Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1912-07-25
CITY PRICES
If I'd only pushed my quarrel with

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himl" he thought bitterly.
He heard slosson's shutting step in
the distance, q word or two when he
spoke grufly to some one, and mos
ment later be saw Betty and the boyj
their forms darlSly silhouetted against
the lighter sky as they moved along
the top Of the bank. slosson, withl
out any superfuous galIantry. helped
his captlyes down the slope and
aboard the keel boat, where he locked
them in the cabin, the door OF which
fastened with hasp and wooden pegl
You're boss now, pardnerl" he
said, joining Darlington at the steer
ing oar. /
wen cast on them" answered
Darlington.
Thus far nothing had occurred I'd
mar his plans. II they could but quit
the bayou before the arrival OF the
man whose place he had taken the
I regt would be, II not easy of accom4
/ plishment, at least within the realm
Of the possible.
Il reckon you're a river-man7" OBJ,
served 5losson,
"All my life."
The line had been cast OF, ana the
crew with their setting poles werd
forcing the boat away from the bank!
! All was quietly done; except for an
/ occasional order from Darlington no
word was spoken. and soon the uns
wieldy craft giided into the sluggish
/ current and gathered way. Mr.. Slos4
/ son, who clearly regarded his relation
to the adventure as being OF an ON.
eial character, continued to stand at
4 Carringtoas elbow.
'What have we between here and
tho river?" inquired the latter. IL was
best, no felt, not TO give slosson an
I opportunity to ask questions.
( 1T narrows considerably, pardner.
/ but It's a straight course" said slos-
/ son. BLACK in yonder. amt it?" ha
/ added, nodding ahead.
/ The shores drew rapidly togethers
/ They we're leaving the lake-like ex-
( panse behind. In the silence. above
the rustling Of the trees. Darlington
heard the first fret OF the river against
its bank. slosson yawned prodigious-
ly.
7 reckon you ain1 needing me7''
he said.
'-Better 60 up IN the bow and get
some sleep" advised Darlington, and
slosson. nothing loath, clambered
down from the roof Of the cabin and
stumbled forward.
The ceaaoless murmur OF the rush.
Ing waters grew in the stiffness as
the keel boat drew nearer the hurry
ing yellow food. and the beat Of the
Kentuckian's pulse quickened. Would
he find the raft there? He glanced
back over the way they had come.
The dark ranks OF the forest walled
of the clearing, but across the water
a dim point az light was Visible. He
fixed It's position as somewhere near
the head OF the bayou. Apparently it
was a lantern, but as he looked
ruddy glow orept up against the sky-
line.
From the bow Bunker had been obs
serving this singular phenomenon.
Suddenly he bent and reused Slos-
aon, who had fallen asleep. The tay-
f ern-keeper sprang 10 his feet and
+ Bunker pointed without speaking.
"Mebby you can tell me what that
light back yonder means7" cried Slos-
son, addressing himself TO CARING
ton; as he spoke he snatched up his
rife
That's what I'm trying to make
out answered Darlington.
HE'LL" cried slosson, and tossed
his gun to his shoulder.
What seemed to be breath of
wind lifted a stray lock of Caring
TOMS hair. but his pistol answered
/ slossou In the same second. He fired
at the huddle OF men IN the bow or
/ the boat and one or them pitched for
ward with bis arms outspread.
Keep back, you'll" he said, and
dropped OF the cabin roof.
His promptness had bred momen-
tary panic, then SIosson's bull-like
[ voice began to roar commands: but In
that brief instant Of surprise and
shock Darlington had found and withs
drawn the wooden peg that fastened
/ the cabin door. He had scarcely done
this when Slosson came tramping aft
supported by the three men.
! Calling to Betty and Hannibal to es-
cape In the skin which was towing
astern the KentuekIan rushed toward
the bow. At his back he heard the
door creak on it's hinges as It was
pushed open By Betty and the boy.
and again he called to them to escape
! by the skin, The fret of the current
had grown steadily and from beneath