New-York tribune., 1908-05-24

for me ter be 50 tickled at pa a putin another
woman in mas place; but l hahn car1n 50 much
Them Children OF ourn ar slghtfui, ana theE need
she's gettir, lettln alone her own what has ter pe
KEEP n line.
lack gave her hand q squeeze that spoke volumes.
THE n1errirlent was at its height, when Bud
Harkens gallOped down the road and drew rem
At the Tarbutton cabin. Putting his hands toget her
he shouted through them IN at the open door'
Levee's broke at Eight Mile. en- ther watah S a
comm like bazes, and was gone before the pane
stricken rnerrVrnakerS could question HIM. he
dwellers OF the BarracaW know too we'll the meaning
Of that warning Horses and mules were saddled
wagons geared and women and children ran PeIlrleI
down the road and UP the road and along byPaths
ike frightened rabbits scurryng TO cover each IN
tent upon saving their poor possessions ana the I'VE
TaCL Graham led his mule TO a stump and beck
,re.5 10 Nancy You'd best come along with me,
-aIIse Lens got his hands NOR full with his ole
woman en- all them kids. Their hahn more II time
ter q1t YOUR clothes and make Tor ther settlement
Nancy climbed ur behind him, and started tor
Lens cabin Beneath the bridge. the BAYOU ran,
heavy and swollen with the spring rams ana as they
came out bv the Tupelo Swamp Jack pointed to
where he smooth browr-red surface OF the stagnant
water was broken by thin yellow nbbon' Ihe l0Ie-
runner of the Mississippi In the few moments tht,o
4h.z- drew rein and watched the sWamps Ill with
the roar Of coming waters, the yellow nbbon became
a swelling stream.
No time to think OF clothes; they turned the mule
and headed back to the church. Il was built upon
the highest ground in miles, and would afford them
Shelter where the Indian mounds, crowded with al
manner of beast kind. Offered none
Nancy chung closer to lack, as the path over Whloh
-haz- had INST ridden dry shod began to disappear
reueath the water. 1t was gone entirely When they
reached the church. LapPlng and CURING IN me
--,,7r7q Grass the water bubbled and whispered IN
sv-f1l qlee 1t went among the graves, WaShliS %
and f~. with cutching fingers tearing at the poor
wooden headboards and the queer Ht(le shel'eTs,
like chicken coops that the folk had bulIt above me
graves Of their little children. 1t had toucheq the
lowest step Of the church when lack helped Nancy
into the doorway then he coaNed the mule to 1oo"
them inside
TUE two stood looking out over the waste OF waters
L which came racing IN from the swamp IN ever
increasing volume The darkness grew, and tar out
in the green reaches shr1A crZ, Whlch OoJh
I--,.v- ,-- that was answered still farther away
lack took out his pistol and felt for his supply O.
cartridges. Again came the long eeT- panther CdIl'
nearer now. and as the edge OF the TSlhS moon
showed above the trees they could see I0uhd pdCA
dot speeding across the open space. mere We're
other dweers OF the swamp that hed eroTe me Ietl
of the flood deer antlers showed above the crest
IF the waves and far off in the distance they heard
sound that had not been heard IN the barracdW IN
vears-the howl OF the gray swamp Vol. As tLe
7iof- ,1eeI,ened occasional splash denoted tIlt
track Of some Wild fugitive In the branches OF the
747 sycamore above them sat great horned Owl,
whose queries auOne the moon Hooded stiffness az
intervals They could the great levels OF ITS
ewes as it slipped cautiously down the NlhD to"a'u
Then came the beat Of a dugout paddle, coming
from the direction OF the Iarbutton cdLlh J1Sh
hailed It. and answering halloo came PACK, ana
presently the dugout pulled up to the chuTch
stems il was the minister In a few words ne eN-
plaIred that Jim Akers, feeling himself III d way
esonsible for his safety, had loaned MN the only
l1lGo the family possessed. return TO the settle
,1,eT+ = distance Of SIX miles. and from there he
could send back boats and supplies TO the people
that were out OF reach OF their neighbors He was
Confined page is