The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-08-29
A FFTETH ANNIVERSARY WAR S
M T a nITCEEL.

\ NIECEEL.

rent in this case would land him per-
haps a mile below the town. Those
who would follow him with dogs
would doubtless track him to the riy-
er margin, then take the dogs across
and endeavor to pick up the scent
some distance below on the other side.
Mark had weighed all these circum-
stances, and determined to drift down
as far as possible, land at the mouth
Of a creek if he could find one, enter
it and swim or walk up it in the wa
ter. thus rendering it difficult for the
dogs to. track him.
he swan slowly till he reached the
middle Of the river; then, floating with
scarcely any motion Of his hands and
feet. he permitted himself to drift
down with the current. A favor1te
way with him, when boy, OF resting
in the water, had been to float on his
back. Unmindful Of the wetting he
would give the clothes tied around his
neck, he turned over and drifted with
his arms spread beside him, his eyes
turned directly to the sky.
In the position on his back he could
only look upward at the stars. There
was the great dome above him span
gled with myriads Of bright points
and spanned by the milky way" He
had always been fond Of the stars.
and in order to divert his mind picked
out some Of his favorites and traced a
few consultations with which be was
familiar. IN this way he diverted his
mind until his nerves became quite
steady.
His observations we're suddenly
checked by a sound. 1t was very
faint, but enough to freeze the mar
row in his bones II was the distant
bark of dog. He listened and pres
emily could hear more. Evidently
there was a pack. They drew nearer.
Then they ceased TOR awhile. Per
haps they had come to the place
where he had walked on the fence.
Then the barks began again. growing
only slightly louder as they came. for
Mark was floating rapidly from the
point where he had entered the river.
BE inyoluntarily turned over on his
chest and struck out Justify. The cur
rent was swift; swimming would not
add to his safety-it would only tax
his strength and render him more
liable to recapture on the other shore.
But swim he must With the terrible
sound Of those dogs In his ears he
could not lie idly on the water, and
leave the current to bear him onward.
Soon there came another cessation
Of sound from the dogs far above on
the shore, and Mark judged that they
had lost the scent at the place where
he had entered the water.
Then he began to think Of Souri, and
Jakey. What had they done to Souri,
when they had discovered her trick2
Would they punish her? Would they
treat the boy harshly? He was COM
forted with the thought that there
would be nothing gained by this-it
would not bring the prisoner back
but he muttered prayer for the girl
who had placed herself behind those
prison bars. who had incurred the
rage Of his jailers to save him.
he heard no more Of the dogs and
hosted on, swimming and resting al
ternately. The high bluffs OF Mecca
sin point were before him on his right.
An owl. on their summit, watching the
rising moon. occasionally gave a dis
NAL hoot. the intervals being supplied
by the melancholy whippoorwin. The
current bore him on around the point,
carrying him in near the shore where
be had passed the picket with the
sleeping Jakey in bis arms a few
nights before. So close was be that
he could see man walking back and
forth on the very beat OF the one he
had passed AS be drifted away he
saw the relief approach and the picket
changed.
he was borne directly under Look
out mountain, and on down for mile
to a point where the river makes an
other bend. Here the bank was low.
and as Mark was getting chilled he
swan to the southern bank for rest
He laid himself down for few mo-
ments on the dry ground. and then
getting up walked back and forth rap
idly, swinging his arms at the same
time to restore circulation and fit him
to endure a longer stay in the water.
he looked about for some piece of
wood on which be might float farther.
There were logs Of various sizes scat
tered around, but most Of them were
rotten. He was so much at home in
the water that he was not disappoint-
ed on failing TO find one suitable to
his purpose.
Plunging in again he moved ON down
past the bluffs at the foot Of the Rae
coon mountains, swimming ON his
chest most Of the time and keeping
lookout before him. He had not pass
ed any boats, at least none near him.
and did not fear this danger. but he
wanted to keep his surroundings well
in view in order to know his location.
anA hA