There was
scarcely cloud in the sky, 10 that 1t
was easy TO distinguish objects at . dis
tance of Is OF 90 yards.
The gentle wind was crisp and pleas
ant, and hreafhed deep drafts after my
long confinement in the stuffy room Of
the inn The ozone, with the reawaken-
ing of hope, filled me with delicious JOY.
l was strong and brave.
Such was my mood when was star
tied by the unmistakable sound Of q
football behind me. Ny first thought
was that Archie Hunter had joined his
parent in the search and was trying TO
steal upon me from the rear. wheeled,
revolver in hand. and faced the new dam
ger.
! was looking over IN undulating
meadow which sloped away in tho
gloom beyond sight Neither ON the
right nor left could its boundary be de-
tected. II was at the rear Of the inn.
and therefore led away from the main
road. which dared not travel, since the
indignant citizens, determined not TO
be baked of their prey. would scour the
whole country for me. and IL would be
impossible to throw them of my track.
Though had heard the stealthy foot
fall, could not see anything to explain
it. So far as was able TO judge, no
man was in sight and yet il was in
credible that my ears should have de-
| ceived me.
/ Scanning my surroundings ! Iobserved
that the field upon whose margin ! was
standing was uncultivsted, and o little
10 the left was what appeared TO be q
natural hummock. With no special OBJ
iect in mind. walked toward IL. when,
10 my astonishment, it rose to its feet
with the question:
"Hello. dat yo', Marse HANK"
1t was a short, stocky negro who
thus addressed me, and without stop.
ping TO explain bis blunder as to my
identity demanded:
"who are you?"
"Huh, doan' yo' know Rastus
Brown. Colonel Mansley's niggers"
"what are you doing heref"
The question seemed to strike the Az
rican as excessively funny. for he hump
ed his shoulders and chuckled.
"who yo' s'pose sent me?"
81 haven't any idea"
"Hain's, eh; Yah, yahl Why. Miss
Esther done sent me-"
"what for;"
"Wid her complerments and de
special obquest dat yo'll run like de
debbil."
"Did she say thsty''
"Doan' member de words obzactly.
but dats what she meant. say, Marse
Hank, yo' glib EN- de slip mighty slick.
didn't yo'i'
"How do you know did,
"Seed yo' dot"
"You saw mel Where were you at
the time came out the Window"
"Standin back and bossin do job.
"what brought you here at this late
hour of the night?"
II come wild Miss Esther. She warn't
afeard, but l fought I'd better look
after her cause she am younger dan
me, yo' know"
"And what made Miss Esther leave
her home at so late an hour?'
"Yo' see, de colonel coined home last
night wild de news dat de folks had yo'
locked up fur hoss stealin and dat dey
was gwine to hung yo' fur takin his
pet animal. De colonel was awful
ramparageous and swore he hoped dey
would hang yo' il it was yo' dat stole
de chestnut hoss. fur de colonel dean
seem to hab much love fur a hoss t'ief. I"
"What did Miss Esther say?"
"She didn't say muffin, but cried kind
OBJ quietlike after de colonel had gone
ont oh de parlor. Den she tole me when
ne warn't round dat was to scorch her
dat night from her home TO sartin
place dat she didn't name. So we come
down, and when she found out whar dey
was fattenin yo' up 20 dat 20 would
be fit to kill in de mawnin she made
me stand back out oh de way while she
slipped up and rose de winder and den
slipped of ag'in jes' afore yo' fell out
ON de ground
The meaning Of all this was appar
ent Miss Esther Mansley, if not en-
gagged in marriage to the conscienceless
Henry Bever. loved him desnite his
worthlessness and the fact that ne had
stolen q valuable horse belonging TO her
father. 1t was that feeling which caused
her to make her way stealthily to the
inn late at night under the escort OF her
faithful servant and to release me, be.
lieying / was her lover. The act was
womanlike, and who shall blame her
therefor, even though she knew the un-
worthiness Of the miscreant that had
won her affection?
But after all had nothing to do with
this phase Of the business. So far as
was concerned the young woman had
builded better than she knew. was
breathing the free air Of heaven and
should continue to do go or know the
reason why.
"Rastus, you say Miss Esther wishes
me to run and it is the best thing for
me TO do, but did she say in what di-
rection?"
"I s'pose from her observations dat
che meant fur yo' to run to de debbil,
which am de same as runnin like de
old boy"
"But. not being acquainted with the
country What the mischief are you
laughing att" l angrily demanded az
the negro chuckled.
"Marse Hank, yo' jokin when yo' say
yo' doan't know much bout dis ken.
try"
1t was a waste Of the precious min
utes to seek to convince Erastus Brown
of the truth. ] appealed to his good
opinion Of himself.
"What do you advise? What direc-
: tion is best for me to take?"
"My advice am to head fur Moo Or.
leans and not stop runnin day or night
till yo' got dere. 1t am only free. foul
t'ousand miles, and ! e'pose yo'll goi
tired, but when yo' arrove dere yo'il bs
safe and 20 kin take good. long rest.
L -. a :