The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1906-09-27
DUKE OF
DEVIL
MAY-CARE
CHAPTER
By R DICKSON


CHAPTER l.
THE DUKE.
Serene September night sparkled
On the diamond-Studded Mississippi
a girdle. ~broidored with stars, which
beited the s0mber continent.
Twin columns Of smoke uprose
above the trees. a monsters g~roaninEs
came. the dash OF paddles A blind.
ing glare flashed round the bend. then
straight down the quiet stretch Of
river there shot one dazzling shan Of
light
The steamer Sultana moved AFRO
sanity through the silence. On her
lower decks a group OF "rousters
amused themselves between the land
iags.
The whistle blew. The mate shout
cd: Here, Snowfall, set your head
line ready"
The black man dropped his banjo.
took up a hawser. and prepared to
spring ashore at Degil-May-care
plantation.
Three ladies sat upon the forward
guards OF the sultana. Mrs Ash
ton. Of Iyanhoe. was a slender alert
woman Of SO. with penetrating black
eyes, and hair that Was Just begin
ming 20 turn. BY ten years OF hard
work in managing her own plantation
she had demonstrated an ability 20
take care OF heraelf-and Alice. Alice
sat beside her. a timid little blue
eyed echo Of everything her mother
said. The girls fair hair might have
been beautiful. but Beneath Mrs. Ash
tons shadow Il lacked sheen and Ius
ter. as grass that has grown up color
less IN the dark When she spoke at
all II was d~ididently, and with a
glance al the older woman.
Mrs. Ashton manifested the great
est impatienos to reach her landing.
The boat. TIE river. the negroes. ali
the humdrnm Incidents OF her ordi-
nary route Of travel bored her, and
she did not fell 90 show It.
: The other girl. Anita Cameron
much darker than Alice. with deeper
violet eyes. looked upon this new life
with a curious, II not an eager inter
est. She had never seen the Aiissis-
sippi river until that morning when
Mrs Ashton met her az Greenville.
and brought her aboard the Sultana.
All that day Anita had amused her
self watching the r~oustabouts as they
scrambled up and down the river
banks. putting IN freight and taking
on cotton for the market al Vicks-
burg. But when night breathed lis
peace upon the river. when the stars
came out, when God drew nearer and
the boundaries set By man seemed so
immeasursbly small. a swift rush OF
loneliness bore her back to those be-
loved mountains in Virginia where
she was born. and where her people
slept.
Her aunt and cousin had been kind
enough; Alice extended a childish vel
come. shy and sweet: Mrs. Ashton
had even kissed hcr-Once hut the
homesick girl craved s sympathetic
breast to lay her head upon and weep.
She ga2ed into the silence. into the
night, and wondered what she would
FIND Ia love In this new iife % which
her aunt was leading her.
ANITA, said Mrs. Ashton. pointing
20 the landing, I'VE are coming 10
Deyii-May-Care plantation the next
landing Is IYanhoe
II won't be 80 ungrateeul. I wont
Anita thought, lifted hcv head aud
laughed brightly.
THIS was 20 be Anita home. these
were TO be her people: aea she looked
10 see what manner Of NTH they were
who lived In such a wilderness.
The searchlight blazed on a little
group az the landing. birlinr their
shadows against the bank beyond
There's that miserable Noel Duke
smiled Mrs. Ashton; "the Duke Of
Dovil'May-Care they call him.
Even in the dark Anita could see
Mrs. AshtOn'B Jaws shut r!eidiy.
light as a swapping turtles; Mrs
Ashton had the kind OF jaws that
never compromised, and never Sor
gave
There were only two white men at
the landing. with a multitude OF ne
groes, mules and dogs. Ia that bril-
liant light Anita could see every fea.
ture Of the men, every wrinkle and
every button on their clothes, Both
men were roughly dressed. The
heavier or the two. with the small
blond mustach2, had the air OF q
city man. somewhat conscious OF the
hunting garb he wore. But the other
man wore his %eorduroys. slouch hat
legglngH and spurs as naturally as the
royal stag carries his antlers.
Ia Ha,anHanf IooHfnu bfarI- h.frnn
erect as a soldier. Noel Dukes keen
81 humorous eyes twinkled as he
watched Joe aaifour scraplng fhe mud
on his booiR.
"Oh. never mind the mud, he
laughed, let Il alone we DOM care
~ Jon 90 take o little Maud back %
vieasbnff with you-We've got pien
y ltil wear or
Nrls Ashton teeehed Anilar arm