The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-03

Two hours seventeen miles Eight miles
more. Their horses stageer as with quick heay,;
IN, ,Ssx fia Mss. they hey a 5Hsh Sa, f tEu aw mSrs 10 % me north vii,
Is the swift-moving train; away to the right. but
a mile distant. If the Illinois Central Railroad.
It's outline still hidden by the waning light.
The stretch of woodland whose friendly gloom
promises concealment Is dimly visible In the
coming dawn.
three miles are left. The shades OF the dense
wood cover them from all unfriendly eyes. Two
miles more-the fences OF Cromwells clearing
rising sun had not shimmered on the neighbour
ing prairie when they rode into the yard.
Cromwell heard the sounds OF the hoofs-.. al
few minutes both horses we're safely hidden and
all traces of their riders had vanished. Six
hours before train time, in which to rest and pre-
wells wa but three miles from the station.
This station was a little wooden building and
platform beside the railroad track The engine
lay Of about fifteen minutes This was enough
for TT perhaps too much.
The friendly trees extended from Cromwell's
green. Their branches afforded concealment
and shelter and the soft turf gave no echo from
the hoofbeats OF the horses =.
railroad. impressed. with the beauty of this
wooded belt, avoided cutting II: Cromwell,
wandering from the sterile hills Of Maine. was
try Of forest, unlike most Eastern men. he es-
chewed the prairie and remembered his native
d. woods this little spot pleased his fancy. The
woods Of Maine were mere bushes beside these
gigantic oaks and hickories. that were old when
Columbus landed at San Salvador.
The old man Cromwell was Of a rough exterior.
but his heart was tender. and at this time Of life
the glamour Of romance had not worn Oh. -.
Here" said the to his young wife, we will
make our home, here we vii raise our children
The land was then the property Of the United
States. Cromwell purchased II and built his
house amid the forest trees, He was an orisi-
Contact with the world had taught him to be
cautious; a large family OF boys had strength
sne raa his hands as ia sf ;ss grew upon him, and d. at
and backed by his Ave sons, Cromwell was q
formidable, 9pponent for the kidnapPeI to med
die with. He was, OF course, suspected OF being
connected with the TIC. r. r.. hut as the whole
family had rs many DISCUSSES as q burglar and
we're apt in their use. the fcw persons who did
Of the country was some hat under their !nAu-
ence these were the persons upon whom Weener
relied for assistance.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Gregg. preceded by Lucy and the policeman.
entered the car AT Albany. He saw Pierce
watching him. but made no remark. He was
too shrewd a man and too capable an officer 10
be easily caught mapping and he anticipated
Where that attempt was to be he could make no
reasonable conjecture, but he argued Men Of
his stamp wait for opportunity. and II | give him
the opportunity he will surely make the attempt.
My endeavor shall be not 10 give that opportun-
ity Once ] am at Cairo shall feel safe, az there
are always enough low-down men there TO help
nerve and equal TO anything a lady, II she is a
niger, would buy her myself II Dick would
sell her. I'll ask her and see how she would like
the chance II she objects wouldn' invest a
With this determination Mr.. Gregg sat down
In the seat with Lucy and began the conversa-
Miss Lucy. this Is a very disaereeable busl-
ness 10 me. but you know. you see, Miss Lucy
here he h~esitated and was lost for words, Lucy
that confused him the more.
What is disagreenble, Mr.. Marshall
Gregg. Gregg is my name, Miss Lucy-call
me Gregg
Mr.. Gregg. what is disnsreeable7"
20. this catching folks like you and carrying
them back To their masters. Idon't care for or
binary niHRers, but YOU are too white for a mig
ger
Black people have souls. Mr.. Gregg, as well
hard facts too. or what use is it TO a niger to
have a soul and be a slave on a plantation'
There is whSre ny throlosy !. way on Miss
that subject. bur. the preacher always comes out
Of the same hole he went in and on the same side
Of the fence. The next Sunday I would 30 and
,ss or sam hear Is s2m !, Gth soIs man o 60 IN M and ZONE Mrr out ~
and BY they take the hole with them and leave
me nothing. not even the hole 10 look at-and
here ndsJ ! am sT,si United ed. States 81 Marshal nTs1 n ,d,rpsst nm. !
farm and running them back 10 their masters al
SO much a head, expenses paid. Now would YOU
rather belong 20 me than Dick Coverly?"
Does that mean you would steal me for your.
self Mr.. Gregg"
%. no. no, no: no. not that. Ifyou would k,
ne b,ttor and Dicks price is not too hish, will
Listen. Mr. Gregg she replied. Il am not
neither shall | ever be. Dick Coverly's properly
God ,@1 yin never PERMIT that m1nstT9 Sro T1onS Sor,
without his permission. srid GreRg, interrupt
lucy. continued oh. Mr.. Gregg, ! will confess
Richard Coverlev's, but do not invest youl
money in N" | am an uncertain : iece Fl prop.
e eisG;, and N b shnl, !, ys ssiI men w fh,,pSat a. , any ,s THn !,
me SO? What right have you? Look at ths
women in this car am | less intelligent thar
Would you dare to address the humbiest or II,
most ignorant of them ms you do me' Sir.
could alarm this car, ! conldh have YOU e~xecratec
the people the terrible %iniouity going on il
their midst Do Won wish 10 know why | d.
not' Because IT would profit me nothing; yo,
recognized as an INDIVIDUAL i am property
yon could and would hold me; I should injur'
you without benefit to myself. nnd ! think YOU
duty What II were your sister or dsurhter?-
Gregg fastened his eyes upon her excited
countenance.
Il should he proud Of YOU" he whispered
and shoot the man who wronged You. !
feel that you are not vet In Louisiana. and al
though ! wish ] had never underteken Thu
lob. Il is too late 10 retreat. 50 | will fight befor,
] allow YOU to be taken from me. shall d,
my duty. but You shall suffer no harm while II
my custody"
At Buffalo Gregg escorted Lucy 10 q restaurant
table and politely helped her to what she de-
sired. No alluEion was made 10 the situation
again. GregS's glance AT every stranger
who paused to look ut them and a genera
uneasy expression. OF cointenanoe, showed quit
plainly that he did not feel secure, Pierce
disappearance was In itsf I suspicious, for h
reasoned to himself that he would not leav,
the girl. Whenever he spoke to lucy there
was that respect in his address hat did no
really belong to his. position. At lunch h
ing to see that of Pierce, There was no doub
but his present expedition was tho result o
circumstances and was not 10 his liking. Ye
his ideas ~ strict duty were such that when I'll,
attempt to rescue came, he would die in hi
tracks before he would leave his prisoner
The long stretch Of prairie through which
they were passing had no beauties for Lucy. an,
Interested her but little. The horrible fate IL
store for her. should Pierce fail, had a. crushing
weight upon her mind and banlshed all othe
thoughts The ghosts Of former DAYS passs,
weird and ghastly form had Of late seeme'
so distant, now appeared 10 stretch forth IL
hand and gather her in among the. skeleton
and desolations that like a dark phil hung owe
a presence that she could feel rs reality. He
breath came with difficulty. her pulse was faln
and slow,
Chicago at last. After a few hours stol
the train pulled out Of the great city, stretches
lis smoky length across the boundless pIairi