The Washington times., 1904-05-22

man to stay mis- hand because MS VIC
tim whistled lively tune.
After a somewhat long trip across
oIen fields the negro. who seemed to
know this region in the dark as a
chicken thief knows the roost that
holds the tender pullets, struck into 4
mean country road thaHled. as I after
ward knew. almost directly northward.
But what walk that was. Mile after
mile we reeled off in the inky blacS-
ness Mile after mile the negro tramped
faithfully to his tunes.
So many miles did we cover that I
began 10 think that after all rumble
aHd 1 had the road to ourselves. 1
could. of course. see nothing OF Lee
FOR did l hear football or sound OF
breathing
1 wished 10 satisfy myself in this
regard but did not. for time. hit upon
plan AT last the doubt became 50
strong that I resolved 20 try a rather
bOiG scheme.
I left the road. crawling through
wretched rail fence. and got into big
field-probably pasture land. judging
from the odor and lack OF evidence that
the land was titled.
Getting about two hundred feet from
the road, ] started in the same general
direction. guided still by the negro's
whistle. and ran at the top Of my speed
To head him or.
This did not take long but I was
compelled, before came uD to him. TO
cross the doOryard OF a sleeping resi-
dence. blissfuIly ignorant Of the comedy,
drama, or tragedy that was being de
veloped along his dusty road
But. although I was sure the farmer
was asleep. he might have dogs that
were not. And indeed. a dog did bark
For a moment Tumble ceased his
! whistling. It was that which had
aroused the dog But. the animal nc.
showing himself. 1 kept on. and Bill
resumed his musical selections
! I passed him and returned 10 the road
At this point low hedge shut out some
pIowed land from the road. 1 crawIed
into this so that 1 was not more thstn
ten or twenty feet from a person pass
ing
on came the whistling negro. When
he got almost opposite me I could make
out his dimly outlined form He was
walking with a slouching gait. the
bundle under his arm. and a great stick
he had picked up-perhaps for defense.
perhaps as an aid TO walking-in his
right hand.
! scarcely bre2thed while ne was pass
/ ing. But my excitement increased as
soon as he was safely past For now I
heard the soft crunch Of a rOOtstep on
/ the grass that bOrdered the road II was
! evidently on the same side that I was.
and I shrank back little IN the hedge
The footsteps grew nearer. and a form
passed me-so near that could almost
have touched il with my Outstretehed
hand. The low, quick breathing was cas-
| lily heard
The man was walking in a crouching
| position, keeping well down by the
hedge. He was making use Of every
shadow that would aid the darkness OF
the night in hiding him
7 was almost tempted then and there
to spring out on him and end his part
of the chase. But caution held me back
The unsuspecting man was certainly at
nv mercy But, II I attacked him, what
would be the result?
( I certainly did not want to kin the
| wretch-not that I would have regretted
1 his timely death. but I had no earnest
I desire TO commit an act that would
place me where Robert Forrest was az
that moment And, II I did not Kill him
with a silent blow. he would give an
alarm that would reach Tumble, and
send the negro OF at run into some
black sea OF the night where I never
| could ind aim again.
allowed Lee TO pass as had Trun-
BILE and then crawled forth and took
up my own silent walk.
| Remembering the words OF the old wo-
man as Trumble had left the house, I
began cudgeling my brains 20 think OF
probable spot where there would likely
be an old boat that could serve as a
That Beatrice and Norah wer( hiding
/ in an cd boat seemed certain 1 knew,
Of course. that It would be an easy mat
ter 20 find an old boat on the shore OF
Onondaga Lake But the negro did not
seem 10 be travelling toward that lake.
In fact. since leaving Syracuse, at the
! head Of Onondaga. he had been getting
farther away from IT,
Then there was Seneca River. open to
the same objection. that Trumble was
not going toward il. OF course. I had
but little knowledge of direction then.
but I judged that If we had d!verged at
all from due north, il was moro TO the
eastward than the westward.
! I thought Of the Erie Canal. but that
Law miles behind US I knew the Os-
: wego Canal came into Syracuse some
where. but thought If Trumble intend
| ed TO visit an old boat on the shores Of
that placid stream he would travel along
its silent tOwpath-
Still. he might not have done so Had
l been in his place 1 would not have
whistled eternally.
I knew there were plenty of small
streams in that part of the State. and
il was perhaps upon one Of these that
the old boat lay But there were few
that were navigable for boats large
enough 10 afford shelter to two women.
The night was advancing and my less
, were getting tired. One hour followed
$ another. and 1 judged our rate OF speed
! TO be about four miles every sixty
minutes.
1t had been about 10 O'Clock when
. Trumble started from his shanty. 1
D wished 1 knew what the time was as we
e tramped along, but / did not dare strike
a match 20 look at my watch.
One reads OF travellers tramping over
unknown ground IN Africa or Russia
or South America. and ones imaglna-
= ton pictures the dangers and difncul-
q ties that beset his path l Rad read OF
! these things and thought l appreciated
= them But l had never done so until
Z 1 followed Trumble and Lee along that
a | country road that night
In the central portion Of New York