Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-08-30

for Maude, whose propensity for croSS'
country riding made him expect to see
him appearing across the field even az
night. He saw no one, however, and
turned at trot to go back to the house.
His mare SHE'D at something White
cleaning in the moonlight, and Caring"
ton. dismounting, found an ear Of corn
He looked at the ground closely and saw
fresh wheel tracks in the turf. Who could
be hauling corn across Maj. TaZewells
field at night? He examined the hoof
marks and thought that some were going,
some coming. 1t looked as If several
wagons had passed. He followed the
tracks over the billowy field.
Suddenly he saw light in corn house
below a dip in the hill. Hugh tied his
horse to a sassafras sapling, and keeping
behind the ridge, went on some hundred
yards. A wagon was backed up against
the crib, from which several planks were
pried off. The sound of shovels and Of
corn striking the wood of the wagon
came to him distinctly. Some one was
stealing corn with hardly an effort at
concealment, and the overseer's house not
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quietly up, in the shadow of the crib, to
the team, jerked the check line and gave
the saddle horse a punch in the flank.
The team moved away from the corn
house. Whoa yelled a voice. The
team stopped. Hugh slapped the line on
the near leader and punched the saddle
horse again. whoa! Whar you
gwine?" shouted the voice again, and
mans face appeared where the slabs had
been wrenched loose. 1t was the bewhis-
kered and grimy face Of the overseer him
self.
Darlington stepped forth into the moon
light "Well, Mr.. Scroggs," he said,
''this is the most open piece of stealing l
ever saw"
Three men dropped from the corn
house simultaneously. Two Of them had
shovels; Mr.. Scroggs had the iron rod
of the wagon gate.
'"Theres only Mr.. Caington," said the
negro. "Come on"
"Shut up, you black idiot!' the over
seer said, Selling the negro by the arm.
How are you, Mr.. Ca'ington? We're
only moving some corn to the depot. We
got a car side-tracked thar an are sorter
pushed fer time. Bring yo' team back,
AL"
"You lie, Scroggs," Darlington said,
quietly. "Since when have you shipped
corn on the carp
"Suhr' cried Scroggs, advancing In
threatening way. At that the third man
dropped his shovel and ran. The other
two faced Hugh. 1t looked ugly for him,
but at that instant he heard the sound
Of light footballs on the turf, the steady,
long gait of a thoroughbred in a gallopr
not the scurry Of loose horse in a pas
ture.
''This way, Maudev yelled Hugh, in
the hope that it might indeed be he, and
closed with the overseer. He caught the
iron rod on his arm as it descended, and
the negro's shovel came down On his
shoulder at the same time; but clear on
the night air came Maude's CHEEKY voice,
CAN right, old chap" and the quicker
beats of a horse at a run. Twice more
the shovel came down with heavy
swing on Darlington. The overseer fast
ened his teeth in the hand clutching his
shoulder and tried to wrench himself
loose. Hugh held on, and with his free
right raned blow after blow on his head,
and as Maude came up, butting the breast
Of his horse into the negro, the overseer'S
teeth loosened and he slid to the ground.
The negro ran, lodging behind the corn
house. Not far off was a post-and-rail
fence; over this he flung himself. and
made off diagonally up the next hill.
GIVE me something to hit him with,
Maude cried, and Hugh handed him the
rod of the wagon gate that had dropped
from the overseer's hands.
"Come on, old fellow" said Maude to
his horse, trotting towards the fence
slowly, in order that the horse might not
get too close before seeing it.
Crack went the rail, and the splinters
flew. The hunter had struck the top rail
heavily. but his weight carried him
through. He came down badly and al
most went on his knees, but Maude gath
cred him, and he found his stride direct
ly. A short run, and they were on the
negro almost before he knew it. Maude
struck him with all his might, as he pass
ed, swinging the rod from above his head.
The fugitive dropped, and the English
man turned back. Darlington was bind
ing up his hand. The overseer sat up in
the moonlight You'll pay for this, Mr..
Ca'ington," he said, you an yo' English
friend. You'll find po' mans got some
rights"