The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1916-01-07
CHAPTER ".
Into tn. Enemies Hands.

Inb IA and I would be discovered
l -ls.a I'm n tbe house. Only my wakefuI-
lOu' :, desire TO investigate, had in
i'' ,.. - with the complete success Of
'. \, S,dsous plan. Taylor had pre-
W, himself for this emergency, had
'l,ra,.,oly taken the weapon for that
~. .,,r nrVose Where had the fellow
W.. .s.., r. And what had become Of the
negro bond and
.,,ol,sr in the other, staring down at
NV, y, dead face Of this man who had
~. been my fathers friend Out OF
Wa y. mist coated the face Of the girl
=. M who had waved to me in the
.,'s The vision brought back to me
illness and determination. | felt
,s,ongb the pockets Of the dead man
=, ionrd q knife, keys and a roll Of
slI, Untouched, but not a scrap OF pa.
!, On the floor, partially concealed
|, mo arm. was a large envelope, IN
'5s,sssed. roughly torn open. 1t was
anne document, then, the murderer
w1ght. and be had fed with it in his
possession.
intent now on my one purpose of
discovery, my mind active and alert, |
BEGAN a rapid search Of the house
The front door was fastened and
nrted proving Taylor had not left
Mt way There was but one other
room Oh that floor. a kitchen in con.
Siderable disorder, as though the sery.
,st had made no effort to complete his
work. but It's outer door stood un-
behsd. Sam must have gone with
Ne nOuntaineer in his hasty flight
must be equally guilty This wa the
only conclusion possible, and the
knowledge that ! was left there alone
rendered my own position pTeCaTious.
HsgoOd had surely never ventured
into this doubtful region without hav-
ng soldiers within call, no doubt in
be village, who, If he failed to appear
FAen expected, would search for him.
Before they came, and made discov.
syO the dead body, | must be safely
eIold reach. If found there, no de-
tlse no asseveration of innocence,
Nld ever save me from condemna.
don Their vengeance would be swift
ni nerclless.
Thinking now only Of my own es.
cape unObserVed, | felt my way into
a' night with my bundle, This would
y Federal territory; or II not, al
ready, my nights ride would bring
n veil within their lines before
avn J slipped instantly out Of the
Nl'd cut Of gray and dOnned the i'm.
Hllate blue, buCkllng the belt about
~ Eaist and securely hooking the
a'f Then | scOoped out a hole in
lle Sotl dirt and buried the old uni.
nin, tearing my pass into shreds,
catering the fragments broadcast.
! vas SO lonely and still all about
@I | ielt a return Of confidence, q
renewed courage. The house behind
@ and the stable before, we're mere
olllnes, scarcely discernible through
~ soom. Once safely in the saddle
'Trlsd the gloom Of the house 81
saly and followed the roadway to
he gate
MOI light cleaned in any direction
" could recall no other house near
" while It remained In view | could
y remove my eyes from the mansion
aa Just left, or forget the dead body
g1s mere in the dark, The shyinF
~ horse at the gate caused me tC
'oe black something lyiue
]AlnA the post At first I deemed II
sa'le shadow, but the animal would
respond even to the spur, and
@a'anlea better to ascertain thC
q his fright The negro lay
dead as his raster. a knife
u his heart. Then it was Tay
Aone who had done the foul deed
..s'a vas nothing | could do but fie,
suy through the night. My owl
oa VSs now far too desperate Il
go Of my giving any alarm, o.
sas 70 trace the murderer. To fall
Union hands would be my dealt
.'AaN irrespective OF Harwood'l
la ny duty lay in carrying GU
NdeFs Of "old Jack" To ALLOW
49, % be captured would spot
N'gsAins
u. @ae toward Hot Springs as rap
! dared. watchful of ever
'alaS shadow, until | came to thu
~ s '9asgllng houses. These wer,
y. sua silent and not so much as
49, Y sl'Aea as | walked my horse eau
t'Vard toward the mali
i, 4 'aS 81; one dim light stream
~. aouEa an uncurtained window o
W, sa.I Inlhed Ike a law Office, an,
close enough to learn that
49, y men within were playing
l,S.H was highly probable thes,
A, % the majors escort
~ place Vlobserved and rod