The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-03-05


night shift at table and the faint rattle
of dishes, while the canvas walls glow
ed from the lights within like great
hrefies hidden in the grass. The fore
man. finishing his meal, appeared at
the door of the mess tent and. pauslnE
70 accustom his eyes to the gloom
peered perfunctorily toward the creek.
The watchman detached himsef from
the shadow. moving out into pam
sight and the boss turned back. Inc
two men below were now working on
the sluices which lay close under the
hank and were thus hidden from the
tent.
McNamara's description Of Anvil
creeks riches had fired Helen Chester
with the desire to witness a cleanup,
no they had ridden out from town IN
time for supper at the claim. She had
NOT known whittier he led her, only
understanding that provision for her
entertainment would be made with
the superintendent's wife. Upon rec
ornizjng the Midas she had endeavor-
ed to question him as to why her
friends had been dispossessed, and he
had answered, as 1t seemed, straight
and true.
The ground was in dispute, he said
another man claimed it-and while the
Htiration pended he was In charge for
ne court, to see that neither party re
eeiyed injury. He spoke adro!tly, and
II satisfied her to have the proposition
resolved Into such simplicity.
She had come prepared to spend the
nirht and witness the early morning
eperation, % the receiver made the
most of his opportunity. He showed
her over the workings, explaining the
many things that were strange to her.
Not only was he in himself fascinat-
ing figure to any woman, but wherever
he went men regarded him deferential-
". and nothing affects womans
Judgment more promptly than this OBJ
yious sign Of power. He spent the
evening with her, talking OF his early
days and the things he had done In the
west, his story matching the pictur-
esoueuess of her canvas walled quar-
ters with their rough furnishings OF
skins and blankets. Being keen OBJ
server as we'll as a finished raconteur,
he had woven a spell Of words about
the girl, leaving her In a state OF tu-
multi and indecision when at last, to-
ward midnight, he retired to his own
tent. She knew to what end all TINS
was working and yet knew not what
her answer would be when the ques-
ton came which lay behind it all. At
moments she felt the wonderful at
traction Of the man. and still there
was some distrust Of him which she
could not fathom. Again her thoughts
reverted to Glenister, the impetuous'
and she compared the two. so similar
in some ways, so utterly opposed in
others.
, II was when she heard the night Shift
at their meal that she threw silken
shawl about her head, stepped into the
cool night and picked her way down
toward the roar Of the creek. "A
breath Of air and then to bed" she
thought. She saw the tall figure OF
the watchman and made for him. He
seemed oddly interested In her ap-
proach, watching her very closely, al
most as though alarmed. 1t was doubt
less because there were so few women
ont here, or possibly on account OF the
lateness Of the hour. Away with con-
yeptions! This was the land Of in
sttnct and impulse. She would talk to
him. The man drew his hat more
closely about his face and moved on
al she came up. Glenister had been
In her thoughts a moment since, and
she now noted that here was another
with the same great, square shoulders
and erect head. Then she saw with a
start that this one was negro. He
carried a Winchester and seemed to
watch her carefully, yet with indie
cision.
y TO express her interest and to break
the silence, she questioned him, but at
the sound Of her voice he stepped to-
ward her and spoke roughly:
:, %natr
Then be paused and stammered In a
strangely altered and unnatural voice:
"Yass'm. I'm the watchman."
She noted two other darkies at work
below and was vaguely surprised, not
70 much at their presence, as at the
manner in which they moved, for they
seemed under stress Of some great
haste, running hither and yon. She
saw horses standing In the trail and
sensed something indefnably odd and
alarming in the air. Turning to the
man she opened her mouth to speak,
when from the rank grass under her
feet came a noise which set her a.
tingle and at which her suspicious
leaped full to the solution. 1t was the
groan Of a man. Again he gave voice
TO his pain, and she knew that she
stood face to face with something sim
lister. Tales Of sluice robbers had come
to her and rumors Of the daring raids
Into which men were lrlred by the yel-
~ shcen and vet this was Incredible