Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-04-30


different from us people He's-he's"-
Gale paused. at loss for words to con-
yey his meaning well. lie amt the
kind that would marry half breed.
Evidently Alluna read some hidden
meaning back of these words. for she
spoke quickly. but in her own tongue
now, as she was accustomed to do
when excited or alarmed
Then thj thug must cease at once.
The risk is too great Better that you
kin him before ii is too late"
Gale rose and laid his big hand firmly
on her shoulder
Don't talk like that There has been
too much blood let already. There's
time enough to worry"
He rose; but, Instead Of going to his
loom, he strobe out of the house and
walked northward up the trail. Alluna
sat huddled up in the doorway, her
cha wi drawn close about her head, and
waited for him until the late sun dip
ped down below the distant mountains
lOT uOui, thSb AOiSN
slanting out again few points farther
north, to begin its long journey anew,
but he did not return. At last she crept
stiffly indoors, the look of fright star
ing in her eyes.
About 0 o'clock the next morning a
faint and long drawn cry came from
the farthest limits of the little camp.
An instant later it was echoed closer,
and then dog began to howl. Before
it's voice had died away another took
1t up sadly, and within three breaths
from up and down the half mile OF
scanty water front came the cry OF
"Steam-bO-o-a-tw Cabin doors opened
and men came out, glanced up the
stream and echoed the call, while from
sleepy hooks and sun warmed roofs
wolf dogs arose, yawning and stretch.
ing.
Downstream came the faint signing
whOOf-whOOf of steamer. and then
out from behind the bend she burst.
Her cabin deck was lined with paSsen-
gers, most of whom were bound for the
"outsidc," although still clad in mack
inaw and overalls. They all gazed ST.
lently ut the hundred men of Flam-
beau, who stared back at them till the
gangplank was placed, when they came
ashore to stretch their legs. One Of
them, however, made sufficient noise
to make up for the silence Of the 9th
pnfo ho or ho1 Grounded
he appeared among the Siwash deck
hands, his head and shoulders tower
ing above them, his white teeth gleam-
ing from face as dark as theirs, shout
ing to his friends ashore and panto-
mining his delight to the two Gale
children, who had come with Alluna to
welcome him.
who's dose beeg tall people wat
stan 'longside of you, Miz Gale?' he
called to her; then, shading his eyes
deliberately, he cried in great voice:
"Waal, waal, l b'lieve OATS M'sieu
Jean an Mam'selle Mollee! Ba gar!
Dey get So beeg vile I'm gone dom
know dem no more!'
line yOutnIul GdieS WrlgSleu eC tnlS
delicious 0attery and dug their tiny
mOccasined toes into the sand.
Lieutenant Burrell had come with
the others, for the arrival of steam
boat called for the presence of every
soul in camp, and, spying Necia in the
outskirts Of the crowd. he took his
place beside her. He had lain awake
for hours thinking Of her and had
fallen asleep with her still in his mind,
for the revelation of her blood had
come as shock to him.
He had sprung from race of slave
holders, from a land where birth and
breed are more than any other thing.
where drop of impure blood effects
an ineradicable stain. Therefore the
thought of this girls ignOble parentage
was so repugnant to him that the
more he pondered 1t the more pitiful
it seemed, the more monStrous. Lying
awake and thinking Of her in the still