Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-04-13

every pOsSlDle chance 20 get OH tue 18l6uQ
ande on to the main, but saw no way out.
The Hudson was too wide to swim; the
Souid river too bfisterous in either run of
the tide, and even better guarded than was
the land. To pass The Harlem was not pos
sible, both banks being sentried by the
enemy, and thus I was held betwixt 4he
barrier gates" the lower lines, and the two
rivers. In time every foot of this ground
would be secured, and the end looked to be
that / would succumb.
But the end was not yet. I was well
armed and stronger by dram than when
came in. l left open the windows, changing
my seat to the long table, partly stretching
myself along the bench to render me less
conspicuous. From here commanded a
view of the front door and all within the
room, being myself quite in the darkness.
Thus waited for full quarter of an hour
with dead silence all about until the black
brought in my food and candle, setting the
light at the end of the table farthest from
me, pulling down the windows, and drawing
the curtains, though it was far from being
chilly. / was about to resent this disposition
of the candle as piece of imDertinence, as
it barely cast shadow at that distance,
when / suddenly considered the advantage
of being in gloom, and SO let it bide. /
finished everything before me in short order,
and, as though the man had anticipated my
wants, my plate was Immediately recharged
with liberal supply of ham and eggs, while
bowl of bonnyclabber was placed beside it.
Now, instead of withdrawing as he had
done before, the black sat himself opposite
me, with every wink the whites of his eyes
swapping in the light of the distant candle.
After watching my jaws gradually slow
down as / drew near the end of the supply,
and while gave long sigh of relief and
comparative comfort, he leaned slowly for
ward and, speaking softly, said:
"Yous hungry, SAIL"
Slightly" remarked; 81 have cen had
a hard day of il"
.eWho be you lookin' fo'?" he asked, alb
ruptly. @
s'What's that to you, You black rascal?" I
answered with forced fierceness that made
him grin. "Who is the host here?"
"Nat Burns, sab; he's away, sab. looks
to de house den. t'au't you might be
'spec'in' some one, sah."
'Not l." I replied, having no desire to
confide in negro hostlers "Has anyone
been here to-day?"
eyes, sah," he answered, rolling his eyes.
"Heap O soldiers, sab. Deys maxim de
house upset all froo lookin' for somebody"
Looking for whom?" I asked, now
nightly interested.
1.-TWO or free pussons an young gal, sab.
But dey nebber finds dem here, no, sab!
When am you goin' on, sah?"
I had hard work to restrain my curiosity
about those who were being looked for. If
the girl was Gertrude King, aid I felt fair
ly sure of it, then she, too, had escaped ar
rest SO fay though it gave me strange feel
ing about the ribs to think that she might
be suffering even as 1 had been. To his ques-
tion / carelessly answered:
"Not tonight, at all Odds" For at once
considered that if the house had been
searched, it was the safest place could find
in which to abide. o.
"Ah, by the way,"I inquired easily,
know ysa of party named King
good King Gawge."
He held the candle so that for the first
time had good look at him. I saw then
that he was not full FLOODED negro, his hair
being silky and waved, his nose straight,
| with fine nostrils, and his mouth lacking
| the thick lips as his skull lacked the prog
! nathous development of the true African.
| His hide was abnormally black, however,
and his tongue shat of the southern darby
! improved by contact with the pprer speech
of the north. With all its fine points his
| face bore no signs of great intelligence, and
| as he looked at me it was almost expression
| less. 9
| I feared that if it ever had been, the tav-
ern was now no longer a refuge for those of
my party, for it seemed clear that Nick
| Stryker had lost the proprietorship, his
place having been taken by one Burns (of
whom / had never hearG9, whose very host
| ler was of rank tory breed. I was glad I
had not put myself into the darlsy's hands,
now even being afraid to ask for Stryker
| for dread of arousing suspicious against me.
eff yous boun' to stay all night, sab, /
| soon hab nice room, sah, he continued,
while was watching him, and taking the
| light with him, he went out with no apology
for leaving me in the dark. 8
Being alone again, 1 filled my pipe and
| awaited his return with the means to light
it. The difference betwixt the man had
been an hour since and was at that moment
was amazing, SO great is the power of nutri-
/ ment to life both body and spirits. I was
ready for another NIGHTS wandering if
needs be, though thanked my stars for lack
of the necessity. Stretching myses teSong
the bench, was almost doing from sheer
comfort when heard the tramp of horses
in the yard, and the next minute the door
opened and two boisterous voices rang
through the room demanding lights Gand
service.
The violent rafting of chair on ths flear
which one of the newcomers had Used IS a
means of gaining attention, had Isrdly
ceased when the negro returned with r1d
candle. could not see the faces of eiths1
of the parties from my position (which ]
deemed advisable to retain), naught but
their legs showing, but for two they made q
vast noise. The negro, without seeming ts
notice my apparent absence, placed bottle,
and glasses on the table farthest removes
from mine, and the two, after ordering
| meal, sat down and began drinking.
And without stint they drank, if one cou,s
judge by the sound of pouring. the singl,
candle but broke the gloom of tie apart
ment, though it was helped out by the mosn
| light, which strcamed through the soutl