Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-10-12

off along the shore Of black, sullen
creek, through oak and pine growth
and underbrush that snapped gayly
under her fleet hoofs. Here we went on
for a long time in all the luxury OF
solitude and silence, when, Of sud-
den, upon my face fell a drop Of rain.
1 looked up. The lone landscape
lay dark and .desolate before me.
Overhead the sky was like ink. Thun-
der muttered in the west. I turned
Whisky about and started homeward.
Wilder and wilder the way grew,
and the darkness deepened at every
step. The poor brute began to grow
restive at the continuous flashes Of
lightning and the ceaseless thunder
breaking over us. Presently, as If all
the windows Of heaven were opened,
the rain began to pour.
Fast-furious-down it came! No
human habitation was in sight knew
not which way to turn. Waiting,
however, for no hint from me, Whis-
ky tore through the undergrowth,
over a stretch Of sun-baked clay and
brought up with jerk before an old
shanty, standing under some pines at
the head Of the muddy creek.
It's door, I saw, was closed. I rode
up to it. raped thereon with my rid
ing whip.
| "Open!" called.
No answer.
h Drenched and dripping, slipped out
Iof the saddle, tried the latch and found
lit fast.
Break and enter 1 must!" thought
i, and finding the fasteninss Of the
poorest I strained and shook them till
| they yielded, and 1 ran into the shan
|ty.
| It was dark, dirty, empty. Some
half burned brands lay about the
wide hearth. Marks Of feet were on
the clay floor. A faint odor Of burned
bacon seemed to pervade the place.
Evidently its occupants were not far
away.
stood in the door, looking out with
dismay at the prospect. The rain
poured in sheets. Cloud and storm fell
down on all things like a pail, and
presently the figure Of a man leaped,
tall and dark, out Of the underground,
and rushing toward the shanty, con-
fronted me face to face on the thresh-
old.
A man, brawny, black, tattered,
gaunt, wild-eyed! He stood and look
ed at me, an appalling object indeed, as
seen by the fading light Of the place.
"Missus!" he cried, "hi! You are
the little missus from Hazel HALL"
I retreated q step.
He remained in the door, filling 1t
with his burly frame.
"Who are your" demanded. zone
Of the generals servants?
He extended his hands to me.
mo, missus; I am Pindar-poor
Pindar! 1 see you at the Hall the night
you come from the north. I am Roses
sweetheart"
Roses sweetheart! The wretch
who killed Crisp!" 1 advanced boldly
to the door.
Let me pass out" said with all
the authority could muster. Il en-
tered here only to escape the storm"
mo, missus," he answered never
moving an inch. This my house.
You come, you break my door-now
you stay. Storm not over yet"
7 orau, oioE opd faint
What do you want Of me?" de-
manded.
He stretched forth his hands again.
Money, missus! White folks all
round chasing poor nfsser. He can't
get away without money. Rose swear,
faithful, to bring some, but she lie.
Missus have plenty. She fill Pindar's
hands"
Money!" I answered. Il have not
so much as a penny"
"Missus has rings, then-jewels," he
urged.
1 drew off my gauntlets and showed
him my hands utterly bare.
"Missus has chain round her pref
ty throat" next said the wretch, his
rolling eyes catching the gleam of gold
above the color of my habit.
my chain!" I gasped, clutching
tightly the most precious thing have
on earth-the golden links. the queer,
old charms that adorned my poor
branded throat when Jean Rale found
me screeching on the rocks Of old Cape
Ann far away. GIVE you my chain?
Never!"
He leered at me hideously.
Then, missus don't leave Pindar's
shanty! Yah! Hazel Halls long way
off-nobody find missus here. Spose
1 serve you like 1 did Crisp-toss
pretty white body into the creek yon-
der-take hoss-be off-who know?"
I grew deadly cold The full peril
Of my situation rushed over me IN
breath-the night falling without,
where Whisky was tramping restless |
ly-that black, murderous wretch con-
fronting me within, barring my egress,
threatening my life. Shrek? Who
would hear?
He drew nearer, waxing impatient. |
"Give Pindar the chain!" he cried,
shrilly Quick! or I take it like this,
missus!" and he made dash at my
throat.
1 had my whip in hand-the only
weapon Of defense within reach. AS
that horrible grasp closed on me l
struck the black full in the face with
the long, smart, singing lash. The
blow was keen and unexpected. His
hand dropped! With a cry 1 dashed
past him to the door. AS I did so
heard without loud tramping, and
man sprang to meet me over the
threshold. At sight Of him the black
bounded into the air, broke free and
fled like the wind out of the shanty.
rushed forward, and was caught In the
arms Of Arthur Guilte.
Miss Rale! Great Cod" he cried.
his brown, severe face as pale as a
woman's "Who was that"