Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-02-16

the mans big hands pinioned her.
mo more Of that" he warned, ther
he recovered himself and laughed
"You could yell till you was black ir
the face, ma'am, and there'd be nc
one to hear you."
Where are you taking me?" and
Betty's voice faltered between the sud-
den sobs that choked her.
Just across to George Hicks's.
For what purpose?"
You'll know in plenty Of time
And Slosson leered at her through the
darkness.
Hannibal is to go with me?" asked
Betty tremulously.
"Sure!" agreed Slosson affably
Your nigger, too-quite party"
Betty stepped into the skiff. She
felt her hopes quicken; she was think
ing Of Bess; whatever the girls mo-
tives, she had wished her to escape,
She would wish it now more than ever
since the very thing she had striven
to prevent had happened. Slosson seat
ed himself and took up the oars. Bun
ker followed with Hannibal and they
pushed off. No word was spoken 'un-
til they disembarked on the opposite
shore, when Slosson addressed Bunker
81 reckon. I can manage that young
rip staver, you go back after Sherrod
%ha ,,,,rorar cold
He conducted his captives up the
bank and they entered clearing
Looking across this Betty saw where
a cabin window framed single square
of light. They advanced toward this
and presently the dark outline Of the
cabin itself became distinguishable,
A moment later Slosson paused, a
door yielded to his hand, and Betty
and the boy were thrust into the room
where Murrell had held his conference
with Fentress and Ware. The two
women were now its only occupants
and the mother, gross and shapeless,
turned an expressionless face on the
intruders; but the daughter shrank
into the shadow, her burning glance
fixed on Betty.
Here's yo' guests, old lsdy!" said
Mr.. Slosson. Mrs. Hicks rose from
the three-legged stool on which she
was sitting.
Hand me the candle, Bess." she or
dered.
At one side OF the room was steep
flight of stairs which gave access TO
the loft overhead. Mrs. Hicks, by a
gesture, signified that Betty and Han
nibal were to ascend these stairs; they
did so, and found themselves on a mar
row landing inclosed by partition OF
rough planks, this partition was pierre
ed by a low door. Mrs. Hicks. who
had followed close at their heels,
handed the candle to Betty.
I'm yonder!" she said briefly, nod
ding toward the door.
"Wait!" cried Betty in a whisper.
mo-" said the woman, with an al
most masculine surliness of tone. Il
got nothing to say" She pushed them
into the attic, and, closing the door,
fastened it with a stout wooden bar.
Beyond that door, which seemed to
have closed on every hope. Betty held
the tallow dip aloft, and by its uncer-
tain and Pickering light surveyed her
prison. The briefest glance sufficed.
The room contained two shake down
beds and a stool, there was a window
in the gable, but piece of heavy plank
was spiked before it.
Miss Betty, don't you be scared,
whispered Hannibal. when the judge
hears we're gone, him and Mr. Mahaffy
will try to find US. They'll go right
off to Belle Plain-the judge is al
ways wanting to do that, only Mr.
Mahaffy never let's him-but now he
won't be able to stop him."
"Oh, Hannibal, Hannibal, what car
he do there-what can any one dc
there?" And a deadly pallor over
spread the girls face. To speak Of the
blind cropping Of her friends but served
to fix the horror of their situation in
her mind.
II don't know, Miss Betty, but the
judge is always thinking Of things tc
do; seems like they was mostly things
no one else would think Of"
| Betty had placed the candle on the
stool and seated herself on one of the
beds. There was the murmur Of
voices in the room below: she won
dered If her fate was under consid.
Grafton and what that fate was to be
Hannibal, who had been examining
the window, returned to her side.
Miss Betty, if we could just ge
out of this loft we could steal thei
skiff and row down the river; / reck
on they got just the one boat; TIT
only way they could get to us woul'
be to swim out, and If they done tina
we could pound 'em over the heat
with the oars-the least little thint
sinks when you're in the water" Blu
this murderous fancy of his failed t
interest Betty.
| Presently they heard Sherrod ant
Bunker come up from the shore witt
George Slosson joined them an
there was a brief discussion, then al
interval of silence, and the sound o
voices again as the three white me-
moved back across the field in the di
lrection of the bayou. There succeede'
a period of utter stiffness, both in tn
cabin and in the clearing, a sombe
hush that plunged Betty yet deepe
in despair. Wild thoughts assaile
her. thoughts against which she strug
glcd with all the strength of her wi
In that hour of stress Hannibal wa
sustained by his faith in the judge
He saw his patrons powerful an
picturesque intelligence applied t
solving the mystery of their disappear
lance from Belle Plain; it was incon
ceivable that this could prove other
wise than disastrous to Mr.. Slosso
and he endeavored to share the conf
dence he was feeling with Betty, bu
There was something so forced and un
natural in the girls voice and manne
when she discussed his conjecture
that he quickly fell into an awed 81
IL t.