Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-09-14

though of this he bad little hope. he
believed that within half an hour he
wod,d be pursued by bloodhounds.
lie had been about the town enough
TO know the direction of the river and
started toward it. He was NJ home in
the water, and determined that he
would not attempt to find a boat. but
would plunge in and swim for his life,
The width of the river at Chattanooga
was only about three-QuarterS of
mile. and Mark did not regard this
great distance tor good swimmer,
Orce across the dogs would have To
pick up the scent ON the other side,
and If he should permit the current TO
carry him far dowa the stream the
difficulty in doing 50 would be greatly
increased.
II was Il soft summer evening, and
the larger stars had already begun to
shine Casting glance to the right
he saw streak OF light over Mission
AIRY ridge and knew that before long
he would be AT disadvantage from
the rising OF Il full moon, He walked
briSky whenever any person was in
sight, ana when he thought that lie
was unohServed he ran,
No one OF the few people who passed
the StrapptuG negro girl, whose face
was hidden within the blue check sun
bonnet, dreamed that Il Union soldier
was passing; that the Scaiiold was be-
ing cheated; that u messenger with
the secret OF one OF the most inpor-
tant moves any Confederate general
had made or was destined to make
in the person OF the negro woman
hurrying on toward the river
He sped onward. running and walk
ing briskly alternately. till he came TO
place where n board fence was cap
ped by n narrow strip. He mounted
1t and walked us tar as the fence ex-
tended, perhaps a hundred yards, hop
ing by this means TO throw the dogs
off the scent for Il few minutes, and
thus gain Il little time Then he jump
ed down and hurried forward, a man
passed and called to him, but he paid
no attention TO the call, and the man
stood looking after him. doubtless sus-
pecting that the girl was runaway
slave.
AT last the grateful sight of the river
met his gaze. 1t cheered him and
seemed to beckon him on TO rest upon
its bosom, or. as an alternative with
the dreadful tragedy of the morning,
% G,1 tte
He stood for moment beneath IA
low clump of trees on the bank listen
ing and looking up and down the riv-
err A boat was passing, and be felt II
necessary to wait for 1t to go by. He
lost five minutes, but 1t seemed half
an hour, Then taking Off his dress
and shoes and bonnet he put the dress
and the shoes in the bonnet and tied
the strings around his neck. resting
the bundle on his back Going down
to the margin. and again listening
moment to make sure he was not OBJ
served, he waded out as far as he
could touch bottom, and then began to
swim.
As 1t was midsummer he had ex-
pected to find the water warm. His
expectations were realized to rea-
sonable degree, and he felt that he
could remain in 1t long while with
out being chilled His plan was TO
drift down considerable distance
He might be expected to swim across
as rapidly as he could. and the cur
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 riv-
err 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 creek II he could find one. enter
1t and swim or walk up 1t In the wa
ter. thus rendering 1t 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 favorite
way with him. when IA boy, of resting
In the water. had been TO float on his
back. Unmindful of the wettlng 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
few consultations with which he was
familiar. In this way he diverted his
mind until his nerves became quite
steady
His observations were suddenly
checked by a sound. II was very
faint, but enough to freeze the mar.
row In his bones. 1t was the distant
bark of n dog He listened and pres