The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-05-06

gorgeous. beautiful. had now set In
Of all the seasons Of the year. that mos
loved by the huntsman
This tall. lean man. clad in buckskil
like a savage. brown almost as a say
age. as active and as alert. seemed q
az not i'll with these environments. no
TO lack either confidence or content
ment- He walked on steadily. follow
ing the path along the bayou bank. snC
At length paused for a moment, throw.
ing down his burden and STOPPING e
drink at the tiny pool made by the little
riVulet which triekled down the face
of the blum Here he bathed his facs
and hands in the cool stream, for the
moment abandoning himself to that
rest which the hunter earns. IL was
when at length he raised his head and
turned TO resume his burden that his
suspicious eve caught a glimpse of
something which sent him in q fash
below the level of the grasses. and
thence to the cover of tree trunk.
As he : zed from his hiding-place
he saw the tawny waters of the bayou
broken into long series of advancing
ripples. Passing the fringe of wild
rice, swimming down beneath the
heavy cordage of the wild grapevines.
there came on two canoes, roughly
made of elm bark. in fashion which
would have shown an older frontiers
man full proof of their western origin.
In the bow of the foremost boat. as
Law could now clearly see. sat a
slender young man, clad in the uni
form, now soiled and faded, of a cap
tain in the British army. His boat
was propelled by four dusky paddlsrs,
indians of the east. Stalwart, powerful,
silent, they sent the craft on down
stream, their keen eyes CHANGING swift
ly from one point to the other of the
ever-changing panorama, yet finding
nothing that would seem to warrant
pause. Back of the first boat by a short
distance came a kindred craft, its crew
comprising two white men and two In
dian paddlers OF the white men, one |
might have been a petty officer, the |
other perhaps private soldier.
1t was, then, as Du Mesne had said |
Every party bound into the west must |
pass this very point upon the river of /
the Illini. But why should these be
present here? Were they friends or
foes? SO queried the watcher, tense
and eager as waiting panther, now
crouched with straining eye behind the
sheltering tree.
AS the leading boat swung clear of
ne shadows, the man in the PROV
turned his face, scanning closely the
shore of the stream. AS he did so,
Law half started to his feet, and
later stepped from his conceal
nent. He gazed again and again,
loubting what he saw. Surely those
'lean-cut, handsome features could be-
ong to no man but his former friend,
Sir Arthur Penn broke,
Yet how could Sir Arthur be here?
What could be his errand. and how had t
le Deen guided hfther? These sudden
questions might, upon the instant, have
onfused brain ready as that of this
OBSERVER, who paused not to reflect
hat this meeting. seemingly so i'm
ossible, was in fact the most natural
hing in the world; indeed, could scarce
ave been avoided by anyone travelling
nth Indian guides down the water 2
ray to the Messasebe.
The keen eyes of the red paddlers
aught sight of the crushed grasses
t the little landing on the bayou bank, ?
ven as Law rose from his hiding
lace. A swift, concerted sweep of the .
adde's sent the boat circling out into
Upstream, and before Law knew it
e was covered by half a dozen guns.
lie hardly noticed this. His own gun =
e left leaning against tree, and y
is hand was thrown out high in front y
[ him as he came on, calling out to j
lose in the stream. He heard the u
of the leader in the boat,
nd moment later both canoes u
vung inshore. is
Have down your guns, Sir y
rthur," cried Law, loudly and gaily. 9
We are none but friends here. Come Sc
!, and tell me that it is yourself, and N
1t some miracle of mine eyes. 81
The young man so surprisingly ad- Us
essed half started from the thwart ~
his amazement. His face bent into va
| incredulous frown, scarce carrying 20
even as he approached
e shore AS he left the boat, for an IL
slant Pembroke's hand was half ex
nded in greeting yet swift change Il
me over his sountenance, and his ui'
dy stiffened. as
rs it indeed you, Mr. Law" he
id. 81 could not have believed my al
If so fortunate"
" 'Tis myself and no one else" re- -,
ed Law. But why this melodrama ~
: Arthur? Why reject my hand?" ~
Il have sworn to extend to you no On
nd but that bearing a weapon, Mr. &c
wi" said Pembroke. This may be 90
accident, but it. seems to me the M
,tice of God. Oh, you have run far, Tin
: Law" u,b
What mean you, Sir Arthur" ex- nc
lined Law, his face assuming the no,
II red of anger. 81 have gone where
leased, and asked no mans leave fol- r
and | shall live as | please and ask sto
mans leave for that. | admit that for