The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1912-10-12
Tho Fuuitive.

his heels, doggedly, came the
two short ones, tagged, yet
accomplishing: all OF them
drenched' to the skin by the chill rain
that swirled through the gap, down
into the night ridden valley below.
Sky never was so black. Days Of in
cessant storm had left it impenetrably
overcast. Three or four miles lay be-
tween the sullen travellers and the town
that Graded itself In the lower end OF
the valley.
Night had stolen early upon the dour
spring day. Eight o'clock--no more
aud yet 1t seemed to these men that
they had plowed forever through the
blackness Of this evil night, through a
hundred villainous shadows by un-
pointed paths. Few were the words
that had passed between them during
all those weary miles. An occasional
oath, muftied but impressive, fell from
the lips Of one or the other of those
who followed close behind the silent,
fmperturbable leader. The tall man
was as silent as the unspeakable night
itself
1t was impossible to distinguish the
faces Of these logged nightmares
The collars Of their coats were turned
mp. their Threats were muffied and the
broad rims OF their rain soaked hats
were far down over the eyes. There
was that about them which suggested
the unresented pressure OF firearms In
side the dry breast pockets Of long
coats. M
This was an evening in the spring Of
1875, and these men were forging
their way along a treacherous noun
tain road In southwestern Virginia.
The washing away Of a bridge ten
miles farther down the valley had put
an end to all thought of progress by
rail, for the night at least Rigid ne
cessity compelled them 10 proceed in
tho face Of the direst hardships. Their
mission was one that could not be
stayed so long as they possessed legs
and stout hearts Since O'Clock in
the afternoon they had been strug-
Cling along their way, at times by mar
row wagon roads, not infrequently by
trails and footpaths that made for
economy In distance.
The tall man. strobe onward with
never decreasing strength and con-
fidence. His companions, on the con-
trary, were faint and sore and sSowl-
ing. They were not to the mountains
born. They came from the gentle low
lands by the sea, from broad planta-
lions and pleasant byways, from the
ddewater country. He was the leader
on this ugly night, and yet they were
the masters. They followed, but he
led at their bidding. They had known
him for less than six hours and did
not know his name: nor he theirs for
that matter. They took him on faith
and for what he was worth-s5.
Are those the lights of the town p
painted one of the masters, throb Of
hope In his breast.
"Yas, WAS all the tall man said
How far?" demanded the other.
" Bout fo'h mile
Can we make It by Q, Think
"Yas. r.
WED better be moving along. It's
half past now"
"Yas, r"
Once more they set forward. descend
Ing the slope into the less hazardous
road that wound its way into the town
OF s., then, as now, a thriving place
In the uplands. The ending of dead.
~ war not more than ten years prior
TO the opening of this tale had left
this part Of fair Virginia gaspng for
breath. yet too proud to cry for help.
Virginia. the richest and fairest and
proudest of all the seeding states. was
hut now finding her first moments of
real bore and grief
Intermittent strains of music came
dancing up into the hills from the
heart Of s. The wayfarers listened
In wonder.
Its band" murmurcd one OF the
two behind.
''Yas. r; circus band" vouchsa fed
the guide. sudden eagerness in his
voice. ivan Slye's Great and Only
Mammoth shows
"a circus interrupted one of the
men gruiily. "Then the whole town is
full OF strangers. That's bad for us
DIXIE.
81 don't see why. He's more than
likely to be where the excitement's
highest. amt he? He's not too old fol-
that, Well fud him in that circus
tent, Tom, IL he's in tie town at ALL"
First circus they've had In S. in
dawg's age" ventured the guide
With the irrelevancy of an excited
hoy. ''Rice's was there once, can't
remember just when. an they was
some talk Of Barpum las yeah. they
say. but he done pass us by. He's got
Holy Beheemoth that sweats blood
this yeah. they say. Doggone, I'd like
to see one The guide had not ven
tured 80 much as this, all told. in the
siy hours Of their acquaintanceship.
Lets be moving on. I'm wet clear
through shivered Blake