The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-11-05
Ev MAURICE THOMPSON.
Copyright. .ese and 1885 = Robert Coarcss Sons.

mysterious Pierre Raueau, not per
sonally and directly. but through ar
intermediate agent, and i'll the mean
time had formed close friendship fol
Colonel Loring, whose vast operations
in Mexican mines he had shared.
furnishing a large amount OF money
and receiving good returns upon the
investments. Lately the truth hac
been coming into his mind, and ht
now knew there was no Colonel Lor
ing, no Mexican mines add no invest
meuts at all.upon which his receipts
had ostensibly been based. In fact /
appeared that Pierre Rameau hat
been all this time deceiviug him az;
ro;sterlng in gaming houses ana ofAei
places of iniquity at his expense
simply payiGs him interest on til:
amounts squaudered. Re now saw tt
wnat his years OF Illegal operation;
had brought him, and he reviewed
with q sickenins at heart the whole
dark, hidden life that lie had beer
living; but what was all this to an
other thought which since his severa
interviews with old man Barns hat
shaped itself to such proportions,
that now it filled the whole vault oi
consciousness as with nebulous hor.
ror? Thi5 Colonel Lorlng, this mys'
terious Pierre Rameau, this man
whom all the world of the southwest
knew OF and tremb!ei At but had
never been able TO see, had suddenly
become to him the embodiment oI
conscience end retribution.
And what was to be the end? Mr..
Vernon heard this question echoinG
about in his lnmost heart where ne
kept his wife and daughter Shrined?
What was to be The eal? .Woald they
soon know what he knew? Must his
whole past life be unmasked to them?
But they? They were III danger this
moment! In danger. Had not the
scout said that they were carried away
Ly British detach ment? tie could
not realize the situation; nothing came
to his MUD with listinctness, so blur
ring was the cloud OF his distress,
Bal!anche aud his men followed Mr..
Vernon rs fast as they could ride, bat
did not ovortake him till the plansa.
ton was reached. There they found
it Just as Peevy had said. The house
Was cmpty and silent. \ body OF the
enemy had been there, both horse and
foot, as they could see by the prints
in the sandy soil all around. Most OF
tae negroes were hiding in the swamp
or in the tail grass OF the salt marsh
to the eastward.
Mr.. Vernon leaped from his horse
and ran into the building; but there
was nothing to greet him save the
sound of his own heavy footballs.
When Lieutenant Bsllanche came
rr. he too rushed into the house and
yazed eagerly around as he hastcued
from room TO room.
An old negro woman was found
hiding in a corner OF the kitchen pau.
try. whittier she had run OH hearing
their approach. From her they maa-
aged to get pretty complete account
OF what had happened. 1t was, il
substance, the same story as that tod
by Enos Peery. The ladies, Including
little Lizette I.apiu- had been carried
avav BY n band of soldiers. The poor
old soul was still so frightened thai
her eyes rolled white and wild, and
she stammerei so that she could hardly
sneak.
Tie rain was still drizzGrg, blown
along by wind from Borgue and the
marshes. In every direction, gray
and dim, the country stretched out,
with not moving thing in sight save
the tossing trec-tops, the waving horse.
tail Grass and the waterfowl beating
along the shore-lines of bayou AMI
lake. 1t was landscape which might
have we'll served the artist OF loueii-
ness.
Mr.. Vernon aud Lieutenant Bal
lancne went ou. of that desolate hoaSe
and remounted their horses. There
was nothing left for them to do but tc
90 back to their duty in the army OF
jackson.
It was just as they passed through
the gate OF the close that shot raut'
out sharp and short down IN the
woods beyond the road.
Lieutenant Ballanche was all atten-
.iou at once; he ordered his men to
fall into line. Another shot, aud then
a scattering sputter of musketry fol.
lowed. A moment later, Enos Peevy
skulke1 >oss'
draped trees some hundred yards
away. He was STOPPING low, traiiinS
his long rifle aud running rapidly
toward t"em.
Ballanche understood the situation
at a glance, and formed his men ia
onen order behind the fence that
fanhed the road on one side.
Peevy soon came up anu sso22s"
behind tree to ram home bulies IN
his gun. They saw him uusscp the
power ho"1 with lis teeth and care
fully Eli the pri,nidg-pen. Eallaaeh'
rode close to him aud spoke in 10"
tone:
"Whcrc arc they, peevy?"