The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-13

I watched him. When his attention was alb
sorbed. | dropped one sentence In the Ian
xtiage Of his tribe. N was the rallying cry OF
the slave hunter on the west coast He turned
10 me. Speak again white man. he said
It's many years since ! heard that tongue.
Hush" answered meet me az midnight
In the old gin house,
Yes, answered he,
No more wns ,aId. At midnight there were
hidden IN that deserted huIdllH me french
p"dler and Dave, the oboe man Friends he had
non" once u leader vi men. now n slave, there
was no craven blood Of "A captive people IN his
veins. \ few words IN his native language were
sufficient 10 ~linlOo-e hs Tongue ana u mat
luonOionols tone that marks the splrlt-brokei
ihHn he narrated his past history. unfolding TIE
hopes and miserirs Of n lifetime" Of slavery
mat night when We separated "" had Inc l"''l-
lhg that he was n free man, ana WIN MS Terrible
Congo onih. agreed To- b' NJ The fork of the rOad
one week from that night, with twenty Of Ray
inond> men and "a many from Va" neighborlng
rllntaiions a. could be- induced Il, 20.
IN all onr talk We had used nothing hui WeNl
Coast dialect. and II overheard would make
no difference. for not n man IN me parish co,l
understand q word. After the interview Stole
back to bed at the ovpr~eers and did not wake
until breakfast time. fcignad sick and unable
Va walk until about ? j. NJ when ! took
the road back. travelled untI dark, pitched the
balance Of my wares into the slough, and made
NV way to the shore, platad and very much eN-
cited. George laughed al me. took the cart and
went back 10 the slough, fShed ont the pack,
burned what was left and scattered The ashes,
Tor, said he, " If any of these things are found
near or in our store the people will move the
earth to find that French pedler. and. il found.
II will be very bad for that pedler
10 this agreed.
Now Brad said George, "yoi are in charge;
whal l. the next moye'
Don't ask mo. George; you have had expert
ence. Suppose You take charge" -,
ho ~" viii BE- Lieutenant: By and by You VIII
Is running this concern want Won 10 take
mis- on Your hands. | will be free enough with
advice. only Won lead on.
Well, replied, lets wait until one week
from Tonight. That will bring il 10 Tuesday
evening. Look NJ tho almanac and see II there Is
n moon -
NO yes: moon sets ten minutes pas, Top NJ"
sad George. after consulting our almanac.
That's fine. by IL II will he dark: N > va will
be here, aud by 3 We will be a mile in The swamp.
let cote bed on that .
Tn" next morning We we're Mp betimes, and
when the first customer struggled along "er"
ready for him, The week wore away A. fast a.
weeks usually do. and Tuesday. the evcntfll
night came At last, as II happened, cloudy but
pleasant. At IOo'clock George a q negro and
myself ~ the pedler. were lying under u i've oak
shaded by the long festoOn~ OF spanish moss
and closely hidden from view This friendly
tree was near the road and at no great distance
from the forks.
Dawes Instructions were to strike directly
toward New iberia, across the prairie, aud
stop under the trees before reaching the
possible from the main road The BAYOU
road was hlt little Used and The road 10 Ray
moudS scarcely any. The main read 10 ope-
lu1saS might have some helated travellers, for
sons often travelled ny night 10 avoid the hot
sun. Dave and his party must come out OF the
Covorlev road (Which was not much better than
p cart track unite near our place Of conceal
ment. and. Rs the trees were some distance
apart. We could seq them
To he continued.