The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-01-17

Don't you be scared, Miss Betty!'
said Hannibal.
They went silently from the house
and again crossed the lawn to the ter
race. Under the leafy arch which can
opted them there was already the deer
purple of twilight
"Do you reckon it were Ctptain Muir
rell shot Mr. Norton Miss Betty?''
asked Hannibal in a shuddering whis.
per.
'Hush-Oh, hush, Hannibal! 1t is
too awful to even speak Of" and,
sobbing and half historical, she GOV
cred her face with her hands.
But where are we going, Miss
Betty" asked the boy.
81 don't know, dear!" She had an
agonized sense of the nights approach
and of her own utter helplessness.
'I'll tell you what, Miss Betty, let's
go to the judge and Mr.. Mahaffy!"
said Hannibal.
Judge Price," She had not thought
of him as a possible protector.
"Why, Miss Betty, amt told you
he amt afraid of nothing? We could
walk to Raleigh easy if you don't want
your niggers to hook up a team for
you"
Betty suddenly remembered the car
rage which had taken the judge into
town; she was sure it had not yet re-
turned.
eve will go to the judge, Hannibal!
George, who drove him into Raleigh,
has not come back; if we hurry we
may meet him on the road"
Screened by the thick shadows, they
passed up the path that edged the
bayou; at the head of the inlet they
entered a clearing, and crossing this
they came to the corn field which lay
between the house and the highroad.
Following one of the shock rows they
hurried to the mouth of the lane.
Hannibal, don't want to tell the
judge why am leaving Belle PLANE
about the woman, mean," said Betty.
"You reckon they'd kill her, don't
you, Miss Betty, if they knew what
she'd done?" speculated the boy. 1t
occurred to him that an adequate ex-
PLANTATION of their flight would require
preparation, since the Judge was at all
times singularly alive to the slightest
discrepancy of statement. They had
issued from the corn field and went
along the road toward Raleigh. Sud
denly Betty paused.
"Hark!" she whispered.
at were nothing, Miss Betty" said
Hannibal reassuringly, and they hur-
ried forward again. In the utter still
ness through which they moved Bet
ty heard the beating of her own
heart, and the soft and all but maud
ible patter of the boys bare feet on
the warm dust of the road. Vague
forms that resolved themselves into
trees and bushes seemed to creep to-
ward them out of the nights black
uncertainty. Once more Betty paused
1T were nothing, Miss Betty" said
Hannibal as before and he returned
to his consideration of the judge. He
sensed something of that intellectual
nimbleness which his patrons phys.
ical makeup in nowise suggested,
since his face was mask that usually
left one in doubt as to just how much
of what he heard succeeded in max
ing it's impression on him; but the
boy knew that Slocum Prices blind
side was sheltering exposure.
You don't think the carriage could
have passed us while we were cross
ing the corn field?' said Betty,
'fNo, | reckon we couldn't a-missed
hearing it," answered Hannibal. He
had scarcely spoken when they caught
the rattle of wheels and. the beat of
hOOfs. These sounds swept nearer
and nearer, and the darkness dis
gorged the Belle Plain team and car
riage.
"George!" cried Betty, a world of
relief in her tones.
whoa, you!" and George refined in
his horses with jerk. "Who's dar?"
he asked, bending forward on the box
as he sought to pierce the darkness
with his glance.
George"
"Oh, it you, Missy?"
Eyes, l wish you to drive me into
Raleigh" said Betty, and she and
Hannibal entered the carriage.
"All right, Missy. You-all ready TO
me to go along out O. here?"
"Yes-drive fast, George!" urged
Betty.
"It's right dark TO fast drivin',
Missy, with the road jes' amin fo' to