Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-12-05

the more Yancy came under the In
lfuence of Slosson's corn whisky the
easier his speculation, would be man.
LACED Mr.. Yancy on his part believed
THAT If Murrell went to bed reasona'
bly, drunk he would sleep late and
Igive him the opportunity he coveted
to quit the tavern unobserved at break
Of day. Gradually the ice Of silence
which had held them mute at supper
lthawed. At first 1t was the broken
lazy speech Of men who were disposed
Ito quiet, then the talk became brisk
IA steady stream Of rather dreary
gossip of horses and lands and ne
groes. Of speculations past and gone
in these great staples
Hannibal crossed to the corn-field.
There, in the friendly gloom, he ex-
amined his handkerchief and felt OF
the rolled-up bill. Then he made
count of certain silver and copper
coins which he had in his other pock-
ct. Satisfied that he had sustained
no loss, he again climbed to the top
rail of the fence where he seated him
self with an elbow resting upon one
knee and his chin in the palm Of his
hand.
| "I got ten dollars and seventy cents
yes, sr-and the clostest shooting
rifle I ever tossed to my shoulder" "
He seemed but small to have accom-
plished such a feat. He meditated
for a little space. II reckon when we
strike the settlements again 1 should
like TO buy my Uncle Bob present" "
With knitted brows he considered
what this should be, canvassing Yam
cys needs. He had about decided on
ring such as Captain Murrell was
wearing, when he heard the shutting
of bare feet over the ground and a
voice spoke out of the darkness.
when yo' get to feelin' like sleep,
young boss, Mas'r Slosson he says I
show .yo' to yo' chamber" 1t was
Slosson's boy Eph.
Did you-all happen to notice what
they're doing in the tavern now?'
asked Hannibal
"I low they're maxim a regular
hog KILN Of It," said Eph smartly.
Hannibal descended from the fence.
Yes, you can show me my cham
ber," he said. and his tone was Sc
we're What a white man did was not
matter for a black man to criticize.
They went toward the open door Of
the tavern. Mr.. Slosson's corn whis-
ky had already wrought a marked
transformation in the case Of Slosson
himself. His usually terse speech
was becoming diffuse and irrelevant,
while vacant laughter issued from his
lips. Yancy was apparently unaffected
by the good cheer Of which he had
partaken, but Murrells dark face was
flushed. The Scratch Killers ability
10 carry his liquor exceeded anything
he had anticipated.
"You-all run along to bed, Nevvy,"
said Yancy, as Hannibal entered the
room. "I'll mighty soon follow you"
Eph secured a tin candle-stick with
|
way into the passage back of the bar.
"Mas'r Slosson's JUS mo- than layin'
back" he said, as he closed the door
after them.
"I reckon you-all will lay back. too,
when you get growed up" retorted
Hannibal.
No, sor, l won't White folks won't
| let a nigger lay back. Onliest time a
Niger sees con whisky's when he's
totin' 1t fo' someone else."
IT reckon a nigger's fool enough
without corn whisky" said Hannibal.
They mounted a flight of stairs and
passed down a narrow hall. This
brought them to the back Of the
building, and Eph pushed open the
door on his right.
This heah's yo' chamber" he said.
and preceding his companion into the
room, placed the candle on a chair.
"Well-I low 1 clean forgot some
thingi" cried Hannibal.
IF it's yo' bundle and yo' gun, |
|
bed" said Eph, preparing to with
draw.
IT certainly am obliged to you"
said Hannibal, and with a good night,
Eph retired, closing the door after
him, and the boy heard the patter of
his bare feet as he scuttled down the
hall.
| The moon was rising and Hannibal
went to the open window and glanced
out. His room overlooked the back
yard of the inn and a neglected
truck patch. Starting from a point
beyond the truck patch and leading
straight away to the woodland beyond
was a fenced lane, with the corn-feld
and the pasture-lot on either hand.
Immediately below his window was
the steeply slanting roof of shed. For
a moment he considered the night.
not unaffected by its beauty, then,
turning from the window, he moved
his bundle and rife to the foot of the
bed, where they would be out of his
| way, kicked OH MS lTOuSelS, uie" ou'
the candle and lay down. The gossip
of the men in the bar ran like whis-
per through the house, and with 1t
came frequent bursts of noisy laugh
ter. Listening for these sounds the
boy dozed off.
| Yancy had become more and more
convinced as the evening passed that
Murrell was bent on getting him
drunk, and suspicion mounted darkly
to his brain. He felt certain that he
was Bladen's agent. Now, Mr.. Yancy
took an innocent pride in his ability
to cool off" liquor" Perhaps it was
some heritage from a well-living an
cestry that had hardened its head with
Port and Madeira in the days when
the Yancys owned their acres and
their slaves. Be that as 1t may, he
was equal to the task he had set him
self. He saw with satisfaction the
flush mount to Murrelps swarthy
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